Wickaboag Valley Historic District

Wickaboag Valley Historic District covers about two miles of rural land in north-central West Brookfield, Massachusetts, following Wickaboag Valley Road north from Wickaboag Pond. Two branches of Sucker Brook, including Mill Brook, run through marshy ground and fresh meadows, giving the valley a long open view. The district holds fourteen historic dwellings, several barns and outbuildings, and the archaeological remains of four water-powered mill sites. Most houses are wood-frame vernacular examples of the Federal and Greek Revival styles, built in the 18th and 19th centuries. Land here passed largely through the Gilbert family, descendants of early settler Henry Gilbert, who farmed the valley from the early 18th century. Milling began in 1669 with the town's first grist mill, and a sawmill still operates today. The district was listed for its agricultural and industrial history, its architecture, its planning and development, and its archaeological potential. The amount of open land has changed little since the late 19th century.