104 NATURAL HISTORY AND TOPOGRAPHY OF GROTON, MASS. 



the war with England (1812-1815) carried on a large busi- 

 ness in this neighborhood. He afterward removed to Keene, 

 New Hampshire, where he lived for many years. His shop 

 was situated on Main Street, nearly opposite to the Groton 

 Inn, but it disappeared a long time ago. 



The clock in the tower of the Baptist Meeting-house was 

 made by the E. Howard Watch and Clock Company, Boston, 

 and was first put in running order between three and four 

 o'clock, Thursday afternoon, November 18, 1897. Henry 

 Wm. Whiting did the carpentry, before the placing of the 

 timepiece in position. 



A telegraph office in Groton was opened on Saturday, 

 March 20, 1880; and the first message along its wires was 

 sent to Nashua, N. H. A night operator was appointed in 

 the early part of March, 1903. 



A telephone office was first opened on Friday, April 24, 

 1 88 1, in the building at the south corner of Main Street and 

 Station Avenue. It still remains there, but not in the same 

 part of the building. 



The reservoir of the Water Company on Gibbet Hill was 

 filled with water for the first time on Monday, November 29, 



1897- 

 The double track on the Worcester and Nashua Railroad, 



between Groton and Ayer, was opened for traffic on Monday, 



December 2, 1907, when the first train left Groton at 12 o'clock, 



noon. The double track from Groton to Pepperell was opened 



on October i, 191 1. 



This road was opened originally for regular business through 

 its entire length on December 18, 1848, though the section 

 from Groton Junction, now Ayer, to Clinton had been pre- 

 viously opened on July 3, 1848, and from Clinton to Worcester 

 on November 22, of the same year. 



The first train over the straightened track near the station 

 was run on Thursday noon, August 18, 1910. 



The new station in the village was first used on March i, 

 191 1. 



The electric light was introduced by the town of Groton on 

 November 20, 1909. 



