Webster was founded as a mill village, and that industry’s footprint still looms large in the town.
Just ask Jason Croteau, who has lived with his wife, Pamela, in Webster for 20 years. Croteau is a UPS driver, and most days his route brings him to a six-mill complex tucked between the French River and South Main Street. Croteau knows the hard-to-navigate complex well, often redirecting other delivery people and, on at least one occasion, a lost reporter. Despite the fact that many of the mills have boarded windows, he said, they are mostly filled with commercial tenants: carpenters, metalworkers, consultants, and, according to the warehouse sign for Dr. A.C. Daniels Inc., a “catnip toy maker since 1878.’’
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Webster, which was incorporated as a town in 1832, was founded by Samuel Slater, considered by many to be the “father of the American factory system’’ or the “father of the American Industrial Revolution.’’ Slater chose Webster for its “mill privilege,’’ or its location at the outlet of a large body of water, which has a famous, and equally large, name: Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg. To native Americans in the Nipmuc Tribe, this translates to “Englishmen at Manchaug at the fishing place at the boundary,’’ according to the Webster Lake Association, but other translations — and spellings — have been handed down.
“The lake, obviously, is unpronounceable,’’ joked Croteau, who enjoys it regularly. He owns a boat, which he uses to entertain his three kids (ages 9, 13, and 14) and for the occasional “quiet boat ride at night.’’
It’s “for chilling and trying to relieve some of the stress from the daily grind,’’ Croteau said, “but the summer’s short. In the winter I cross-country ski. I snowshoe. I’ve done 12 miles around the lake in cold weather.’’
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Croteau, who lives near the Connecticut border 10 minutes from the lake, said there’s a bit of an economic divide between the lakeside community and the rest of town. He doesn’t dwell on it, however, he said.
“There’s been a push to clean the town up,’’ Croteau said. “We have a brewery in town now. They’re putting in a riverwalk, and we’re getting a new library.’’
Croteau knows the people along his route, and his fair share of Webster’s population (11,412 as of the 2010 Census).
“My customers are very friendly and giving,’’ Croteau said. “I try to have a good time every day by being respectful.’’
BY THE NUMBERS
15
The number of G’s in a popular 45-letter spelling of Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg. Many residents know different versions of the lake’s name, but in conversation most refer to it as “Webster Lake.’’
1954
The year Nipmuc Water Ski Club was founded. The organization welcomes members of all ages and skills and offers wake boarding, knee boarding, trick skiing, jumping, bare footing, and more.
26.05
The height in feet of the French River on Aug. 19, 1955. The river’s height had been measured at about 5 feet the previous day. The ensuing flood is remembered as one of Webster’s most destructive weather events.
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$2,000
The prize for the closest guess to the exact time that a 40-pound weight attached to an Albert Einstein effigy breaks the ice at Webster Lake. The Webster Lake Association hosts the annual contest, which is in its 11th year. The winning guess for 2017 was Feb. 25 at 1:28 p.m.
1812
The year Samuel Slater founded the East Village textile mill, the oldest of Webster’s three major mill complexes. At its peak, 600 employees worked there. Today, only a tower remains from the historic complex; a shopping center replaced the rest.
PROS & CONS
PRO
Recreation
Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg is a beloved recreational destination. In the summer, people swim, water ski, and wakeboard; in the winter, they cross-country ski, snowshoe, and ice fish.
CON
Economic divide
There’s reportedly one between the lakeside community and the rest of the town.
Ben Berke is a freelance journalist covering arts and urban development. Send comments to [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @benjberke. subscribe to our free newsletter at pages.email.bostonglobe.com/AddressSignUp.