Exploring The Company Towns of Massachusetts

When you think of a so-called company town today, you might think of the Googleplex in Mountain View, Calif., or Nike's headquarters in Beaverton, Ore. They're self-sufficient communities, and almost mini-cities that are vibrant symbols of American industry. But there are also company towns, like the meat packing plants scattered throughout the heartland, where injuries run high and the pay runs low.

Company towns have a rich history in Massachusetts, especially in the old mill capitals of Lowell and Lawrence. Those cities feature prominently in a new book by Hardy Green called The Company Town: The Industrial Edens and Satanic Mills that Shaped the American Economy.

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