Massachusetts Town Disappeared After Being Submerged in Water

Have you ever thought about those places you used to visit that no longer exist? One minute, it's a frequent spot to see, and then the next thing you know, it's a ghost town.

With life, it's inevitable for changes like this to happen, but you can't help but sometimes wonder what happened.

Although this is typically the case for businesses that come and go, we rarely hear about this same occurrence happening with towns or cities.

However, one particular town in Massachusetts that was once populated and thriving is now just a moment of history.

History of Dana, Massachusetts

Dana Common was incorporated in Worcester County, Massachusetts in 1801. It was a village made up of buildings and communal gatherings and was a rural spot for travelers to visit, especially throughout the summer.

A Town Submerged in Water

Dana is no longer on the map because of the Quabbin Reservoir, the largest inland body of water in Massachusetts.

The Commonwealth created the reservoir to be the main water supply for Boston between 1930 and 1939.

The village was a perfect spot to make this happen since Dana was not an industrial area with no highways or landmarks.

Families were forced to evacuate, and by 1939, the roads and connecting towns were submerged by the water, erasing a world that once was.

The renamed land of Dana is still around today but has become a historical hike in the Quabbin Reservoir watershed.

The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation also maintains what's left of the town. Today, it's remembered with a plaque honoring those who had to leave everything behind in Dana.