Visit "Granby Then and Now" created by Mr. Brown's Third Grade
Class from a Windows on History grant from the Teaching American
History program through the Hampshire Educational Collaborative.
Granby Town History The Town of Granby is a rural suburban town
on the outskirts of the Holyoke metropolitan area. Settled
around 1727, the town is dominated in the north by the Holyoke
range of hills and has a rugged terrain which hampered
agricultural development as the limited water resources hampered
industrial development. However, despite these obstacles,
settlers developed farms and some limited industries which made
up the town's economic foundation. They grew grains, turnips,
pumpkins and hops, and small distilleries were open by 1812
using the surplus grain produced. Dairy farming, making buttons
and palm leaf hats followed these in economic importance in the
19th century. However, by 1875, local industry was gone and
agriculture, primarily dairy farming, was the staple in Granby.
The town still retains the hu