The  centre  of  the  town,  through
which  the  south  branch  of  the  Hoosic
runs  in  a  northern  direction  into  Ad-
ams, is  a  rich  and  fertile  valley.  To
the  east  and  west  of  this,  the  ground


GAZETTEER    OF    MASSACHUSETTS.
127


gradually  rises  into  hills  and  moun-
tains. The  township  is  admirably
fitted  for  grazing,  to  which  the  atten-
tion of  the  inhabitants  is  principally
turned  ;  though  considerable  quanti-
ties of  grain  are  raised.  Extensive
and  valuable  dairies  are  kept,  and  the
Cheshire  cheese  has  acquired  a  wide
and  merited  celebrity.  The  famous
mammoth  cheese,  presented  to  President
Jefferson,  January  1,  1802,  contrib-
uted much  to  bring  this  town  into
notice.  On  a  given  day,  the  dairy-
women  sent  their  curds  to  one  place.
The  quantity  was  too  great  to  be
pressed  even  in  a  cider-miU ;  so  that
in  addition  to  the  intended  present,
three  additional  cheeses  were  made,
weighing  seventy  pounds  each.  The
mammoth  cheese  weighed  about  one
thousand  four  hundred  and  fifty
pounds.  Mr.  Jefferson  sent  back  a
piece  of  this  to  the  inhabitants  to  sat-
isfy them  pf  its  excellence ;  and  he
also  sent  pieces  of  it.  it  is  said,  to  the
governors  of  the  several  states.
From  the  west  village,  or  "Four
Corners,"  to  South  Adams  is  about
four  miles.
CHESTER.
Hampden  Co.  This  town  contains
two  flourishing  villages,  both  of  which
are  on  the  western  railroad.  The  first
we  meet,  in  going  from  Boston  to  Al-
bany, is  Chester  village,  on  the  north
branch  of  "Westfield  river,  and  busily
engaged  in  manufacturing.  This  vil-
lage is  twenty-one  miles  west  from
Springfield,  and  one  hundred  and
nineteen  miles  west  from  Boston,  by
the  railroad.
