The Town of Dracut is a suburban industrial center on the periphery of Lowell and southern New Hampshire. Originally, in 1653, the community was part of the Wamiset Praying Town, one of the preserves set aside by the colonists for Christianized Indians.
The town has several large ponds, bogs and swamps and numerous brooks. Its early economy relied on fishing, lumbering and the milling of lumber, which led in turn to the 19th century industries of paper making and cotton textile manufacturing. These mills attracted Irish and French Canadian immigrants. There has been intense modern development in Dracut, with suburban residential pressures from Lowell.
Some rural landscapes survive intact along the state boundary as do some handsome historic houses. One of the better known is the 290 year old Coburn/Cutter House, with its massive beams, huge center chimney and fireplaces. The building, dating from about 1700, has served as the site of annual crafts fairs in Dracut.
