The Town of Pelham is a hilltown in Hampshire County, well watered by the Swift and Fort Rivers, but with rough terrain.  The town was first settled in 1738 and its early colonists were Scotsmen.  They had sent a scout to look America over before committing themselves to the drastic step of leaving their homes, but having received good reports, almost 100 families set out for Boston in five ships, arriving in 1718 and trying a number of other places before determining on Pelham as a home. 

Responding to the basic needs of their community, it was only a year after they first arrived that the residents of Pelham established the first school in town and made provisions for saw and grist mills.   The men of Pelham were at the relief of Fort William Henry in 1757, served under General Bradstreet in the expedition against Fort Frontenac and under General Abercrombie in the assault on Fort Ticonderoga.  Pelham soldiers began fighting in the Revolutionary War in 1775, served in the war of 1812 and had a particularly noteworthy record in the Civil War.  Out of 100 men in Pelham between the ages of 18 and 45 during the Civil War, 75 served as soldiers, most by voluntary enlistment.  But having fought repeatedly to defend their country, Shays Rebellion in 1786 found at least some of the residents of the town attacking the state and courts.  Under the leadership of Captain Daniel Shays of Pelham, 1100 armed men from five counties attacked the Armory and courthouse in Springfield in anger over the poor financial conditions which followed the Revolution.  None of the 12 men convicted of treason were executed by the new government of the United States, but they weren't pardoned until all preparations for the hangings had been made and the men had been led to the gallows.  Shay's pardon was signed by the newly elected Governor of Massachusetts, John Hancock.  

 In the quiet years between wars, Pelham tended to its business, which was farming, quarrying stone to build Springfield, Northampton and Amherst, making charcoal, carding wool and tanning leather, and distilling a very popular brand of apple cider brandy.  In addition, by 1873, they were mining asbestos and making palm leaf hats, ax handles and wooden bobbins.  

By the 19th century the mineral springs in Pelham had attracted enough visitors to warrant the construction of two hotels and for at least the rest of the century Pelham gained the character of a health resort.  The town's major product, however, became fishing rods, and in the 19th century, Pelham manufactured more rods of more types than anyplace else in the country.  From the lightweight fly fishing rods to the heavy weight salt water rods, Pelham's rods had a national reputation.