Fitchburg is often known for two things: its nickname as the second most hilly city in the country, just behind San Francisco, and no description of the city would be complete without mentioning its manufacturing history. One company, Iver Johnson, brought a love for hills and industry together that left a legacy in Massachusetts and beyond.
Officially incorporated as a township from neighboring Lunenburg in 1764, the name Fitchburg is a “synonym for heroism,” according to the city.
That heroism was in the forefront when the Revolutionary War broke out, prompting 169 Fitchburg men to join the Continental Army. Upon their return in 1783, the region was buzzing with new ideas and industrialists, all looking at the value of the Nashua River as a power source…