Before Millis became the town it is today, it was part of the neighboring city of Medway for nearly 200 years. While Millis was first settled in 1657, it wasn’t until 1885 when it finally became an independent township.
The reason this all changed was that Lansing Millis entered the picture. This local railroad entrepreneur built a railroad system in Millis, which helped factor in its independence. He officially incorporated Millis into the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1885.
Not long after, Millis developed from a small town to a prosperous society thanks to the numerous industries opening up around Boston. These businesses and jobs encouraged employment and population growth—so much so that Millis developed an entire industrial hub.
Unfortunately, the hub became obsolete as it gave way to larger cities, and thus, it is mostly abandoned. The abandoned corner is now a group of various empty pits, with many of them serving as a home to wildlife, protected along with the Great Black Swamp.