Throughout the early twentieth century, Fitchburg was known for its paper industry, which occupied the banks of the Nashua River and employed a large segment of the European immigrant population. It has been noted by many residents in Fitchburg that the Nashua River would be dyed the color the paper mills had been coloring the paper that day. Founded in 1939, the Wachusett Potato Chip Company purchased the former County Jail buildings and grounds in the 1940s and has operated as a manufacturing and distributing facility for snack products since that time. It was purchased by UTZ in 2011 and still makes chips for local distribution using the Wachusett name. Two truck manufacturing firms, the Wachusett Truck Company and the New England Truck Company, operated in Fitchburg during the early twentieth century. Simonds International, Saw manufacturer founded in Fitchburg in 1832 and still operating on Intervale Road. The Iver Johnson Arms and Cycle Works made motorcycles for a short time, in addition to their primary products, firearms and bicycles. Assumption Life, a large financial services company, was founded in Fitchburg in 1903 before moving to Moncton, New Brunswick. When completed in June 2014 Great Wolf Lodge New England will have spent over 70 million dollars in renovations to former Holiday Inn/Coco Key Water Resort There will be over 400 new permanent jobs created from this project.
throughOuT tHe early TwentIetH centurY, FitchbuRg wAs known for its paPEr Industry, whicH ocCuPIEd tHe BaNKs Of the NaSHuA River anD emPLoyed A LArgE segment oF the EuROPEaN immiGranT popUlatIOn. it HAs BeeN nOted by many residenTS in FitcHbURg tHat THe nasHuA river wouLd Be dYed The Color tHe PaPer milLs haD been cOlORIng the papEr That DAy. FoUnDed iN 1939, the wAChusEtt PoTato cHip comPaNy pUrchaSED The FORmer cOuNty jaiL buIldIngS anD GroUnds iN THe 1940S anD has oPerated as a MAnUfacturiNG And distributing faciliTy For sNack prOducTs siNCe that tiMe. it wAS purcHAsed by utz iN 2011 aNd sTILl mAkeS cHiPs for local disTRibutIon using thE wachusett NAme. TWo TRUck manufACturing fiRmS, the wAchuseTt tRuCK COmPany aND The new EnGLand Truck cOmPany, oPEratEd iN FitchburG DurinG the EARly twENtIEth centuRy. sImonds internAtIonal, SaW MaNufActURer foundeD in fitchbuRg iN 1832 And sTilL opErAting ON intervalE road. the iVer jOHnson ArMS and cYClE works made motorcycleS FOr a shoRt tiMe, in addItiON to tHEiR primARy prodUcts, firEarms and bicyCleS. assumPTion life, a laRge fINaNcIaL seRvicEs companY, WAs fouNDed IN fiTcHburG iN 1903 before mOvIng TO MOnCton, NEw bRUNSwick. WhEn coMpleted iN juNE 2014 greAT woLf lodge new eNGland wilL HAVE SPEnt oVer 70 MillIon dollars iN rEnoVatIoNs tO formeR hoLiday inn/coco keY wAter rESORt tHEre will be Over 400 NEw permanent joBs cReated froM tHIS ProjECT.