Athol vs. Dunwich - Introduction

Although Robert M. Price belieces that Dunwich is largely based on Wilbraham, Donald R. Burleson feels that Athol, which HPL stayed in while visiting his friend W. Paul Cook, is a more likely candidate. For one thing, it's in north-central Massachusetts, which is where Dunwich is supposed to be. For another thing, several names from the story - Bishop, Frye, Sawyer, Rice, Morgan - are all important to Athol or its history. There's also a Sentinel Elm Farm, which might be the basis for Sentinel Hill. Frankly, the fact that my Dad lives there is reason enough for me to believe it.

On Saturday, September 16, it was a beautiful fall day, and I was visiting my Dad in Athol. I decided to run into the center of town and take some photos of older buildings that would date from the time of HPL's visit...or, more appropriately, from the time of the Dunwich Horror. It's really a cute town, to be honest. I saw bucolic farmers selling onions and potatoes by the roadside, and I imagined them as descendants of Curtis Whateley and Joe Osborn. I intend to head back to the area to visit the New North Salem area to visit the Bear's Den, which appears in the story and which is a real place that HPL visited.

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