Incorporated on June 13, 1767, Hubbardston began as a rural farming community. The town's many farms produced crops, livestock, and dairy products, and millponds utilized the waterpower from local streams to run mill sites. There were several inns and hotels in town, as Hubbardston was a central north-south travel route. The railroad arrived in 1871 and brought many changes, including a great influx of Finnish immigrants who settled in town. Some noted residents were Adam Wheeler, who was second in command at Shay's Rebellion; Jonas G. Clark, founder of Clark University; and Waino Holopainen and Roy Handy, famous for the invention of the first hydraulic backhoe.