wigwams were scattered about the base of the mountain and along the
border of the lake, and tradition informs us that on a large flat rock
near the lake their council-fires were often lighted.

Until 1751, but three families had settled in the Wachusett tract. In
May of that year Robert Keyes, a noted hunter, settled there with his
family, upon the eastern slope of the mountain, near where the present
carriage-road to the summit begins. On April 14, 1755, a child of his
named Lucy, about five years old, strayed away, presumably to follow
her sisters who had gone to the lake, about a mile distant. She was
never heard of again, though the woods were diligently searched for
weeks. Whitney speaks of this incident, and concludes that "she was
taken by the Indians and carried into their country, and soon forgot
her relations, lost her native language, and became as one of the
aborigines." In 1765 Keyes petitioned the General Court to grant him "ye
easterly half of said Wachusett hill" in consideration of the loss of
"100 pounds lawful money" incurred by him in seeking for his lost child.
This petition was endorsed "negatived" in the handwriting of the
secretary. With this one exception the early settlers of Princeton seem
to have suffered very little at the hands of the Indians.

Princeton, in common with its neighbors, underwent much religious
controversy during the first half-century of its existence. The first
meeting-house, "50 foots long and 40 foots wide," was erected in 1762
"on the highest part of the land, near three pine trees, being near a
large flat rock." This edifice was taken down in 1796, and replaced by a
more "elegant" building, which in turn was removed in 1838. The three
pine trees are now no more, but the flat rock remains, and on account of
the fine sunset view obtained from it has been named "Sunset Rock."