Northborough, Massachusetts
Northborough is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The official spelling of the town's name is "Northborough", but the alternative spelling "Northboro" is also used. The population was 14,155 at the 2010 census.
Northborough, Massachusetts | |
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First Parish Church | |
Seal | |
Location in Worcester County and the state of Massachusetts. | |
Coordinates: 42°19′10″N 71°38′30″W | |
Country | United States |
State | Massachusetts |
County | Worcester |
Settled | 1672 |
Incorporated | 1766 |
Government | |
• Type | Open town meeting |
• Town Administrator | John W. Coderre |
• Board of Selectmen | Jason Perreault Julianne Hirsh Leslie Rutan Tim Kaelin Dawn Rand |
Area | |
• Total | 18.8 sq mi (48.6 km2) |
• Land | 18.5 sq mi (48.0 km2) |
• Water | 0.2 sq mi (0.6 km2) |
Elevation | 300 ft (91 m) |
Population (2010) | |
• Total | 14,155 |
• Density | 750/sq mi (290/km2) |
Demonym(s) | Northboronian |
Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (Eastern) |
ZIP code | 01532 |
Area code(s) | 508 / 774 |
FIPS code | 25-46820 |
GNIS feature ID | 0618375 |
Website | town.northborough.ma.us |
History
The areas surrounding Northborough were first settled by Nipmuc Indians.[1] Europeans set up a plantation on May 14, 1656, following a petition for resettlement from the people of the Sudbury Plantation to the General Court of the Bay Colony.[2] On January 24, 1766, the district of Northborough was established within neighboring Westborough. On August 23, 1775, the district became a town, and on June 20, 1807 part of neighboring Marlborough was annexed to Northborough.[3][4]
The first meeting house was established in 1746, with the legal governor of the town being called the Town Minister. The first Town Minister was Reverend John Martyn.
In 1775, Northborough split off as the "north borough" of Westborough, much as Westborough split off from Marlborough some 58 years before. However, the two towns shared a meetinghouse for some time more.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 18.8 square miles (49 km2), of which 18.5 square miles (48 km2) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2), or 1.17%, is water.
Adjacent towns and cities
Northborough is located in Central Massachusetts, and shares a border with five towns and one city:
- Southborough is located to the southeast. The border, however, is only 500 yards long and is in the woods with no accessible trail.
- Marlborough is located to the north of Southborough and due east of Northborough. The most accessible way to enter Marlborough from Northborough is through U.S. Route 20
- Berlin is located to the north of Northborough.
- Boylston is located to the northwest.
- Shrewsbury is located to the west, and is the town that separates Northborough from Worcester. Shrewsbury is accessible via Route 20 or Route 9.
- Westborough is located to the south of Northborough, and is accessible via Route 9 or Route 135
Of the six towns that make up Northborough's borders, and including Northborough as the seventh, Northborough is the fourth largest town by population. Marlborough is the largest while Berlin is the smallest.
Demographics
Year | Pop. | ±% |
---|---|---|
1860 | 1,565 | — |
1870 | 1,504 | −3.9% |
1880 | 1,676 | +11.4% |
1890 | 1,952 | +16.5% |
1900 | 2,164 | +10.9% |
1910 | 1,713 | −20.8% |
1920 | 1,753 | +2.3% |
1930 | 1,946 | +11.0% |
1940 | 2,382 | +22.4% |
1950 | 3,122 | +31.1% |
1960 | 6,687 | +114.2% |
1970 | 9,218 | +37.8% |
1980 | 10,568 | +14.6% |
1990 | 11,929 | +12.9% |
2000 | 14,013 | +17.5% |
2010 | 14,155 | +1.0% |
Source: United States Census records and Population Estimates Program data.[5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] |
By the 2010 census, the population had reached 14155.
As of the census of 2000,[14] there were 14,013 people, 4,906 households, and 3,865 families residing in the town. The population density was 756.1 inhabitants per square mile (291.9/km2). There were 5,002 housing units at an average density of 269.9 per square mile (104.2/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 93.01% White, 0.65% Black or African American, 0.08% Native American, 5.05% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.36% from other races, and 0.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.28% of the population.
There were 4,906 households, out of which 43.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.9% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.2% were non-families. 17.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.22.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 29.5% under the age of 18, 4.5% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $99,781, and the median income for a family was $120,480. Males had a median income of $65,437 versus $51,042 for females. The per capita income for the town was $42,889. About 1.7% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.0% of those under age 18 and 9.3% of those age 65 or over.
Government
County-level state agency heads | |
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Clerk of Courts: | Dennis P. McManus (D) |
District Attorney: | Joe Early Jr. (D) |
Register of Deeds: | Katie Toomey (D) |
Register of Probate: | Stephanie Fattman (R) |
County Sheriff: | Lew Evangelidis (R) |
State government | |
State Representative(s): | Harold P. Naughton, Jr. (D), Danielle Gregoire (D) |
State Senator(s): | Harriette L. Chandler (D-1st Worcester district), Jamie Eldridge (D) |
Governor's Councilor(s): | Jen Caissie (R), Marilyn M. Petitto Devaney (D) |
Federal government | |
U.S. Representative(s): | 2nd District |
U.S. Senators: | Elizabeth Warren (D), Ed Markey (D) |
Library
The Northborough Free Library was established in 1868.[15][16] In fiscal year 2009, the town of Northborough spent 1.5% ($645,208) of its budget on its public library— $43.41 per person.[17]
Education
Northborough has many schools, public and private. It is home to four public elementary schools serving grades pre-K–5: Lincoln Street School, Marguerite E. Peaslee School, Fannie E. Proctor School, and Marion E. Zeh school. Private schools include The Cornerstone Academy, and St. Bernadette's. In 2002 the Northborough Middle School was renamed after superintendent of schools, Robert E. Melican. All of the public schools in Northborough are part of the Northborough-Southborough School District. The public high school serving Northborough is Algonquin Regional High School, shared with Southborough. The mascot for Northborough-Southborough students is the Tomahawk. Algonquin's main sports rivals are the Westborough Rangers. Debates have erupted over whether Northborough and Southborough should have separate high schools; however, citizens of both Northborough and Southborough successfully fought to keep the school regionalized. Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School is an alternate choice for Northborough students, though the majority of students attend Algonquin. Private schools in the area include Fay School and St. Mark's School in Southborough, St. John's High School in Shrewsbury, and Bancroft School, Worcester Academy and Notre Dame Academy in Worcester.
Sports
The New England Baseball Complex is located at the intersection of Route 20 and Route 9 in Northborough. The newly built complex is home to the New England Ruffnecks, a youth baseball association. Many high schools, including Algonquin have had MIAA games at the NEBC. Regional colleges and universities have hosted opponents at the New England Baseball Complex.
Notable people
- Joseph Henry Allen, Unitarian minister and scholar[18]
- William Francis Allen, classical scholar[18]
- Mark Fidrych, former pitcher for the Detroit Tigers and 1976 American League Rookie of the Year
- Dorian McMenemy, Olympic swimmer for the Dominican Republic[19]
- Gregory Goodwin Pincus, one of the three "fathers" of the birth control pill[20]
- Jon Radoff, internet entrepreneur and author
- Nathaniel Raymond, human rights investigator and anti-torture advocate
- Luther Rice, Baptist minister and founder of George Washington University
- Mike Sherman, former head coach of the Green Bay Packers
- Daniel B. Wesson, co-founder of the Smith & Wesson gun manufacturing company
- John Kellette, an American songwriter, wrote the song "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles" in 1918 and lived in Northborough.[21]
Media
Newspapers
- Metrowest Daily News
- Worcester Telegram and Gazette[22]
- Community Advocate[23]
- Northborough/Southborough Villager[24] (weekly)
- Northborough Patch[25] (online)
References
- "NIAC Publications ~ Nipmuc Place Names – Territory and Language". nativetech.org.
- Josiah Coleman Kent (1921). Northborough History. Garden City Press, Incorporated, printers.
- "First- Thirty Second Report of the Commissioner of Public Records ..." google.com.
- The annexation was requested by Jonas Bartlett, whose property straddled the border between the two towns. The minutes of town meetings for both towns record the change, which redrew the boundary to conform to Bartlett's property line.
- "TOTAL POPULATION (P1), 2010 Census Summary File 1, All County Subdivisions within Massachusetts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved September 13, 2011.
- "Massachusetts by Place and County Subdivision – GCT-T1. Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- "1990 Census of Population, General Population Characteristics: Massachusetts" (PDF). US Census Bureau. December 1990. Table 76: General Characteristics of Persons, Households, and Families: 1990. 1990 CP-1-23. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 7, 2013. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- "1980 Census of the Population, Number of Inhabitants: Massachusetts" (PDF). US Census Bureau. December 1981. Table 4. Populations of County Subdivisions: 1960 to 1980. PC80-1-A23. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- "1950 Census of Population" (PDF). 1: Number of Inhabitants. Bureau of the Census. 1952. Section 6, Pages 21–10 and 21-11, Massachusetts Table 6. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1930 to 1950. Retrieved July 12, 2011. Cite journal requires
|journal=
(help) - "1920 Census of Population" (PDF). Bureau of the Census. Number of Inhabitants, by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions. Pages 21–5 through 21-7. Massachusetts Table 2. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1900, 1910, and 1920. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- "1890 Census of the Population" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. Pages 179 through 182. Massachusetts Table 5. Population of States and Territories by Minor Civil Divisions: 1880 and 1890. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- "1870 Census of the Population" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1872. Pages 217 through 220. Table IX. Population of Minor Civil Divisions, &c. Massachusetts. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- "1860 Census" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1864. Pages 220 through 226. State of Massachusetts Table No. 3. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- C.B. Tillinghast. The free public libraries of Massachusetts. 1st Report of the Free Public Library Commission of Massachusetts. Boston: Wright & Potter, 1891. Google books
- "Untitled Document". northboroughlibrary.org. Retrieved November 10, 2010.
- July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009; cf. The FY2009 Municipal Pie: What’s Your Share? Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Board of Library Commissioners. Boston: 2010. Available: Municipal Pie Reports Archived January 23, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2011-11-11
- Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607–1896. Marquis Who's Who. 1967.
- Rick Rendell/Daily News staff. "London calling for Northborough's McMenemy". MetroWest Daily News, Framingham, MA.
- "Dr. Pincus, Developer of Birth-Control Pill, Dies". The New York Times. August 23, 1967. Retrieved July 21, 2007.
Dr. Gregory Goodwin Pincus, one of the three "fathers" of the birth-control pill, died here tonight at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital of myeloid metaplasia, a rare blood disease. He was 64 years old and lived in Northboro.
- https://www.telegram.com/article/20160505/NEWS/160509625
- "Home – telegram.com – Worcester, MA". telegram.com.
- "Town of Northborough in Massachusetts". communityadvocate.com. Archived from the original on October 21, 2017. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
- "Home – The Villager – Northborough, MA". The Villager.
- "Northborough, MA Patch – Local News, Community, Sports, Shopping, Restaurants, Things To Do". Northborough, Massachusetts Patch.