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Palmer, Massachusetts

Palmer is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,448 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. Palmer adopted a home rule charter in 2004 with a council-manager form of government. Palmer is one of thirteen Massachusetts municipalities that have city forms of government but retain "The town of" in their official names.

The villages of Bondsville, Thorndike, Depot Village, and Three Rivers are located in Palmer.

History
Palmer is composed of four separate and distinct villages: Depot Village, typically referred to simply as "Palmer" (named for the ornate Union Station railroad terminal designed by architect Henry Hobson Richardson), Thorndike, Three Rivers, and Bondsville. The villages began to develop their distinctive characters in the 18th century, and by the 19th century two rail lines and a trolley line opened the town to population growth. Today, each village has its own post office, and all but Thorndike have their own fire station.

Palmer was originally a part of Brimfield but separated after being too far from Brimfield. Palmer's first settler was John King. King was born in Edwardstone, Suffolk, England, and built his home in 1716 on the banks of the Quaboag River. The area as then known was called "The Elbow Tract". In 1731, a deed to land in today's Palmer renamed the town 'New Marlborough' after Marlborough, Massachusetts, in today's Middlesex County. In 1731, residents of the borough renamed the town 'Kingsfield', after the aforementioned John King. Though in some papers in the Massachusetts General Court, it was referred to as the Elbow. A large group of Scots-Irish Presbyterians followed, arriving in 1727. Finally in 1752, it was named Palmer after Chief Justice Palmer. In 1775, Massachusetts officially incorporated Palmer.

Depot Village became Palmer's main commercial and business center during the late 19th century and remains so today. Palmer's industry developed in Bondsville. During the 18th century, saw and grist mills were established by the rivers, and by 1825 Palmer woolen mills began to produce textiles. The Blanchard Scythe Factory, Wright Wire Woolen Mills, and the Holden-Fuller Woolen Mills developed major industrial capacity, and constructed large amounts of workers' housing. By 1900, Boston Duck (which made heavy cotton fabric) had over 500 employees in the town. The 20th century brought about a shift of immigrants in Palmer from those of French and Scottish origin to those of primarily Polish and French-Canadian extraction.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, Palmer has a total area of 32.0 square miles (82.9 km$2$), of which 31.5 square miles (81.7 km$2$) are land and 0.5 square mile (1.3 km$2$) (1.53%) is water. The city is bordered by Ludlow and Wilbraham on the southwest, Belchertown on the northwest, Ware on the northeast, Warren on the east, Brimfield on the southeast, and Monson on the south.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,497 people, 5,078 households, and 3,331 families residing in the town. The population density was 396.3 PD/sqmi. There were 5,402 housing units at an average density of 171.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 96.82% White, 0.75% Black or African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.56% Asian, 0.44% from other races, and 1.19% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.23% of the population.

There were 5,078 households, out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.5% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.4% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the town the population was spread out, with 25.2% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $41,443, and the median income for a family was $49,358. Males had a median income of $35,748 versus $26,256 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,664. About 5.8% of families and 7.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.3% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over.

Future development
The New England Region of the Sports Car Club of America has reached an agreement with the Town of Palmer to construct a new road course near their town. Palmer Motorsports Park will operate along a similar vein as Buttonwillow Raceway Park in California, in that it will be owned and operated by a limited liability corporation formed by New England Region. This effort is to ensure that NER would have its own "flagship" racetrack, as the two tracks it currently uses—New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Lime Rock Park in Connecticut—are heavily used by NASCAR.

Palmer Motor Sports Park opened for racing in May 2015. It is a 2.3 mile road course with over 190 feet in elevation change. Road & Track magazine named Palmer Motorsports Park one of the top 10 racetracks to drive in North America.

Business advocacy
The Quaboag Hills Chamber of Commerce is headquartered in Palmer and is the advocate for business and community development in the Quaboag Valley area by providing the 200+ members with a voice in political, social and economic issues.

Education
The Town of Palmer is served by three schools. Old Mill Pond Elementary School serves grades K through 5 and Palmer High School serves grades 6 through 12. Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical High School is also located in Palmer, and serves grades 9 through 12. Camp Ramah in New England is located in Palmer.

Railroads
Palmer has been called the "Town of Seven Railroads". These included five operating railroads (Boston & Albany, Central Vermont, Springfield, Athol & North-eastern, Ware River, and Central Massachusetts), one which was built but never operated (Hampden), and one which was not completed (Southern New England) The B&A, CV, and Ware River served Union Station, which was designed by H. H. Richardson.

The Central Vermont was sold to RailTex in 1995 and operated as the New England Central Railroad. RailTex was merged into RailAmerica in 2000, which in turn was acquired by the Genesee & Wyoming company in 2012. The B&A is now the CSX Boston Subdivision, while parts of the otherwise defunct Ware River and Central Massachusetts are operated by the Massachusetts Central Railroad. The SA&N was abandoned in the 1930s when the Quabbin Reservoir was built.

Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited passes through Palmer, as did the Montrealer from 1989 to 1995 and the Vermonter from 1995 to 2014, but no trains have stopped at Palmer since 1971. Union Station is privately owned and houses a restaurant.

On January 17, 2024 MassDOT announced that a consultant has been selected to progress planning and design work for the new train station as part of the West-East Rail project.

Road
I-90 (Mass. Turnpike) currently has one exit in Palmer nearby the center of the city. This exit leads to Massachusetts Route 32, which runs south to north from Monson to the center of the city then runs through the eastern side of the city until it enters Ware. U.S. Route 20 which runs east to west, coming from Brimfield (not including a short clip through Monson), it then enters the center of the city, intersecting MA 32 and MA 181. After this U.S. 20 heads west into Wilbraham. MA 181 starts at U.S. 20 in the city center, before heading north into Three Rivers and Bondsville. After that, MA 181 enters Belchertown. MA 67 starts nearby the Monson border on U.S. 20 and stays on the extreme east side of Palmer before it heads into Warren. MA 67 goes under I-90, but never intersects the highway.

Fire and water
Unlike many Massachusetts communities, The Town of Palmer does not have its own water department. Instead Palmer, Bondsville and Three Rivers each have their own water department and their own fire department. Each fire department has its own fire chief, as there is no town-wide chief. Thorndike does not have its own fire department or water department instead contracting out with Palmer. The Thorndike Fire Department was disbanded following World War II.

Notable people

 * Henry King, U.S. Congressman
 * Marie-Claire Kirkland, Canadian lawyer, judge, and politician
 * Taj Mahal, musician
 * Suzanne Strempek Shea, author
 * Chad Stahelski, director
 * Chuck Thompson, sportscaster
 * Bob Wilder, racing driver

title: Palmer, Massachusetts


text:
Wilbraham (CDP), Massachusetts

Wilbraham is a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Wilbraham in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,915 at the 2010 census, out of 14,868 in the town as a whole. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography
The Wilbraham CDP occupies the central and north-central parts of the town, including the town center area around Main Street at Mountain Road and Springfield Street. The CDP is bordered on the north by U.S. Route 20; on the east by Mountain Road and Ridge Road, running close to the crest of the low Wilbraham Mountains; on the south by Monson Road, Hunting Lane, Ripley Street, and Springfield Street; and on the west by Stony Hill Road, Glen Drive, and Brainard Road. Wilbraham is 9 mi east of downtown Springfield.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 14.7 sqkm, of which 14.5 sqkm are land and 0.2 sqkm, or 1.11%, are water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,544 people, 1,247 households, and 981 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 242.6/km$2$ (628.2/mi$2$). There were 1,314 housing units at an average density of 90.0/km$2$ (232.9/mi$2$). The racial makeup of the CDP was 97.12% White, 1.04% Black or African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.79% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races, and 0.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.41% of the population.

There were 1,247 households, out of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.2% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.3% were non-families. 18.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 24.8% under the age of 18, 4.1% from 18 to 24, 22.9% from 25 to 44, 26.2% from 45 to 64, and 22.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.2 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $66,814, and the median income for a family was $71,825. Males had a median income of $60,142 versus $34,712 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $30,686. About 0.9% of families and 2.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.1% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Wilbraham (CDP), Massachusetts


text:
Wilbraham, Massachusetts

Wilbraham is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. It is a suburb of the City of Springfield, and part of the Springfield Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 14,613 at the 2020 census.

Part of the town comprises the census-designated place of Wilbraham.

Boundaries and localities
Wilbraham was originally divided between North Wilbraham and Wilbraham. North Wilbraham was home to the industrial side of the town, along with the Boston & Albany Railroad Line, which is still in use today. Wilbraham is home to the Wilbraham & Monson Academy.

Wilbraham is made up of several neighborhoods, known as Wilbraham Center, North Wilbraham, East Wilbraham, Wilbraham Mountain, South Wilbraham, Boston Road Corridor and the Pines Section. In 1878, the south end of Wilbraham officially broke away from Wilbraham and formed the Town of Hampden.

Etymology of the name of Wilbraham
The name of Wilbraham comes from the villages of Little Wilbraham and Great Wilbraham, located near Cambridge, England. The name originates from Wilburgham, a name indicating "Wilburga's homestead," Wilburga being the daughter of the seventh century King Penda of the Mercians who gave her the land. In the 10th century (975 CE), it was still known as Wilburgeham; however, in the Domesday Book it is known as Wiborgham. By the 1260s, it was known as Great Wilbraham and just before that, King's Wilbraham. During the Middle Ages, the Knights Templar established a preceptory in 1226 in the villages. The manor house of Great Wilbraham was their temple and today it is still standing and is a house. Their regional headquarters was Denny Abbey in nearby Peterborough.

One statement within the Wilbraham Town History Book of 1963 states that a trustee of the Wilbraham & Monson Academy was attending Oxford University and found the following in a history book: That the two villages of Little Wilbraham and Great Wilbraham came into existence because Alfred the Great, an English King who upon hunting wild boar in a very good spot about 60 miles northeast of London, designated that spot as Wild Boar Haven. However, Haven was later changed to Ham and over the years the three separate words became combined and distorted until you had Wilbraham.

Another statement within the "Wilbraham Town History Book" of 1963 states that the name may have come from Sir Thomas Wilbraham, 3rd Baronet who was a bitter royalist and anti-Puritan however this has since been in doubt and the most likely explanation is that the name came from the villages in Cambridgeshire. Some of Wilbraham earliest settlers hailed from the Cambridgeshire region of England.

North Wilbraham
From its beginning, the Town of Wilbraham was divided between North Wilbraham and Wilbraham, which each had their own post office. After the launch of Zip codes by the USPS in 1963, the zip code of North Wilbraham was 01067, though this is no longer used. North Wilbraham was considered the industrialized area of town, while Wilbraham was considered the agricultural area of town. The term North Wilbraham is now rarely used by town residents and has since been replaced simply by Wilbraham.

17th and 18th centuries
The area today known as the Town of Wilbraham first became of interest in 1636 when a young man named William Pynchon (founder of Springfield) purchased the area from the Nipmuc starting at the Connecticut River in Springfield and extending to the foot of the Wilbraham Mountain Range by 1674. Wilbraham was first settled in 1730 by Nathaniel Hitchcock along with what is now Hampden, Massachusetts, as the Fourth District of Springfield. It was also known as the Outward Commons, Mountains or Springfield Mountain. Hitchcock built a log hut along what is now Main Sreet. Hunting and logging took place in the late 17th century.

The Native Americans did not maintain any villages prior to the colonials' arrival in the Outward Commons; however, they did hunt and fish along the Chicopee River as it was considered good fishing grounds. A soap stone quarry existed on Glendale Road and arrowheads can be found throughout Wilbraham. The poplar trees located along the Chicopee River made excellent canoes, and two have been found carved out along the Chicopee River over the years. The Nipmuc referred to this area as "Minnechaug" which means Berryland.

The major poem "Minneola" (1904) by Chauncey E. Peck tells, over several hundred pages, the stories of the Indians around Wilbraham. The last of which appears to have been an Indian woman named We-sha-u-gan who lived on Wigwam Hill in a wigwam for many years, "after the white man came" (History of Wilbraham, 1863).

Many town residents took part in both the French and Indian War and Revolutionary War, and at one time Wilbraham even had its own militia unit, which at one point was a field artillery battery and often supported the Hampshire Regiment. Wilbraham residents have also served in numerous wars since the French and Indian War.

Wilbraham's first church was the First Congregational Church, which was organized on June 24, 1741. This church would later merge into the Wilbraham United Church. The first minister of the town was Mr. Noah Merrick. The first three selectmen were Lieutenant Thomas Mirick, Deacon Nathaniel Warriner and Stephen Stebbins. Stebbins was the first person to settle in the southern part of the precinct in modern-day Hampden when he built a house on the north side of the Scantic River in 1741.

After many years of submitting petitions to the Massachusetts General Court the town was officially incorporated as the independent "Wilbraham" in 1763, when its population was about 400. Wilbraham was made a separate town because of the walking distance to Springfield, along with differing interests made the people of the fourth precinct petition several times for a new town to be incorporated.

On August 7, 1761, on Wilbraham Mountain, a young man named Timothy Merrick was bitten by a rattlesnake and died soon afterward. Folklore and legend have made its way over the years about this incident including a song titled "On Springfield Mountain". The incident probably took place within what is now the adjoining town of Hampden, but at the time was still part of South Wilbraham—though some have claimed it was as far south as Connecticut. This song was one of the earliest of the American ballads.

The Bay Path trail once ran through the north end of the town. It was this trail that Henry Knox used when he moved the cannons that he captured at Fort Ticonderoga in 1775. These cannons were brought to Boston (being pulled by oxen) and placed on Dorchester Heights and used against the British. Knox led the artillery train through the town.

The first President of the United States, General George Washington, traveled through the town twice and on one occasion slept at a home along the Bay Path in 1790 while on his way to and from Boston.

On April 29, 1799, a tragedy on Nine Mile Pond took the lives of six people, including three 16-year-old girls. The boat that they were traveling in overturned. One of the victims was not found for sixteen days and a ditch had to be dug in order to drain the pond to find her. This ditch located across the street on Boston Rd became the first town dump.

19th century
The Underground Railroad ran through the town and several houses along Main Street and on Wilbraham Mountain served as stations. The Wilbraham town center is among the largest designated historical areas in the country, with fine examples of colonial and Victorian homes from as early as the 1730s along the historical areas of Main Street. The oldest Methodist meeting house in New England is located in the town's center, as is the campus of Wilbraham & Monson Academy, founded in 1804.

North Wilbraham was the industrialized area of the town and was home to the Collins Manufacturing Company and other businesses. The Collins Manufacturing Company was once the main employer of the town. The building, also known as the Collins Paper Mill (which still stands today), was built c. 1872. It made fine writing paper and, for a short time, made government currency paper. The mill officially closed down in 1940, but some sections continued operating into the 1950s. A fire in 1945 did severe damage to the building, which is now home to several small businesses.

Wilbraham at one time was very famous for its peach orchards and some are still grown on the slope of the Wilbraham Mountain Range. Apples were also grown on the slopes.

20th century
Wilbraham Center was the farming area of town and was home to Bennett's Turkey Farm, Pheasant Farm and Rice's Fruit Farm which grew the peaches later celebrated during the Peach Festival. Wilbraham had several potato farms in the south end of town around the time of World War II. None of those farms remain in operation today. Wilbraham was once the home of a speakeasy called "Worlds End" on Burleigh Road. It was destroyed by a fire in the mid-1930s.

In the summer of 1928, author H. P. Lovecraft stayed with the teacher and antiquarian Miss Evanore O. Beebe (co-author of the 1913 Wilbraham History Book) at her farmhouse on Monson Road in west Wilbraham, touring the locality with his friend and author Mrs Miniter who was a local. He later modeled the fictional town of Dunwich on the combination of towns in the area, in his story "The Dunwich Horror". He also used the area's folklore in the story. After his death Lovecraft's executor August Derleth later wrote the story "The Peabody Heritage", set in Wilbraham. Evanore Beebe died in 1935.

The hurricane of 1938 did considerable damage to the town and destroyed the old covered bridge over the Chicopee River on Cottage Ave. A steel bridge rests there today.

During World War I, the town suffered the loss of George M. Kingdon who died fighting in France. He was Wilbraham's only casualty. When the Wilbraham Fire Department was incorporated in 1919 it was named the George M. Kingdon Fire Company in his honor.

The flood of 1955 washed out many of the roads in the town. The dam near the Chicopee River gave way washing out the railroad tracks as well as parts of Mountain Road and Boston Road.

21st century
On the afternoon of June 1, 2011, two tornadoes struck Wilbraham: an EF-1 and an EF-3. The EF-3, which originated in Westfield and traveled through West Springfield and Springfield, caused extensive damage to the Tinkham Road corridor of the town. Heavy structural damage to homes, power poles, and trees was experienced. That tornado then moved eastward to cause extensive damage to the towns of Monson, Brimfield and Sturbridge. The EF-1 formed after the EF-3 and primarily caused damage to power poles and trees along a section from Stony Hill Road east crossing Main Street, just south of St. Cecilia's Church to Crane Hill Road.

Commercial
The corporate headquarters of Friendly's Ice Cream was formerly located in Wilbraham. On the Massachusetts Turnpike, hedges along the side of the highway have a sign and have been trimmed to read "Welcome to Wilbraham, Home of Friendly Ice Cream". Friendly's Ice Cream was acquired in 2016 by Dean Foods. The Dean Foods bankruptcy settlement sold Friendly's Ice Cream to Amici Partners Group.

Bennett Turkey Farms was acquired by Rice's Fruit Farm in 2007. Rice's Fruit Farm which first opened in 1894 is a historic New England family run farm stand serving Breakfast, Coffee, Pies, Apples and Ice Cream.

Flo Design Sonics, a technology company, located at 380 Main St. was acquired by Millipore Sigma in 2019. Flo Design Wind Turbines is co-located here.

Town government
Wilbraham has a Selectboard in which there are three members, each serving a three-year term. The town has an open town meeting rule and an annual town meeting is held every spring.

Education
Wilbraham has a regional School District, called the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District which is centered around Minnechaug Regional High School.

Wilbraham & Monson Academy, a private middle and high school with an international student population, is located in the downtown.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 22.4 square miles (58.1 km$2$), of which 22.2 square miles (57.5 km$2$) is land and 0.2 square mile (0.5 km$2$) (0.89%) is water. Wilbraham is bordered by Springfield on the west, Ludlow on the north, Palmer on the northeast, Monson on the east, Hampden on the south, and East Longmeadow on the southwest.

Wilbraham is situated in such a way that its area lies within two broad physiographic provinces that cross Massachusetts from north to south. The Wilbraham Mountains which dominate the geography of the town are part of the Central Upland of Massachusetts, while the portion of town west of the mountains lies within the Connecticut Valley Lowland. Millions of years ago, the flat area of Wilbraham west of the mountains were once part of a shallow inland sea.

Wilbraham also has the Wilbraham Mountains range, which starts at the north end of town and extends into Hampden. The highest point in town is Mt. Chapin at 937 feet above sea level. Other high peaks are Mount Vision (formerly Rattlesnake Peak) and Wigwam Hill.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,473 people, 4,891 households, and 3,873 families residing in the town. The population density was 606.3 PD/sqmi. There were 5,048 housing units at an average density of 227.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 96.40% White, 1.19% Black or African American, 0.06% Native American, 1.26% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.25% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.40% of the population.

There were 4,891 households, out of which 37.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.7% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.8% were non-families. 17.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.9% under the age of 18, 4.3% from 18 to 24, 24.4%from 25 to 44, 27.6% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $65,014, and the median income for a family was $73,825. Males had a median income of $55,600 versus $36,922 for females. The per capita income for the town was $29,854. About 3.2% of families and 5.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.5% of those under age 18 and 9.0% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

 * Lucy Morris Chaffee Alden, author, educator and hymn writer
 * Erin Crocker, former auto racer
 * Bill Guerin, former hockey player and hockey general manager.
 * Raymond Kennedy, novelist
 * Samuel Leech, author
 * Alexandra Lydon, actress
 * Kelly Overton, actress
 * Charles Pratt, businessman and founder of Pratt Institute
 * Dean Rosenthal, composer
 * Ann Sarnoff, television executive
 * Mike Stefanik, former auto racer and NASCAR Hall of Famer
 * Mike Trombley, baseball player

title: Wilbraham, Massachusetts


text:
Belchertown (CDP), Massachusetts

Belchertown is a census-designated place (CDP) comprising the central village in the town of Belchertown in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 2,899 at the 2010 census, out of a total town population of 14,649. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography
The Belchertown CDP is located in the center of the town of Belchertown at 42.27833°N, -72.40167°W (42.278451, -72.401804). It is bordered to the north by Bay Road and Massachusetts Route 9 (Federal Street and Sargent Street), to the east by Jabish Brook and Jabish Canal, to the west by Broad Brook and Old Springfield Road, to the south by State Street (U.S. Route 202), and to the west by Weston Brook, Lampson Brook, George Hannum Street, and Hamilton Street.

Route 9 leads east 10 mi to Ware and northwest 9 mi to Amherst, while US 202 leads north 26 mi to Athol and southwest 13 mi to Holyoke. Massachusetts Route 181 leaves US 202 in the center of town, leading south 10 mi to Palmer. Massachusetts Route 21 leaves US 202 at the western edge of the CDP, leading southwest 10 miles to Ludlow. Springfield, the largest city in the region, is 18 mi southwest of Belchertown.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 13.0 sqkm, of which 5582 sqm, or 0.04%, are water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,626 people, 1,094 households, and 717 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 201.2 /km2. There were 1,111 housing units at an average density of 85.1 /km2. The racial makeup of the CDP was 94.14% White, 1.26% Black or African American, 0.23% Native American, 1.79% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.84% from other races, and 1.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.13% of the population.

There were 1,094 households, out of which 37.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.9% were married couples living together, 18.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.4% were non-families. 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 27.1% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 33.3% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 10.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.9 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $40,250, and the median income for a family was $44,286. Males had a median income of $31,377 versus $31,130 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $18,485. About 16.8% of families and 15.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.0% of those under age 18 and 10.6% of those age 65 or over.

title: Belchertown (CDP), Massachusetts


text:
Belchertown, Massachusetts

Belchertown (previously known as Cold Spring and Belcher's Town) is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 15,350 at the 2020 census. The town includes the census-designated place of Belchertown. Belchertown was formerly the home of the Belchertown State School. The land on which the school sat is, as of 2016, being redeveloped for mixed uses including residential, commercial and recreational. This includes the 385 acre Lampson Brook Farm, used for community and sustainable agriculture, outdoor recreation, and wildlife preservation.

History
The area encompassing the Town is part of a crossroads of Native trails in the Connecticut River Valley of Western Massachusetts that indigenous people traveled including the Nipmuc and Norwottuck, or Nonotuck and Nolwotogg, among others. Artifacts found in the early 20th century just south of Dwight, near Lake Metacomet, suggest, "evidence of Native American occupations in Belchertown," that began some 7,000 years ago.

In 1716, the Equivalent Lands were sold by Connecticut Colony to residents who reside in present-day Connecticut and Massachusetts. Some of these lands were granted to Jonathan Belcher, the future Royal Governor of Massachusetts.

Belchertown was first settled in 1731 and was officially incorporated in 1761 as Cold Spring, later the name was changed to Belcher's Town, and then Belchertown.

The Town’s historic villages include Dwight’s Station, Bardwell Village, Barrett’s Junction and Slab City.

In 1816, part of Belchertown was combined with part of the town of Greenwich, Massachusetts, to form Enfield, Massachusetts. In 1938, Enfield and Greenwich were two of the four towns that were disincorporated to make way for the Quabbin Reservoir, and the northwest part of Enfield was merged back into Belchertown.

The Belchertown State School for mentally disabled residents was located in the town for over 70 years, from 1922 until its closing in 1994 amid revelations of poor conditions and inhumane treatment of its residents. The property has since been under consideration for redevelopment housing, business and agricultural use.

The University of Massachusetts in neighboring Amherst employs more Belchertown residents than any other enterprise or institution.

Belchertown's executive authority consists of a select board, which in 1964 expanded from three members to five: Belchertown Select Board, of which the name changed in 2019 from the Board of Selectmen.

Geography and transportation
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 55.4 square miles (143.4 km2), of which 52.7 square miles (136.6 km2) is land and 2.6 square miles (6.8 km2) (4.77%) is water. Belchertown lies along the western banks of the western branch of the Quabbin Reservoir, with the lands around that water being part of the Quabbin Reservation. The town is hilly north of the town center, the hills forming part of the former Swift River Valley, with most of the rest of the town being relatively slowly sloping plains, spotted with plenty of meadow lands. Along the Swift River, which forms the eastern border of the town, lies the Herman Covey—Swift River Wildlife Management Area. Several other brooks and ponds dot the town's landscape, with some marshy lands lying along the Broad Brook.

Belchertown lies partially along the Franklin County line to the northeast, and along the Hampden County line to the south. It is bordered by Pelham to the north, New Salem to the northeast, Ware to the east, Palmer to the southeast, Ludlow to the southwest, and Granby and Amherst to the west. The town does not share a land border with New Salem, but borders the town's territory on the Quabbin Reservoir. The town's center lies 14 mi east-southeast of the county seat of Northampton, 18 mi northeast of Springfield, 37 mi west of Worcester and 77 mi west of Boston. Most of the population is centered around the town center, with most of the town being rural-residential, especially around the smaller ponds near the villages of Dwight and North Station.

The nearest interstate to the town, Interstate 90, runs just south of the town, with exits in Ludlow and Palmer. The exit in Ludlow can be reached along Route 21, which terminates at U.S. Route 202 west of the town common. (Prior to the building of the Quabbin Reservoir, Route 21 extended north along North Enfield Road towards the town of Athol.) The Palmer exit can be accessed along Route 181, which links U.S. Route 20 in Palmer and Route 202 in Belchertown, where the latter turns northwards towards Pelham along the edge of the reservoir. The town is also crossed by Route 9, the major east–west route through central Massachusetts, which heads from Ware towards Amherst, passing just north of the town center. Interstate 91 runs can be reached on Route 9 about nine miles from the Belchertown/Pelham line.

The New England Central Railroad and an abandoned line which once linked to the Massachusetts Central Railroad in Palmer pass through the town. The NECR carries freight on the line, though north of Belchertown it was a part of the Amtrak Vermonter service between Vermont and the rest of the northeast until being rerouted through Holyoke and Greenfield in 2014. There is a private airstrip, Metropolitan Airport, in Palmer, but the nearest national air service can be reached at Bradley International Airport in Connecticut.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,968 people, 4,886 households, and 3,517 families residing in the town. The population density was 245.9 PD/sqmi. There were 5,050 housing units at an average density of 95.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 96.14% White, 0.81% Black or African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.96% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.55% from other races, and 1.30% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race was 1.57% of the population.

There were 4,886 households, out of which 38.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.2% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.0% were non-families. Of all households 20.3% were made up of individuals, and 7.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 27.3% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 33.3% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 8.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $52,467, and the median income for a family was $60,830. Males had a median income of $39,656 versus $30,909 for females. The per capita income for the town was $21,938. About 5.1% of families and 5.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.1% of those under age 18 and 4.4% of that age 65 or over.

Education
A committee to divide the Town into school districts met in 1773, but that didn't occur until after the American Revolution. A committee report, dated 1767, recommended three schoolhouses for the Town including, "...one [schoolhouse] to be sat on the plain at the top of pine hill this side of Hannum’s...” In 1784, the Town divided itself up into seven districts.." In the 19th century, Belchertown had 18 schools. Today, the Belchertown School District:

 * Cold Spring Elementary School (Pre-K - K)
 * Swift River Elementary School (1–3)
 * Chestnut Hill Community School (4–6)
 * Jabish Middle School (7–8)
 * Belchertown High School (9–12)

Points of interest

 * Belchertown Fair
 * Belchertown Firefighters Museum
 * Belchertown Public School System
 * Belchertown Skate Park
 * Belchertown State School
 * Broad Brook Canal
 * Clapp Memorial Library (Built in memory of John Francis Clapp in 1887 by two of his brothers. Clapp wished he had more resources for reading as a child and wished future generations of Belchertown residents would be able to have what he did not. )
 * Dwight (village)
 * Jessica's Boundless Playground
 * Lake Metacomet
 * Metacomet and Monadnock Trail
 * Mini Fenway Park
 * Quabbin Reservoir
 * Robert Frost Hiking Trail
 * Shelton Brothers Importers
 * Skettersville Pond
 * Stone House Museum
 * Swift River
 * Town Common
 * Town Beach (Lake Arcadia)

Notable people

 * Newell Snow Booth (1903–1968), United Methodist missionary (born in Belchertown)
 * Elijah Coleman Bridgman (1801–1862), first American Protestant missionary appointed to China (born in Belchertown)
 * Albert Levi Burt (1843–1913), founder of the book publisher A. L. Burt
 * Addison G. Foster (1837–1917), US Senator (born in Belchertown)
 * Gregory Gillespie (1936–2000), painter (died in Belchertown)
 * Joel Haver, filmmaker and actor (raised in Belchertown)
 * Josiah Gilbert Holland (1819–1881), author, editor, novelist, poet (born at Dwight)
 * Raymond Kennedy (1934–2008), novelist (spent childhood in Belchertown in the 1930s)
 * Sara Tappan Doolittle Robinson (1827–1911), writer, historian, and inaugural First Lady of Kansas (born and raised in Belchertown)
 * Porter Rockwell (c. 1813–1878), "the Destroying Angel of Mormondom" and bodyguard of Mormon leader Joseph Smith (born in Dark Corner District, Belchertown)
 * Mary F. Scranton, a Methodist Episcopal Church missionary to Korea who founded Ewha Womans University, one of the most prestigious women's schools in Asia
 * Ruth Sienkiewicz-Mercer (1950–1998), disability rights activist (resident of infamous Belchertown State School in the 1960s and 1970s)
 * Ethan Smith (1762–1849), clergyman and author who wrote a book that influenced the Mormons (born in Belchertown)
 * Clinton Edgar Woods (1863–c. 1930), electrical and mechanical engineer, inventor, manufacturer of automobiles (born in Belchertown)

title: Belchertown, Massachusetts


text:
Granby (CDP), Massachusetts

Granby is a census-designated place (CDP) comprising the main village in the town of Granby in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population of the CDP was 1,368 at the 2010 census, out of a total town population of 6,240. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography
The Granby CDP is located in the west-central part of the town of Granby at 42.25806°N, -72.52167°W (42.258128, -72.52186). It includes the village of Granby plus rural land to the west, north and east. U.S. Route 202 (State Street) forms much of the southern edge of the CDP, except around the village center, where the border extends to the south along Center Street and Taylor Street. Elsewhere, the CDP extends east to Greenmeadow Lane and Ingraham Brook; north to Batchelor Brook, Batchelor Street, and Easton Street; and west to Amherst Street and Cold Hill Road.

US 202 leads east 6 mi to Belchertown and southwest 7 mi to Holyoke. South Hadley is 3 mi to the west, via West Street, and downtown Springfield is 13 mi to the south.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the Granby CDP has a total area of 9.0 sqmi, of which 0.01 sqkm, or 0.11%, are water. The village is drained to the north by Batchelor Brook, a westward-flowing tributary of the Connecticut River, and to the south by tributaries of Stony Brook, which also flows west to the Connecticut.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,344 people, 530 households, and 357 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 149.5 /km2. There were 541 housing units at an average density of 60.2 /km2. The racial makeup of the CDP was 96.43% White, 0.67% Black or African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.45% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 1.04% from other races, and 1.19% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.31% of the population.

There were 530 households, out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.8% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.6% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.12.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 21.7% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.2 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $51,250, and the median income for a family was $59,960. Males had a median income of $40,611 versus $31,964 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $21,631. None of the families and 1.5% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 3.0% of those over 64.

title: Granby (CDP), Massachusetts


text:
Granby, Massachusetts

Granby is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 6,110 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The census-designated place of Granby corresponds to the main village of Granby in the center of the town.

Etymology
The town is named in honor of John Manners, Marquess of Granby, a hero of the Seven Years' War. The place name, Granby, refers to a village in Nottinghamshire, taking its name from the personal name Gráni and the Old English suffix bȳ, denoting a farmstead or settlement.

Settlement
Granby was once part of Hadley, as were other towns, as part of Hadley Equivalent Lands. Old Hadley was first settled in 1659 by people from Hartford and Wethersfield, Connecticut. These settlers left Connecticut because of religious differences within their communities.

John Pynchon was commissioned to buy wilderness land for their new community. In 1658, Pynchon negotiated a deed with three Norwottuck sachems: Chickwalloppe (alias Wawhillowa), Umpanchela (alias Womscom), and Quonquont (alias Wompshaw). The deed reserved land for a cornfield for the Norwottuck and promised rights to hunt, fish and set up wigwams within the negotiated land. Ownership was transferred to the settlers and confirmed by the General Court. These original boundaries include part of present-day Granby.

In August 1662, Pynchon negotiated a deed with Awonunsk, her husband Wequagon, and her son Squomp, for land also in present-day Granby, South Hadley and Belchertown. Ownership was transferred to the settlers and Awonunsk and her family were paid in 150 fathoms of wampum (approximately 54,000 wampum beads), 10 coats, and 2 yards of cloth, among other items. The deed also promised rights for the Norwottuck to hunt, fish, collect wood, and set up wigwams on the commons.

Separation from Hadley and South Hadley
Granby was settled in 1727. In November 1727, residents of what are now South Hadley and Granby petitioned the General Court to form a precinct within the Town of Hadley. This petition was granted on July 4, 1732, creating Hadley's South Precinct. In 1753, the precinct was granted district status. From 1751 through 1761, the district was deadlocked over whether to build a new meetinghouse west of Cold Hill, in present-day South Hadley, or to its east, in present-day Granby. In the Summer of 1761, the district's west side began constructing a meetinghouse without town meeting approval. In response, a group of 27 east side residents and three west side residents tore down the partially constructed meetinghouse.

In 1762, the General Court split the district into an east and west parish, each with its own meetinghouse. With tensions between the parishes still high, the General Court set off the east parish as the Town of Granby, being incorporated on June 11, 1768.

20th century
Granby is one of only three towns in Massachusetts whose local telephone service is not furnished by the former Bell System as Granby has maintained its own service, Granby Telephone & Telegraph, since 1903. The other two such towns are Richmond and Hancock, both in Berkshire County.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 72.7 sqkm, of which 72.1 sqkm are land and 0.7 sqkm, or 0.92%, is water. Granby is bordered by South Hadley to the west, Amherst to the north, Belchertown to the east, and Ludlow and Chicopee to the south. Two highways pass through the town: U.S. Route 202 runs eastward though town from South Hadley to Belchertown on East State Street and West State Street, while Route 116 runs northeastward from South Hadley to Amherst along Amherst Road. Granby is 13 mi north of Springfield, the largest city in western Massachusetts.

The Holyoke Range is in the northern part of Granby. Major peaks within the town are Long Mountain and Mount Norwottuck. Norwottuck is the highest point in town at 1106 ft above sea level. The Metacomet-Monadnock Trail runs along this mountain range as it passes through Granby. The Horse Caves are geological ledges along this trail.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 6,132 people, 2,247 households, and 1,662 families residing in the town. The population density was 220.1 PD/sqmi. There were 2,295 housing units at an average density of 82.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 96.77% White, 0.51% Black or African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.96% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.52% from other races, and 1.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.21% of the population.

There were 2,247 households, out of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.8% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.0% were non-families. Of all households, 20.1% were made up of individuals, and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.15.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.5% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $54,293, and the median income for a family was $57,632. Males had a median income of $40,833 versus $30,597 for females. The per capita income for the town was $23,209. About 1.0% of families and 2.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.8% of those under age 18 and 2.0% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Granby has one public elementary school serving K–6, the East Meadow School. Middle/High School students attend Granby Junior Senior High School. The MacDuffie School, a private preparatory school, is also located in Granby.

Natural features

 * Horse Caves

Notable people

 * Charles Burchard, Wisconsin legislator
 * George Cobb, sports coach
 * William Montague Ferry (1796–1867), a Presbyterian minister, missionary, and community leader who founded several settlements in Ottawa County, Michigan
 * Abbie E. C. Lathrop (1868–1918), mouse fancier-breeder and accidental early pioneer in genetic research
 * Zenas Ferry Moody (1832–1917), seventh governor of the state of Oregon
 * Jesse Richards, artist, photographer and filmmaker (remodernist film) and former member of the Stuckism art group

title: Granby, Massachusetts


text:
Hatfield (CDP), Massachusetts

Hatfield is a census-designated place (CDP) comprising the main village in the town of Hatfield in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population of the CDP was 1,318 at the 2010 census, out of a total town population of 3,279. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography
The Hatfield CDP is located in the southern part of the town of Hatfield at 42.36967°N, -72.60543°W (42.369665, -72.605426). The CDP includes the village of Hatfield, on the west bank of the Connecticut River, as well as residential land to the west along Elm Street as far as Dwight Street and Little Neponset Road and to the north as far as Cow Bridge Brook.

Interstate 91 passes 2 mi west of the center of Hatfield, with access from Exit 21 at Elm Street. The CDP is 6 mi northeast of the center of Northampton and 24 mi north of Springfield.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 6.2 sqkm, of which 6.2 sqkm are land and 0.2 sqkm, or 3.53%, are water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,298 people, 566 households, and 336 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 214.2 /km2. There were 585 housing units at an average density of 96.5 /km2. The racial makeup of the CDP was 98.07% White, 0.15% Black or African American, 0.77% Asian, 0.85% from other races, and 0.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.23% of the population.

There were 566 households, out of which 27.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.5% were non-families. 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 21.6% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 20.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.6 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $48,281, and the median income for a family was $63,833. Males had a median income of $39,167 versus $31,477 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $23,145. None of the families and 2.4% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 4.5% of those over 64.

title: Hatfield (CDP), Massachusetts


text:
Ware (CDP), Massachusetts

Ware is a census-designated place (CDP) comprising the main village in the town of Ware in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population of the CDP was 6,170 at the 2010 census, out of a total town population of 9,872. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography
The Ware CDP is located in the southeast corner of the town of Ware at 42.25972°N, -72.24583°W (42.259965, -72.245841). The CDP is bordered by the town of West Brookfield to the east, Warren to the southeast, Palmer to the south, and the rest of the town of Ware to the west and north.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 16.4 sqkm, of which 16.0 sqkm are land and 0.4 sqkm, or 2.15%, are water. The Ware River flows through the center of the village, running southwest to join the Quaboag River in Palmer, forming the Chicopee River.

Massachusetts Route 9 runs through the center of Ware as Main Street, leading east 27 mi to Worcester and northwest 19 mi to Amherst. Massachusetts Route 32 joins Route 9 through the center of Ware but follows the Ware River valley, leading northeast 15 mi to Barre and southwest 9 mi to Palmer.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 6,174 people, 2,685 households, and 1,592 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 386.4/km$2$ (999.9/mi$2$). There were 2,906 housing units at an average density of 181.8/km$2$ (470.6/mi$2$). The racial makeup of the CDP was 95.59% White, 0.73% Black or African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.81% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.02% from other races, and 1.59% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.74% of the population.

There were 2,685 households, out of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.5% were married couples living together, 14.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.7% were non-families. 34.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 24.9% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $31,138, and the median income for a family was $35,805. Males had a median income of $36,348 versus $25,411 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $17,906. About 11.5% of families and 13.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.0% of those under age 18 and 8.4% of those age 65 or over.

title: Ware (CDP), Massachusetts


text:
Ware, Massachusetts

Ware is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 10,066 as of 2020. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.

The census-designated place of Ware, comprising the main settlement of the town, is in the southeastern corner of the town. The area's students are served by Ware Junior Senior High School.

History
Ware was first settled on Equivalent Lands in 1717 and was officially incorporated in 1775. Its name derives from the word "weir." The native Americans who settled in the area would construct weirs for trapping fish on the Ware River. The English settlers pronounced the word "ware."

In 1716, a tract of land which was slightly more than 11000 acre in size was granted to John Read. He named it "The Manor of Peace" and had it in mind to develop in the style of an English manor, anticipating that it would later become a very valuable country estate. He leased out the land and did not sell 1 acre until after his death, when he bequeathed a gift of 200 acre to serve as a ministry lot. As time passed, the town of Ware grew up around the old Congregational meeting house and later became a small center of local manufacturing and commerce.

In 1729, the first grist and sawmills were built on the banks of the Weir River by Jabez Olmstead, eventually becoming part of the Ware Millyard Historic District. During the American Revolution, there were at least eight taverns and several inns in the area. Two of the most famous were Ebenezer Nye's tavern and John Downing's. After town meetings were held, they would often adjourn to the latter establishment. By the 1830s, it was not uncommon to see textile mills dotted along the various local rivers. At this point, the Ware community was making the transition from an agrarian economy to an industrially based society. The post Civil War era (1860s–1900s) brought a new prosperity to the now established textile mill town. "Ware factory village", as it was known, sprang up overnight and formed the basis for new growth and development.

For nearly 100 years, the Otis company had been the largest single Ware employer. Cotton had been the primary raw material, and by 1937 denims, awnings and tickings were the principal output. It had been very prosperous until World War I, when its employees numbered close to 2,500. By the 1920s, however, the company began to decline due to lack of modern machinery and movement of industry to the south.

In 1922, it was affected by the New England Textile Strike, shutting down the mills in the town over an attempted wage cut.

By the mid-thirties, the directors decided to liquidate, although no public announcement was made. Shortly thereafter, the company sold its interests to three "cotton men"—Lawrence W. Robert Jr., Edward J. Heitzeberg, and Paul A. Redmond—all with close connections to Alabama Mills, which owned factories in the South.

Instantly, the townspeople rallied to the cause. A public mass meeting was called that evening and plans to raise the necessary cash in order to forestall what appeared to be the imminent ruin of the town were formulated. The citizens of Ware were able to purchase the mills with the backing of the Ware Trust Company. The mills became Ware Industries Inc., and Ware came to be known nationwide as "The Town That Can't Be Licked".

The town gained lands in the late 1930s as part of the construction of the Quabbin Reservoir. The reservoir dammed the Swift River in the former town of Enfield, flooding the valley. Four towns—Enfield, Greenwich, Prescott and Dana—were disincorporated in 1938 by this building of the reservoir. Much of Enfield and Greenwich became part of the town of Ware, extending the town's lands northward. Today, the town is home to most of the Winsor Dam and its spillway, and the Goodnough Dike, both of which lie within the Quabbin Reservation. Ware's portion of this land is some of the most accessible land in the reservation, with a large lookout tower atop Quabbin Hill. Ware also bears the morbid distinction of being host to the Quabbin Park Cemetery, where most of the graves in the former towns were relocated to, as well as most of the town monuments.

Historic districts

 * Ware Center Historic District
 * Church Street Historic District
 * Ware Millyard Historic District

Geography and transportation
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 103.5 sqkm, of which 89.0 sqkm are land and 14.5 sqkm, or 14.01%, are water. Ware lies at the southern end of the Quabbin Reservoir and the Quabbin Reservation. The reservation lands within town include two islands, the former Little Quabbin Hill and Mount Lizzie, neither of which were covered by the waters of the reservoir. The Swift River forms the western boundary of the town, and the Ware River flows through the southeastern part of the town, meeting in Palmer to form the Chicopee River (along with the Quaboag River), which flows into the Connecticut River. The lands of Ware are hilly between the valleys of the Swift and Ware rivers, and much of the land not surrounding the central part of town is heavily forested, with marshes lining the Ware River in spots. Along the Swift River lies the Herman Covey–Swift River Wildlife Management Area.

Ware is the easternmost town in Hampshire County and is bordered by Franklin County to the north, Worcester County to the east, and Hampden County to the south. The town is bordered by New Salem to the northwest, Petersham to the north, Hardwick to the northeast, New Braintree and West Brookfield to the east, a small portion of Warren to the southeast, Palmer to the south, and Belchertown to the west. (There is no land link between New Salem or Petersham and Ware due to the Quabbin Reservoir.) Downtown Ware lies 24 mi east-southeast of the county seat of Northampton, 26 mi northeast of Springfield, 30 mi west of Worcester, and 72 mi west of Boston.

Ware has no interstates or limited-access highways, the town center being 8.5 mi north of Exit 63 (the Palmer exit) of Interstate 90. The town is linked to Route 9, the major east-west route through central Massachusetts, by Route 32, which runs concurrently with Route 9 from their merging point to just west of the West Brookfield town line, where Route 32 crosses through the eastern edge of Ware as it heads north. Route 9 heads west through town, passing along the edge of the Quabbin Reservation on its way towards Belchertown. The town has no public transit systems, but does have a commercial rail line, the Massachusetts Central Railroad, which follows the former Ware River Railroad line along the Ware River from Barre to where the line meets the Boston and Albany Railroad lines in Palmer. There is a private general aviation airstrip along Route 32 in the eastern part of town. The nearest national air service airports are Bradley International Airport in Connecticut and Worcester Regional Airport in Massachusetts.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,707 people, 4,027 households, and 2,597 families residing in the town. The population density was 282.1 PD/sqmi. There were 4,336 housing units at an average density of 126.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 96.49% White, 0.55% Black or African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.60% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.76% from other races, and 1.32% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.08% of the population.

There were 4,027 households, out of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.8% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.5% were non-families. 29.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.7% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.9 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 91.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $36,875, and the median income for a family was $45,505. Males had a median income of $37,462 versus $25,733 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,908. About 8.4% of families and 11.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.8% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

 * Braddish Billings, Ottawa farmer and sponsored the construction of Billings Bridge
 * Tracy Brown-May, member of the Nevada Assembly
 * Philip D. Cloutier, engineer, attorney, and politician who served as a member of the Delaware House of Representatives
 * Samuel Colt, inventor of the repeating pistol
 * Dick Curless,country singer
 * Shamus Culhane, animator, director, studio head at Walt Disney Studios
 * Candy Cummings, major league baseball player in the 1870s, invented the curveball
 * David Ferguson, impresario, activist, and iconoclast
 * Gerry Foley, ice hockey player
 * James H. Foster, politician, member of the Wisconsin State Assembly and the Wisconsin State Senate
 * Joe Giard, pitcher for 1927 New York Yankees
 * Philip F. Gura, professor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
 * Bertha Knight Landes, mayor of Seattle, Washington from 1926 to 1928 and first female mayor of a major American city
 * Karen S. Lynch, president and CEO of CVS Health, the world's seventh largest company
 * Jennifer Lafleur, actress who starred in Nope.
 * George Dana Boardman Pepper, ninth president of Colby College
 * Ruth Baker Pratt, first congresswoman to be elected from New York
 * Billy Jo Robidoux, major league baseball player
 * Don Rondo, singer
 * Roland D. Sawyer, clergyman, Christian socialist, state legislator, and author
 * Pat Shea, was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played with the Philadelphia Athletics and the New York Giants
 * Dana White, president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship

title: Ware, Massachusetts


text:
Ayer (CDP), Massachusetts

Ayer is a census-designated place (CDP) and the primary settlement in the town of Ayer in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population of the CDP was 2,986 at the 2020 census, out of 8,479 in the entire town.

Geography
Ayer is located in northwestern Middlesex County at 42.56°N, -71.58528°W (42.560033, -71.585321). The CDP occupies the center of the town of Ayer and is bordered to the west by the Devens CDP.

Massachusetts Routes 2A and 111 pass through the village as Park Street and East Main Street. MA 2A leads west 12 mi to Fitchburg and east 5 mi to Littleton, while MA 111 leads north 4 mi to Groton and south 8 mi to Boxborough.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the Ayer CDP has a total area of 1.39 sqmi, of which 1.33 sqmi are land and 0.06 sqmi, or 4.54%, are water. Grove Pond and Plow Shop Pond lie along the southern edge of the CDP, draining west toward the Nashua River, part of the Merrimack River watershed.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,960 people, 1,258 households, and 680 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 929.2/km$2$ (2,397.9/mi2). There were 1,369 housing units at an average density of 429.7/km$2$ (1,109.0/mi2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 88.31% White, 4.93% Black or African American, 0.24% Native American, 2.64% Asian, 0.14% Pacific Islander, 1.08% from other races, and 2.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.11% of the population.

There were 1,258 households, out of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.9% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.9% were non-families. 38.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 21.9% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 35.0% from 25 to 44, 18.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.4 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $41,808, and the median income for a family was $55,375. Males had a median income of $39,879 versus $32,083 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $23,574. About 5.2% of families and 9.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.6% of those under age 18 and 17.8% of those age 65 or over.

title: Ayer (CDP), Massachusetts


text:
New Town

A new town is a generic name for a planned community, or a planned expansion of a community.

New Town may also refer to:

Music

 * New Town (Jandek album)
 * New Town (Koop Arponen album)

Australia

 * New Town, South Australia, a suburb of Kadina
 * New Town, Tasmania, a suburb of Hobart

Canada

 * New Town, former name of Montreal neighbourhood Golden Square Mile

China

 * Zhujiang New Town, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province

Czechia

 * New Town, Prague (Nové Město), a district of Prague

Finland

 * Uusikaupunki ("New Town" in Finnish; Nystad)

Ghana

 * New Town, Ghana, Western Region

India

 * Rajarhat, also called New Town, Kolkata
 * New Town, Kolkata

Japan

 * Tama New Town, Tama, Tokyo
 * Senboku New Town, Osaka

Malta

 * Paola, Malta, also known as Raħal Ġdid (new town in Maltese)

Pakistan

 * New Town, Karachi, also called Binori Town

Poland

 * Warsaw New Town, an old district of Warsaw

Slovakia

 * Nové Mesto, Bratislava (New Town in English), a borough in Bratislava

Slovenia

 * Novo mesto (New Town in English)

United Kingdom

 * New Town, Birmingham, an inner-city district of Birmingham, West Midlands
 * New Town, Luton, a district of Luton, Bedfordshire
 * New Town, Stevenage, Hertfordshire
 * New Town, Southampton, a district of the city of Southampton, Hampshire
 * New Town, Ashford, Kent, original spelling of Newtown, Kent
 * New Town, Walsall, a district of Walsall, West Midlands
 * New Town, Enford, Wiltshire
 * New Town, Ramsbury, Wiltshire
 * New Town (Colchester electoral ward), an electoral ward in Colchester, Essex
 * New Town, Edinburgh, the centre of Edinburgh

United States

 * New Town, California, the former name of Nubieber, California
 * New Town, California, the former name of Newtown, El Dorado County, California
 * New Town (Jacksonville), a neighborhood in Jacksonville, Florida
 * New Town (Key West), a neighborhood within the City of Key West, Florida
 * New Town, Georgia
 * New Town, Louisiana, the former British name of New Iberia, Louisiana
 * New Town, North Dakota
 * New Town, South Carolina, the former name of Myrtle Beach
 * New Town, a historically African American neighborhood in Marshall, Texas
 * Newe Towne, the former name of Cambridge, Massachusetts
 * New Towne, a neighborhood in colonial Jamestown, Virginia
 * New Towne Mall, a shopping mall in New Philadelphia, Ohio

Zimbabwe

 * New Town, Kwekwe, a suburb of Kwekwe

Town planning

 * New town (Alberta), a former municipal status in Alberta, Canada, from 1956
 * New towns of Hong Kong, since the 1950s
 * New towns of Singapore, since 1952
 * New towns in the United Kingdom, designated under Acts of Parliament since 1946
 * New towns movement

title: New Town


text:
Foxborough, Massachusetts

Foxborough is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Located in the Greater Boston metropolitan area, it is about 22 mi southwest of Boston. The population was 18,618 at the 2020 census.

"Foxborough" is the official spelling of the town name per local government, but the abbreviated spelling "Foxboro" is common and is used by the United States Postal Service.

Foxborough is best known as the site of Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL) and the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer (MLS).

History
Settled in 1704 and incorporated in 1778, the town of Foxborough was named for Charles James Fox, a Whig member of Parliament and a staunch supporter of the Colonies in the years leading up to the American Revolution.

The town was once home to the world's largest straw hat factory, erected in 1886. The building became the Bay State Boot and Shoe Company which closed in 1891. In 1894, the building became the Inman and Kimball hat factory. It burned to the ground during a spectacular mid-day fire in 1936. A park now stands on the site.

Foxborough was composed of small neighborhood communities until the early 1900s. These included Foxvale/Paineburgh, which remained semi-independent until the early twentieth century; Quaker Hill in South Foxborough; and Lakeview/Donkeyville in West Foxborough.

Schaefer Stadium (later known as Sullivan Stadium, then Foxboro Stadium) opened in 1971 as the home of the New England Patriots, after the football team spent its first eleven seasons playing at various stadiums in Boston. The family of Billy Sullivan owned both the Patriots and the stadium until they sold the team in 1988. The stadium, however, lapsed into bankruptcy and was then bought by paper magnate Robert Kraft. With Kraft in control of Foxboro Stadium, he prevented the Patriots from relocating to St. Louis in 1994 by refusing to let the team break their lease, then bought the Patriots outright. Kraft then founded the New England Revolution, one of the charter clubs of Major League Soccer, in 1996.

Gillette Stadium opened in 2002 as a replacement for Foxboro Stadium. The Patriot Place shopping plaza, built on land surrounding the stadium bought by Kraft, completed construction in 2009. The plaza includes a variety of restaurants, clothing stores, and other retailers.

Foxborough hosted multiple matches during the 1994 FIFA World Cup at Foxborough Stadium and will do so again during the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Gillette Stadium.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 54.1 km2, of which 52.0 km2 is land and 2.1 km2 (3.88%) is water.

Foxborough is located at 42.065°N, -71.24778°W (42.065248, –71.247856).

For the purposes of the United States Census Bureau, the built-up central area of Foxborough known as the Foxborough Census Designated Place (CDP) has a total area of 7.6 km2, of which 7.5 km2 is land and 0.1 km2 (1.69%) is water.

Climate
Foxborough's climate is humid continental (Köppen: Dfa) with four distinct seasons, which is the predominant climate for Massachusetts and New England. Summers are typically warm to hot, rainy, and humid, while winters are cold, windy, and snowy. Spring and fall are usually mild, but conditions are widely varied, depending on wind direction and jet stream positioning. The warmest month is July, with an average high temperature of 83 °F and an average low temperature of 62 °F. The coldest month is January, with an average high temperature of 36 °F and an average low temperature of 18 °F. Periods exceeding 90 °F in summer and below 10 °F in winter are not uncommon but rarely extended, with about 14 days per year seeing the former extreme. Because of the town's relatively short distance from the Atlantic Ocean, temperatures tend to remain warmer than locations further inland. Like the rest of the northeastern seaboard, precipitation is distributed fairly evenly throughout the entire year, with the winter months receiving slightly more precipitation than the summer months. Powerful storm systems known as Nor'easters can produce heavy amounts of rain and snow at any time of the year, but these storms most often strike during the winter months, causing significant snowfall amounts and blizzard conditions. Thunderstorms occur somewhat frequently in the summer, occasionally bringing heavy downpours, damaging winds, and hail. Tornado activity is relatively low in the area, although there have been a fair share of tornado warnings issued over the years. Due to its location along the United States eastern seaboard, Foxborough is somewhat vulnerable to Atlantic hurricanes and tropical storms that threaten the region from late summer into early autumn.

Entire town
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,246 people, 6,141 households, and 4,396 families residing in the town. The population density was 809.1 PD/sqmi. There were 6,299 housing units at an average density of 313.7 /mi2. The racial makeup of the town was 97.09% White, 0.82% Black or African American, 0.11% Native American, 1.22% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.20% from other races, and 0.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 1.06% of the population.

There were 6,141 households, out of which 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.9% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.4% were non-families. Of all households 23.4% were made up of individuals, and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.15.

In the town, 26.5% of the population was under the age of 18, 5.0% was from 18 to 24, 32.1% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $64,323, and the median income for a family was $78,811. Based on data from the 2007–2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, these figures have risen to $92,370 as the median income for a household in the town and $108,209 as the median income for a family. Males had a median income of $51,901 versus $35,748 for females. The per capita income for the town was $32,294, but this figure has risen to $42,236. About 2.3% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.0% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over.

Foxborough CDP
The built-up central business district is designated by the United States Census Bureau as the Foxborough Census Designated Place for record keeping purposes (this is common among many larger population New England towns).

As of the census of 2000, there were 5,509 people, 2,486 households, and 1,372 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 730.9 /km2. There were 2,576 housing units at an average density of 341.8 /km2. The racial makeup of the CDP was 96.57% White, 1.42% Black or African American, 0.13% Native American, 1.07% Asian, 0.29% from other races, and 0.53% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 1.60% of the population.

There were 2,486 households, out of which 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.9% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.8% were non-families. Of all households 37.8% were made up of individuals, and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the CDP, 21.7% of the population was under the age of 18, 5.3% was from 18 to 24, 35.0% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.6 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $50,431, and the median income for a family was $58,924. Males had a median income of $42,030 versus $35,370 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $31,245. About 4.1% of families and 5.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.4% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.

Government
Foxborough is run by a five-member board of selectmen and elected town officials like the town moderator and town clerk. Day-to-day operations involving items under the Board of Selectmen's purview is handled by an appointed Town Manager.

Board of Selectmen (term ends)
 * Stephanie A. McGowan, Chair (2026)
 * Bill Yukna, Vice Chair (2027)
 * Debbie Giardino, Clerk (2027)
 * Mark S. Elfman (2025)
 * Dennis Keef (2025)

Other town officials
 * William G. Keegan Jr. (Town Manager)
 * Michael Johns (Assistant Town Manager)
 * Robert E. Cutler Jr. (Town Clerk)
 * Peter Solbo (Highway Supervisor)
 * Christopher Gallagher (Department of Public Works)
 * Paige Duncan (Town Planner)
 * Mark Dupell (Building Commissioner)
 * Pauline Zajdel (Health Agent)
 * Jane Sears Pierce (Conservation Manager)
 * Bob Boette (Conservation Commission Chairman)
 * Robert B. Worthley (Water and Sewer Superintendent)
 * George G. Samia (Finance Director)
 * Michael P. Kelleher (Fire Chief)
 * Michael A. Grace (Police Chief)
 * Ally Rodriguez (Veteran's Agent)
 * Mark Ferencik (Historical Commission Chairman)
 * Deborah Giardino (Recreation Director)
 * Hannelore Simonds (Chief Assessor)
 * Manuel Leite (Library Director)
 * Amy Berdos (Superintendent of Schools)

The Town Hall is located at 40 South Street, Foxborough, MA 02035.

Public schools
Foxborough has a public school system. The Foxborough Public Schools (FPS) district currently has an enrollment of over 3,000 children in grades from preschool to grade 12.

Foxborough public schools:
 * Charles G. Taylor Elementary School (K–4)
 * Vincent M. Igo Elementary School (Pre-K–4)
 * Mabelle M. Burrell Elementary School (K–4)
 * John J. Ahern Middle School (5–8)
 * Foxborough High School (9–12)

Foxborough High School offers a wide variety of sports including golf, track and field, football, soccer, cross country, volleyball, swim, basketball, wrestling, hockey, indoor track, cheerleading, lacrosse, baseball, tennis, and softball.

The mascot of the high school is the Warriors, whose colors are navy blue and gold. Foxborough's rival is neighboring Mansfield High School.

The football team has won the Hockomock League title numerous times, and has won five state championships (1987, 1988, 1991, 2006, 2023). Longtime head coach Jack Martinelli is one of only seven head coaches in Massachusetts history to amass 300 wins in their career. During the 1987 and 1988 seasons, the Warriors won back-to-back Division 3 Super Bowls and went undefeated in 1988. This team featured five players who went on to play Division 1 college football (Chris Cady, Eric Matckie, Tom Nalen, Dan Sullivan, and Rob Turenne).

The cheerleading team has also earned recognition, making it to nationals for the first time in 2004 and again in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008.

The golf team has produced many all-scholastic players and state champions, as has the wrestling team. The boys' indoor track team were the Hockomock Champions in the 2006/2007 season. The field hockey team have been the Hockomock Champions several times in recent years.

Foxborough High School is also known for its music program, which includes a string orchestra, symphony orchestra, chorus, marching band, concert band, symphonic winds, winds ensemble and jazz band/choir. Many of these groups regularly place in competitions, but the Jazz Ensemble has been recognized in several Essentially Ellington competitions. The top 15 jazz bands in the country send in recordings of themselves for judging. Foxborough has placed in the top 15 for several years.

Private schools

 * Foxborough Regional Charter School (FRCS) is a public, college preparatory school for grades K–12.
 * The Sage School is a private school for gifted learners in pre-kindergarten through 8th grade.

Points of interest

 * Foxboro Grange Hall – a National Historic Register place, added in 1983
 * Gillette Stadium – home of the New England Patriots and the New England Revolution
 * Patriot Place – an outdoor shopping and entertainment complex next to Gillette Stadium
 * F. Gilbert Hills State Forest – Encompassing 1027 acre in Foxborough and Wrentham, the state forest is used for hiking, biking, cross country skiing, horseback riding, and observing nature. Contained on state forest land are some unique stone structures that some believe were made and used by the native Algonquin tribes prior to the town's founding.
 * Memorial Hall – a stone building and monument in the center of town, formerly housing the library, now dedicated to those who served in the armed forces, containing a permanent collection of historical artifacts relating to town history

Notable people

 * Sam Berns, inspiring teenager who was born with progeria
 * Seth Boyden, born in Foxborough, later became one of Newark, New Jersey's foremost citizen-inventors, responsible for inventing patent leather, malleable iron and other processes as well as one of the first to develop daguerreotype
 * Frank Boyden, headmaster of Deerfield Academy
 * Jeremy Collins, winner of Survivor: Cambodia
 * Anna Conway, painter based in New York City
 * Rob Gronkowski, former tight end for the New England Patriots, partner of model Camille Kostek
 * Calvin R. Johnson, member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
 * JoJo, born Joanna Levesque, an R&B singer-songwriter and actress
 * Camille Kostek, model who was on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, partner of football player Rob Gronkowski
 * Tim Lefebvre, bassist who plays with Tedeschi Trucks Band and played bass on David Bowie's final album Blackstar
 * Tom Nalen, former professional football player for the Denver Broncos
 * Nothing,Nowhere, born Joe Mulherin, rapper and singer
 * Sidney Lawton Smith, designer, etcher, engraver, illustrator, and bookplate artist
 * Chris Sullivan, musician, actor, cast member of The Electric Company
 * Nguyen Van Thieu, president of South Vietnam 1967–1975
 * Madame Nguyen Van Thieu, the last serving First Lady of South Vietnam, 1967–1975
 * Seth Williams, Marine Corps officer, Quartermaster General of the United States Marine Corps 1937–1944

title: Foxborough, Massachusetts


text:
Medfield (CDP), Massachusetts

Medfield is a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Medfield in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 6,483 at the 2010 census.

Geography
Medfield is located at 42.18778°N, -71.30389°W (42.187951, -71.304164).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 13.1 km2, of which 13.0 km2 is land and 0.1 km2  (0.79%) is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 6,670 people, 2,394 households, and 1,776 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 512.0 /km2. There were 2,432 housing units at an average density of 186.7 /km2. The racial makeup of the CDP was 96.21% White, 0.52% Black or African American, 0.07% Native American, 2.22% Asian, 0.24% from other races, and 0.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.85% of the population.

There were 2,394 households, out of which 43.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.2% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.8% were non-families. 22.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.30.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 30.7% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.2 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $83,358, and the median income for a family was $96,945. Males had a median income of $62,210 versus $46,406 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $36,647. About 1.5% of families and 2.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.3% of those under age 18 and 2.3% of those age 65 or over.

title: Medfield (CDP), Massachusetts