Worcester County, Massachusetts
| Worcester County, Massachusetts | |
 Location in the state of Massachusetts |
|
 Massachusetts's location in the U.S. |
|
| Founded | April 2, 1731 |
|---|---|
| Seat | Worcester County government abolished in 1998 |
| Largest city | Worcester |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
1,579.02 sq mi (4,090 km²) 1,513.06 sq mi (3,919 km²) 65.95 sq mi (171 km²), 4.18% |
| Population - (2010) - Density |
798,552 528/sq mi (204/km²) |
Worcester County is a county located in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. The largest city and traditional county seat is the city of Worcester.[1] The county population was 798,552 at the 2010 census. Worcester County is also the metropolitan statistical area for the city of Worcester. The Worcester metropolitan area is sometimes considered part of an extended Boston metropolitan area.
Contents |
Law and government[edit]
| County-level state agency heads | |
|---|---|
| Clerk of Courts: | Dennis P. McManus (D) |
| District Attorney: | Joseph D. Early, Jr. (D) |
| Register of Deeds: | Anthony J. Vigliotti (D) |
| Register of Probate: | Stephen Abraham (D) |
| County Sheriff: | Lew Evangelidis (R) |
| State government | |
| State Representative(s): | by community |
| State Senator(s): | by community |
| Governor's Councilor(s): | Jen Caissie (R) |
| Federal government | |
| U.S. Representative(s): | by Congressional district |
| U.S. Senators: | Elizabeth Warren (D, Mo Cowan (D)) |
| Year | Democratic | Republican |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 53.7% 195,667 | 44.5% 162,022 |
| 2008 | 55.6% 202,107 | 41.8% 152,101 |
| 2004 | 56.4% 192,142 | 42.3% 144,094 |
| 2000 | 56.0% 173,769 | 36.8% 114,139 |
Worcester County has had no county government or county commissioners since July 1, 1998, when county functions were assumed by state agencies at local option following a change in state law.[3] Vestiges of the former system include an elected county sheriff, county prosecutor, and court officials, administered under the state department of public safety, the state correctional system, known as the Worcester County Jail at West Boylston, and the Worcester County District courts (state administered) at Worcester, Fitchburg and other district courts within county boundaries.[3] The office of district attorney is effectively a county-wide position even though the district includes one town from a neighboring county. In Massachusetts, Sheriffs have more limited roles than most states and are responsible for corrections, court service and bailiffs and jail release programs.[3] County Sheriffs in Massachusetts are elected to six-year terms.[3] The Worcester County Sheriff is Lewis Evangelidis, (R), and the District Attorney is Joseph Early (D).(see the info-box at lower right for elected officials at county level).
Massachusetts law allows regional compacts, traditional counties and other governmental entities.[3] Traditional County government persists in southeastern Massachusetts. Five traditional county governments include: Norfolk, Bristol, Dukes, Nantucket, and Plymouth Counties. Barnstable County, which is Cape Cod, functions as a modern regional government. The Massachusetts General Laws describe this relationship of county government and the options for abolishing county governments and/or chartering regional governmental compacts in subchapter 34 B.[3] Four other new county compacts have been created by the state legislature and these are in Hampshire, Franklin, Barnstable Counties, and a regional planning council level for Berkshire County. Thus 9 of 14 Counties have some form of county regional governments. Worcester County could exercise that option if it chooses for example, for public safety and, or preparedness due to its rather large geography, by a request to and a special act of the legislature, by local referendum or by one of three mechanisms. See the references for the state statute, and the League of Women Voters link.
History[edit]
Worcester County was formed from the eastern portion of colonial Hampshire County, the western portion of the original Middlesex County and the extreme western portion of the original Suffolk County. When the government of Worcester County was established on April 2, 1731, Worcester was chosen as its shire town (later known as a county seat). From that date until the dissolution of the county government, it was the only county seat. Because of the size of the county, there were fifteen attempts over 140 years to split the county into two counties, but without success. Initially, Lancaster was proposed as the seat of the northern county; later, Petersham was proposed once and Fitchburg was proposed repeatedly, most recently in 1903. Perhaps as a concession, in August 1884 the Worcester County Registry of Deeds was split in two, with the Worcester Northern registry placed in Fitchburg.
| Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of October 15, 2008[4] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Number of Voters | Percentage | |||
| Democratic | 156,454 | 30.65% | |||
| Republican | 66,466 | 13.02% | |||
| Unaffiliated | 283,517 | 55.54% | |||
| Minor Parties | 4,015 | 0.79% | |||
| Total | 510,452 | 100% | |||
Geography[edit]
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 1,579.02 square miles (4,089.6 km2), of which 1,513.06 square miles (3,918.8 km2) (or 95.82%) is land and 65.95 square miles (170.8 km2) (or 4.18%) is water, making it the largest county in the state, geographically.[5] The county is larger geographically than the entire state of Rhode Island even including Rhode Island's water ocean limit boundaries. The county constitutes Central Massachusetts, separating Western Massachusetts on one side from Eastern Massachusetts and the Greater Boston area on the other side. It stretches from the northern to the southern border of the state. The geographic center of Massachusetts is in Rutland.
Worcester County is one of two Massachusetts counties that borders three different neighboring states; the other being Berkshire County. They are also the only two counties to touch both the northern and southern state lines.
Adjacent counties[edit]
- Cheshire County, New Hampshire - north
- Hillsborough County, New Hampshire - north/northeast
- Middlesex County, Massachusetts - east/northeast
- Norfolk County, Massachusetts - east/southeast
- Providence County, Rhode Island - south/southeast
- Windham County, Connecticut - south
- Tolland County, Connecticut - south/southwest
- Hampden County, Massachusetts - west/southwest
- Hampshire County, Massachusetts - west
- Franklin County, Massachusetts - west/northwest
National protected area[edit]
Demographics[edit]
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1790 | 56,764 |
|
|
| 1800 | 61,192 | 7.8% | |
| 1810 | 64,910 | 6.1% | |
| 1820 | 73,625 | 13.4% | |
| 1830 | 84,355 | 14.6% | |
| 1840 | 95,313 | 13.0% | |
| 1850 | 130,789 | 37.2% | |
| 1860 | 159,659 | 22.1% | |
| 1870 | 192,716 | 20.7% | |
| 1880 | 226,897 | 17.7% | |
| 1890 | 280,787 | 23.8% | |
| 1900 | 346,958 | 23.6% | |
| 1910 | 399,657 | 15.2% | |
| 1920 | 455,135 | 13.9% | |
| 1930 | 491,242 | 7.9% | |
| 1940 | 504,470 | 2.7% | |
| 1950 | 546,401 | 8.3% | |
| 1960 | 583,228 | 6.7% | |
| 1970 | 637,969 | 9.4% | |
| 1980 | 646,352 | 1.3% | |
| 1990 | 709,705 | 9.8% | |
| 2000 | 750,963 | 5.8% | |
| 2010 | 798,552 | 6.3% | |
| [6][7][8] | |||
In 1990 Worcester County had a population of 709,705.[9]
As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 750,963 people, 283,927 households, and 192,502 families residing in the county. The population density was 496 people per square mile (192/km²). There were 298,159 housing units at an average density of 197 per square mile (76/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 89.61% White, 2.73% Black or African American, 0.25% Native American, 2.62% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.93% from other races, and 1.82% from two or more races. 6.77% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 15.9% were of Irish, 12.3% Italian, 11.7% French, 8.0% French Canadian, 8.0% English, 5.6% Polish and 5.0% American ancestry according to Census 2000. 85.1% spoke English, 6.1% Spanish and 1.9% French as their first language.
There were 283,927 households out of which 33.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.50% were married couples living together, 11.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.20% were non-families. 26.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.60% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 31.10% from 25 to 44, 21.80% from 45 to 64, and 13.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $47,874, and the median income for a family was $58,394. Males had a median income of $42,261 versus $30,516 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,983. About 6.80% of families and 9.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.30% of those under age 18 and 9.50% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people[edit]
- Louisa May Alcott – novelist, daughter of Amos Alcott
- Johnny Appleseed, real name Jonathan Chapman
- Clara Barton founder of the American Red Cross
- Mike Barnicle, newspaper writer
- Michael Beasley, NBA player, high school All-American; attended Notre Dame Preparatory School
- Ezra T. Benson Mormon Pioneer, Missionary, Quorum of Twelve, and Utah Territorial Legiator
- Ken Bouchard and Ron Bouchard, NASCAR drivers
- Luther Burbank horticulturalist; developed russet potato used in French fries by McDonalds
- William Cullen Bryant poet, journalist and editor of the New York Evening Post.
- Effingham Capron woolen and cotton mill scion who liberated slaves from the 1830s; led local, state and US anti slavery societies.
- George M. Cohan, entertainer, playwright, composer, lyricist, actor, singer, dancer, director
- Ron Darling Professional Baseball pitcher, World series player; Local St. Johns High School Star from Millbury, born in Honollulu
- Dorothea Dix Social Reformer; activist
- Ralph Earl Famous Portrait Painter, Artist of Early America
- Fannie Farmer – cookbook author
- Abby Kelley Foster radical abolitionist, women's suffrage;
- Ryan Gomes, NBA player; attended Notre Dame Preparatory School
- Robert H. Goddard father of American Rocketry
- Gabby Hartnett; Greatest baseball catcher before Johnny Bench
- Abbie Hoffman; Activist
- Elias Howe; Invented Sewing Machine
- Elliott P. Joslin; Pioneer Diabetes researcher and clinician; founded Joslin Clinic
- Walker Lewis, black abolitionist, Masonic Grand Master of African Grand Lodge #1, and Mormon Elder
- Connie Mack; Baseball great and long time baseball manager;
- Nora Marlowe Character Actress; best known for role on the Waltons;
- Agnes Moorehead, actress
- William T. G. Morton; contributer to modern Anasthesia
- Francis Patrick O'Connor; Associate Justice on Massachusetts Supreme Court
- Frank O'Hara, avant-garde poet and playwright
- Jeannine Oppewall, Hollywood Producer, film art, 4 Academy Award Nominations including Bridges of Madison County
- Joe Perry (musician) Songwriter and Guitarist with Aerosmith, the Bad Boys from Boston. He was from Hopedale, and played his first gig at Mendon.
- Brian Skerry; Underwater photographer for National Geographic
- Steve Spagnuolo, former head coach of the St. Louis Rams, currently the defensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints.@
- Lucy Stone; Famous suffragette, women's rights advocate, abolitionist, public speaker, first woman college grad in Massachusetts; first woman to retain her own name after marriage.
- Lydia Chapin Taft America's First Woman Voter; First Colonial Woman who voted legally in America
- Earl Tupper, a NH native, who pioneered Tupperware in Farnumsville, South Grafton, in the 1940s[11]
- Hiram Walker; Distillery founder
- Artemis Ward; Major General of the American Revolution; The first Supreme Allied Commander of the Continental Amry;
- Daniel B. Wesson Co founder of Smith and Wesson, the famous arms munitions company of America.
- Eli Whitney; Invented the Cotton Gin;
Cities, towns, and villages*[edit]
- Ashburnham
- South Ashburnham (a village of Ashburnham)
- Athol
- Auburn
- Stoneville (a village of Auburn)
- Barre
- Berlin
- Blackstone
- Bolton
- Boylston
- Morningdale (a village of Boylston)
- Brookfield
- Charlton
- Clinton
- Douglas
- East Douglas (a village of Douglas)
- Dudley
- East Brookfield
- Union Chapel (a village of East Brookfield)
- Fitchburg
- Gardner
- Grafton
- Farnumsville (a village of Grafton, also called South Grafton)
- Fisherville (a village of Grafton)
- North Grafton (a part of Grafton)
- Saundersville (a village of Grafton)
- Hardwick
- Gilbertville (a village of Hardwick)
- Hardwick (a village of Hardwick)
- Old Furnace (a village of Hardwick)
- Wheelwright (a village of Hardwick)
- Harvard
- Holden
- Jefferson (a village of Holden)
- Hopedale
- Spindleville (a village of Hopedale)
- Hubbardston
- Pitcherville (a village of Hubbardston)
- Lancaster
- South Lancaster (a village of Lancaster)
- Leicester
- Leicester Center (a village of Leicester)
- Cherry Valley (a village of Leicester)
- Rochdale (a village of Leicester)
- Leominster
- Lunenburg
- Whalom (a village of Lunenburg)
- Mendon
- Milford
- Millbury
- East Millbury (a village of Millbury)
- Millville
- New Braintree
- North Brookfield
- Northborough
- Chapinville (a village of Northborough)
- Northbridge
- Whitinsville (a village of Northbridge)
- Rockdale (a village of Northbridge)
- Linwood (A village of Northbridge and of Uxbridge)
- Oakham
- Oxford
- Paxton
- Petersham
- Phillipston
- Princeton
- East Princeton (a village of Princeton)
- Royalston
- Rutland
- Shrewsbury
- Southborough
- Cordaville (a village of Southborough)
- Southbridge
- Spencer
- Sterling
- Sturbridge
- Fiskdale (a village of Sturbridge)
- Sutton
- West Sutton (a village of Sutton)
- Manchuag (a village of Sutton)
- Templeton
- Baldwinville (part of Templeton)
- Otter River (a village of Templeton)
- Upton
- West Upton (a village of Upton)
- Uxbridge
- North Uxbridge (A village of Uxbridge)
- Linwood (A village of Uxbridge and Northbridge)
- Ironstone (A village of Uxbridge, also known as South Uxbridge)
- Wheelockville (A village of Uxbridge)
- Warren
- Webster
- West Boylston
- Oakdale (a village of West Boylston)
- West Brookfield
- Westborough
- Westminster
- Winchendon
- Worcester, county seat
* Villages are census division, but have no separate corporate existence from the towns they are in.
See also[edit]
- Registry of Deeds (Massachusetts)
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Worcester County, Massachusetts
References[edit]
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". Retrieved November 29, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f Mass. Gen. L. c. 34B
- ^ "Registration and Party Enrollment Statistics as of October 15, 2008" (PDF). Massachusetts Elections Division. Retrieved 2010-05-08.
- ^ "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Counties". United States Census. Retrieved 2011-02-13.
- ^ http://www.census.gov/population/www/censusdata/cencounts/files/ma190090.txt
- ^ http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_PL_QTPL&prodType=table
- ^ http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/
- ^ Census Worcester County Basic Fact Sheet
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ Dempsey, James (March 4, 1992). "Many Changes Since Tupper Started Ware". Worcester Telegram and Gazette. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
Further reading[edit]
- The Worcester County Directory, Boston, Mass.: Briggs & Co., 1878
External links[edit]
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Worcester County, Massachusetts |
- Worcester County Sheriff
- Worcester District Registry of Deeds
- League of Women Voters page on counties
- Map of cities and towns of Massachusetts
- Video guide to Worcester County (Worcester Love)
- the Hampshire Council of Governments, with elected councilors from 15 towns, provides many regional services and is an example of modern regional government in Massachusetts
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