Devens, Massachusetts facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Devens, Massachusetts
Census-designated place
Devens Charity Chili Cookoff
Motto(s):  "More Than a Home. A Community"
Location in Worcester County and the state of Massachusetts.
Country	United States
State	Massachusetts
Counties	Middlesex, Worcester
Towns	Ayer, Shirley, Harvard
Area
• Total	6.87 sq mi (17.80 km2)
• Land	6.78 sq mi (17.57 km2)
• Water	0.09 sq mi (0.23 km2)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,697
• Density	250.15/sq mi (96.58/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	01434
Area code(s)	978
FIPS code	25-16840

Devens is a special area in Massachusetts, USA. It's known as an "enterprise zone" and a "census-designated place." This means it's a specific area that the government tracks for population and business, but it's not a full town on its own. Devens is located across three different towns: Ayer and Shirley in Middlesex County, and Harvard in Worcester County.

Devens used to be a big military base called Fort Devens. This base was active from 1917 to 1996. In 2020, about 1,697 people lived in Devens.

Devens: A Place with History and Growth

How Devens Got Its Name

The area of Devens is named after Charles Devens. He was a very important person who served as a judge and a general during the American Civil War.

In 2011, the people living in Devens tried to make their area a separate town. They wanted it to be the 352nd town in Massachusetts, but the idea didn't pass a vote. Some residents still hope to become their own town one day.

Devens as a Military Base

From 1917 to 1996, this area was a busy military base. It was first called Camp Devens, then later Fort Devens. The U.S. Army chose this spot mainly because it was a central point for the train network in New England. This made it easy to move soldiers and supplies.

After 79 years of service, the military base officially closed in 1996. However, the federal military kept some parts of the land. These parts are now used as the Devens Reserve Forces Training Area, which became a smaller Fort Devens again in 2007.

Devens: From Military to Civilian Life

When Fort Devens closed, the extra land was given to different groups. The Federal Bureau of Prisons got some land and built a prison hospital there called the Federal Medical Center, Devens. The Shriver Job Corps also got land to help young people with job training. The Massachusetts National Guard and Massachusetts Veterans also received parts of the land.

Most of the land was bought by an organization called MassDevelopment for $17 million. MassDevelopment is a special group that works to develop areas. Their job was to turn Devens into a place where people could live and businesses could grow.

Since the military base closed, many old buildings have been fixed up or rebuilt. Now, Devens has new housing areas and a growing business park. You can also find a new hotel, restaurants, two disc golf courses, and a regular golf course. Veterans from the United States Army Security Agency are also interested in building a museum here. Fort Devens was their main training place for over 20 years.

There have been ongoing discussions since 2003 about how Devens should be governed. For a while, it seemed like creating a new independent town was the best idea. In 2006, some nearby towns voted against this plan. Even though residents of Devens vote in Harvard or Ayer, they don't have their own elected leaders for Devens itself. MassDevelopment still manages things like gas, electricity, and water, and they hire companies for police and fire services.

Devens is now home to some interesting businesses. New England Studios, a film studio, opened here in 2014. Also, Commonwealth Fusion Systems, a company that started from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is building a special device here. In 2021, they raised a lot of money to build a tokamak fusion device.

Where is Devens Located?

Devens sits right on the border between Middlesex and Worcester counties. About half of it is in the town of Harvard (in Worcester County). The other half is in the towns of Shirley and Ayer (in Middlesex County).

The Devens area is next to the village of Ayer to the northeast. To the west, it borders the village of Shirley.

Massachusetts Route 2 runs along the southern edge of Devens. You can get to Devens from Exit 106 on Route 2. If you drive west on Route 2, you'll reach the Leominster/Fitchburg area in about 7 miles (11 km). If you drive east, you'll get to Concord in about 16 miles (26 km).

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the total area of Devens is about 6.87 square miles (17.8 square kilometers). Most of this is land (6.78 sq mi or 17.57 sq km), and a small part is water (0.09 sq mi or 0.23 sq km). The Nashua River flows north through the western part of Devens. This river is part of the larger Merrimack River system.

Who Lives in Devens?

For information about the population of this area before 2010, you can look up Fort Devens (CDP), Massachusetts.

Building a Fusion Future

Commonwealth Fusion Systems, a company that came from MIT, is building an exciting new facility in Devens. In December 2021, they raised $1.8 billion to build a special device called SPARC. This device is a type of tokamak, which is a machine designed to create energy through nuclear fusion.

The goal of SPARC is to achieve "net energy." This means it's expected to produce more energy than it uses to power its fusion reactions. The company plans for this full-scale machine to be working by 2025.

Learning in Devens

Devens doesn't have its own school district. Instead, it works with the town of Harvard to educate its children. However, Devens is home to the Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School. This is a public charter school that welcomes students from about 30 different towns in central Massachusetts.

Fun Places to Visit in Devens

Most of the old Fort Devens area is now open for public use. The only parts still used by the military or as a prison are the U.S. Army Garrison Fort Devens cantonment area, the Devens Reserve Forces Training Area, and the Federal Medical Center prison.

Here are some interesting places you can visit in Devens:

• Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge: This natural area is located to the south of the former Fort Devens base. It's a great place to see wildlife.
• Fort Devens Historic District: This area, located north of the former Fort Devens, has historical importance.
• The Fort Devens Museum: This small museum (at 94 Jackson Rd, #305) tells the story of Fort Devens from 1917 to today.

See also

In Spanish: Devens (Massachusetts) para niños