Hubbardston, Massachusetts facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hubbardston, Massachusetts
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Hubbardston Library
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Location in Worcester County and the state of Massachusetts.
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Detail of Worcester County map
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| Country | United States | ||
| State | Massachusetts | ||
| County | Worcester | ||
| Settled | 1737 | ||
| Incorporated | 1767 | ||
| Government | |||
| • Type | Open town meeting | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 42.0 sq mi (108.7 km2) | ||
| • Land | 41.0 sq mi (106.3 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.9 sq mi (2.4 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 993 ft (303 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 4,328 | ||
| • Density | 103.05/sq mi (39.816/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (Eastern) | ||
| ZIP Code |
01452
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| Area code(s) | 351 / 978 | ||
| FIPS code | 25-31435 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 0618367 | ||
| Website | www.hubbardstonma.us | ||
Hubbardston is a town located in Worcester County, Massachusetts, in the United States. In 2020, about 4,328 people lived here. It's about 18 miles north of Worcester and 53 miles west of Boston. Hubbardston is known for being quite high up, at about 1,015 feet above sea level!
Contents
History
Hubbardston was once part of Rutland. It was officially made a separate district in 1767. The town was named after Thomas Hubbard, who was an important person in Massachusetts and at Harvard College. Local stories say that Mr. Hubbard promised to give glass for the windows of the town's first meeting house (a building for town meetings and church services). The people planned for extra windows because of this promise. However, when Mr. Hubbard passed away in 1773, his plans were complicated, and the town never received the glass. They had to pay for the windows themselves!
Early Settlers
In 1737, a man named Eleazer Brown moved to Hubbardston. He was given a 60-acre farm by the owners of Rutland. The condition was that he had to run a public house, or inn, for travelers. Until 1746, Mr. Brown and his wife were the only people living in Hubbardston. After Eleazer died, his wife was the only resident for several years, and she continued to run the inn.
In 1749, Israel Green moved to Hubbardston. His daughter, Molly Green, is believed to be the first child born in the town. Mr. Green also became the first chairman of the town's board of selectmen, who help manage the town.
Town Economy
In its early days, Hubbardston's economy was mostly based on farming. People also made things like chairs, boots, and shoes on a smaller scale. Historians describe it as a quiet, mostly farming town. There were sawmills, places to make potash (a chemical used in soap and fertilizer), and small home businesses. For example, people made hats from palm leaves.
By the 1800s, dairy farming (raising cows for milk), berry farming, and growing vegetables for sale became very important. Immigrants from places like Ireland, French Canada, England, Sweden, and Finland came to Hubbardston to work on the farms.
Important Events
Hubbardston played a part in important moments in American history.
Revolutionary War
During the Revolutionary War, 65 men from Hubbardston bravely served.
Shays' Rebellion
Captain Adam Wheeler, a leader of Shays' Rebellion, was from Hubbardston. This was an armed uprising in central and western Massachusetts in 1786. Eighty men from Hubbardston marched with Wheeler to Worcester. They joined hundreds of other farmers to protest. They took control of the courthouse to show their anger about people losing their farms and property. This happened because many people were struggling financially in the late 1700s.
Civil War
Hubbardston also sent 164 men to fight in the Civil War. Sadly, 44 of them were killed or died from illness.
Modern Inventions
Hubbardston is famous for an important invention! In July 1947, Vaino J. Holopainen and Roy E. Handy, Jr., invented the first backhoe swing frame here. They named their company "Wain-Roy." A backhoe is a type of digging machine often used in construction. In July 1948, they filed for a patent for their invention.
Geography
Hubbardston covers a total area of about 42.0 square miles (108.7 square kilometers). Most of this is land (41.0 sq mi or 106.3 sq km), and a small part is water (0.9 sq mi or 2.4 sq km).
Hubbardston shares its borders with several other towns:
- To the northwest: Phillipston and Templeton
- To the northeast: Gardner and Westminster
- To the southeast: Princeton and Rutland
- To the southwest: Barre
Demographics
| Historical population | ||
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| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1850 | 1,825 | — |
| 1860 | 1,621 | −11.2% |
| 1870 | 1,654 | +2.0% |
| 1880 | 1,380 | −16.6% |
| 1890 | 1,346 | −2.5% |
| 1900 | 1,227 | −8.8% |
| 1910 | 1,073 | −12.6% |
| 1920 | 1,045 | −2.6% |
| 1930 | 1,010 | −3.3% |
| 1940 | 1,022 | +1.2% |
| 1950 | 1,134 | +11.0% |
| 1960 | 1,217 | +7.3% |
| 1970 | 1,437 | +18.1% |
| 1980 | 1,797 | +25.1% |
| 1990 | 2,797 | +55.6% |
| 2000 | 3,909 | +39.8% |
| 2010 | 4,382 | +12.1% |
| 2020 | 4,328 | −1.2% |
| 2022* | 4,335 | +0.2% |
| * = population estimate. Source: United States Census records and Population Estimates Program data. |
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In 2000, there were 3,909 people living in Hubbardston. These people lived in 1,308 households, and 1,071 of these were families. The population density was about 95 people per square mile.
About 43.8% of households had children under 18 living with them. Most households (73.2%) were married couples living together. The average household had about 2.97 people, and the average family had about 3.28 people.
Looking at age groups in 2000:
- 31.1% were under 18 years old.
- 34.6% were between 25 and 44 years old.
- The average age in the town was 36 years.
Education
Hubbardston is part of the Quabbin Regional School District. This district also includes the towns of Barre, Hardwick, New Braintree, and Oakham.
Younger students in Hubbardston attend Hubbardston Center School for grades Kindergarten through 5th grade. Middle school students go to Quabbin Regional Middle School for grades 6th through 8th. High school students attend Quabbin Regional High School for grades 9th through 12th. Starting in the 2020–2021 school year, 6th grade moved up to the Quabbin Regional Middle School.
Notable people
- Joseph Goodhue Chandler
- Jonas Gilman Clark
- DeLorean Time Machine; currently being displayed in Hubbardston
- Ethan Allen Greenwood
- Eliphalet Stone
See also
In Spanish: Hubbardston (Massachusetts) para niños
