Milford, Massachusetts facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Milford, Massachusetts
Town
Left to right from top: Milford Town Hall, Main Street, Memorial Hall, Charles Rail Trail, the Gillon Block
Seal
Location in Worcester County and the state of Massachusetts
Country	United States
State	Massachusetts
County	Worcester
Settled	1662
Incorporated	1780
Government
• Type	Representative town meeting
Area
• Total	14.9 sq mi (38.5 km2)
• Land	14.6 sq mi (37.8 km2)
• Water	0.3 sq mi (0.7 km2)
Elevation	307 ft (94 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	30,379
• Density	2,039/sq mi (789.1/km2)
Demonym(s)	Milfordian
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (Eastern)
ZIP Code	01757
Area code(s)	508/774kpl0o
FIPS code	25-41165
GNIS feature ID	0618372

Milford is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. In 2020, about 30,379 people lived there.

Milford was first settled in 1662 and became an official town in 1780. In the 1800s, it grew into a busy place for factories and stone quarrying. This was because of its special location near the Charles River, the Mill River, and the Blackstone River watershed. It also had a lot of a special stone called Milford pink granite.

History of Milford

Milford was first settled in 1662. It was part of Mendon at that time. Native Americans, including a leader named Quashaamit, gave land to the first settlers.

In 1676, a conflict called King Philip's War destroyed the town. But settlers came back in 1680. The Mill River flows through Milford. It had several easy places to cross, called "fords," that Native Americans and early settlers used. These "mill fords" are how Milford got its name.

Milford officially became a town on April 11, 1780. The first town hall was built in 1819. The building used today as the town hall was built in 1854.

Milford Pink Granite

Milford is famous for its Milford pink granite. This special stone was found in 1870. Quarries, which are places where stone is dug out of the ground, were a big part of Milford's economy until about 1940.

The granite was used for many buildings. Some local examples include Memorial Hall and the Bancroft Memorial Library in Hopedale. It was also used for important buildings in other cities, like the Worcester City Hall and the Boston Public Library. Even famous buildings like the original Pennsylvania Station in New York City and parts of the Singapore Changi Airport used Milford granite.

Milford Regional Medical Center

The Milford Hospital was given to the town in 1903 by Governor Eben Sumner Draper. Today, it is known as the Milford Regional Medical Center. It is a teaching hospital connected with UMass Medical Center. In 2015, the hospital made big improvements, adding a new emergency room and updating patient rooms.

Geography of Milford

Milford covers about 14.9 square miles (38.5 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, and a small part is water. The town is naturally drained by the Charles River.

Major roads like Interstate 495 and state routes 16, 85, 109, and 140 pass through Milford.

Adjacent towns

	Upton	Hopkinton	Holliston
	Hopedale		Medway
		Milford
		Bellingham

Milford's Population

In 2000, there were 26,799 people living in Milford. About 33.4% of households had children under 18. The average household had about 2.54 people.

The population was spread out by age. About 24.8% of people were under 18 years old. About 33.2% were between 25 and 44 years old. The average age in Milford was 37 years.

Milford's Economy

Milford has grown quickly since Interstate 495 opened nearby in 1969. This highway made it easier for many large stores and businesses to open in town.

The Waters Corporation, a big company, has its main office in Milford.

Milford Town Library

The Milford Town Library first opened in 1858. It's a place where people can borrow books and learn.

Education in Milford

The Milford Public Schools system runs six public schools. Milford is also a town where students can attend a vocational school, which teaches job skills. This school is called Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School.

Annual Events

• Independence Day fireworks: These are held near July 4th at Plains Park. There is also a yearly parade.
• Portuguese Picnic: A two-night festival held at the Portuguese Club.

Sites of Interest

• Memorial Hall: This building is a museum that tells the history of Milford.
• Ted's Diner: This diner was put on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. It was the oldest diner built by the Tierney Diner Company.
• St. Mary's Cemetery: This cemetery has the only Irish round tower in the United States. It was built using local granite.

Irish Round Tower, Milford

Media

• The Milford Daily News: This is a daily newspaper that covers news in Milford and nearby towns.
• WMRC 1490-AM and MyFM 101.3 FM: This is the local radio station for Milford. It shares local news, school closings, and sports games.
• Cable TV stations: Milford has two non-profit cable TV stations, Channels 8 and 11. Channel 8 shows local programs made by the community. Channel 11 shows school committee meetings and projects made by students at Milford High School.
• Boston TV stations: People in Milford can also watch major television stations from the Boston area.

Notable People from Milford

Many interesting people have come from Milford, including:

• Norm Abram: A famous carpenter and TV host from shows like This Old House.
• Adin Ballou: An author and religious leader who believed in peace and fairness in the 1800s. He wrote a history book about Milford.
• Nathan Barnatt: An actor and comedian.
• William Claflin: A businessman and governor.
• Chris Colabello: A professional baseball player.
• Vincent Connare: He designed popular computer fonts like Comic Sans and Trebuchet.
• William F. Draper: A U.S. Representative and Ambassador to Italy.
• Brian Fair: The lead singer of the metal band Shadows Fall.
• Howie Long: A famous NFL football player and TV announcer.
• Joseph E. Murray: A doctor who won the Nobel Prize for medicine in 1990 for his work with organ transplants.
• Erik Per Sullivan: An actor known for his role in the TV show Malcolm in the Middle.

Gallery

• 

  Lincoln Square in 1907

• 

  Old High School in 1907

• 

  B. & A. Station around 1913

See also

In Spanish: Milford (Massachusetts) para niños