Stow, Massachusetts facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Stow, Massachusetts
Town
Town center of Stow
Seal
Motto(s):  "A place for growing up in and a place for coming back to"
Location of Stow in Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Country	United States
State	Massachusetts
County	Middlesex
Settled	c. 1660
Established	1669
Incorporated	May 16, 1683
Government
• Type	Open town meeting
Area
• Total	18.1 sq mi (46.9 km2)
• Land	17.6 sq mi (45.6 km2)
• Water	0.5 sq mi (1.2 km2)
Elevation	231 ft (70 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	7,174
• Density	407.6/sq mi (157.4/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (Eastern)
ZIP Code	01775
Area code(s)	351 / 978
FIPS code	25-68050
GNIS feature ID	0618236
Website	www.stow-ma.gov

Stow is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is about 21 miles (34 km) west of Boston. Stow is part of the MetroWest region of Massachusetts. In 2020, the town had a population of 7,174 people.

Stow was officially made a town in 1683. It started with an area of about 40 square miles (100 km²). Over many years, Stow gave up land to create newer, smaller towns. These towns included Harvard (1732), Shirley (1765), Boxborough (1783), Hudson (1866), and Maynard (1871). Today, Stow covers about 18.1 square miles (46.9 km²). For a long time, Stow was mostly farmland and orchards. Factories were only found in a few small villages.

History of Stow

Before Stow became a town in 1683, it was known as Pompositticut Plantation. The first European settlers arrived around 1660. These settlers were Matthew Boon and John Kettell. They settled on land that belonged to Tantamous (Jethro), a Native American leader. His land was called "Pompocitticut."

Matthew Boon settled near a pond, which is now called Lake Boon. It is said he traded a large piece of land for just one jackknife. There is a monument where his home used to be. John Kettell lived in the southwestern part of Stow. Another monument marks where his farm was thought to be.

Both families were affected by King Philip's War. This was a conflict where Native Americans tried to push out the colonists. Boon and Kettell were killed during the war. Their families had moved to safer places and survived. The area that would become Stow was not settled again by colonists for several years.

How Stow Changed Over Time

The first main settlement in Stow was about a mile east of the current town center. This area became known as Lower Village. Later, a meeting hall and churches were built to the west. The old cemetery on Route 117/62 is still called Lower Village Cemetery.

Like many towns in colonial Massachusetts, Stow started large and then became smaller. It gave up land to help create new towns. For example, Stow lost 1,300 acres (5.3 km²) and almost half its population when Maynard was formed in 1871. Before that, the area that became Maynard was known as "Assabet Village." It was legally part of Stow and Sudbury. Even though both parent towns did not want Maynard to become a separate town, the state approved it. The new town of Maynard had more people than either Stow or Sudbury at the time.

In 1942, the U.S. Army took about one-tenth of Stow's land. This land was on the south side of town. They used it to store military supplies. Landowners had to leave their homes. This land remained military property for many years. In 2005, it became part of the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge.

Interesting Facts from Stow's History

The modern butternut squash was created in Stow in 1944 by Charles Leggett. A piece of land in town, called Leggett Woodlands, is named after his family. His wife donated the land. The squash was developed in a field right across from this woodland.

On New Year's Day in 1984, a man named Kevin Walsh took off from Minute Man Air Field. He was in a lawn chair tied to 57 helium balloons! He later landed by parachute. He reached an amazing height of 9,000 feet (2,700 m). He was fined for breaking some flight rules.

As of 2022, Stow is one of the few towns in Massachusetts that does not have a Dunkin' Donuts. The two Dunkin' Donuts in town closed that year. This fact even got attention on social media!

Geography of Stow

Stow is located in eastern/central Massachusetts. The town has a total area of about 18.1 square miles (46.9 km²). About 17.6 square miles (45.6 km²) of this is land, and 0.5 square miles (1.2 km²) is water.

	Harvard	Boxborough	Acton
	Bolton		Maynard
		Stow
		Hudson	Sudbury

Important water bodies in Stow include the Assabet River, Elizabeth Brook, Lake Boon, White's Pond, and the Delaney Flood Control Project. The Assabet River flows through Stow from west to east. It has three bridges crossing it.

Gleasondale Village

The village of Gleasondale is partly in Hudson and partly in Stow. Gleasondale was first called Randall's Mills. Later, it was known as Rock Bottom. The name "Rock Bottom" came from a story. A worker hit a solid rock while digging for a mill's foundation. Another worker supposedly yelled, "You've struck rock bottom!" The name changed to Gleasondale in 1898. This was to honor two of the original mill owners, Mr. Gleason and Mr. Dale.

Population in Stow

First Parish Church

In 2018, there were 7,214 people living in Stow. There were 2,575 households and 2,090 families. Most people in Stow are White (91.8%). There are also people who are African American (2.7%), Asian (3.9%), and other races. About 2.8% of the population is Hispanic or Latino.

Many households (69.7%) in Stow are married couples living together. About 25.8% of households have children under 18 living with them. The average household has 2.75 people. The average family has 3.10 people.

The population in Stow is spread out by age. About 28.2% are under 20 years old. About 34.5% are between 45 and 64 years old. About 12.7% are 65 years or older. The average age in Stow is 43.5 years.

Places to Visit in Stow

Golf Courses

Stow is well-known for its four golf courses, which have a total of 81 holes. The most famous is Stow Acres Country Club, which has 36 holes. It hosted a big golf championship in 1995.

One of the courses, formerly Mapledale Country Club, had a special history. It was the first golf course designed, run, and managed by a Black man, Robert H. Hawkins. He bought the land in 1926. This course also hosted the first three United States Colored Golf Association (USCGA) Opens from 1926 to 1928.

Apple Orchards

Stow is also famous for its many apple orchards. These include Carver Hill, Small Farm, Derby Ridge Farms, Honey Pot Hill, One Stack Farm, and Shelburne Farms. These orchards bring many visitors to the town, especially in the fall, for apple picking.

Town Center

The town center has a special memorial. It honors soldiers from Stow who were lost in various wars. These include the French and Indian War, the Revolutionary War, both World Wars, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East. People gather here on Memorial Day to remember them.

Near the Randall Library (named after John Witt Randall), you can see an old trolley station. This reminds us of a time when Stow was connected by trolley lines to bigger cities like Boston and Waltham.

Assabet Wildlife Sanctuary

A large part of the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge is located in Stow. This refuge opened in 2005. It's a great place to see nature and wildlife.

American Heritage Museum

The American Heritage Museum opened in 2018. It is a military history museum located on the grounds of the Collings Foundation. The museum has a huge collection of tanks and other items from many wars. These include World War I, World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam War, and more recent conflicts.

Pine Bluffs Park

Pine Bluffs is a 34-acre (14-hectare) park and beach. It is located on the northern shore of Lake Boon. The park was updated in 2017–2018. Now it has a pavilion, restrooms, and is easier for everyone to use. The forest nearby has many trails. There's also a place to launch canoes and kayaks. You can even find a tire swing overlooking the lake and a popular hill where locals have parties.

Notable People from Stow

Stow has been home to or connected with several interesting people:

• Matthew Tobin Anderson: An author who writes picture books for children and novels for young adults.
• Ethan Anthony: An architect who went to public schools in Stow.
• Tom Barrasso: A former professional hockey goalie in the NHL. He grew up in Stow.
• Dan Duquette: A former general manager for baseball teams like the Boston Red Sox.
• Chris Fleming: A stand-up comedian and YouTuber.
• Henry Gardner Sr.: The first "Receiver-General" (like a treasurer) of Massachusetts during the American Revolution. His grandson, Henry J. Gardner, later became the governor of Massachusetts.
• Kate Hogan: A Massachusetts State Representative.
• Lee H. Pappas: A publisher of high-tech magazines.
• Samuel Parris: A minister who preached in Stow in 1685. He later played a role in the Salem witch trials.
• John Witt Randall: A poet, naturalist, and art collector.
• Jeremy Reiner: The chief meteorologist for WHDH (TV).
• George P. Shultz: A former U.S. Secretary of State. He lived in Stow when he was teaching at MIT.
• Patricia Walrath: A former Massachusetts State Representative.
• Austin Warren: A literary critic and professor.

Schools in Stow

Stow is part of the Nashoba Regional School District. This district also includes the towns of Lancaster and Bolton. Stow has two schools:

• The Center School (for Pre-K through 5th grade)
• Hale Middle School (for 6th through 8th grade)

Stow also has the "Stow West School," which was a one-room schoolhouse. It was open from 1825 to 1903. The Pompositticut School, an elementary school, was changed into a community center in 2017.

Massachusetts Firefighting Academy

Stow is home to the main office of the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy. This academy trains firefighters from all over Massachusetts. It helps new firefighters learn their skills and experienced firefighters improve.

Airports in Stow

• Minute Man Air Field (6B6): This is a privately owned airport that the public can use.
• Crow Island Airport: This is a private airfield mainly for ultralights (very light aircraft).
• The Collings Foundation has a small grass airstrip next to their museum.

Images for kids

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  First Parish Church

See also

In Spanish: Stow (Massachusetts) para niños