West Boylston, Massachusetts facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
West Boylston, Massachusetts
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Bigelow Tavern (Historical Society)
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| Motto(s):
"Small Town, Big Heart"
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Location in Worcester County and the state of Massachusetts.
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| Country | United States | |
| State | Massachusetts | |
| County | Worcester | |
| Settled | 1642 | |
| Incorporated | 1808 | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Open town meeting | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 13.8 sq mi (35.8 km2) | |
| • Land | 12.9 sq mi (33.4 km2) | |
| • Water | 1.0 sq mi (2.5 km2) | |
| Elevation | 481 ft (147 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 7,877 | |
| • Density | 570.8/sq mi (220.0/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (Eastern) | |
| ZIP Code |
01583
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| Area code(s) | 508/774 | |
| FIPS code | 25-75155 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0618391 | |
| Website | www.westboylston-ma.gov | |
West Boylston is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. It is a northern suburb of Worcester. In 2020, about 7,877 people lived there.
West Boylston includes the village of Oakdale. Oakdale is on the other side of the Wachusett Reservoir from the center of West Boylston. Even though West Boylston was once part of Boylston, it now has more people living in it.
Contents
History of West Boylston
West Boylston was not always a separate town. It was originally part of several nearby towns. These included Lancaster, Shrewsbury, Boylston, Holden, and Sterling.
The town became official in 1808. This happened because of a disagreement between Boylston and West Boylston. They could not agree on where to build a new town meeting house.
Growth and the Wachusett Reservoir
During the 1800s, West Boylston grew. It became a successful community with many textile and other factories. However, this growth was interrupted. The town was chosen as the site for the Wachusett Reservoir. This reservoir was needed to provide water for the city of Boston.
West Boylston was a good spot for the reservoir because three rivers met there. These rivers were the Quinapoxet River, the Stillwater River, and the Nashua River. In 1897, a dam was built on the Nashua River in Clinton. This caused a large area of land to be flooded. About 6.5 square miles (17 km2) were covered with water. This included parts of Boylston, West Boylston, Clinton, and Sterling.
West Boylston lost the most land, over 2,200 acres (8.9 km2). This flooding changed the town center and most of its factories. Many buildings were moved to parts of the town that were not flooded. But most buildings were torn down and covered by the reservoir. More than 1,700 residents, 300 homes, eight schools, six mills, four churches, and one hotel had to move.
The state paid the town for the land it used. It also promised to pay West Boylston $12,000 each year forever. This was to make up for the lost tax money. The reservoir was finished in 1905 and filled with water by May 1908.
The Old Stone Church
A famous landmark in West Boylston is the Old Stone Church. It was left standing after the reservoir was built. It reminds people of those who lost their homes and jobs. It is now one of the most photographed places in the area.
Today, West Boylston is a "bedroom community." This means many people live there but work in Worcester or nearby areas. Because of the reservoir, the town has kept much of its natural, rural feel. This makes it a nice place to live and visit for outdoor activities.
Famous Resident
West Boylston's most famous historical resident is Robert Bailey Thomas. He was the person who started the Old Farmer's Almanac.
Geography
West Boylston covers about 13.8 square miles (35.8 km2). Most of this is land, about 12.9 square miles (33.4 km2). The rest, about 0.9 square miles (2.5 km2), is water.
The main body of water in the town is the Wachusett Reservoir. This reservoir provides water for Boston. West Boylston gets its own water from two town wells.
Neighboring Towns
West Boylston shares borders with several other towns:
- To the north: Sterling
- To the west: Holden
- To the south: Worcester
- To the southeast: Shrewsbury
- To the east: Boylston
Population and People
| Historical population | ||
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| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1850 | 1,749 | — |
| 1860 | 2,509 | +43.5% |
| 1870 | 2,862 | +14.1% |
| 1880 | 2,994 | +4.6% |
| 1890 | 3,019 | +0.8% |
| 1900 | 2,314 | −23.4% |
| 1910 | 1,270 | −45.1% |
| 1920 | 1,624 | +27.9% |
| 1930 | 2,114 | +30.2% |
| 1940 | 1,822 | −13.8% |
| 1950 | 2,570 | +41.1% |
| 1960 | 5,526 | +115.0% |
| 1970 | 6,369 | +15.3% |
| 1980 | 6,204 | −2.6% |
| 1990 | 6,611 | +6.6% |
| 2000 | 7,481 | +13.2% |
| 2010 | 7,669 | +2.5% |
| 2020 | 7,877 | +2.7% |
| 2022 | 7,757 | −1.5% |
| U.S. Decennial Census | ||
In 2010, there were 7,669 people living in West Boylston. There were 2,616 households, and 1,817 families. The average household had about 2.43 people. The average family had about 2.98 people.
About 17.5% of the people were under 18 years old. The median age in the town was 46 years.
In recent years, the average income for a household in West Boylston was about $88,906. For a family, the average income was about $122,500.
Arts and Culture
Historic Places to Visit
West Boylston has six places listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These are important sites that have been kept safe because of their history.
- Beaman Memorial Public Library
- Bigelow Tavern Historic District
- Mount Vernon Cemetery
- Oakdale Village Historic District
- Old Stone Church
- Quinapoxet River Bridge
Education
Students in West Boylston attend two main schools. These are West Boylston Middle/High School and Major Edwards Elementary School.
Library
West Boylston has a public library called the Beaman Memorial Public Library. It was started in 1878. The library building itself was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.
Media
The Banner newspaper shares current news about West Boylston. It is published by Coulter Press. In the past, other newspapers like the News Recorder and West Boylston Times also covered the town.
Notable People
Many interesting people have connections to West Boylston:
- Charlie Baker, a professional baseball player
- Dyer Ball, a missionary
- Erastus Brigham Bigelow, an inventor and businessman born in West Boylston
- Duke Farrell, a catcher in MLB
- Jim Ford, an actor and stuntman
- Jill Lepore, a historian
- Bruce Marshall, a professional hockey coach
- J. P. Ricciardi, a former general manager for the Major League Baseball Toronto Blue Jays team
Images for kids
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Oakdale, Massachusetts
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The Old Stone Church on the Wachusett Reservoir
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Watering trough in front of the Beaman Memorial Public Library
See also
In Spanish: West Boylston para niños
