Westborough, Massachusetts facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Westborough, Massachusetts
Town
Nathan Fisher House, Westborough
Flag Seal
Location in Worcester County and the state of Massachusetts.
Country	United States
State	Massachusetts
County	Worcester
Settled	1675
Incorporated	1717
Government
• Type	Open town meeting
Area
• Total	21.6 sq mi (56.0 km2)
• Land	20.5 sq mi (53.1 km2)
• Water	1.1 sq mi (2.8 km2)
Elevation	300 ft (91 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	21,567
• Density	1,052.0/sq mi (406.2/km2)
Demonym(s)	Westboronian
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Code	01581
Area code(s)	508/774
FIPS code	25-75015
GNIS feature ID	0618390

Westborough is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. In 2020, about 21,567 people lived here in over 7,000 homes. Westborough became an official town in 1717. It is run by a system called an open town meeting. This means citizens can vote on important town matters. A group of five elected people, called the Board of Selectmen, help manage the town. They handle things like giving out licenses and calling town meetings.

Westborough's History

Long ago, the area that is now Westborough was a busy place for travel. Around 7,000 BCE (Before Common Era), very old groups of people used dugout canoes to travel along the Sudbury and Assabet Rivers. They were looking for a type of rock called quartzite to make tools and weapons.

From 1200 to 1600 CE (Common Era), Nipmuc Native Americans came to this area during different seasons. They would hunt and fish near Cedar Swamp and Lake Hoccomocco. They used Fay Mountain as a guide and traveled on well-used paths. These paths included the old Connecticut Path and the Narragansett Trail.

In 1633, an early English explorer named John Oldham followed these paths through Westborough. Soon after, settlers looking for good farmland started to arrive. By late 1675, a few families had settled near Lake Chauncy. This area was known as the "west borough" of Marlborough.

The 1700s in Westborough

On November 18, 1717, Westborough officially became the 100th town in Massachusetts. There were 27 families living there at the time. One of these families was Thomas Rice, who had represented Marlborough in the government. Soon, large farms were created, and mills were built along the Assabet River. Taverns, which were like inns, also became popular.

Westborough's first minister, Reverend Ebenezer Parkman, helped guide the growing town. Forty-six minutemen from Westborough fought in the Revolutionary War. These were local soldiers ready to fight at a moment's notice.

In 1775, Northborough became its own town. It was called the "north borough" of Westborough. This was similar to how Westborough had separated from Marlborough years before.

Westborough is famous for being the birthplace of Eli Whitney. He was born in 1765 and invented the cotton gin in 1795. This machine made it much faster to separate cotton fibers. In 1798, he also started using mass production in the United States. This meant making many identical items quickly, like parts for guns.

The 1800s in Westborough

In 1810, the road from Boston to Worcester was made straighter and better. It became a turnpike, which is a road where you pay a fee to use it. This road is now Route 9. Along this new road in Westborough, businesses like taverns and stores did very well.

The town's main business area moved downtown in 1824 when the steam train arrived. The railroad brought new industries to Westborough. Over the next 100 years, local factories shipped out boots, shoes, hats, sleighs, and other goods. Westborough farms also sent milk to cities, and greenhouses sold flowers. The town's eight orchards sold a lot of fruit.

In 1848, the State Reform School for Boys opened on Lake Chauncy. This was the first public school in the United States for young boys who needed guidance and a fresh start. It later became the Westborough State Hospital in 1884. The reform school moved nearby and was renamed The Lyman School for Boys.

The 1900s in Westborough

Main Street, around 1905

From 1947 to 1985, the Westboro Speedway was a place where people could watch auto racing.

Historic Places in Westborough

Westborough has several places listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These are important buildings and areas that are protected because of their history:

• Nathan Fisher House: Located east of Shrewsbury on MA 9.
• Joseph Lothrop House: On the corner of Route 9 and Park Street.
• Lyman School for Boys: Found at the meeting point of Oak St. and Milk St..
• Maples Cottage: East of Shrewsbury on Oak St.
• Vintonville Historic District: An area including Cottage, Green, Pine, Brigham, Beach Streets, and properties along the east side of South Street.
• Jonah Warren House: Located at 64 Warren Street.
• West Main Street Historic District: An area roughly bounded by Milk, Main, Blake, and Fay streets.
• Westborough State Hospital: Along Lyman St. North of Chauncy Lake and near Milk St. and MA 9.

Westborough's Geography

Mill Pond at sunset

Chauncy Lake in Autumn

Westborough covers about 21.6 square miles (56.0 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with about 1.1 square miles (2.8 square kilometers) being water.

The town is where the Sudbury and Assabet rivers begin. Westborough has many bodies of water, including Lake Chauncy, Mill Pond, Sandra Pond, Hocomonco Pond, and Cedar Swamp Pond. Lake Chauncy is a popular spot for swimming, boating, and fishing. It has a public beach that residents can use in the summer. The town is about 300 feet (91 meters) above sea level.

Westborough is in central Massachusetts. It is about 28 miles (45 kilometers) west of Boston and 12 miles (19 kilometers) east of Worcester.

Westborough's Population

In 2010, there were 18,272 people living in Westborough. The population density was about 891 people per square mile. More recent estimates show that the town's population is around 18,836 people.

Westborough is a diverse town. About 70% of the people are White, and about 23.6% are Asian. There is a large Indian-American community, making up 15.4% of the population. Many residents, about 25.9%, were born outside the U.S.

Many households in Westborough are families. About 42.3% of families have children under 18 living with them. The average household has about 2.74 people. The average family has about 3.26 people.

The population is spread out by age. About 12.5% are under 10 years old, and 15.6% are between 10 and 19. The median age in Westborough is 38 years old. This means half the people are younger than 38, and half are older.

The average income for a household in Westborough is about $107,604 per year. For families, the average income is about $132,543. About 4.7% of the population lives below the poverty line. Most adults in Westborough, about 96.4%, have graduated high school. A large number, 65.7%, have a college degree or higher.

Education in Westborough

Westborough has a public school system with elementary schools, middle schools, and one high school.

Public Schools

• Hastings Elementary School (Kindergarten to 3rd grade)
• Armstrong Elementary School (Kindergarten to 3rd grade)
• Annie E. Fales Elementary School (Kindergarten to 3rd grade)
• Mill Pond School (Grades 4 to 6)
• Sarah W. Gibbons Middle School (Grades 7 and 8)
• Westborough High School (The school mascot is the Rangers!)

The Mill Pond School is the newest school in Westborough. Students attend one of the three elementary schools based on where they live. After 3rd grade, they move to Mill Pond, then Gibbons Middle School, and finally Westborough High School.

Transportation in Westborough

Westborough is located near major highways. It is on the west side of the Massachusetts Turnpike (Interstate 90) and near the Interstate 495 intersection. Route 30 (Main Street) and Route 135 (South Street/Milk Street) meet at a rotary in the town center. Route 9 also runs nearby and is home to many of the town's businesses.

For public transportation, Westborough has an MBTA commuter rail station on the Framingham/Worcester Line. There is also public bus service through the Worcester Regional Transit Authority. If you need to fly, the Worcester Regional Airport offers some flights. The closest international airport is Boston Logan Airport.

A large CSX rail freight yard, which handles cargo trains for the Boston area, is located near the Turnpike and I-495.

Media in Westborough

Newspapers

• The Community Advocate
• Westborough Patch
• The MetroWest Daily News (Framingham)
• The Westborough News
• The Telegram & Gazette (Worcester)
• The Boston Globe (Boston)
• Boston Herald (Boston)
• Westborough High School Literary Magazine

Television

Westborough residents can watch many TV channels:

• Channel 2: WGBH – (PBS) – Boston
• Channel 4: WBZ – (CBS) – Boston
• Channel 5: WCVB – (ABC) – Boston
• Channel 7: WHDH – (Independent) – Boston
• Channel 25: WFXT – (FOX) – Boston
• Channel 27: WUNI – (Univision) – Worcester

Westborough also has local cable TV channels:

• Channel 11: Westborough TV – For public notices and community programs.
• Channel 13: Westborough TV – For educational programs and school events.
• Channel 12: Westborough TV – For government meetings and information.

Westborough Public Library

The Westborough Public Library opened in 1857. In 2008, the town spent about $846,826 on its library. This was about $45 per person each year. Libraries are important places for learning and reading!

Fun Places to Visit in Westborough

• Assabet Reservoir – Great for hiking trails.
• Fay Mountain – This is the highest point in Westborough.
• Lake Chauncy – You can swim, boat, and fish here.
• Lyman School for Boys – A historic site.
• Westborough Charm Bracelet – A hiking trail system.
• Westborough Country Club – A golf course.
• Eli Whitney birthplace – Marked with a special stone on Eli Whitney Street.
• Vintonville Historic District – A historic neighborhood.

Westborough's Awards

Westborough has been recognized by Money Magazine as a great place to live:

• Money Magazine 2005 profile of Westborough, Massachusetts
• Money Magazine 2007 profile of Westborough, Massachusetts

Annual Events in Westborough

Westborough has many fun events throughout the year:

• Annual Boy Scout Troop 100 Pancake Breakfast – February/March
• High School Musical – March
• Taste of the Boroughs – March
• Middle School Musical – April
• Spring Clean Up Day – April
• Spring Carnival – April
• Little League Parade – April
• Memorial Day Parade
• Purple Day – June
• Dress and act like a Pirate Day – May 12
• High School Graduation Ceremony – June
• July 4 Block Party
• Homecoming – September/October
• High School Play – November
• Middle School Play – November
• Thanksgiving Day Football game
• Christmas Singalong
• Westborough High School Winter Concert – December
• Eli Whitney Cup Playoffs (Westborough Men's Softball League) – August

Places of Worship in Westborough

Westborough has many different places where people can worship:

• Beth Tikvah Synagogue
• Chabad of Westborough
• Congregation B'nai Shalom
• Evangelical Congregational Church
• First Baptist Church Westborough
• First United Methodist Church
• Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
• New Hope Chapel
• St. Luke the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church and Rectory
• St. Stephen's Episcopal Church
• Unitarian Universalist Congregational Society of Westborough
• Chapel of the Cross
• Westborough Gurdwara Sahib

Famous People from Westborough

Many interesting people have connections to Westborough:

• Eli Whitney Blake, who invented the stone crusher.
• Mary A. Brigham, a former president of Mount Holyoke College.
• Jaime Brockett, a folk singer.
• Jim Butterfield, an American football player and coach.
• Jim Campbell, a hockey player.
• Henry W. Corbett, a businessman and senator.
• Ralph Dawson, a film editor who won three Academy Awards.
• Louis E. Denfeld, a high-ranking officer in the United States Navy.
• Mark D. Devlin, an author.
• Catherine Amelia Fay Ewing, an educator and activist.
• Esther Forbes, an author.
• Kaz Grala, a NASCAR driver.
• Richard B. Johnson, an author.
• Dan Kwan, a film writer and director.
• Horace Maynard, a politician.
• Tim McKeon, a writer, director, and producer.
• Mike Murphy, an athletics coach.
• Adam Peltzman, a writer and producer for the show Odd Squad.
• Thomas Rice, a politician and one of the town's founders.
• John Ruggles, a politician.
• Jordan Smotherman, an ice hockey player.
• Jeffrey Thomas, a science fiction and horror author.
• Eli Whitney, the famous inventor and industrialist.
• Ashley Walden, a luge athlete.
• Jack M. Wilson, a former President of the University of Massachusetts.