Lancaster, Massachusetts

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Lancaster, Massachusetts
nickname =
motto =


imagesize =
image_caption = First Church of Christ
image_

---

mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location in Worcester County in Massachusetts


mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Massachusetts
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Worcester
established_title = Settled
established_date = 1643
established_title2 = Incorporated
established_date2 = 1653
established_title3 =
established_date3 =
government_type = Open town meeting
leader_title =
leader_name = Orlando Pacheco
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 = David Dunn
Alexandra W. Turner
Shawn S. Winsor
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 73.0
area_total_sq_mi = 28.2
area_land_km2 = 71.8
area_land_sq_mi = 27.7
area_water_km2 = 1.3
area_water_sq_mi = 0.5
population_as_of = 2000
settlement_type = Town
population_total = 7380
population_density_km2 = 103.0
population_density_sq_mi = 266.7
elevation_m = 91
elevation_ft = 300
timezone = Eastern
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = Eastern
utc_offset_DST = -4
latd = 42 |latm = 27 |lats = 20 |latNS = N
longd = 71 |longm = 40 |longs = 25 |longEW = W
website = http://www.ci.lancaster.ma.us/
postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 01523
area_code = 351 / 978
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 25-34165
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0618368
footnotes =

Lancaster is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, in the United States. Incorporated in 1653, Lancaster is the oldest town in Worcester County. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 7,380.

For geographic and demographic information on the village of South Lancaster, please see the article South Lancaster, Massachusetts.

History

Lancaster was first settled as "Nashaway" (after the local Nashaway Indian tribe) in 1643. It was officially incorporated and renamed "Lancaster on the Nashua" in 1653. Until it was cut down due to safety concerns, Lancaster boasted the largest oak tree in the state, called the Beaman Oak, named after settler Gamaliel Beaman (1623-1677).

Lancaster boasts being the official "mothertown" to all of central Massachusetts. Towns such as Harvard, Stow, Bolton, Hudson, Marlborough, Leominster, Clinton, Berlin and Boylston were all once considered part of Lancaster.

Supporters of Lancaster's founder, John Prescott (1604-1681), wished to name the new settlement Prescottville, but the Massachusetts General Court considered such a request from a common freeman presumptuous, given that at that time not even a governor had held the honor of naming a town after himself. Instead, they decided to use Lancaster, the name of his home town in England.

Lancaster is home to the Mary Rowlandson (c1637-1711) attack in 1675 and 1676. During King Philip's War, which was fought partially in Lancaster, a tribe of Indians pillaged the entire town of Lancaster. Their last stop on their trail of destruction was Mary Rowlandson's house. Coming to the defense of the house was Rowlandson's brother in-law who was immediately shot and killed by the attacking Indians. The Indians then set fire to the house, forcing Rowlandson to exit the burning building. Upon crossing the doorstep, Rowlandson saw a scene full of carnage. Her entire family was slaughtered, with the exception of her and her 2 daughters. They were kidnapped by the Indians who then took them with them on their travels across New England. The Indians non-fatally shot her in her side.

During her captivity, Rowlandson wrote a book called "A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson." The book is widely considered one of the greatest examples of a captivity narrative.

In 2000, Lancaster Elementary school changed its name to Mary Rowlandson Elementary School.

In 2002, Lancaster Middle school changed its name to Luther Burbank Middle School.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 28.2 square miles (73.0 km²), of which, 27.7 square miles (71.7 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it (1.84%) is water.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 7,380 people, 2,049 households, and 1,551 families residing in the town. The population density was 266.7 people per square mile (102.9/km²). There were 2,141 housing units at an average density of 77.4/sq mi (29.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 84.51% White, 10.61% African American, 0.19% Native American, 1.15% Asian, 1.54% from other races, and 1.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.44% of the population.

There were 2,049 households out of which 36.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.1% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.3% were non-families. 19.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.22.

In the town the population was spread out with 21.7% under the age of 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 35.4% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 125.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 129.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $60,752, and the median income for a family was $66,490. Males had a median income of $42,367 versus $35,417 for females. The per capita income for the town was $21,010. About 4.4% of families and 4.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.5% of those under age 18 and 14.0% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Infobox Mass Town Govt
county= Worcester
clerk_courts = Dennis P. McManus (D)
cty_treasurer = Position Eliminated
da = Joseph D. Early, Jr. (D)
deeds = Anthony J. Vigliotti (D)
probate = Stephen Abraham (D)
sheriff = Guy W. Glodis (D)
state_rep = James B. Eldridge (D), Harold P. Naughton, Jr. (D)
state_sen = Robert A. Antonioni (D)
gov_councilors = Thomas J. Foley (D)
fed_rep = Niki Tsongas (D) (5th District),
fed_sen = Edward Kennedy (D)
John Kerry (D)

Education

Lancaster is served by the Nashoba Regional School District. It is also the site of Atlantic Union College & South Lancaster Academy, incorporated in 1881.

Notable residents

*Luther Burbank, botanist, horticulturist and a pioneer in agricultural science
*Ezra Butler, United States Representative from Vermont
*Charles F. Chandler, chemist
*Eric Donaldson, sculptor and singer-songwriter
*Henrietta Swan Leavitt, astronomer
*Mary Rowlandson, colonial Indian captive, author
*Jared Sparks, historian, Harvard University President (taught at a private school in Lancaster 1815-1817)
*John Thayer, ornithologist
*Dr. Samuel Willard, representative to the Massachusetts ratification of the United States Constitution

References

External links

* [http://www.ci.lancaster.ma.us/ Lancaster official website]
* [http://www.lancasteronline.org/ Lancaster unofficial website]
* [http://books.google.com/books?vid=OCLC01804192&pg=PA119 Information about early education in Lancaster]
* [http://www.restmap.net/clients/ma_lancaster/ Lancaster 2007 Master Plan maps and tables]