Winchendon, Massachusetts
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| Winchendon, Massachusetts | |||
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| Nickname: Toy Town | |||
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| Coordinates: | |||
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| Country | United States | ||
| State | Massachusetts | ||
| County | Worcester | ||
| Settled | 1753 | ||
| Incorporated | 1764 | ||
| Government | |||
| - Type | Open town meeting | ||
| - Town Manager |
James Kreidler | ||
| Area | |||
| - Total | 44.1 sq mi (114.1 km²) | ||
| - Land | 43.3 sq mi (112.1 km²) | ||
| - Water | 0.8 sq mi (2.0 km²) | ||
| Elevation | 1,000 ft (305 m) | ||
| Population (2000) | |||
| - Total | 9,611 | ||
| - Density | 222.0/sq mi (85.7/km²) | ||
| Time zone | Eastern (UTC-5) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | Eastern (UTC-4) | ||
| ZIP code | 01475 | ||
| Area code(s) | 351 / 978 | ||
| FIPS code | 25-80405 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 0618394 | ||
| Website: http://www.townofwinchendon.com/ | |||
Winchendon is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, USA. The population was 9,611 at the 2000 census. Home to Winchendon State Forest, the town includes the village of Waterville.
For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Winchendon, please see the article Winchendon (CDP), Massachusetts.
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[edit] History
Winchendon is a small town in north-central Massachusetts, originally the country of the Pennacook Indians, and then the Nipnet/Nipmuck Tribe.
The House of Representatives made the grant of New Ipswich Canada, now Winchendon, on June 10, 1735 in answer to a petition from Lt. Abraham Tilton of Ipswich. The petition was on behalf of veterans or surviving heirs participating in the 1690 expeditions against Canada. Winchendon was officially incorporated in 1764, named after a town in Buckinghamshire, England. The Millers River provided water power for mills, and at one time Winchendon produced so many wooden shingles that it was nicknamed Shingletown.
Morton E. Converse started his business career in Converseville, New Hampshire, manufacturing acids. In 1873, he purchased a nearby mill to make wooden products. Apparently he started making toys there, but soon teamed with Orland Mason of Winchendon to form the Mason & Converse Company, which lasted until 1883. Converse then partnered with his uncle, Alfred C. Converse, and Converse Toy & Woodenware Company was formed. In 1887, the company changed its name to Morton E. Converse & Company. It remained in business until 1934.
Converse made a great variety of toys, including Noah's Arks, doll furniture, kiddie riding racers, hobby horses, floor whirligigs, drums, wagon blocks, building blocks, pianos, trunks, ten pins, farm houses, and musical roller chimes. Such a large number of toys were made in Winchendon that it became known as Toy Town.
The original Giant Rocking Horse was built in 1912 by Morton Converse. The 12’ grey hobby horse was named Clyde, and made from nine pine trees. It was a copy of the company’s #12 rocking horse. In 1914, Clyde entered the local parade to celebrate the town’s 150th anniversary. Clyde was moved to the railroad station for about 20 years. Then in 1934, he moved to the edge of the Toy Town Tavern for about 30 years. After that, he was put in storage and fell into disrepair. A replica, Clyde II, was sculpted in 1988 using the original as a model. He is now on display in a covered pavilion.
 General View in 1906 |
 Central Street in 1905 |
 Bird's-eye View in c. 1906 |
[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 44.1 square miles (114.1 km²), of which, 43.3 square miles (112.1 km²) of it is land and 0.8 square miles (2.0 km²) of it (1.77%) is water. Winchendon is drained by the Millers River. Winchendon is home to Lake Denison and Whitney Pond, and shares Lake Monomonac with Rindge, New Hampshire to the north.
[edit] Demographics
Located 35km SE of Keene, NH as of the census[1] of 2000, there were 9,611 people, 3,447 households, and 2,478 families residing in the town. The population density was 222.0 people per square mile (85.7/km²). There were 3,660 housing units at an average density of 84.6/sq mi (32.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.96% White, 0.80% Black or African American, 0.30% Native American, 0.62% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.95% from other races, and 1.29% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.03% of the population.
There were 3,447 households out of which 39.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.3% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.1% were non-families. 22.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.23.
In the town the population was spread out with 30.2% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 98.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $43,750, and the median income for a family was $50,086. Males had a median income of $36,875 versus $29,099 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,798. About 6.8% of families and 10.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.6% of those under age 18 and 19.3% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Government
| County government: Worcester County | |
|---|---|
| Clerk of Courts: | Dennis P. McManus (D) |
| District Attorney: | Joseph D. Early, Jr. (D) |
| Registrar of Deeds: | Anthony J. Vigliotti (D) |
| Registrar of Probate: | Stephen Abraham (D) |
| County Sheriff: | Guy W. Glodis (D) |
| State government | |
| State Representative(s): | Robert L. Rice (D) |
| State Senator(s): | Stephen M. Brewer (D) |
| Governor's Councilor(s): | Thomas J. Foley (D) |
| Federal government | |
| U.S. Representative(s): | John W. Olver (D-1st District), |
| U.S. Senators: | Ted Kennedy (D), John Kerry (D) |
[edit] Points of interest
[edit] Notable residents
- Dudley W. Adams, horticulturalist & granger
- Levi P. Morton, U.S. Vice President, from 1889-93 under Harrison
- Former Massachusetts governor William Barrett Washburn (1872-1874)
- Many Revolutionary War soliders who fought to defend the United States and several who aided in the Battle of Bunker Hill.
[edit] References
- ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
