| Uxbridge | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| — Town — | |||
| Taft Brothers Block, Downtown Uxbridge | |||
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| Nickname(s): Home of America's First Legal Woman Voter, Lydia Chapin Taft | |||
| Motto: Washington Really Did Sleep Here | |||
| Location in Worcester County in Massachusetts | |||
| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | United States | ||
| State | Massachusetts | ||
| County | Worcester | ||
| Settled | 1662 | ||
| Incorporated | 1727 | ||
| Government | |||
| • Type | Representative town meeting | ||
| • Chair, Board of Selectmen | Bruce Desilets | ||
| • Vice Chair, Board of Selectmen | Beth Pittman | ||
| • Clerk, Board of Selectmen | Peter Petrillo | ||
| • Selectmen | Carrie Kay Robertson, Jay Cahill | ||
| • Town Manager | Michael A Szlosek | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 30.4 sq mi (78.7 km2) | ||
| • Land | 29.5 sq mi (76.5 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.8 sq mi (2.1 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 270 ft (82 m) | ||
| Population (2010) | |||
| • Total | 13,457 | ||
| • Density | 442.66/sq mi (170.77/km2) | ||
| Time zone | Eastern (UTC-5) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | Eastern (UTC-4) | ||
| ZIP code | 01569, 01538, 01525 | ||
| Area code(s) | 508 / 774 | ||
| FIPS code | 25-71620 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 0618387 | ||
| Website | http://www.uxbridge-ma.gov/ | ||
Uxbridge is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It was first settled in 1662, incorporated in 1727 at Suffolk County, and named for the Earl of Uxbridge. Uxbridge is 16 miles (26 km) south-southeast of Worcester, 20 miles (32 km) north-northwest of Providence, and 34 miles (55 km) southwest of Boston. It is part of the Greater Boston[1] and Worcester metro areas. The 2010 census showed 13,457 people. Uxbridge includes the villages of North Uxbridge, Linwood (in part), Wheelockville, and Ironstone (South Uxbridge).
Uxbridge, a "mini tapestry of early America",[2] marks the center of the Blackstone Valley Heritage Corridor, a key region of America's earliest industrialization. There are more than 375 state or national historic sites. Uxbridge was an incubator for textiles, power looms for woolens, cashmere woolens, and manufacturing of clothing and military uniforms, for over 140 years. The first woolen mill in the Blackstone Valley was built here in 1809. The Bachman Uxbridge Worsted Company's proposed 1954 buyout of the American Woolen Company would have created America's largest woolen conglomerate.[3] The first Air Force Dress Uniform, "Uxbridge Blue", was made here. Uxbridge played key roles in women's rights with first woman voter, Lydia Taft,[4] American Revolution soldier, Deborah Sampson, 3) abolitionist Abby Kelley, and Massachusetts's first women jurors. Seth Reed fought at Bunker Hill, and was "instrumental" in adding E Pluribus Unum, ('From Many, One'), to U.S. Coins.[5]
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John Eliot, the "Apostle to the Indians" started Praying Indian villages like (Wacentug) among the Nipmuc.[6][7][8] Natives sold land to settlers in 1662,[9] "for 24 pound Ster".[9][9][10] Mendon burned in King Phillips War. West Mendon became Uxbridge in 1727, and Farnum House held the first town meeting.[11] The 1728 Town Meeting, funded 15 gallons of 'ye good rum for ye raising of ye meeting house'. Nathan Webb's church, was the Colony's first new Congregational church in the Great Awakening.[12] Lydia Taft, voted in the 1756 Town meeting, a first for women.[4] Smithfield, RI Quakers came here and built mills, railroads, houses, tools and Conestoga wagon wheels.[13][14][15] Southwick's store housed the "Social and Instructive Library". Friends Meetinghouse, built of local bricks on Farnum's farm, had abolitionist" Abby Kelley as a member.[16][17][18][19] Seth & Joseph Read and Simeon Wheelock joined Committees of Correspondence.[20] Baxter Hall, was a Revolutionary War drummer.[21] Seth Read fought at Bunker Hill, and the Canadian campaign. Washington stopped at Reed's tavern, en-route to command the Continental Army.[22][23] Samuel Spring, was a Revolutionary war chaplain.[24] Deborah Sampson, a woman posing as a man, enlisted in the Continental Army as "Robert Shurtlieff of Uxbridge".[25] Shays' Rebellion's, opening salvos led Gov. Hancock to send the Sheriff to end Uxbridge riots.[26][27] Lt. Simeon Wheelock, died at Springfield, protecting the armory.[13] Seth Reed petitioned the state legislature, to mint "coppers", and was instrumental adding E pluribus unum to coins.[5][20][28] President George Washington, slept here on his Inaugural tour.[29][30]
The Tafts built the Middle Post Road's Blackstone River bridge in 1709.[31] "Teamsters" drove horse "team" freight wagons, on the Worcester-Providence stage route, giving Uxbridge the nickname of "a crossroads village". Construction of the Blackstone Canal brought horsedrawn barges which made Uxbridge their overnight stop.[9][32][33] Completion of the P&W Railroad in 1848 ended canal traffic. On jan 25, 1732 the town voted to "set up a school for ye town of Uxbridge" which began a local tradition of public education.[9] A 1788 grammar school was followed by 13 one room schools, built for just $2000. Uxbridge Academy, which began in 1818, became a prestigious New England Prep School. Uxbridge voted against smallpox vaccine in 1775,[4] recorded high infant mortality,[22] Benedict Arnold's widow's death, and "Quincy", smallpox, "dysentary", and tuberculosis deaths.[13][22] Dr. Leonard White, filed an 1896 malaria public health report that led to a plan for[34] his son to collect mosquitoes for study, and citizens to add window screens and drain standing water, firsts in malaria preventive medicine.[34]
Bog iron, and 3 iron forges marked colonial days and large industries began as early as 1775.[35] Richard Mowry, built and marketed equipment to manufacture woolen, linen or cotton cloth.[2][36] Gristmills, sawmills, distilleries, and 20 mills developed.[6][13] Daniel Day built the Valley's first woolen mill in 1809.[4][9] In 1855, 560 local workers made 2.5 million yards of cloth,(14,204 miles).[6][13][35] Entrepreneur's firsts included woolen power looms, satinets, vertical textile integration to clothes, wool-nylon serge, wool synthetic blends, "poodle cloth", 'wash and wear' fabric, new yarn spinning techniques, and latch hook kits. Villages developed with mills, shops, housing, farms, (aka The Rhode Island System), and baseball leagues. Wm.Arnold's 1814 Ironstone cotton mill, made Blue Jeans.[13] Seth Read's gristmill became Bay State Arms. John Capron's 1820 mill made the first American satinets.[6][9][35][37] Hecla and Wheelockville had American Woolen, Waucantuck Mill Complex, and Hilena Lowell's shoe factory. Wheelock&Taft's Calumet (Central Woolen) ran 24/7 making Civil War cloth[13] completing a vertical integration business model.[38] North Uxbridge had Clapp's 1810 Cotton Mill, Sayles Rivulet Mill, Blanchard's granite quarry, and Rogerson's village. Crown and Eagle Mill, was 'a masterpiece of early industrial architecture'. Bachman Uxbridge Worsted 's, 13 plants, topped women's fashions.,[39] and proposed a buyout to be the top US woolen company.[40] It made Civil War, World War I, World War II Army, nurse corps, and the first Air Force 'dress uniforms' "Uxbridge Blue".[13][41]
State and national parks developed around the mills and rivers were restored.[42] The Great Gatsby (1974) and Oliver's Story (1978) were filmed locally including Stanley Woolen Mill. The National Heritage Corridor[43] contains the 1,000-acre (4.0 km2)Blackstone Canal Heritage State Park,[44] 9 miles (14 km) of the Blackstone River Bikeway,[45] the Southern New England Trunkline Trail, and West Hill Dam, a 567 acre wildlife refuge.[46] 60 Federalist homes[13] add to 54 National, and 375 state-listed historic sites, including Georgian Elmshade.[13] A 2007 fire destroyed the Bernat Mill but Capron's mill was preserved,.[47] Stanley mill is being restored while Waucantuck mill, was razed. See National historic sites. The town enjoys scenic golf courses, B & B's, and hospitality venues.
Mendon's George Aldrich, birthed a political family, and he may be buried in the South Uxbridge family cemetery, (then Mendon). (see Rockefeller-Aldrich family political line). The Aldrich family association had offices in Uxbridge for years. Robert Taft I, (1680) became the patriarch of an American political dynasty. Taft's grandson's widow, Lydia (Chapin) Taft, was "America's first woman voter".[4] Samuel Taft hosted George Washington's inaugural tour.[4] Ezra ("T".) Taft Benson was an LDS Church Apostle, Hawaii missionary, and Utah legislator. Great grandson, Ezra Taft Benson, was U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and LDS President. Luke Taft built 2 water powered textile mills, and his son, Moses built the Stanley Woolen Mill. Peter Rawson Taft I's son, Secretary of War Alphonso Taft delivered a speech on Taft family history at an Elmshade reunion.[48] Alfonso's son, William Howard Taft, visited Samuel Taft House in 1910 with Gov. Eben Draper.[49] Arthur MacArthur, Sr. became Governor, Lt. Governor and Supreme Court Justice in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. and his grandson, was Gen. Douglas MacArthur. Seth Read[50] founded Erie, PA and Geneva, NY, and his descendents were Congressmen and Great Lakes ship captains.[5][20][28] Paul C. Whitin, founded the Whitin Machine Works. Phineas Bruce and Benjamin Adams were U.S. Congressmen. Joshua Macomber and William Augustus Mowry were educators. Edward Sullivan (US Marine), won a Medal of Honor in the Spanish-American War. Alice Bridges won an Olympic bronze in the backstroke in 1936's Berlin Olympics.[51] Tim Fortugno was a relief pitcher for the California Angels, Chicago White Sox and Cincinnati Reds, in the 1990's. Senator Richard Moore was a FEMA executive (1994–1996), a key co-author of the 2006 landmark Massachusetts healthcare access law, and a President of the National Conference of State Legislatures, (2010–2011).[52][53] Brian Skerry is a "legendary" photojournalist with National Geographic and a passionate advocate for preservation of global sea life.[54] Arthur K. Wheelock, Jr. is a curator of Baroque Art at the National Gallery.[55] Jacqueline Liebergott,was the first woman president of Emerson College. Jeannine Oppewall, film art producer, has 30+ films, and 4 Academy Awards nominations for best art direction of LA Confidential, Pleasantville, "Seabiscuit" and The Good Shepherd. Her work can be seen in: The Big Easy, The Bridges of Madison County and Catch Me If You Can. (see also list of notable residents)
| County government: Worcester County | |
|---|---|
| Clerk of Courts: | Dennis P. McManus (D) |
| District Attorney: | Joseph D. Early, Jr. (D) |
| Register of Deeds: | Anthony J. Vigliotti (D) |
| Register of Probate: | Stephen Abraham (D) |
| County Sheriff: | Lew Evangelidis (R) |
| State government | |
| State Representative(s): | Ryan Fattman (R) Kevin J. Kuros (R) |
| State Senator(s): | Richard T. Moore (D) |
| Governor's Councilor(s): | Jen Caissie (R) |
| Federal government | |
| U.S. Representative(s): | Richard E. Neal (D-2nd Dist.) |
| U.S. Senators: | John Kerry (D), Scott Brown (R) |
Uxbridge has a Board of Selectmen and representative town meeting with officials listed in the top infobox:[56] Local government 1) granted the first woman in America the right to vote,[4] 2) voted down smallpox vaccine in 1775,[4] and 3) defied the Massachusetts Secretary of State's office, by approving women jurors.[57] The 2009 Board of Health, made Uxbridge the 3rd community in the US, to ban tobacco sales in pharmacies. County Government in Massachusetts is weak or has vestiges of the former system. Worcester County has had no official county government since 1998, though regional officials of state government hold county elected offices (see info box). Worcester County, Massachusetts Sheriff, Lewis Evangelidis runs corrections, and court services from West Boylston, and Worcester District is the regional judicial jurisdiction. The Uxbridge district court serves surrounding towns.
The town occupies 30.4 square miles (79 km2), of which 0.8 square miles (2.1 km2), or 2.73%, is water. It is situated 35 miles (56 km) southwest of Boston, 16 miles (26 km) southeast of Worcester, and 20 miles (32 km) northwest of Providence, Rhode Island. Elevations range from 200 feet (61 m) to 577 feet (176 m) above sea level, and the town borders Douglas, Mendon, Millville, Northbridge, and Sutton, Massachusetts, plus the Rhode Island towns of Burrillville and North Smithfield.
| Sutton, Massachusetts | Northbridge | Mendon | ||
| Douglas | Mendon | |||
| Uxbridge | ||||
| Burrillville, Douglas | Burrillville and North Smithfield, Rhode Island. | Millville,, North Smithfield. |
A USDA hardiness zone 5 continental climate prevails with snowfall extremes from October (rare), to May. The highest recorded temperature was 104 F, in July 1975, and the lowest, -25 F in January 1957.[58]
| Climate data for Uxbridge, Massachusetts | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °F (°C) | 37 (3) |
40 (4) |
49 (11) |
59 (15) |
70 (21) |
79 (27) |
84 (29) |
82 (28) |
75 (23) |
64 (18) |
53 (13) |
42 (5) |
60 (15) |
| Average low °F (°C) | 13 (−9) |
16 (−8) |
27 (−2) |
37 (3) |
47 (8) |
55 (13) |
60 (16) |
59 (15) |
49 (9) |
37 (4) |
30 (−1) |
20 (−6) |
40 (4) |
| Precipitation inches (cm) | 3.6 (9) |
3.3 (8) |
4.1 (10) |
3.9 (9) |
4.3 (10) |
3.6 (9) |
3.7 (9) |
4.1 (10) |
4.1 (10) |
4.1 (10) |
4.5 (11) |
4.0 (10) |
47.3 (120) |
| Source: Weather.com[58] | |||||||||||||
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1850 | 2,457 | — |
| 1860 | 3,133 | +27.5% |
| 1870 | 3,058 | −2.4% |
| 1880 | 3,111 | +1.7% |
| 1890 | 3,408 | +9.5% |
| 1900 | 3,599 | +5.6% |
| 1910 | 4,671 | +29.8% |
| 1920 | 5,384 | +15.3% |
| 1930 | 6,285 | +16.7% |
| 1940 | 6,417 | +2.1% |
| 1950 | 7,007 | +9.2% |
| 1960 | 7,789 | +11.2% |
| 1970 | 8,253 | +6.0% |
| 1980 | 8,374 | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 10,415 | +24.4% |
| 2000 | 11,156 | +7.1% |
| 2001* | 11,636 | +4.3% |
| 2002* | 11,851 | +1.8% |
| 2003* | 12,121 | +2.3% |
| 2004* | 12,308 | +1.5% |
| 2005* | 12,458 | +1.2% |
| 2006* | 12,704 | +2.0% |
| 2007* | 12,860 | +1.2% |
| 2008* | 12,768 | −0.7% |
| 2009* | 12,873 | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 13,457 | +4.5% |
| * = population estimate. Source: United States Census records and Population Estimates Program data.[59][60][61][62][63][64][65][66][67][68] |
||
The 2010 United States Census[69] was 13,457, a growth rate of 20.6%, with 4,708 households. 95.7% were White, 1.7% Asian, 0.90% Hispanic, 0.3% African American, and 1.4% other. Population density was 442.66 people/ mile2 (170.77/km²). Per capita income was $24,540, and 4.7% fell below the poverty line.
High tech, services, distribution, life sciences, hospitality, local government, education and tourism offer local jobs. A 618,000 square feet (57,400 m2) distribution center serves BJ's Wholesale Club's, northern division. August 2011 unemployment was 7.4% [70]
Local schools include: Taft Elementary, Whitin Middle, Uxbridge High and Our Lady of the Valley Regional. Valley Tech (Upton) houses Quinsigamond, C.C. The NYT called Uxbridge education reforms, a "little revolution" to meet family needs.[71]
Tri-River Family Health, (UMass Medical) offers primary care. Milford Regional, Landmark M/C, hospices and long term care are nearby.
The nearest MBTA Commuter Rail stops are Forge Park/495 on the Franklin Line and Worcester on the Framingham/Worcester Line, both just under 15 miles away. The nearest Northeast Corridor station is Providence, about 20 miles to the southeast. The Providence and Worcester Railroad, a freight-only railroad, runs directly through Uxbridge. The former passenger station is located on South Main Street and the former freight depot on Depot Road.
Route 146[72] connects Worcester, I-290, I-90, I-295 and I-95 at Providence. Route 16 connects to Connecticut via I-395, and Boston, by I-495. Route 122 connects Northbridge, and Woonsocket. Route 146A, connects to North Smithfield. Route 98 connects to Burrillville.
TF Green Warwick, Boston Logan, and Worcester airport, have commercial flights. Hopedale airport,7.2 miles (11.6 km), has general aviation.
