Westminster, Massachusetts

Westminster, Massachusetts
Town
Westminster Historic District
Seal
Location in Worcester County and the state of Massachusetts.
Coordinates: 42°32′45″N71°54′40″W / 42.54583°N 71.91111°W / 42.54583; -71.91111
Country	United States
State	Massachusetts
County	Worcester
Settled	1737
District	October 20, 1759
Town	April 26, 1770
Government
• Type	Open town meeting
Area
• Total	37.3 sq mi (96.7 km2)
• Land	35.5 sq mi (92.0 km2)
• Water	1.8 sq mi (4.7 km2)
Elevation	1,080 ft (329 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	8,213
• Density	220/sq mi (85/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (Eastern)
ZIP Code	01473
Area code	351/978
FIPS code	25-77010
GNIS feature ID	0618393
Website	Official website

Westminster is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. At the 2020 census, the town population was 8,213. ^[1]

History

Westminster was first settled by Europeans in 1737, and was officially incorporated in 1759.

Westminster has four entries in the National Register of Historic Places: Ahijah Wood House, Nathan Wood House, Ezra Wood-Levi Warner Place, and Westminster Village-Academy Hill Historic District.

Westminster was the site of Westminster Academy, incorporated in 1833.

On August 25, 1909, a large parade was held in honor of the 150th anniversary of the town's establishment. A civic parade begun at 10 o'clock which featured an array of floats and music provided by the Fitchburg Military and Gardner bands. That year, Wilbur F. Whitney published the 150th Anniversary Celebration of the Town of Westminster, Massachusetts, containing "Historical & Legendary Reminiscences Connected with the Town" which detailed the event and local floats. ^[2]

The town achieved national news in November 2014 when the Board of Health proposed banning all sales of tobacco. ^[3]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 37.3 square miles (97 km²), of which 35.5 square miles (92 km²) is land and 1.8 square miles (4.7 km²), or 4.90%, is water.

Westminster is bordered by Ashburnham to the north, Gardner to the west, Hubbardston to the southwest, Princeton to the south, and Leominster and Fitchburg to the east.

Demographics

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1850	1,914	—
1860	1,840	−3.9%
1870	1,770	−3.8%
1880	1,652	−6.7%
1890	1,688	+2.2%
1900	1,327	−21.4%
1910	1,353	+2.0%
1920	1,343	−0.7%
1930	1,925	+43.3%
1940	2,126	+10.4%
1950	2,768	+30.2%
1960	4,022	+45.3%
1970	4,273	+6.2%
1980	5,139	+20.3%
1990	6,191	+20.5%
2000	6,907	+11.6%
2010	7,277	+5.4%
2020	8,213	+12.9%
2023*	8,377	+2.0%
* = population estimate. Source: United States census records and Population Estimates Program data. [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14]

As of the census ^[15] of 2000, there were 6,907 people, 2,529 households, and 1,954 families residing in the town. The population density was 194.5 inhabitants per square mile (75.1/km²). There were 2,694 housing units at an average density of 75.9 per square mile (29.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.50% White, 0.46% African American, 0.14% Native American, 1.14% Asian, 0.14% from other races, and 0.61% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.11% of the population. 17.6% were of French, 15.0% Irish, 13.2% French Canadian, 9.0% English, 9.0% Italian, 8.5% Finnish and 5.6% American ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 2,529 households, out of which 36.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.8% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.7% were non-families. 17.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.8% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $57,755, and the median income for a family was $61,835. Males had a median income of $45,369 versus $31,818 for females. The per capita income for the town was $24,913. About 3.0% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.5% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

From 1828 to 1970, Westminster was home to the Westminster Cracker Company. Westminster is currently home to:

• the U.S. Corporate Sales & Marketing division of SimplexGrinnell ^[16]
• the Distribution Center of Aubuchon Hardware ^[17]
• the Wachusett Brewing Company ^[18]

Arts and culture

The Forbush Memorial Library was established in 1868. ^{[19] [20]} In fiscal year 2022, the town of Westminster spent 1.88% ($459,679) of its budget on its public library. ^[21]

Government

State

• State Representatives: Kimberly Ferguson (R), Jonathan Zlotnik (D)
• State Senator: John J. Cronin (D)
• Governor's Councilor: Paul DePalo (D)

Federal

• U.S. Representative: Lori Trahan ^[22]
• U.S. Senators: Elizabeth Warren (D), Ed Markey (D)

Education

Westminster is part of the Ashburnham-Westminster Regional School District along with Ashburnham. ^[23]

The town has two schools. The Meetinghouse School serves students in grades K–1; the Westminster Elementary School, grades 2–5. Middle school students attend Overlook Middle School, and high school students attend Oakmont Regional High School. ^[23]

Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School is a vocational/technical high school) in nearby Fitchburg also serving Westminster students. ^[23]

Infrastructure

Public transportation for northern Worcester County is largely supplied by the Montachusett Regional Transit Authority (MART) fixed-route bus system. Wachusett station, located in West Fitchburg, is the western terminus of the MBTA Commuter Rail Fitchburg Line.

Notable people

• Abijah Bigelow, former U.S. Representative
• Elizabeth Jordan Carr, first American child conceived through IVF to be born on US soil ^[24]
• Gregory Ciottone, Harvard professor, White House Consultant, pioneering physician in Counter-Terrorism Medicine
• Marcus A. Coolidge, former U.S. Senator
• John Ainsworth Dunn, furniture maker ^[25]
• Avery Yale Kamila, journalist
• George M. Lane, former U.S. ambassador to North Yemen ^{[26] [27]}
• Nelson A. Miles, former Commanding General of the United States Army
• William H. Upham, fought at the Battle of Bull Run; 18th Governor of Wisconsin ^[28]

References

1. "Census - Geography Profile: Westminster town, Worcester County, Massachusetts". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved November 12, 2021.
2. Whitney, Wilbur F. (1909). An Account of the Exercises Connected with the 150th Anniversary Celebration of the Town of Westminster, Massachusetts, 1909: Together with Historical & Legendary Reminiscences Connected with the Town. Meals printing Company.
3. "Unruly Crowd Shuts Down Westminster Tobacco Ban Meeting". Boston.com.
4. "Total Population (P1), 2010 Census Summary File 1". American FactFinder, All County Subdivisions within Massachusetts. United States Census Bureau. 2010.
5. "Massachusetts by Place and County Subdivision - GCT-T1. Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
6. "1990 Census of Population, General Population Characteristics: Massachusetts" (PDF). US Census Bureau. December 1990. Table 76: General Characteristics of Persons, Households, and Families: 1990. 1990 CP-1-23. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
7. "1980 Census of the Population, Number of Inhabitants: Massachusetts" (PDF). US Census Bureau. December 1981. Table 4. Populations of County Subdivisions: 1960 to 1980. PC80-1-A23. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
8. "1950 Census of Population" (PDF). Bureau of the Census. 1952. Section 6, Pages 21-10 and 21-11, Massachusetts Table 6. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1930 to 1950. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
9. "1920 Census of Population" (PDF). Bureau of the Census. Number of Inhabitants, by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions. Pages 21-5 through 21-7. Massachusetts Table 2. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1920, 1910, and 1920. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
10. "1890 Census of the Population" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. Pages 179 through 182. Massachusetts Table 5. Population of States and Territories by Minor Civil Divisions: 1880 and 1890. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
11. "1870 Census of the Population" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1872. Pages 217 through 220. Table IX. Population of Minor Civil Divisions, &c. Massachusetts. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
12. "1860 Census" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1864. Pages 220 through 226. State of Massachusetts Table No. 3. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
13. "1850 Census" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1854. Pages 338 through 393. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
14. "City and Town Population Totals: 2020−2023". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved May 19, 2024.
15. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
16. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on May 22, 2007. Retrieved September 14, 2005.
17. "Aubuchon Hardware Store Paint, Hardware, Tools, Plumbing, Electrical and more". Hardwarestore.com. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
18. "HOME | Wachusett Brewing Co". Wachusettbrew.com. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
19. C.B. Tillinghast. The free public libraries of Massachusetts. 1st Report of the Free Public Library Commission of Massachusetts. Boston: Wright & Potter, 1891.
20. Forbush Memorial Library. Forbushlibrary.org, Retrieved November 10, 2010
21. "GF Library Expenditures". dlsgateway.dor.state.ma.us. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
22. "Massachusetts Senators, Representatives, and Congressional District Maps". GovTrack.us. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
23. "Ashburnham-Westminster Regional School District". Ashburnham-Westminster Regional School District. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
24. https://www.thegardnernews.com/story/news/2019/12/28/headlines-of-past-dec-29-1981-its-girl-westminster-test-tube-baby-elizabeth-jordan-carr-born/1998632007/
25. "John Ainsworth Dunn" . Retrieved October 1, 2013.
26. Alexandra Perloe. Retired diplomat reflects on post-Sep 11 world. Sentinel & Enterprise (Fitchburg, Mass.), September 12, 2006
27. Hunter Amabile. Worldly thinking in Westminster. Sentinel & Enterprise (Fitchburg, Mass.), February 23, 2011
28. "Wisconsin Governor William H. Upham". National Governors Association. Retrieved October 1, 2013.

External links

• Official website
• Westminster Confluence Project
• Books.google.com: Westminster Academy