Auburn, Massachusetts
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Auburn, Massachusetts | |
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| Coordinates: | |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Worcester County |
| Settled | 1714 |
| Incorporated | 1778 |
| Government | |
| - Type | Representative town meeting |
| - Town Administrator | Charles T. O'Connor |
| - Board of Selectmen |
William Gribbons Robert Grossman Elizabeth Prouty Robert Valentine Carl Westerman |
| Area | |
| - Town | 16.4 sq mi (42.5 km²) |
| - Land | 15.4 sq mi (39.8 km²) |
| - Water | 1.0 sq mi (2.7 km²) |
| Elevation | 603 ft (184 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - Town | 15,901 |
| - Density | 1,035.3/sq mi (399.7/km²) |
| Time zone | Eastern (UTC-5) |
| - Summer (DST) | Eastern (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 01501 |
| Area code(s) | 508 / 774 |
| Website: http://town.auburn.ma.us/ | |
Auburn is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 15,901 at the 2000 census.
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[edit] History
Auburn was first settled in 1714 and was officially incorporated in 1778 as the town of Ward, in honor of American Revolution General Artemas Ward. The town changed its name to Auburn in 1837, after the Post Office complained that the name was too similar to the nearby town of Ware.
Before incorporation, most of Auburn was known as the South Parish of Worcester; other portions fell within the town limits of Leicester and Millbury.
Robert H. Goddard launched the first liquid-fueled rocket from his Aunt Eiffie's farm in Auburn on March 16, 1926. Goddard is commemorated in Goddard Memorial Park located downtown next to the Auburn Fire Department Headquarters.
In this park there is a model of Dr. Goddard's prototype liquid fueled rocket and a Polaris Ballistic Missile (Type A-1).
[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 42.5 km² (16.4 mi²). 39.8 km² (15.4 mi²) of it is land and 2.7 km² (1.0 mi²) of it (6.34%) is water. Auburn is bounded on the north by Worcester, on the northwest by Leicester, on the southwest by Oxford, and on the east by Millbury. Within the town's limits are several ponds, including Dark Brook Pond, Dark Brook Reservoir, Pondville Pond, Leesville Pond and Auburn (Mirror) Pond, formerly a larger feature before being partially filled to accommodate construction of the Auburn Mall in the 1970s.
The town's business community has benefited from its position along the main transportation routes of Central Massachusetts, crossed by east-west U.S. Route 20 (locally called Washington Street) and the Massachusetts Turnpike (Interstate 90); as well as north-south Massachusetts Route 12, one of the original New England Interstate Routes, Interstate 290 and Interstate 395. I-290 in Auburn for years provided the only highway access to Worcester from the Massachusetts Turnpike (exit 10) and eastern Connecticut, via I-395.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 15,901 people, 6,346 households, and 4,404 families residing in the town. The population density was 399.7/km² (1,035.3/mi²). There were 6,579 housing units at an average density of 165.4/km² (428.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.54% White, 0.58% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.89% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.23% from other races, and 0.62% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.04% of the population.
There were 6,346 households out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.6% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.6% were non-families. 25.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the town the population was spread out with 22.7% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 18.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $51,753, and the median income for a family was $60,805. Males had a median income of $42,893 versus $31,121 for females. The per capita income for the town was $23,802. About 2.7% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.5% of those under age 18 and 4.1% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Government
| County government: Worcester County | |
|---|---|
| Clerk of Courts: | Dennis P. McManus (D) |
| County Treasurer: | Position Eliminated |
| District Attorney: | Joseph D. Early, Jr. (D) |
| Registrar of Deeds: | Anthony J. Vigliotti (D) |
| Registrar of Probate: | Stephen Abraham (D) |
| Sheriff: | Guy W. Glodis (D) |
| State government | |
| Representative(s) in General Court: | Paul K. Frost (R) |
| Senator(s) in General Court: | Edward Augustus, Jr. (D) |
| Governor's Councilor(s): | Thomas J. Foley (D) |
| Federal government | |
| Member(s) of the U.S. House of Representatives: | James P. McGovern (D-3rd District), |
| U.S. Senators: | Edward Kennedy (D) John Kerry (D) |
[edit] Education
Auburn has two elementary school "districts." Homes north and west of Route 12 (Southbridge Street) feed into Bryn Mawr School (grades K-2) and Julia Bancroft School (grades 3-5). The other half of town feeds into Mary D. Stone School (grades K-2) and Pakachoag School (grades 3-5). All Auburn public school students attend Auburn Middle School (grades 6-8) and Auburn High School (grades 9-12). A new high school opened on Drury Square, in the center of town, in 2006; as of late 2006, demolition on the old high school, on the same campus, had begun. A group called "Save the '35" is dedicated to preserving the oldest (1935) wing of the former high school, now in the process of being razed.
Many students and parents of students who have attended these schools have complained of severe under-budgeting and a majority of the budget being focused on the new Auburn High School. The teachers at the Auburn Public Schools have been instructed by the Auburn Public School Department not to provide photocopied tests that the students can write on due to the lack of funds.
[edit] Points of interest
[edit] Notable residents
- Jacob Whitman Bailey, biologist, educator[1]
- Dr. Arthur M. Pappas, former team doctor of the Boston Red Sox
[edit] References
- ^ (1967) Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who.
