Groton, Massachusetts
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| Groton, Massachusetts | |||
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| Country | United States | ||
| State | Massachusetts | ||
| County | Middlesex County | ||
| Settled | 1655 | ||
| Incorporated | 1655 | ||
| Government | |||
| - Type | Open town meeting | ||
| Area | |||
| - Town | 33.7 sq mi (87.3 km²) | ||
| - Land | 32.8 sq mi (84.9 km²) | ||
| - Water | 0.9 sq mi (2.4 km²) | ||
| Elevation | 320 ft (98 m) | ||
| Population (2000) | |||
| - Town | 9,547 | ||
| - Density | 291.3/sq mi (112.5/km²) | ||
| Time zone | Eastern (UTC-5) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | Eastern (UTC-4) | ||
| ZIP code | 01450 | ||
| Area code(s) | 351 / 978 | ||
| Website: http://www.townofgroton.org/ | |||
Groton is a town located in northwestern Middlesex County, Massachusetts. The population was 9,547 at the 2000 census. Groton is home to two renowned college preparatory schools: Groton School, founded in 1884, and Lawrence Academy at Groton, founded in 1793. The town hosts the National Shepley Hill Horse Trials.
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[edit] History
Groton began with the trading post of John Tinker, who conducted business here with the Nashaway Abenaki Indians at the confluence of Nod Brook and the Nashua River. Indians called the area "Petapawag," meaning "swampy land." Pioneers would follow Indian trails from Massachusetts Bay, as Tinker had, and found the region productive for fishing and farming.
The town was officially settled and incorporated in 1655, named for Groton in Suffolk County, England, the hometown of an early selectman, Dean Winthrop. Called "The Plantation of Groton," it included all of present-day Groton and Ayer, almost all of Pepperell and Shirley, large parts of Dunstable and Littleton, plus smaller parts of Harvard, Westford, Nashua, NH, and Hollis, NH.
During King Philip's War, in 1676 the Indians burned all but four Groton garrisons. Survivors fled to Concord and other safe havens, but returned two years later to rebuild the town. Groton would again be beset by Indians during Queen Anne's War, when several citizens of the town were abducted to Canada. In 1775, the common in front of the First Parish Church was an assembly area for Groton Minutemen, who fought in the Battle of Lexington and Concord.
[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 87.3 km² (33.7 mi²). 84.9 km² (32.8 mi²) of it is land and 2.4 km² (0.9 mi²) of it (2.79%) is water. Groton is drained by the Nashua and Squannacook rivers.
[edit] Demographics
This article describes the town of Groton as a whole. Additional demographic details are available which describe only the central settlement within the town, although those details are included in the aggregate values reported here. See: Groton (CDP), Massachusetts.
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 9,547 people, 3,268 households, and 2,568 families residing in the town. The population density was 112.5/km² (291.3/mi²). There were 3,393 housing units at an average density of 40.0/km² (103.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.22% White, 0.35% Black or African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.97% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.27% from other races, and 1.04% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.14% of the population.
There were 3,268 households out of which 46.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.0% were married couples living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.4% were non-families. 17.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.90 and the average family size was 3.31.
In the town the population was spread out with 32.6% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 32.7% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 7.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 98.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $82,869, and the median income for a family was $92,014. Males had a median income of $63,889 versus $41,581 for females. The per capita income for the town was $33,877. About 2.5% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.8% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Points of interest
- Groton Historical Society Museum
[edit] Notable residents
- George Sewall Boutwell, governor and statesman
- Caleb Butler, historian
- Paul Matisse, artist and grandson of Henri Matisse
- William Prescott, colonel in the American Revolution
- Edmund Charles Tarbell, artist
- Frank Bigelow Tarbell, scholar
- Lawrence Guilmartin, water chemist
- Peter Gammons, ESPN Baseball Analyst / Former Boston Globe Sports Writer
- Kevin Kastning, composer and recording artist
- John W. (Jay) Geils, Jr., founder of the J. Geils Band
[edit] References
- Town of Groton, Massachusetts Official Website. Retrieved on May 30, 2006.
