Harvard, Massachusetts
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| Harvard, Massachusetts | |||
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| Coordinates: | |||
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| Country | United States | ||
| State | Massachusetts | ||
| County | Worcester County | ||
| Settled | 1704 | ||
| Incorporated | 1732 | ||
| Government | |||
| - Type | Open town meeting | ||
| - Town Administrator | Timothy Bragan | ||
| - Board of Selectmen |
Lucy B. Wallace Scott Kimball Robert E. Eubank Randall W. Dean William J. Marinelli |
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| Area | |||
| - Town | 27.0 sq mi (69.9 km²) | ||
| - Land | 26.4 sq mi (68.3 km²) | ||
| - Water | 0.6 sq mi (1.6 km²) | ||
| Elevation | 421 ft (128 m) | ||
| Population (2000) | |||
| - Town | 5,981 | ||
| - Density | 226.9/sq mi (87.6/km²) | ||
| Time zone | Eastern (UTC-5) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | Eastern (UTC-4) | ||
| ZIP code | 01451 | ||
| Area code(s) | 978 | ||
| Website: http://harvard.ma.us/ | |||
- This article is about the town of Harvard, Massachusetts. Harvard University is located in the city of Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Harvard is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,981 at the 2000 census.
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[edit] History
Harvard was first settled in 1704. Part of the town originally belonged to "The Plantation of Groton," but broke away and incorporated in 1732 (it is uncertain how the town obtained its name). The town economy was primarily based on agriculture until the middle of the 20th century. This past is most prominently visible in the number of apple orchards. It is now a residential town within reach, for example, of the technology companies outside of Boston. It has had a relatively quiet history, but has attracted several "non-traditional" communities that have given its history some flavor.
[edit] The Shakers
The town was site of Harvard Shaker Village, a utopian religious community established in 1791, one of 19 scattered between Maine and Kentucky, and as far west as Indiana. The sect, renowned for plain architecture and furniture, reached its peak membership in the 1840s. But greater employment opportunities introduced by the Industrial Revolution would entice away some potential and practicing Shaker members. Some became disaffected with the church's insistence on celibacy, self-abnegation, and communal ownership of property. Indeed, Mary Marshall Dyer, a onetime believer, became an outspoken Anti-Shaker. The flock dwindled, and like others, Harvard Shaker Village eventually closed. Today, only one church "society" remains open, run by the last Shakers at Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village in New Gloucester, Maine.
[edit] Fruitlands
Amos Bronson Alcott and some friends established the utopian transcendentalist socialist farm called Fruitlands on the slopes of Prospect Hill in Harvard. The community failed rather quickly but saw visits from the likes of Henry David Thoreau. Mr. Alcott's daughter, Louisa May Alcott lived at the farm with her father.
[edit] Fiske Warren Tahanto Enclave
Fiske Warren, a follower of Henry George, attempted to establish a single tax zone in Harvard in 1918. The enclave bought up land communally and attempted to manage the land according to George's principles. The enclave failed soon after Warren died in 1938.
[edit] St. Benedict Center
Leonard Feeney was a Catholic priest who strongly believed that only Catholics would get to heaven. The Catholic Church disagrees with this view and has taken action against Father Feeney and his followers. Several sects of his followers now reside in the village of Still River (part of Harvard).
[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 69.9 km² (27.0 mi²). 68.3 km² (26.4 mi²) of it is land and 1.6 km² (0.6 mi²) of it (2.26%) is water.
The land is mostly small rolling hills, and there are plenty of swampy places.
In Harvard and the surrounding area there are a large number of apple orchards.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 5,981 people, 1,809 households, and 1,494 families residing in the town. The population density was 87.6/km² (226.9/mi²). There were 2,225 housing units at an average density of 32.6/km² (84.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 91.69% White, 4.50% African American, 0.17% Native American, 1.97% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.50% from other races, and 1.12% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.09% of the population.
There were 1,809 households out of which 44.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.4% were married couples living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.4% were non-families. 14.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.18.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.6% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 32.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 124.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 133.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $107,934, and the median income for a family was $119,352. Males had a median income of $90,937 versus $49,318 for females. The per capita income for the town was $40,867. About 0.5% of families and 2.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.7% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Government
The town elects five members to the Board of Selectmen to run the town day-to-day and has an annual Town Meeting to pass/amend the town bylaws.
| 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: | James B. Eldridge (D) |
| Senator(s) in General Court: | Pamela P. Resor (D) |
| Governor's Councilor(s): | Thomas J. Foley (D) |
| Federal government | |
| Member(s) of the U.S. House of Representatives: | Martin T. Meehan (D) 5th District, |
| U.S. Senators: | Edward Kennedy (D) John Kerry (D) |
The town has resisted pressures to regionalize its school system and its K-12 school system ranks among the top 5% of schools in the state and more than 90% of its graduates go on to college. The public high school, the Bromfield School, and the Harvard Elementary School are both located in the center of town on Massachusetts Avenue.
[edit] External links
- Town of Harvard, Massachusetts Official Website
- Harvard Public Schools
- Satellite image from Google maps
- Street map from Google maps or MapQuest
