Hubbardston, Massachusetts Explained

Official Name:Hubbardston, Massachusetts
Mapsize:260px
Image Map1:Hubbardston ma map.png
Mapsize1:175px
Map Caption1:Detail of Worcester County map
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:Massachusetts
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Worcester
Established Title:Settled
Established Date:1737
Established Title2:Incorporated
Established Date2:1767
Government Type:Open town meeting
Leader Title:Town Administrator
Area Total Km2:108.7
Area Total Sq Mi:42.0
Area Land Km2:106.3
Area Land Sq Mi:41.0
Area Water Km2:2.4
Area Water Sq Mi:0.9
Population As Of:2020
Settlement Type:Town
Population Total:4328
Population Density Km2:auto
Elevation M:303
Elevation Ft:993
Timezone:Eastern
Utc Offset:−5
Timezone Dst:Eastern
Utc Offset Dst:−4
Coordinates:42.4736°N -72.0067°W
Website:www.hubbardstonma.us
Postal Code Type:ZIP Code
Postal Code:01452
Area Code:351 / 978
Blank Name:FIPS code
Blank Info:25-31435
Blank1 Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank1 Info:0618367

Hubbardston is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the town population was 4,328.[1] It is situated 18 miles north of Worcester and 53 miles west of Boston; it is distinguished in Massachusetts by being unusually high, at 1015 feet above sea level.[2]

History

Hubbardston, the "Northeast Quarter" of Rutland, was incorporated as a separate district in 1767 and named for Thomas Hubbard (1702–1773), Commissary General of the Province of Massachusetts and Treasurer of Harvard College.[3] It is reported in local history that in view of the honor of giving his name to the town, Hubbard promised to provide the glass for the windows of the first meeting house built in town. To make his liberality more conspicuous, the people planned for extra windows, but when Hubbard died in 1773, his estate was so complicated that the town of Hubbardston received nothing and was obliged to glaze the windows at its own expense.[4]

In 1737 Eleazer Brown located on a farm of 60 acres given him by the proprietors of Rutland on the condition that he operate a public house or inn.[5] Until 1746, Brown and his wife were the only inhabitants of Hubbardston. After Eleazer's death (reportedly killed by a deer), Mrs. Brown was then the only occupant of town for several years, and she kept the public house for prominent travelers. In 1749, Israel Green moved into Hubbardston. His daughter, Molly Green, is reported to be the first child born in Hubbardston. Mr. Green was the first chairman of the board of selectmen.[6]

The town's early economy was based on agriculture and small-scale chair, boot, and shoe manufacturing. It is described by historians as a poor town, sparsely settled and almost wholly agricultural, but having sawmills, potash works, and cottage industries such as the making of palm-leaf hats. By the 19th century, dairy and berry farming and market gardening were major pursuits in the town. Immigrants from Ireland, French Canada, England, Sweden, and Finland moved to town to work on local farms.

Hubbardston was represented by 65 men during the Revolutionary War.

Captain Adam Wheeler, one of the leaders of Shays' Rebellion, an armed uprising in central and western Massachusetts, was from Hubbardston.[7] In 1786, eighty men from the town marched to Worcester under Wheeler's command and, joining hundreds of other farmers, took control of the courthouse to protest the widespread foreclosures and seizures of property by creditors that occurred during the cash-poor 18th century.[7] [8]

Hubbardston furnished 164 men during the Civil War. Forty-four were killed or died of illness.[9]

Hubbardston is home to the invention of the first backhoe swing frame, developed in July 1947 by Vaino J. Holopainen (pronounced "Waino") and Roy E. Handy, Jr., (thus the company name "Wain-Roy") and assigned to Wain-Roy Corporation of Hubbardston. In July 1948, patent # 2,698,697 was filed by Vaino J. Holopainen.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of, of which is land and, or 2.19%, is water. Hubbardston is bounded on the northwest by Phillipston and Templeton, on the northeast by Gardner and Westminster, on the southeast by Princeton and Rutland, and on the southwest by Barre.

Demographics

As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 3,909 people, 1,308 households, and 1,071 families residing in the town. The population density was 95.3sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 1,360 housing units at an average density of 33.1sp=usNaNsp=us. The racial makeup of the town was 98.39% White, 0.15% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.49% Asian, 0.28% from other races, and 0.61% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.33% of the population.

There were 1,308 households, out of which 43.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.2% were married couples living together, 5.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.1% were non-families. 13.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.97 and the average family size was 3.28.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 31.1% under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 34.6% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 6.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $61,462, and the median income for a family was $66,058. Males had a median income of $48,730 versus $33,654 for females. The per capita income for the town was $23,072. About 2.1% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.4% of those under the age of 18 and 7.9% of those 65 and older.

Education

Hubbardson is part of the Quabbin Regional School District along with Barre, Hardwick, New Braintree, and Oakham. Elementary school students attend Hubbardston Center School, from grades K to 5, while middle school students attend Quabbin Regional Middle School from grades 6 to 8, and high school students attend Quabbin Regional High School from grades 9 to 12. Starting the 2020–2021 School year, grade 6 was moved up to the Quabbin Regional Middle School.

Notable people

See also

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Census - Geography Profile: Hubbardston town, Worcester County, Massachusetts. United States Census Bureau. November 12, 2021.
  2. Web site: U.S. Bureau of Census. June 13, 2011.
  3. Web site: Hubbard, Thomas. February 7, 2014.
  4. Book: Stowe, John. History of the town of Hubbardston. 1881. 27. The Committee .
  5. Book: Reed, Jonas. A history of Rutland. 1836.
  6. Stowe, p.21
  7. Web site: Welcome to Hubbardston . Hubbardston Business Association . August 20, 2008.
  8. Web site: Shays Rebellion . History.com Encyclopedia . August 20, 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080423191709/http://www.history.com/encyclopedia.do?vendorId=FWNE.fw..sh098200.a#FWNE.fw..sh098200.a . April 23, 2008 . dead .
  9. Book: Stowe . John . History of the Town of Hubbardston, Worcester County, Mass: From the Time Its Territory was Purchased of the Indiana in 1686, to the Present . 1881 . The Committee . Worcester County, Massachusetts . 144 . June 20, 2020.
  10. Web site: U.S. Census website. United States Census Bureau. January 31, 2008.