Fitchburg, Massachusetts
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Fitchburg is a city in northern Worcester County,
Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...
, United States. The third-largest city in the county, its population was 41,946 at the 2020 census. Fitchburg is home to
Fitchburg State University Fitchburg State University (Fitchburg State) is a public university in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. It has 3,421 undergraduate and 1,238 graduate/continuing education students, for a total student body enrollment of 4,659. The university offers und ...
as well as 17 public and private elementary and high schools.


History

Fitchburg was first settled in by Europeans in 1730 as part of Lunenburg, and was officially set apart from that town and incorporated in 1764. The area was previously occupied by the
Nipmuc The Nipmuc or Nipmuck people are an Indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands, who historically spoke an Eastern Algonquian language. Their historic territory Nippenet, "the freshwater pond place," is in central Massachusetts and nearby part ...
tribe. It is named for John Fitch, one of the committee that procured the act of incorporation. In July 1748 Fitch and his family, living in this isolated spot, were abducted to
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by to ...
by Native Americans, but returned the next year. Fitchburg is situated on both the Nashua River and a
railroad Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a prep ...
line. The original
Fitchburg Railroad The Fitchburg Railroad is a former railroad company, which built a railroad line across northern Massachusetts, United States, leading to and through the Hoosac Tunnel. The Fitchburg was leased to the Boston and Maine Railroad in 1900. The main l ...
ran through the Hoosac Tunnel, linking
Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
and
Albany, New York Albany ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of New York, also the seat and largest city of Albany County. Albany is on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River, and about north of New York Cit ...
. The tunnel was built using the Burleigh Rock Drill, designed and built in Fitchburg. Fitchburg was a 19th-century industrial center. Originally operated by
water power Hydropower (from el, ὕδωρ, "water"), also known as water power, is the use of falling or fast-running water to produce electricity or to power machines. This is achieved by converting the gravitational potential or kinetic energy of a ...
, large mills produced machines, tools, clothing, paper, and firearms. The city is noted for its
architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing buildings ...
, particularly in the Victorian style, built at the height of its
mill town A mill town, also known as factory town or mill village, is typically a settlement that developed around one or more mills or factories, usually cotton mills or factories producing textiles. Europe Italy * '' Crespi d'Adda'', UNESCO World ...
prosperity. A few examples of these 19th century buildings are the Fay Club, the old North Worcester County Courthouse and the Bullock house. As the city is one of Worcester County's two shire towns, it has hosted the Northern Worcester County Registry of Deeds, established in 1903, and the county jail on Water Street. The 1961 film '' Return to Peyton Place'' was filmed in Fitchburg.


Geography

Fitchburg is located at (42.578689, −71.803383). According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and , or 1.07%, is water. The city is drained by the Nashua River. The highest point in Fitchburg is the summit of Brown Hill near the northwestern corner of the city, at above sea level. Fitchburg is bordered by Ashby to the north, Lunenburg to the east,
Leominster Leominster ( ) is a market town in Herefordshire, England, at the confluence of the River Lugg and its tributary the River Kenwater. The town is north of Hereford and south of Ludlow in Shropshire. With a population of 11,700, Leominster i ...
to the south,
Westminster Westminster is an area of Central London, part of the wider City of Westminster. The area, which extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street, has many visitor attractions and historic landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, B ...
to the west, and a small portion of Ashburnham to the northwest.


Neighborhoods

Fitchburg is divided into multiple different neighborhoods/villages, including: * Cleghorn * Crockerville * College Area * Downtown Fitchburg * East Side * Green Acres Village * North Fitchburg * The Patch * Prichard-Pleasant Street * South Fitchburg * Tar Hill * Upper Common * Waite's Corner * West Fitchburg


Climate

Fitchburg's climate is
humid continental A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freez ...
, which is the predominant climate for
Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...
and
New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...
. Summers are typically warm, rainy, and humid, while winters are cold, windy, and snowy. Spring and fall are usually mild, but conditions are widely varied, depending on wind direction and jet stream positioning. The warmest month is July, with an average high temperature of about 81 °F and an average low temperature of about 61 °F. The coldest month is January, with an average high temperature of about 34 °F and an average low temperature of about 15 °F.


Points of interest


Fitchburg Art Museum

The museum was founded in 1925 through the bequest of artist, collector and Fitchburg native Eleanor Norcross (1854–1923). The museum's four building complex features over 20,000 square feet of gallery and educational workshop space and includes the historic "Cross Barn" built in 1883, and the Simond's building completed in 1989. 12 galleries feature American, European, African, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Asian, and Pre-Columbian art.


Rollstone Boulder

Fitchburg is noted for the "Rollstone Boulder", a 110-ton specimen of porphyritic granite, which is in a small triangular park adjacent to the city green. The boulder was a feature of the summit of Rollstone Hill; it was exploded and reassembled on the green in 1929 and 1930.


Crocker Field

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this athletic facility was a gift of Alva Crocker, in 1918, to the City Of Fitchburg's school children.
Alvah Crocker Alvah Crocker (October 14, 1801 – December 26, 1874) was an American manufacturer and railroad promoter. He served in the Massachusetts General Court and was U.S. Representative from Massachusetts. Biography Born in Leominster, Massachusetts ...
hired the famous Olmsted Brothers Landscaping and Design Firm of Brookline, MA to design his "field of dreams." Babe Ruth once visited Crocker field and asked Clarence Amiott, then the Fitchburg High School Athletic Director, "What professional team plays here?" to which Mr. Amiott answered "The Fitchburg High School teams."


Fitchburg Historical Society

The Society houses more than 200,000 items related to the history of Fitchburg. Included in the archives are original Sentinel newspapers from 1838 to 1976, city directories, photographs, scrapbooks, manuscripts, family genealogies, postcards, files on industries in the City, and books and pamphlets on Fitchburg's history from the 1700s to the present. In addition there is an extensive Civil War collection and a collection on the railroad. The Research Library is open to the public. The Society also has a remarkable collection of artifacts which tell the story of Fitchburg—early iron hearth cooking tools, the first printing press of the Fitchburg Sentinel, machines illustrating the strong industrial heritage of the City, a stellar collection of early paintings, and clothing representing many decades in Fitchburg. A comprehensive strategic plan completed in 2001 pointed out a need to find a building better suited our needs in order to continue collecting and preserving the history of Fitchburg and conducting programs for students and the general public. The Historical Society is now in the final stages of renovation and upgrading our building located at 781 Main Street. As a result of the renovations to the H. M. Francis Phoenix Building the Society has moved to its new location of 781 Main Street.


Coggshall Park

Coggshall Park is a Victorian park with miles of wooded trails branching out from around Mirror Lake, which is encircled by a walking path. Stone steps built into a hillside face a gazebo on the water, making this a popular spot for weddings and photos. A classic stone house on the property overlooks Mirror Lake. The tables and benches scattered around the park draw picnickers as well as those simply seeking a place to relax. A playground sits adjacent to the pond and a disc golf course. Coggshall Park was a gift to the City from Mr. Henry Coggshall, an executive of The Fitchburg Gas Company, and his wife in 1894. The initial donation included , but the couple subsequently purchased and donated additional parcels to create the 212-acre park that exists today. Coggshall Park also abuts a large parcel of conservation land and a bird sanctuary, providing a total of approximately for visitors to enjoy. The Friends of Coggshall Park was founded in 1992 when approximately $1 million in state and federal funds were used to renovate the park. Since the group's founding, the Friends have contributed significantly to the upkeep and beautification of Coggshall Park. Annual spring clean-up projects, to which the Friends contribute both volunteer labor and supplies (including more than 60 yards of mulch each year), ensure the park's landscaping remains well-kept. Other investments made by the Friends have been even more significant, such as the purchase of a new fountain for Mirror Lake and a specialized off-road firefighting vehicle for use in Coggshall or elsewhere around the city as needed.


Demographics

As of the
census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...
of 2010, there were 40,318 people, 15,165 households, and 9,362 families residing in the city. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...
was 1,450.3 people per square mile (560.8/km2). There were 17,117 housing units at an average density of 615.7 per square mile (239.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 78.2%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
, 5.1%
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.3% Native American, 3.6% Asian, 0.0%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 9.1% from other races, and 3.7% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
or Latino of any race were 21.6% of the population (14.6% Puerto Rican, 1.8% Dominican, 1.6%
Uruguayan Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...
, 1.4%
Mexican Mexican may refer to: Mexico and its culture *Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America ** People *** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants *** Mexica, ancient indigenous people ...
, 0.3%
Ecuadorian Ecuadorians ( es, ecuatorianos) are people identified with the South American country of Ecuador. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Ecuadorians, several (or all) of these connections exist and are colle ...
, 0.2% Colombian, 0.2% Honduran, 0.1% Guatemalan, 0.1% Salvadoran, 0.1% Spanish, 0.1% Peruvian). 76.9% spoke
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...
, 15.1% Spanish, 4.2% Other Indo-European Language and 2.6% Asian and Pacific Islander Languages as their first language. There were 15,165 households, out of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.3% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...
living together, 6.1% had a male householder with no wife present, 16.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.3% were non-families. 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.10. In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.9% under the age of 18, 14.1% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.3 males. The median income for a household in the city was $47,019, and the median income for a family was $57,245. Males had a median income of $47,350 versus $37,921 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...
for the city was $22,972. About 14.6% of families and 19.4% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 27.3% of those under age 18 and 12.7% of those age 65 or over.


Government


Emergency services


Fire department

Fitchburg is protected year-round by the 98 paid professional firefighters of the City of Fitchburg Fire Department. The department operates out of 3 fire stations, located throughout the city, under the command of one deputy chief/shift commander per shift. The department operates a fleet of 3 engines, 1 tower ladder, 1 rescue, 1 special operations unit (Haz-Mat), 2 ambulances, 1 brush unit, 1 fireboat, 1 maintenance unit, 1 transport bus, and several other special support and reserve units, including 2 reserve engines, 1 reserve engine/tanker, 1 reserve tower ladder, and 1 reserve ambulance. The department is commanded by a chief of department, 4 deputy chiefs, 4 captains, and 14 lieutenants. The Fitchburg Fire Department responds to approximately 8,000 emergency calls annually. The current chief of department is Kevin D. Roy. Below is a complete listing of all fire station locations and apparatus in Fitchburg. *Fire Headquarters – 33 North St. **Deputy Chief/Shift Commander **Rescue 1 **Engine 3 (Reserve) **Engine 4 **Engine 5 (Reserve) **Engine/Tanker 6 (Reserve) **Engine 7 (Brush Unit) **Tower Ladder 2 (Reserve) **Tower Ladder 3 **Paramedic 3 (Reserve Ambulance) **Paramedic 1 (Ambulance) *Summer Street Station – 42 John Fitch Hwy. **Engine 1 ** HazMat 63 *Oak Hill Road Station – 231 Fairmount St. **Engine 2 **Paramedic 2 (Ambulance)


Law enforcement

There are four law enforcement agencies that serve Fitchburg, two at the city level, one at the county level, and one at the state level. * City level: **Fitchburg Police Department – The Fitchburg Police Department is a full-service law enforcement agency with law enforcement responsibilities for and of public road. The department responds to over 40,000 incidents each year, while addressing the needs of a population of approximately 40,000 people in Central Massachusetts. **Fitchburg State University Campus Police – The
Fitchburg State University Fitchburg State University (Fitchburg State) is a public university in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. It has 3,421 undergraduate and 1,238 graduate/continuing education students, for a total student body enrollment of 4,659. The university offers und ...
Police Department includes a Chief, two Lieutenants, one Sergeant, fourteen full-time Police Officers, three full-time Dispatchers. The police officers are fully trained, licensed, and armed as Special State Police Officers under Massachusetts General Law c.22c, 63 and c.73,18 as well as sworn Worcester County Deputy Sheriffs. In addition, in 2012 Fitchburg Mayor Lisa Wong swore in all FSUPD officers as Fitchburg special officers per request of the municipal police, expanding the campus police's ability to assist the city police. Officers possess full police powers and are responsible for the prevention of crime, the detection and apprehension of offenders, the preservation of public peace, and the enforcement of all criminal laws and state statues as well as compliance with the policies and regulations of the university. *County level: **Worcester County Sheriff's Office *State level: **
Massachusetts State Police The Massachusetts State Police (MSP) is an agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, responsible for criminal law enforcement and traffic vehicle regulation across the state. As of 10/4/2022, it ...
– The Massachusetts State Police (MSP) is an agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Executive Office of Public Safety and Security responsible for criminal law enforcement and traffic vehicle regulation across the state. At present, it has approximately 2,200 officers and 400 civilian support staff, making it the largest law enforcement agency in New England.


Medical care

There is a medical facility in Fitchburg, Hospital (Burbank Campus). Fitchburg is also served by Hospital HealthAlliance (Leominster Campus), which is located in neighboring
Leominster Leominster ( ) is a market town in Herefordshire, England, at the confluence of the River Lugg and its tributary the River Kenwater. The town is north of Hereford and south of Ludlow in Shropshire. With a population of 11,700, Leominster i ...
.


Library

The Fitchburg Public Library was established in 1859 after citizens of Fitchburg approved an article on the warrant requesting $1851 and quarters in the Town Hall for the first Fitchburg Public Library. In 1885, Rodney Wallace built and furnished the Wallace Library and Art Gallery at the corner of Main Street and Newton Place as a gift to the people of Fitchburg. In 1899, a child-specific library service began in one of the country's first Children's rooms. It was not until 1950 that a new separate Fitchburg Youth Library was opened. Service of the library was increased with the purchase of a bookmobile which extended service to outlying areas of the city. Fitchburg Public Library became the first regional library in the Massachusetts Regional Library System in 1962. The existing Wallace Library, named for George R. Wallace, Jr. and his wife Alice G. who provided the library building, was dedicated in 1967. The Federal Library Services and Construction Act, money from the City of Fitchburg also funded the project and the Helen E. Vickery Fund provided a new bookmobile. In fiscal year 2008, the city of Fitchburg spent 1.34% ($1,111,412) of its budget on its public library—approximately $27 per person. In fiscal year 2009, the city of Fitchburg spent .48% ($388,977) of its budget on its public library—$9.23 per person. This represented a year over year drop in municipal funding of 65% between FY2008 and FY2009. As a result, the Fitchburg Public Library did not meet Massachusetts minimum standards of public library services and was not certified by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners for FY2009. It returned to certification in FY2012. Furthermore, on going support comes from the Friends of the Fitchburg Public Library. The Friends of FPL establish closer relations between the library and the people it serves, promotes support of services, and funds several important services such purchasing books for the library and the fees for the museum passes. The Friends work with area museums to bring library patrons Museum Passes that can be used to visit exhibits for reduced fees. In 2014 the Fitchburg Law Library opened at the Fitchburg Public Library in response to the closure of the office on Elm Street in Fitchburg. The new library location is fully accessible and open to the public.


Education

Elementary Schools: * Crocker Elementary School * South Street Elementary School * Reingold Elementary School Middle School: * Memorial Middle School *Longsjo Middle School High School: * Fitchburg High School High Schools of choice: * Goodrich Academy * McKay Arts Academy * Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School, also called ''Monty Tech'' * Sizer School


Private schools

* Applewild School * Notre Dame Preparatory School * St. Bernard's Elementary School * St. Bernard's Central Catholic High School St. Anthony of Padua School opened and closed in 2017. In its final year it had 144 students. Its closure meant that Fitchburg now has only one remaining Roman Catholic grade school.


Colleges and universities

*
Fitchburg State University Fitchburg State University (Fitchburg State) is a public university in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. It has 3,421 undergraduate and 1,238 graduate/continuing education students, for a total student body enrollment of 4,659. The university offers und ...
Established in 1894 by an act of the Massachusetts Legislature, the State Normal School in Fitchburg opened in temporary quarters in the old high school building on Academy Street.


Transportation

Transportation for Fitchburg is largely supplied by the Montachusett Regional Transit Authority (MART). MART operates fixed-route bus services, shuttle services, as well as paratransit services within the Montachusett Region. It also provides two connections to the
MBTA The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (abbreviated MBTA and known colloquially as "the T") is the public agency responsible for operating most public transportation services in Greater Boston, Massachusetts. The MBTA transit network i ...
Commuter Rail line at Fitchburg Station and
Wachusett Station Wachusett station is a commuter rail station on the MBTA Commuter Rail Fitchburg Line. It is northwest of the intersection of Massachusetts Route 2 and Route 31 in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. It serves as the northwestern terminus for Fitchburg ...
. The Fitchburg Station is the second to last stop on the
Fitchburg Line The Fitchburg Line is a branch of the MBTA Commuter Rail system which runs from Boston's North Station to Wachusett station in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. The line is along the tracks of the former Fitchburg Railroad, which was built across northe ...
from the North Station in
Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
and the Wachusett Station is the last stop. The Fitchburg Municipal Airport occupies off Airport Road in Fitchburg near the Leominster border. In 1940, the airport land was donated to the City of Fitchburg and serves the greater Fitchburg area.


Business

Throughout the early twentieth century, Fitchburg was known for its paper industry, which occupied the banks of the Nashua River and employed a large segment of the European immigrant population. It has been noted by many residents in Fitchburg that the Nashua River would be dyed the color the paper mills had been coloring the paper that day. * Founded in 1939, the
Wachusett Potato Chip Company Wachusett Potato Chip Company in Fitchburg, Massachusetts was founded in 1937, by Polish-American brothers Theofil and Steven Krysiak. The company takes its name from nearby Mount Wachusett. The company was originally founded in Clinton, Massachuse ...
purchased the former County Jail buildings and grounds in the 1940s and has operated as a manufacturing and distributing facility for snack products since that time. It was purchased by UTZ in 2011 and still makes chips for local distribution using the Wachusett name. * Two truck manufacturing firms, the Wachusett Truck Company and the New England Truck Company, operated in Fitchburg during the early twentieth century. * Simonds International, Saw manufacturer founded in Fitchburg in 1832 and still operating on Intervale Road. * The
Iver Johnson Iver Johnson was an American firearms, bicycle, and motorcycle manufacturer from 1871 to 1993. The company shared the same name as its founder, Norwegian-born Iver Johnson (1841–1895). The name was resold, and Iver Johnson Arms opened i ...
Arms and Cycle Works made motorcycles for a short time, in addition to their primary products, firearms and bicycles. *
Assumption Life Assumption Mutual Life Insurance Company, operating as Assumption Life (french: Assomption Vie), is a Canadian life insurance and asset management company based in Moncton, New Brunswick. History The company was established in 1903 by Acadians ...
, a large
financial services Financial services are the economic services provided by the finance industry, which encompasses a broad range of businesses that manage money, including credit unions, banks, credit-card companies, insurance companies, accountancy companies, ...
company, was founded in Fitchburg in 1903 before moving to
Moncton Moncton (; ) is the most populous city in the Canadian province of New Brunswick. Situated in the Petitcodiac River Valley, Moncton lies at the geographic centre of the Maritime Provinces. The city has earned the nickname "Hub City" because of ...
,
New Brunswick New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. It is the only province with both English and ...
. * Long time businesses that continued to grace Main Street are Shack's Clothing and Duvarney Jewelers. * New businesses that have opened on Main Street are Tryst Lounge, and Strong Style Coffee a popular hang out and meeting place. * When completed in June 2014 Great Wolf Lodge New England will have spent over 70 million dollars in renovations to former Holiday Inn/Coco Key Water Resort There will be over 400 new permanent jobs created from this project.


Fitchburg Central Steam Plant

The Fitchburg Central Steam Plant (locally known by its nickname: the PLT) was built in 1928 to provide steam and electricity to the many local paper mills. As the paper mills were abandoned or improved the Central Steam Plant fell into disuse and was abandoned. In 2008, the EPA designated the Central Steam Plant a
brownfield In urban planning, brownfield land is any previously developed land that is not currently in use. It may be potentially contaminated, but this is not required for the area to be considered brownfield. The term is also used to describe land pre ...
site due to contamination of the site soil and groundwater with metals and inorganic contaminants. The EPA provided the City of Fitchburg $50,500 in grant money to help clean up hazardous substances on the site. Cleanup of the Central Steam Plant started in 2010 and is ongoing as of July 2011. Unfortunately as of December 2015 the Fitchburg Central Steam Plant has been razed. The last structure to fall being the massive smokestack.


Recreation


Sports facilities

* Crocker Field – stadium and track field * Wallace Civic Center – ice rink hosting youth hockey.


Parks

The Fitchburg Parks and Recreation Department maintains parks in Fitchburg.


Conservation land

Flat Rock Wild Life Sanctuary, a 326-acre wild life sanctuary that is part a network of Mass Aududon land, with 6 miles of trails. It is located within minutes from downtown Fitchburg, the hustling sounds of the city fade into a chorus of songbirds, rustling leaves, and zipping dragonflies. This wooded area provides habitat for species needing relatively large territories such as fisher, coyote, and red fox. Bobcat and black bear occasionally travel through these woods over rocky ledges and through hemlock groves.


West Fitchburg Steam Line Trail

The West Fitchburg Steam Line Trail is a bike and walking path located in Fitchburg on Route 2A. It is 0.6 miles long and runs along the Nashua River and Flag Brook in the Waites Corner neighborhood. The path is gravel and is relatively easy terrain. The trail is the first contracted part of a planned project to build a mixed use bike and walking trail through Fitchburg. This trail will eventually connect with trails in the neighboring towns of Leominster and Westminster. Additional parts of the proposed trail are in the Riverfront and Gateway Parks. The Fitchburg Steam Line Trail is located near the junction of Route 31 (Princeton Rd) and Route 2A (Westminster St) at 465 Westminster Street. The trail parking lot is marked with signs, and is on the south side of 2A approximately ¼ mile East of Route 31. The parking lot can accommodate about 10–12 vehicles. The trail starts to the left of the Fitchburg Central Steam Plant.


Media


Newspapers

* '' Raivaaja'' * ''
Sentinel & Enterprise The ''Sentinel & Enterprise'' is a morning daily newspaper published in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, with a satellite news bureau in Leominster, Massachusetts. The newspaper covers local news in Fitchburg, Leominster and several nearby towns in nort ...
'' * ''
Telegram & Gazette The ''Telegram & Gazette'' (and ''Sunday Telegram'') is the only daily newspaper of Worcester, Massachusetts. The paper, headquartered at 100 Front Street and known locally as ''the Telegram'' or the ''T & G'', offers coverage of all of Worceste ...
''


Television

* Fitchburg has its own access TV station, Fitchburg Access Television. The station covers various local events, ranging from local school sports to municipal government meetings. FATV operates three Public, Education, and Government (PEG) channels. FATV channels can be viewed on Comcast (channels 8, 9, & 99) and on Verizon (channels 35, 36, & 37). FATV is not available on satellite TV.


Radio

* WPKZ, AM-1280 FM-105.3 Originally licensed in 1941 * WXPL, FM-91.3 Fitchburg State Radio * WXLO, FM-104.5 * WQPH, FM-89.3 (Queen of Perpetual Help) Shirley/Fitchburg an EWTN Catholic Radio affiliate


Culture

Fitchburg's cultural highlights include: * Arthur J. DiTommaso Memorial Bridge *
Fitchburg Art Museum The Fitchburg Art Museum (FAM) is a regional art museum based in Fitchburg, Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Description The Fitchburg Art Museum serves the cities of Fitchburg and Leominster, as well as the surrounding communi ...
* Fitchburg Historical Society *
Fitchburg Longsjo Classic Fitchburg Longsjo Classic, also known as the Longsjo Classic, was an annual bicycle race held in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, United States. The race began in 1960 as the Arthur M. Longsjo Jr Memorial Race, in honor of Art Longsjo. History The ...
* Fitchburg Military Band * The Finnish Center at Saima Park * Hammond Campus Center Art Gallery * New Players Theatre Guild * Riverfront Children's Theater * Rollstone Studios * Stratton Players * Wallace Civic Center


In popular culture

In the fictional
Harry Potter universe The Wizarding World (previously known as J. K. Rowling's Wizarding World) is a fantasy media franchise and shared fictional universe centred on the ''Harry Potter'' novel series by J. K. Rowling. A series of films have been in production sin ...
, Fitchburg is the hometown of the professional
Quidditch Quidditch is a fictional sport invented by author J.K. Rowling for her fantasy book series ''Harry Potter''. It first appeared in the novel '' Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'' (1997). It is a dangerous but popular sport played by wi ...
team the Fitchburg Finches. The McConnell Story, starring Alan Ladd has its opening in Fitchburg, and many scenes of June Allyson's character's family are in Fitchburg, as the movie progresses. The opening scene in the popular 1961 movie, ''By Love Possessed'', starring Lana Turner, Ephram Zimbalist Jr., Jason Robards, and George Hamilton, features Fitchburg's Court House and Monument Park. The band
Nirvana ( , , ; sa, निर्वाण} ''nirvāṇa'' ; Pali: ''nibbāna''; Prakrit: ''ṇivvāṇa''; literally, "blown out", as in an oil lamp Richard Gombrich, ''Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benāres to Modern Colomb ...
played a concert at the Wallace Civic Center in Fitchburg on November 11, 1993. According to lore, frontman Kurt Cobain bought a Martin D-18E Acoustic-Electric guitar at Salvatore Bros Great Music Box at 480 Main Street (now closed) which he famously played on the band's recording of
MTV Unplugged In New York ''MTV Unplugged in New York'' is a live album by American rock band Nirvana, released on November 1, 1994, by DGC Records. It features an acoustic performance recorded at Sony Music Studios in New York City on November 18, 1993, for the telev ...
on November 18, 1993. This has since been dispelled by the store’s owner

In the 2012 '' Fringe (TV series), Fringe'' episode " The Human Kind", FBI Agent Olivia Dunham goes to Fitchburg to retrieve an electromagnet. In 2012,
Dark Horse Comics Dark Horse Comics is an American comic book, graphic novel, and manga publisher founded in Milwaukie, Oregon by Mike Richardson in 1986. The company was created using funds earned from Richardson's chain of Portland, Oregon comic book shops know ...
began releasing an eight-issue limited comic book series entitled ''Falling Skies: The Battle of Fitchburg'', with Paul Tobin writing and Juan Ferreyra as artist. The story takes place chronologically between seasons one and two of the ''
Falling Skies ''Falling Skies'' is an American science fiction television series set in a post-apocalyptic era, created by Robert Rodat and executive produced by Steven Spielberg. The series stars Noah Wyle as Tom Mason, a former history professor who bec ...
'' television show, and details a costly engagement occurring between the skitters and the 2nd Massachusetts Militia Regiment when the aliens surround the human forces at Fitchburg, Massachusetts.


Notable people

* Joseph Palmer, beard enthusiast * Herbert Adams, sculptor of "WWI, Winged Glory" in the Upper Common of Fitchburg *
Ameriie Amerie Mi Marie Nicholson ( Rogers; born January 12, 1980) is an American singer. Born in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, she gained an appreciation of the classical arts from her mother Mi Suk Rogers and of music from her father Charles Rogers, and ...
(Amerie Mi Marie Rogers), singer and actress *
Jacques Aubuchon Jacques Georges Aubuchon (October 30, 1924 – December 28, 1991) was an American actor who appeared in films, stage, and on television in the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Aubuchon, who grew up in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, was the son of Art ...
, character actor * Mike Barnicle, newspaper writer *
Michael Beasley Michael Paul Beasley Jr. (born January 9, 1989) is an American professional basketball player, who most recently played for the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He played college basketball for Kansas State Universi ...
, NBA player, high school All-American; attended Notre Dame Preparatory School * Orlando Boss,
Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of val ...
recipient from the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and t ...
* Ken Bouchard, former NASCAR driver, 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Rookie of the Year * Ron Bouchard, former NASCAR driver, 1981 NASCAR Winston Cup Rookie of the Year, former owner of many car dealerships * Everett Francis Briggs, Catholic priest and miners' activist, born in Fitchburg, his life's mission was dedicated to the victims of the Monongah Mining Disaster * Carolyn Brown (choreographer), Carolyn Brown, dancer, choreographer, and writer, danced with Merce Cunningham, Merce Cunningham Dance Company * Henry Sweetser Burrage, clergyman, editor, author, Maine historian * Nixey Callahan, James "Nixey" Callahan, Major League Baseball pitcher around the turn of the 20th century, later manager of the Chicago White Sox * Herbert William Conn, zoologist and bacteriologist * Marcus A. Coolidge, United States Senator *
Alvah Crocker Alvah Crocker (October 14, 1801 – December 26, 1874) was an American manufacturer and railroad promoter. He served in the Massachusetts General Court and was U.S. Representative from Massachusetts. Biography Born in Leominster, Massachusetts ...
, manufacturer and railroad promoter, United States Representative * George Crowther (American football), George Crowther, American football, football player * Donald Featherstone (artist), Donald Featherstone, artist and creator of the plastic flamingo lawn ornament * Ryan Gomes, NBA player; attended Notre Dame Preparatory School * Bruce Gordon (American actor), Bruce Gordon, actor (''Ishtar'', ''Adam-12'', ''Bonanza'', ''Get Smart'', and ''The Untouchables (1959 TV series), The Untouchables'') *Samuel W. Hale, member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives and the 39th Governor of New Hampshire * Christian Hansen Jr., U.S. Marshal for Vermont * Ripley Hitchcock, prominent editor * Lempi Ikävalko, Finnish-born poet, author, journalist; for 30 years, editor at Fitchburg's '' Raivaaja'' newspaper * Louise Freeland Jenkins, astronomer *
Iver Johnson Iver Johnson was an American firearms, bicycle, and motorcycle manufacturer from 1871 to 1993. The company shared the same name as its founder, Norwegian-born Iver Johnson (1841–1895). The name was resold, and Iver Johnson Arms opened i ...
, of Iver Johnson's Arms & Cycle Works, located in Fitchburg * Erika Lawler, member of the 2009–10 United States national women's ice hockey team *Ray LeBlanc, ice hockey goaltender *John Legere, CEO of T-Mobile US * Art Longsjo, Winter and Summer Olympian;
Fitchburg Longsjo Classic Fitchburg Longsjo Classic, also known as the Longsjo Classic, was an annual bicycle race held in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, United States. The race began in 1960 as the Arthur M. Longsjo Jr Memorial Race, in honor of Art Longsjo. History The ...
is held in his memory * Caroline Atherton Mason, poet * Matti Mattson, American labor organizer, social activist, and Veteran of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade in the Spanish Civil War * Hiram Maxim, inventor of the Maxim gun, first self-powered machine gun * Patricia Misslin, voice teacher and soprano * Pat Moran, catcher and manager (baseball), manager in Major League Baseball, managed the Philadelphia Phillies and the 1919 World Series champion Cincinnati Reds * Clara Hapgood Nash (1839–1921), first woman to be admitted to the bar in New England; born in Fitchburg"Clara Hapgood Nash: A Woman of Her Time and Ahead of It"
Acton Historical Society website, June 17, 2018.
* George Noory, host of ''Coast to Coast AM''; spent some years in Fitchburg and occasionally mentions the city on his show * Eleanor Norcross, founder of the Fitchburg Art Museum, artist, collector, social reformer * Joseph Pilato, actor most known for Day of the Dead * Marion Rice, Denishawn dancer, teacher, choreographer, producer * Charles L. Robinson, physician, journalist and first governor of Kansas * Sylvanus Sawyer, inventor and manufacturer * Asa Thurston, Hawaiian missionary * Oskari Tokoi, editor of Raivaaja * Calvin M. Woodward, St. Louis educator * Samuel Worcester (theologian), Samuel Worcester, clergyman noted for his participation in a controversy over Unitarianism


Twin towns – sister cities

* Kleve, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany * Kokkola, Finland * Tianjin, China * Oni, Georgia, Oni, Georgia


See also

* Fitchburg Trappers * Liberté de Fitchburg * List of mill towns in Massachusetts


References


External links

*
Fitchburg Historical Society

Fitchburg Economic Development Office
*

', article in the ''Bay State Monthly'', from Project Gutenberg * {{authority control Fitchburg, Massachusetts, Cities in Worcester County, Massachusetts Populated places established in 1730 1730 establishments in Massachusetts Cities in Massachusetts