Lancaster is a town in Worcester County,

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

, United States. Incorporated in 1653, Lancaster is the oldest town in Worcester County. As of the 2020 census, the town population was 8,441.

History

In 1643 Lancaster was first settled as "Nashaway" (named after the local

Nashaway The Nashaway (or Nashua or Weshacum) were a tribe of Algonquian Indians inhabiting the upstream portions of the Nashua River valley in what is now the northern half of Worcester County, Massachusetts, mainly in the vicinity of Sterling, Clinto ...

Native American tribe) by a group of colonists known as the Nashaway Company who may have initially been interested in iron deposits in the area. Several of the company were blacksmiths or gunsmiths, including, Herman Garrett, and as early as 1653 a settler, George Adams, was whipped for selling guns and alcohol to the Indians in the area. The town was officially incorporated and renamed "Lancaster on the Nashua" in 1653. Prominent Massachusetts military leader

Simon Willard Simon Willard (April 3, 1753 – August 30, 1848) was a celebrated American clockmaker. Simon Willard clocks were produced in Massachusetts in the towns of Grafton and Roxbury, near Boston. Among his many innovations and timekeeping improvem ...

served as an advisor to the company and eventually settled in Lancaster for a period, and provided guns to the local tribe by order of the Massachusetts General Court. Supporters of Lancaster's founder, John Prescott, born in 1604 (great grandfather of Bunker Hill leader

William Prescott William Prescott (February 20, 1726 – October 13, 1795) was an American officer in the Revolutionary War best known for his service at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Life Prescott was born in Groton, Massachusetts to Benjamin Prescott (169 ...

), wished to name the new settlement Prescott, but the

Massachusetts General Court The Massachusetts General Court, formally the General Court of Massachusetts, is the State legislature (United States), state legislature of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts located in the state capital of Boston. Th ...

considered such a request from a common

freeman Freeman, free men, Freeman's or Freemans may refer to: Places United States * Freeman, Georgia, an unincorporated community * Freeman, Illinois, an unincorporated community * Freeman, Indiana, an unincorporated community * Freeman, South Dako ...

presumptuous, given that at that time, not even a governor had held the honor of naming a town after himself. Instead, they decided to use

Lancaster Lancaster may refer to: Lands and titles *The County Palatine of Lancaster, a synonym for Lancashire *Duchy of Lancaster, one of only two British royal duchies *Duke of Lancaster *Earl of Lancaster *House of Lancaster, a British royal dynasty ...

, the name of Prescott's home town in England. Until it was cut down in 1989 due to safety concerns, Lancaster boasted the largest oak tree in the state, called the Beaman Oak, named after settler Gamaliel Beaman (1623–1677). Lancaster boasts being the official "mothertown" to all of Eastern central Massachusetts. Towns such as

Harvard Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher lear ...

Bolton Bolton ( , locally ) is a town in Greater Manchester in England. In the foothills of the West Pennine Moors, Bolton is between Manchester, Blackburn, Wigan, Bury, Greater Manchester, Bury and Salford. It is surrounded by several towns and vill ...

Leominster Leominster ( ) is a market town in Herefordshire, England; it is located 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 almos ...

Clinton Clinton is an English toponymic surname, indicating one's ancestors came from English places called Glympton or Glinton.Hanks, P. & Hodges, F. ''A Dictionary of Surnames''. Oxford University Press, 1988 Clinton has also been used as a given nam ...

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

Sterling Sterling may refer to: Currency * The English penny, historically known as the ''sterling'' * Pound sterling, the currency of the United Kingdom * Sterling silver, a grade of silver Places United Kingdom * Stirling, a Scottish city whose al ...

, and part of West Boylston were all formed from territory of the original boundaries of Lancaster. Lancaster was the site of the

Mary Rowlandson Mary Rowlandson, née White, later Mary Talcott (c. 1637January 5, 1711), was a colonial American woman who was captured by Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Native Americans in 1676 during King Philip's War and held for 11 weeks before being ...

(–1711) attack ( Lancaster raid) in February 1676 (1675 old style calendar). During

Metacom's War King Philip's War (sometimes called the First Indian War, Metacom's War, Metacomet's War, Pometacomet's Rebellion, or Metacom's Rebellion) was an armed conflict in 1675–1678 between a group of indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands ...

, which was fought partially in Lancaster, a group of Native Americans pillaged the entire town of Lancaster. Their last stop was Mary Rowlandson's house. Coming to the defense of the house was Rowlandson's brother-in-law, who was immediately shot and killed by the attacking Native Americans. The Native Americans then set fire to the house, forcing Rowlandson to exit the burning building. Upon crossing the doorstep, Rowlandson saw a scene full of carnage. The majority of her household was slaughtered, with the exception of her husband, Joseph Rowlandson Sr., who was not on the premises, their son, also called Joseph, their two daughters, Mary and Sarah, and herself. Mary, her son, and her two daughters were captured by the Native Americans and forced to join their travels across New England. The Native Americans non-fatally shot Mary Rowlandson in her side, but her youngest daughter, Sarah, sustained an injury during the attack that would later bring about her death. After her release from captivity, Rowlandson wrote a book called ''A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson.'' In 2000, Lancaster Elementary School changed its name to Mary Rowlandson Elementary School.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 1.84%, is water. Lancaster is bordered by Lunenburg and

Shirley Shirley may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Shirley'' (novel), an 1849 novel by Charlotte Brontë * ''Shirley'' (1922 film), a British silent film * ''Shirley'' (2020 film), an American biographical film about Shirley Jackson * ''Shirley'' ( ...

to the north,

to the northeast,

to the southeast,

to the south,

to the southwest, and

to the northwest.

Demographics

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 8,055 people, 2,409 households, and 1,758 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 2,614 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 86.4%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 7.7%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.1% Native American, 1.7% Asian, 2.5% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 8.1% of the population. There were 2,409 households, out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.2% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 3.8% had a male householder with no wife present, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.0% were non-families. Of all households 21.8% had a householder that lived alone and 8.4% had a householder that lived alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.13. In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.6% at the age of 19 or under, 7.9% from 20 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 29.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 128.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 131.0 males. As of the 2015

American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...

, the median income for a household in the town was $96,813, and the median income for a family was $99,207. Males had a median income of $62,500 versus $45,174 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the town was $32,899. About 8.3% of families and 9.2% 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 17.1% of those under age 18 and 1.7% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Education

Lancaster is served by the Nashoba Regional School District. The town is also served by Minuteman Regional Technical High School It is also the site of the former

Atlantic Union College Atlantic Union College (AUC) was a private Seventh-day Adventist college in South Lancaster, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1882. The college closed in 2018 due to accreditation and financial problems. From 1933 to 2018, AUC was a four-year ...

and of

South Lancaster Academy South Lancaster Academy (SLA) is a co-educational preparatory day school, consisting of grades Preschool through 12, operated by Seventh-day Adventists in South Lancaster, Massachusetts. It is a part of the Seventh-day Adventist education syste ...

, incorporated in 1882–1883. The Dr. Franklin Perkins School is a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * "In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorded ...

special education Special education (also known as special-needs education, aided education, alternative provision, exceptional student education, special ed., SDC, and SPED) is the practice of educating students in a way that accommodates their individual di ...

school located in the town.

Trivium School Trivium School is an independent Catholic college-preparatory school for boys and girls in grades seven through twelve. It is located in Lancaster, Massachusetts. Background Trivium School was founded in 1979. Its first headmaster was John S ...

, founded in 1979, is a

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

college preparatory school A college-preparatory school (often shortened to prep school, preparatory school, college prep school or college prep academy) is a type of secondary school. The term refers to public, private independent or parochial schools primarily design ...

occupying the former estate of E. V. R. Thayer Jr.

Library

Lancaster's public Thayer Memorial Library first opened in 1868. In fiscal year 2008, the town of Lancaster spent 1.74% ($259,465) of its budget on its public library—approximately $36 per person, per year.

Notable people

Herman Vandenburg Ames Herman Vandenburg Ames (; August 7, 1865 – February 7, 1935) was an American Law of the United States, legal historian, archivist, and professor of United States constitutional history at the University of Pennsylvania and, from 1907 to 1928, ...

, dean of the

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. One of nine colonial colleges, it was chartered in 1755 through the efforts of f ...

graduate school *

James Atherton James Atherton (born James Conway; 16 July 1987) is an English actor, known for his roles as Will Savage on ''Hollyoaks'' and Jamie Bowman on ''Coronation Street''. In 2017, he appeared in the stage production of ''Rita, Sue and Bob Too''. In 2 ...

, pioneer and the namesake of

Atherton Bridge The Atherton Bridge is a historic iron truss bridge in Lancaster, Massachusetts, spanning the South Branch of the Nashua River. It is a rare example of a hybrid pony truss that is similar to the 19th century truss design of Simeon S. Post. It ...

Frank Bancroft Francis Carter Bancroft (May 9, 1846 – March 30, 1921) was an American manager in Major League Baseball for the Worcester Ruby Legs, Detroit Wolverines, Cleveland Blues, Providence Grays, Indianapolis Hoosiers, and Cincinnati Reds of the Natio ...

, Baseball manager *

Luther Burbank Luther Burbank (March 7, 1849 – April 11, 1926) was an American botanist, horticulturist, and pioneer in agricultural science who developed more than 800 strains and varieties of plants over his 55-year career. Burbank primarily worked with ...

, botanist, horticulturist and a pioneer in agricultural science *

Ezra Butler Ezra Butler (September 24, 1763July 12, 1838) was an American clergyman, politician, lawyer, judge, the 11th governor of Vermont, and a United States representative from Vermont. Biography Butler was born in Lancaster, Massachusetts, Lancaste ...

United States Representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

from

Vermont Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provinces and territories of Ca ...

* James C. Carter, New York City lawyer * Charles F. Chandler, chemist *

Horace Cleveland Horace William Shaler Cleveland (December 16, 1814 – December 5, 1900) was an American landscape architect. His approach to natural landscape design can be seen in projects such as the Grand Rounds in Minneapolis; Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Conc ...

, landscape architect * Francis B. Fay, merchant and politician *

Hannah Flagg Gould Hannah Flagg Gould (September 3, 1789 – September 5, 1865) was a 19th-century American poet. Her father had been a soldier in the American Revolutionary War, and after her mother's death, she became his constant companion, which accounts for t ...

, poet * Timothy Harrington, Lancaster clergyman * Abraham Haskell, physician *

Stephen N. Haskell Stephen Nelson Haskell (April 22, 1833 – October 9, 1922) was an evangelist, missionary and editor in the Seventh-day Adventist Church who became one of the pioneers of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the South Pacific. Personal life He wa ...

, clergyman and pioneering leader of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination, founded South Lancaster Academy *

Caroline Lee Hentz Caroline Lee Whiting Hentz (June 1, 1800 – February 11, 1856) was an American novelist. She is most noted for her defenses of slavery and opposition to the abolitionist movement. Her widely read '' The Planter's Northern Bride'' (1854) was one ...

, novelist *

Henrietta Swan Leavitt Henrietta Swan Leavitt (; July 4, 1868 – December 12, 1921) was an American astronomer. Her discovery of how to effectively measure vast distances to remote galaxies led to a shift in the understanding of the scale and nature of the universe. ...

, astronomer who discovered the relation between the

luminosity Luminosity is an absolute measure of radiated electromagnetic radiation, electromagnetic energy per unit time, and is synonymous with the radiant power emitted by a light-emitting object. In astronomy, luminosity is the total amount of electroma ...

and the period of Cepheid variable stars * Charles W. Moors, Wisconsin politician * George Parker, President of the Lancaster Railroad * Harold Parker, First Chairman of the Massachusetts State Forest Commission, namesake of the

Harold Parker State Forest Harold Parker State Forest is a publicly owned forest with recreational features encompassing more than in the towns of Andover, North Andover, North Reading, and Middleton, Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commo ...

* Cornelia C. Parker, donated 58 acres of forest to the New England Forestry Foundation creating the Parker Family Woods * Herbert Parker (Massachusetts politician), Republican politician, Massachusetts Attorney General from 1902–1906 * John Prescott, pioneer, founder of Lancaster *

, colonial Indian captive and author of one of America's first best selling books *

Jared Sparks Jared Sparks (May 10, 1789 – March 14, 1866) was an American historian, educator, and Unitarian minister. He served as President of Harvard College from 1849 to 1853. Biography Born in Willington, Connecticut, Sparks studied in the common s ...

, historian,

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

president (taught at a private school in Lancaster 1815–1817) * John Thayer, ornithologist * Nathaniel Thayer, Unitarian congregational minister * Nathaniel Thayer (Jr.), financier and philanthropist * John Whitcomb, soldier in the Continental Army * Henry Whiting, soldier in the War of 1812 and the Mexican–American War * Abijah Willard, Loyalist soldier in the American Revolution * Dr. Samuel Willard, representative to the Massachusetts ratification of the

United States Constitution The Constitution of the United States is the Supremacy Clause, supreme law of the United States, United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789. Originally includi ...

References

External links

Town of Lancaster official website

Lancaster Online
community website
''Annals of Lancaster'': The Massacre of February 10, 1676

Information about early education in Lancaster

Lancaster 2007 Master Plan maps and tables
* {{Authority control 1653 establishments in the Massachusetts Bay Colony Populated places established in 1653 Towns in Worcester County, Massachusetts