Ashby, Massachusetts
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Ashby is a
town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an ori ...
in Middlesex County,
Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...
, United States. The population was 3,193 at the 2020 census, which makes it the least populous municipality in Middlesex County. The Town of Ashby is primarily a bedroom community consisting almost entirely of single family homes and a limited number of businesses. Ashby is also host to a large portion of the Willard Brook State Forest. Including Damon Pond, Trap Falls, and numerous miles of hiking trails.


Geography

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 the ...
, the town has a total area of , of which is land and (1.53%) is water. Ashby is bordered by
New Ipswich New Ipswich is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 5,204 at the 2020 census. New Ipswich, situated on the Massachusetts border, includes the villages of Bank, Davis, Gibson Four Corners, Highbridge, New ...
,
New Hampshire New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...
and
Mason Mason may refer to: Occupations * Mason, brick mason, or bricklayer, a craftsman who lays bricks to construct brickwork, or who lays any combination of stones, bricks, cinder blocks, or similar pieces * Stone mason, a craftsman in the stone-cut ...
,
New Hampshire New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...
to the north,
Townsend Townsend (pronounced tounʹ-zənd) or Townshend may refer to: Places United States *Camp Townsend, National Guard training base in Peekskill, New York *Townsend, Delaware *Townsend, Georgia *Townsend, Massachusetts, a New England town ** Townsend ...
to the east, Lunenburg to the southeast, Fitchburg to the south, and Ashburnham to the west. Situated at the northwestern corner of Middlesex County, Ashby is the only town in Middlesex County that does not border more than one other town in the same county.


Transportation

Route 31 runs north–south through Ashby, and Route 119 runs east–west. The two routes have a short overlap to the east of the town center. Ashby is a member of the
Montachusett Regional Transit Authority The Montachusett Regional Transit Authority (MART) is a public, nonprofit organization established under Chapter 161B of the Massachusetts General Laws to provide public transportation to the Montachusett Region. MART is one of Massachusetts' 15 ...
(MART), but there is no direct public transportation to the town beyond paratransit services; the nearest service is in the city of Fitchburg, to the south.


Demographics

At the 2010
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 incl ...
, there were 3,074 people, 1,105 households and 862 families residing in the town. 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 RosenberPopul ...
was . There were 1,191 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 97.1%
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 on ...
, 0.4%
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 ...
, 0.2% Native American, 0.3%
Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.4% from
other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 1.6% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, 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 Vic ...
or
Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...
of any race were 1.9% of the population. There were 1,060 households, of which 34.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.5% 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 t ...
living together, 0.9% had a male householder with no wife present, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.8% were non-families. 12.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.9% 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 3.20. Of the 3,074 people in the population, 24.5% were under the age of 18, 8.0% were 15 to 19 years of age, 4.6% were 20 to 24 years of age, 22.7% were 25 to 44 years of age, 35.6% were 45 to 64 years of age, and 10.5% were 65 years and over. The median age was 42.6 years. For every 100 females, there was 101.0 males. For every 100 females 18 years and over there were 102.0 males. The
median household income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two equal groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways of ...
was $82,614, and the median family income was $84,655. The median income of individuals working full-time was $62,355 for males versus $44,511 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 town was $32,434. About 0.9% of families and 4.0% 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 t ...
, including 0.0% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.


History


Background

Ashby was first settled in 1676 and was officially incorporated in 1767. The town was formed from portions of Townsend, Ma., Lunenburg, Ma., Fitchburg, Ma., and Dorchester-Canada (portion of Ashburnham, Ma.) One of the earliest settlers of the town was John Fitch. Fitch was kidnapped by Native Americans in 1748 and was held hostage for six months. Fitch passed away in 1795 with his surviving children remaining in the community. The John Fitch Monument know to most at the "monument" is located at the intersection of South and Richardson roads stands to this day and was recently cleaned up by volunteers in 2021. Though some mills existed in the town, the community remained primarily an agricultural one with the majority of land being used for farming in the 1700s and 1900s. Ashby was at one time home to numerous apple orchards the remnants of which can be found in the woods behind present day houses.


Places of Interest


Historical Society

The Ashby Historical Society formed in 1900 with a goal of preserving Ashby's history for future generations. The group maintains and curates a small museum in the old engine house located in the center of town that was originally constructed around 1899. The society maintains a collection of artifacts from the town's history and continues to add donations and found artifacts to its collections. This collection of artifacts includes maps, books, letters, furniture, farm implements, firefighting apparatus, and much more. Hand pumped fire apparatus in are on display at the historical society along with are fire related tools.


"The Town Pump"

The Town Pump, a news letter published during the final two years of WWII had its first addition published in June 1944 and last in September 1945. The Town Pump circulated during as a means of keeping residents temporary out of town supporting the war effort informed on that which was happening at home. The news letter circulated during 1944 and 1945 until publication ceased with the end of the war. You can find scanned digital copies of "The Town Pump" online.


The Ashby Stock Farm

The Ashby Stock Farm, also known as the Middlesex Stock Farm is situated on the largest parcel of contiguous open space remaining in town today. The farm consists of 238 acres of hay fields and forestland. The farm once stretched all of the way into down town and up to the New Hampshire border. The farm has had several owners and was once a large dairy operation. Currently the farm is privately owned and has horses and active hay production on the property.


Gazebo and Town Common

The Ashby town common is a familiar sight for anyone traveling through town on Route 119. The common is a moderately sized triangular parcel of land in the center of town just at the crest of the hill in front of one of two remaining historic churches. The common was once shaded by several maple trees many of which have since died and been removed. The gazebo stands where it has since the 19th century and was restored in the 2000s.


South Village (Mill Village)

The South Village area also referred to on some historic maps as the "Mill Village" is the area surrounding the outlet of the Ashby Reservoir. This small section of town was home to a gristmill and some limited mill housing that was constructed by Ephraim Hayward around 1800. There are two buildings that still exist to this day on the property now owned by Middlesex County Foundation. The property remains in operation by Camp Middlesex as seasonal a 4-H camp. The mill buildings, dam and bridge have been maintained over the years with the bridge over the spillway being replaced in the 2000s. The mills changed hands multiple times during there operation eventually being operated by William O. Loveland who continued to run the saw mill and retrofitted the gristmill to produce electricity. Loveland is believed to have been the one to convince the Board of Selectmen to construct poles and run electric power to light the center of town around 1902. The mills were eventually closed in the 1920s.


Cemeteries

Ashby contains three historic cemeteries located through the town. The First Parish Burial Ground also referred to as the "Old Burial Ground" was established on the common in 1767. Glenwood cemetery is newer than all of the towns other cemeteries and was constructed in 1867. West cemetery originally a family burial ground started during Revolutionary War was later used in the 20th century by many Finnish families. This cemetery like all of the others is now owned and maintained by the town.


Watatic Ski Area

Mount Watatic Mount Watatic is a monadnock located just south of the Massachusetts–New Hampshire border, in the United States, at the southern end of the Wapack Range. It lies in Ashburnham, Massachusetts and Ashby, Massachusetts. The Wapack Trail and t ...
Located in the towns of Ashburnham, MA and Ashby, MA was once home to a small ski area that operated from the 1930s until its closure in 1984. The ski area started with a small rope tow and expanded to the summit some time later thought to be in the 1960s. At its height the ski area had snow making and night skiing, impressive features at the time. The area also included multiple rope tows, two T-bars and double chairs that eventually replaced the old rope tows and one T-bar. In 1984 the ski area eventually succumbed to competition and its poor location in relation to major roads. There was one attempt to reopen the ski area in 1988 under the name Ski Adventure that was in the end unsuccessful. The land of the former ski area is currently held in conservation and is accessible to the public for hiking. Hikers can find the old grown in trails and remnants of the area's structures still visible on the back side of the mountain. Mount Watatic was also once home to state fire tower #31 that looked out over central Massachusetts at an elevation above sea level of 1590 FT. Phone lines to the tower ran up the Ashby and Ashburnham sides of the mountain over the years. See more about
Mount Watatic Mount Watatic is a monadnock located just south of the Massachusetts–New Hampshire border, in the United States, at the southern end of the Wapack Range. It lies in Ashburnham, Massachusetts and Ashby, Massachusetts. The Wapack Trail and t ...


Recent History


250th Parade and Celebration

The Ashby 250th celebration in 2017 featured a year long schedule of events including a parade, tour of the historical society, ecumenical camp meeting, horse demonstrations, old fashion baseball game, bonfire, and several other events.


Other

The nearly all-white town gained national attention in 1973 when the Ashby Town Meeting voted 148 to 79 against inviting non-white people to live there.


Ashby Free Public Library

The library is a
public library A public library is a library that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also Civil service, civil servants. There are ...
, founded in 1874 "largely through the efforts of Rev. George S. Shaw." In the 1890s it was "kept in a private house" open to the public Tuesday and Friday afternoons. Around 1890 the Ashby library had "1,584 volumes, with which its inhabitants have a pleasant and profitable acquaintance." In 1901 businessman and Civil War veteran Edwin Chapman donated a new building, which opened in 1902. In the early 2000s, Ashby's historic library received a large expansion and interior renovation, utilizing a "
passive solar In passive solar building design, windows, walls, and floors are made to collect, store, reflect, and distribute solar energy, in the form of heat in the winter and reject solar heat in the summer. This is called passive solar design because, unli ...
" building technique, and serving as a model library to Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) on the same.


Education

Ashby is a member town of
North Middlesex Regional School District North Middlesex Regional School District is an operating school district, located in the north/central section of Massachusetts on the New Hampshire/Massachusetts border, and serving the towns of Ashby, Pepperell and Townsend. Schools High school ...
, along with Pepperell, and
Townsend Townsend (pronounced tounʹ-zənd) or Townshend may refer to: Places United States *Camp Townsend, National Guard training base in Peekskill, New York *Townsend, Delaware *Townsend, Georgia *Townsend, Massachusetts, a New England town ** Townsend ...
. It has its own elementary school, Ashby Elementary School. Middle School students attend Hawthorne Brook Middle School, and high school students attend
North Middlesex Regional High School North Middlesex Regional High School is a public high school located in Townsend, Massachusetts, United States, in Middlesex County. It serves grades 912 primarily from Townsend, Pepperell, and Ashby. North Middlesex Regional High School has ap ...
.


State Forest

The Town of Ashby is home to a large portion of the Willard Brook State Forest managed by the Massachusetts
Department of Conservation and Recreation The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) is a state agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, situated in the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. It is best known for its parks and parkways. The DCR's mission is ...
. Willard Brook contains 2,597 acres of land of varied terrain. The state forest property has facilities for camping, cooking, swimming and picnicking available. Info about the forests operating hours and amenities can be found on the Commonwealth of MA Website.


Damon Pond

Damon Pond is a man made swimming pond that was constructed along with several other features of the state forest property by the CCC somewhere between 1933 and 1940. The pond was created by an area of Willard Brook that is impounded by a dam.


Hiking Trails

The forest contains several hiking trails hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking. In the winter the forest plays host to cross country skiing and snowmobiling. Many trails are groomed and maintained by local snowmobile groups in the winter to ensure safe and easy access to the trails. The Friends and Family Loop Trail, a walking trail suitable for all ages, is 4-miles long and connects to the Pearl Hill State Forest.


Trap Falls

A waterfall located in the Willard Brook State Forest with a hight of between 10 and 12 ft. The ferocity of the falls is dependent on the time of year with the highest flows being in the spring and early summer. The falls is supplied by Trap Fall Brook that starts near the new Hampshire boarder and runs south east and eventually joins up with Willard Brook after crossing under Route 119. The falls is a short easy walk from the parking area located along Route 119. A walking bridge is located at the base of the falls providing access to the opposite side.


Local events

The small town of Ashby hosts several community events each year. * Ashby 3 July Bonfire * Summer Night Band Concerts on The Common (July - August) * 911 Ceremony * Winter Holiday Band Concert * Farmers Markets on The Common * Annual Car Show For Veterans * Pumpkin Festaval and Tractor Parade * Memorial Day Parade * Halloween Downtown Trick or Treat


Fire Department

The Ashby Fire Department located at 1093 Main Street, Ashby, MA provides fire protection, rescue and EMS (Emergency Medical Services) to the town. The department is made up of a combination of paid, on-call, and volunteer personnel that serve the community. Other services include permitting, inspections, community service, and CPR classes. The department's fire apparatus consist of three fire engines, one tanker, one forestry, a chief's car, utility pickup and two UTV's. The department has two ambulances, at 2018 Dodge PL Custom and a 1999 Ford F450 Road Rescue that operate at the BLS level.


Police Department

The Ashby Police Department (APD) has the primary responsibility for law enforcement and criminal investigation within the town of Ashby, Massachusetts. The Ashby Police Department is currently composed of one Chief of Police, one Sergeant, five full-time Patrolmen, and one Reserve Police Officer. The Ashby Police Department is currently housed in a double-wide trailer which was formerly used as a classroom by the nearby Ashby Elementary School. The station has suffered substantial wear and tear due to its age and lacks the ability to provide many basic police functions. The current building does not house a prisoner lock-up. Prisoners who are to be held must be transported to one of several area police stations, who in turn bill the town of Ashby for housing the prisoners. In 2014 the station was tied into an electrical generator capable of allowing the facility to remain fully functional during power outages. Attempts to construct a new police facility in the town have not been met with success since 2006. In addition to police personnel, the station also houses Ashby's Police-Fire signal operators (dispatchers).


Notable people

* Lisa Anne Fletcher (1844–1905), poet and correspondent


References


External links

* *
Ashby Free Public Library
* https://ashbypolice.org/ {{authority control 1676 establishments in Massachusetts Populated places established in 1676 Towns in Massachusetts Towns in Middlesex County, Massachusetts