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Orange 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 Franklin 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 7,569 at the 2020 census. It is part of the
Springfield, Massachusetts Springfield is a city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States, and the seat of Hampden County. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River, the ...
Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...
. Part of the town is included in the
census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...
of
Orange Orange most often refers to: *Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis'' ** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower *Orange (colour), from the color of an orange, occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum * ...
.


History

Orange was first settled by Europeans in 1746, created from lands in the towns of Royalston,
Warwick Warwick ( ) is a market town, civil parish and the county town of Warwickshire in the Warwick District in England, adjacent to the River Avon. It is south of Coventry, and south-east of Birmingham. It is adjoined with Leamington Spa and Whi ...
and Athol. The lands were not fully settled until the latter parts of the century, becoming the District of Orange in 1783, and finally being incorporated as a town in 1810. It was named for
William, Prince of Orange William, Prince of Orange (Willem Nicolaas Alexander Frederik Karel Hendrik; 4 September 1840 – 11 June 1879), was heir apparent to the Dutch throne as the eldest son of King William III from 17 March 1849 until his death. Early life Prince Wi ...
. In 1790, the
Millers River The Millers River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 1, 2011 river in northern Massachusetts, originating in Ashburnham and joining the Connecticut River just ...
was dammed within town, and industry began in the former farming community. Small industry grew within the town, with the town being considered more of a mill town by 1840. By the late nineteenth century the New Home
Sewing Machine A sewing machine is a machine used to sew fabric and materials together with thread. Sewing machines were invented during the first Industrial Revolution to decrease the amount of manual sewing work performed in clothing companies. Since the inv ...
Company was the largest industry in town, putting out 1.2 million machines at its peak in 1892. In 1900, it was home to the pioneer
automobile A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with Wheel, wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, Car seat, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport private transport#Personal transport, pe ...
company
Grout Grout is a dense fluid which hardens to fill gaps or used as reinforcement in existing structures. Grout is generally a mixture of water, cement and sand, and is employed in pressure grouting, embedding rebar in masonry walls, connecting secti ...
, considered the first automobile built in a factory in the United States. Image:052-residence of mr. levi kilburn, esq.jpg, Palatial home of Mr. Levi Kilburn, Esq. Image:The Square, Orange, MA.jpg, The Square in 1906 Image:Central School, Orange, MA.jpg, Central School in 1908 Image:Mansion House, Orange, MA.jpg, Mansion House in 1906


Massachusetts Peace Statue

The Massachusetts Peace Statue—''It Shall Not Be Again''—a bronze war memorial statue was erected in Memorial Park in 1934 to recognize veterans who served in World War I. On February 25, 2000 the legislature designated it the official peace statue of the Commonwealth of
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 ...
. Image:Orange Massachusetts Peace Statue 01.jpg, Peace Statue (1934) Image:Orange Massachusetts Peace Statue 04.jpg, Peace Statue Plaque


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 , or 2.58%, is water. Orange is drained by the
Millers River The Millers River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 1, 2011 river in northern Massachusetts, originating in Ashburnham and joining the Connecticut River just ...
, which flows through the center of the modern town. There are also several brooks within town, as well as several ponds and lakes, including Tully Pond, Lake Mattawa and part of Lake Rohunta. Only a small portion of the town is protected area, most of which is part of the Orange State Forest, with a small portion being part of the Warwick State Forest. Much of the northern half of town is spotted with swamps, and the town is home to three large hills, Temple Hill and Tully Mountain in the north and Chestnut Hill, the town's highest point, in the south. Orange is the easternmost town within Franklin County along its border with Worcester County. The town center lies east of Greenfield, northwest of
Worcester Worcester may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Worcester, England, a city and the county town of Worcestershire in England ** Worcester (UK Parliament constituency), an area represented by a Member of Parliament * Worcester Park, London, Engla ...
, northeast of
Springfield Springfield may refer to: * Springfield (toponym), the place name in general Places and locations Australia * Springfield, New South Wales (Central Coast) * Springfield, New South Wales (Snowy Monaro Regional Council) * Springfield, Queenslan ...
and west-northwest of
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 ...
. It is bordered by Royalston to the northeast, Athol to the southeast, New Salem to the south, Wendell to the southwest, a small portion of Erving to the west, and
Warwick Warwick ( ) is a market town, civil parish and the county town of Warwickshire in the Warwick District in England, adjacent to the River Avon. It is south of Coventry, and south-east of Birmingham. It is adjoined with Leamington Spa and Whi ...
to the northwest.


Climate

Like most of Massachusetts, Orange falls into a humid continental climate type, or Koppen Dfa/Dfb. Hot, humid summers are common, along with cold, snowy winters. Spring and fall are typically mild, with notable fall foliage.


Transportation

The town lies along
Massachusetts Route 2 Route 2 is a major east–west state highway in Massachusetts. Along with Route 9 and U.S. Route 20 to the south, these highways are the main alternatives to the Massachusetts Turnpike/ I-90 toll highway. Route 2 runs the entire ...
, the major east-west route across the northern part of the state. Except for the westernmost tenth of a mile, the entire road is a limited access highway through town. The highway portion ends at the junction of Route 2A, which passes just north of the Millers River near the town center, heading east into Athol and following Route 2's former right of way. Orange is also home to the southern terminus of
Route 78 The following highways are numbered 78: International * AH78, Asian Highway 78 * European route E78 Australia * Waterfall Way- New South Wales State Route B78 China * G78 Shantou–Kunming Expressway, G78 Expressway Iran *Road 78 (Iran), Ro ...
and the northern terminus of Route 122. Additionally, the western end of the concurrency between Route 2 and
U.S. Route 202 U.S. Route 202 (US 202) is a spur route of US 2. It follows a northeasterly and southwesterly direction stretching from Delaware to Maine, also traveling through the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massa ...
is just within town. The Springfield Terminal railway passes through town, crossing the Millers River several times in the western side of town. The
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 li ...
and later
Boston and Maine The Boston and Maine Railroad was a U.S. Class I railroad in northern New England. Originally chartered in 1835, it became part of what was the Pan Am Railways network in 1983 (most of which was purchased by CSX in 2022). At the end of 1970, B ...
once provided passenger rail service to Orange; however, these trains have long ceased operating and today only freight passes through the town. Two local bus routes, the Orange/Greenfield Route of the
Franklin Regional Transit Authority The Franklin Regional Transit Authority (FRTA) is a regional transit authority which provides public transportation principally to Franklin County and the North Quabbin region, both in Massachusetts. The FRTA is based in the county seat of Gree ...
, and the Gardner/Orange Route of
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 ...
, provide service along Route 2A. The Town of Orange owns and operates Orange Municipal Airport , a small air service airstrip which also serves as a flight training center and parachuting center. The nearest national air service can be reached either at
Bradley International Airport Bradley International Airport is a public international airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, United States. Owned and operated by the Connecticut Airport Authority, it is the second-largest airport in New England. The airport is about halfw ...
to the south or Manchester-Boston Regional Airport to the northeast.


Education

Elementary Schools: *Fisher Hill School (K–2) *Dexter Park School (3–6) High School: *
Ralph C. Mahar Regional High School Ralph C. Mahar Regional High School is located on South Main Street in Orange, Massachusetts, United States. The public school serves students in grades 7–12 in the four towns of New Salem, Massachusetts, New Salem, Orange and Wendell, Massachuse ...
(7–12)


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 incl ...
of 2000, there were 7,518 people, 3,045 households, and 1,979 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 212.6 people per square mile (82.1/km). There were 3,303 housing units at an average density of 93.4 per square mile (36.1/km). The racial makeup of the town was 96.29%
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 ...
, 1.06%
Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...
or
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 ...
, 0.23% Native American, 0.48%
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 ...
, 0.01%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 0.59% 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 1.34% 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 1.65% of the population. There were 3,045 households, out of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.6% 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, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.0% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.02. In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.7% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.7 males. The median income for a household in the town was $36,849, and the median income for a family was $44,128. Males had a median income of $34,367 versus $23,967 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 $17,361. About 5.8% of families and 7.8% 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 7.4% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over.


Events

*North Quabbin Garlic and Arts Festival * Annual Athol to Orange River Rat Race


Notable people

* Myrtle Bachelder, chemist and Women's Army Corps officer who worked on the
Manhattan Project The Manhattan Project was a research and development undertaking during World War II that produced the first nuclear weapons. It was led by the United States with the support of the United Kingdom and Canada. From 1942 to 1946, the project w ...
*
Charles Chapin Charles E. Chapin (October 19, 1858 – December 13, 1930) was a New York editor of Joseph Pulitzer’s Evening World. He was convicted of the murder of his wife and sentenced to a 20-year-to-life term in Sing Sing prison. Career Chapin was b ...
, U.S. Marshal for Vermont *
Robert Dexter Conrad Robert Dexter Conrad (March 20, 1905 – July 26, 1949) was a United States Navy officer. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy and was commissioned as an ensign in June 1927. Naval career Following duty onboard , he attended the Po ...
, naval captain *
Walter William Spencer Cook Walter William Spencer Cook, also known as Walter W. S. Cook in citation (7 April 1888 – 20 September 1962) was an American art historian and professor. He specialized in Spanish Medieval art history. He was an emeritus professor from New York ...
(1888–1962), art historian and professor, specialized in Spanish Medieval art history; born in Orange * Genevieve Gaignard, artist *
Whitey Witt Lawton Walter "Whitey" Witt (born ''Ladislaw Waldemar Wittkowski'', September 28, 1895 – July 14, 1988) was an American professional baseball outfielder. He played all or part of ten seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Philadelphia A ...
, former Baseball player and member of the New York Yankees first World Series championship team 1923


See also

* Orange Center Historic District (Orange, Massachusetts) * Grand Army of the Republic Hall (Orange, Massachusetts) *
Ralph C. Mahar Regional High School Ralph C. Mahar Regional High School is located on South Main Street in Orange, Massachusetts, United States. The public school serves students in grades 7–12 in the four towns of New Salem, Massachusetts, New Salem, Orange and Wendell, Massachuse ...
*
List of mill towns in Massachusetts * Adams * Amesbury * Athol * Attleboro * Chicopee * Clinton * Dalton * Dedham * Fall River * Fitchburg * Framingham * Gardner * Grafton * Greenfield * Haverhill * Holyoke * Hopedale * Hudson * Lawrence * Lowell * Ludlow * Lyn ...


References


External links


Town of Orange official website

Wheeler Memorial Library
{{authority control Towns in Franklin County, Massachusetts Springfield metropolitan area, Massachusetts Towns in Massachusetts