Harvard is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The town is located 25 miles west-northwest of Boston, in eastern Massachusetts. A farming community settled in 1658 and incorporated in 1732, it has been home to several non-traditional communities, such as

Harvard Shaker Village Harvard Shaker Village Historic District is a historic former Shakers, Shaker community located roughly on Shaker Road, South Shaker Road, and Maple Lane in Harvard, Massachusetts. It was the second oldest Shaker settlement in Massachusetts and ...

and the utopian transcendentalist center Fruitlands. It is also home to St. Benedict Abbey, a

traditional Catholic A tradition is a belief or behavior (folk custom) passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common examples include holidays or ...

monastery. It is a residential town noted for its public schools, with its students ranking high in the state's English and math examinations. The population was 6,851 at the 2020 census. The official seal of the town depicts the old town public library on The Common prior to renovations that removed the front steps.

History

Europeans first settled in what later became Harvard in the 17th century, along a road connecting Lancaster with Groton that was formally laid out in 1658. There were few inhabitants until after King Philip's War, in which Groton and Lancaster were attacked and substantially destroyed. Over the next 50 years the population grew until it had reached a point adequate to support a church. A new town including parts of Lancaster, Groton, and Stow was incorporated in 1732, subject to the proviso that the inhabitants "Settle a learned and Orthodox Minister among them within the space of two years and also erect an House for the publick Worship of God." It is uncertain how the town obtained its name, though the Willard family, among the first settlers and the largest proprietors in the new town, had several connections to Harvard College. The first minister was Rev. John Seccombe, serving from 1733 to 1757. In 1734, the town was considered to have five districts or villages. These were Oak Hill, Bare Hill, Still River, Old Mill, and Shabikin, present day Devens. One notable early enterprise based in Harvard was the Benjamin Ball Pencil Company, which produced some of the first writing instruments made in the United States. They operated in the Old Mill district from 1830 to 1860. Despite this and other limited manufacturing, the town economy was primarily based on agriculture until the middle of the 20th century. This past is most prominently visible in the number of apple orchards. These apple orchards produce many apple products every year the most notable being apple cider. It is now mostly a residential "bedroom community" for workers at companies in Boston and its suburbs. Harvard has had a relatively quiet history, but has attracted several "non-traditional" communities that have given its history some flavor.

The Shakers

One part of town is the site of

, where a utopian religious community was established. During a period of religious dissent, a number of Harvard residents, led by

Shadrack Ireland Shadrack Ireland (bapt. 16 January 1718 – died September 1778) was a religious leader in 18th-century America in the wake of the First Great Awakening. He was a disciple of George Whitefield. He taught what is known as Perfectionism, meaning ...

, abandoned the Protestant church in Harvard. In 1769, they built a house that later became known as the Square House. Not long after Ireland's death in 1778, the Shaker Founder

Mother Ann Lee Ann Lee (29 February 1736 – 8 September 1784), commonly known as Mother Ann Lee, was the founding leader of the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing, or the Shakers. After nearly two decades of participation in a re ...

met with this group in 1781 and the group joined her United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing, or Shakers. Harvard, MA Shaker Village

It was the first

Shaker Shaker or Shakers may refer to: Religious groups * Shakers, a historically significant Christian sect * Indian Shakers, a smaller Christian denomination Objects and instruments * Shaker (musical instrument), an indirect struck idiophone * Cock ...

settlement in Massachusetts and the second settlement in the United States. The Harvard Shaker Village Historic District is located in the vicinity of Shaker Road, South Shaker Road, and Maple Lane. At its largest, the Shakers owned about 2,000 acres of land in Harvard. By 1890, the Harvard community had dwindled to less than 40, from a peak of about 200 in the 1850s. In 1917 the Harvard Shaker Village was closed and sold. Only one Shaker building is open to the public, at

Fruitlands Museum Fruitlands Museum in Harvard, Massachusetts, is a museum about multiple visions of America on the site of the short-lived utopian community, Fruitlands (transcendental center), Fruitlands. The museum includes the Fruitlands farmhouse (a National ...

; the remaining surviving buildings are in private ownership. Old Stone Barn, Harvard Shakers

Nationally, 19 Shaker communities had been established in the 1700s and 1800s, mostly in northeastern United States. Community locations ranged from Maine to Kentucky and Indiana. The Shakers were renowned for plain architecture and furniture, and reached its national peak membership in the 1840s and 1850s. The Shaker community's practice of celibacy meant that to maintain its population, it was always necessary to have new outsiders join. The improving employment opportunities provided by the Industrial Revolution would over the middle decades of the 1800s diminish the attractions of joining the Shaker community. Today, only one church "society" remains open, run by the last Shakers at Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village in New Gloucester, Maine.

Fruitlands

Amos Bronson Alcott relocated his family, including his ten-year-old daughter,

Louisa May Alcott Louisa May Alcott (; November 29, 1832March 6, 1888) was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet best known as the author of the novel ''Little Women'' (1868) and its sequels ''Little Men'' (1871) and ''Jo's Boys'' (1886). Raised in ...

, to Harvard in June 1843. He and Charles Lane attempted to establish a utopian transcendentalist socialist farm called Fruitlands on the slopes of Prospect Hill in Harvard. The experimental community only lasted 7 months, closing in January 1844. Fruitlands, so called "because the inhabitants hoped to live off the fruits of the land, purchasing nothing from the outside world",Fruitlands Museum
saw visits from the likes of

Henry David Thoreau Henry David Thoreau (July 12, 1817May 6, 1862) was an American naturalist, essayist, poet, and philosopher. A leading Transcendentalism, transcendentalist, he is best known for his book ''Walden'', a reflection upon simple living in natural su ...

and Ralph Waldo Emerson.Patricia Harris, Anna Mundow, David Lyon, James Marshall, Lisa Oppenheimer. ''Compass American Guides: Massachusetts'', 1st Edition. Random House. 2003. Pg. 186. Louisa May Alcott used her experience at Fruitlands as an inspiration for her novel ''

Little Women ''Little Women'' is a coming-of-age novel written by American novelist Louisa May Alcott (1832–1888). Alcott wrote the book, originally published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869, at the request of her publisher. The story follows the lives ...

''. Clara Endicott Sears, whose Prospect Hill summer estate, The Pergolas, restored Fruitlands and opened it as a museum in 1914. On the grounds of Fruitlands Museum there is also a Shaker house, which was relocated there from Harvard's Shaker Village by Sears in 1920. It is the first Shaker museum ever established in the United States. In addition, Sears opened a gallery on the property dedicated to Native American history. Sears became interested in Native Americans after Nipmuck arrowheads were found around her property on Prospect Hill, which the Nipmuck Indians had called Makamacheckamucks.Kinnicutt, Lincoln Newton. ''Indian Place Names in Worcester County Massachusetts''. Common Wealth Press. 1905. Pg. 20. Originally, Sears' Fruitlands property spanned , but in 1939, were seized by eminent domain for expansion of Fort Devens. As of 2010, that land is now part of the Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge.

Fiske Warren Tahanto Enclave

Fiske Warren, a follower of Henry George, attempted to establish a single tax zone in Harvard in 1918. The enclave bought up land (previously owned by the recently disbanded Shaker community) communally and attempted to manage the land according to George's principles. The enclave disbanded shortly after Warren died in 1938.

His house ''His House'' is a 2020 horror thriller film written and directed by Remi Weekes from a story by Felicity Evans and Toby Venables. It stars Wunmi Mosaku, Sope Dirisu and Matt Smith. The film tells the story of a refugee couple from South Sudan, ...

was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.

St. Benedict Center

Father

Leonard Feeney Leonard Edward Feeney (February 18, 1897 – January 30, 1978) was an American Jesuit priest, poet, lyricist, and essayist. He articulated a strict interpretation of the Roman Catholic doctrine ''extra Ecclesiam nulla salus'' ("outside the Chu ...

was a

Jesuit , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...

priest who held to a literal interpretation of the doctrine "

Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus The Latin phrase (meaning "outside the Church here isno salvation" or "no salvation outside the Church")Catherine Goddard Clarke and others organized into a group called the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, an unofficial Catholic entity. In January 1958, the community moved from Cambridge to the town of Harvard. Eventually, the original community split into several groups: the Benedictines, the Sisters of Saint Ann's House and Sisters of St. Benedict's center, Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. A further split later occurred with some members of the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary leaving to establish a separate group in New Hampshire. A branch of the Saint Benedict Center is located in Still River, on the west side of Harvard.

St. Benedict Abbey

In Still River there is an abbey of Benedictine monks that branched from the St. Benedict Center. There are six brothers and seven priests. They focus on reverently saying Mass in both the pre- Vatican II and the post-Vatican II forms and chanting the

Divine Office Divine Office may refer to: * Liturgy of the Hours, the recitation of certain Christian prayers at fixed hours according to the discipline of the Roman Catholic Church * Canonical hours In the practice of Christianity, canonical hours mark t ...

in Latin. Their current abbot is the Right Reverend Xavier Connelly, OSB, who was elected June 16, 2010.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 2.26%, is water. The town is largely wooded with small rolling hills, fields, and wetlands. In addition to the numerous streams and brooks throughout Harvard, Bare Hill Pond is a central, iconic locale. Harvard and the surrounding area are renowned for apple orchards and

riding stable An equestrian facility is created and maintained for the purpose of accommodating, training or competing equids, especially horses. Based on their use, they may be known as a barn, stables, or riding hall and may include commercial operations descr ...

Surrounding towns

Harvard is located in MetroWest, surrounded by the seven municipalities of Ayer, Littleton, Bolton, Boxborough, Stow, Lancaster and Shirley

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 5,981 people, 1,809 households, and 1,494 families residing in the town. The population density was 226.9 people per square mile (87.6/km²). There were 2,225 housing units at an average density of 84.4 per square mile (32.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 91.69% White, 4.50% African American, 0.17% Native American, 1.97% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.50% from other races, and 1.12% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.09% of the population. There were 1,809 households, out of which 44.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.4% 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, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.4% were non-families. 14.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.3% 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 3.18. In the town the population was spread out, with 26.6% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 32.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 124.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 133.6 males. The median income for a household in the town was $117,934, and the median income for a family was $139,352. Males had a median income of $90,937 versus $49,318 for females. The per capita income for the town was $50,867. About 0.5% of families and 2.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.7% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over. The decline in the population of the town of Harvard from the 1990 census to the 2000 U.S. census is attributable to the 1996 closure of Fort Devens, a U.S. military installation and the departure of military personnel and families residing at Fort Devens, which in large part is within the territory of the town of Harvard. The Fort Devens property has in large part been converted to civilian use, under the direction of MassDevelopment, a development authority of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Government

The town elects five members to the Board of Selectmen to run the town day-to-day and has an annual Town Meeting to pass/amend the town bylaws and approve the town budget.

Schools

Harvard serves one public K–5 elementary school; the Hildreth Elementary School, and one public 6–12 middle/high school; the Bromfield School. When the town constructed the current building housing the Bromfield School middle and high school, the town successfully resisted the Massachusetts School Building Authority efforts to regionalize its school system with other towns; the School Building Authority partially funds new school buildings and renovations. Harvard's Kindergarten through grade twelve school system ranks among the top 5% of schools in the state according to some authorities, and more than 97% of its graduates go on to college. The public high school, the Bromfield School, and the Hildreth Elementary School are both located in the center of town on Massachusetts Avenue Bromfield has its ranks in nationwide tests in the top 20 and HES has them for MCAS ( Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System) in the top 5.

Library

The public library of Harvard opened in 1856. In fiscal year 2008, the town of Harvard spent 2.41% ($487,470) of its budget on its public library—approximately $81 per person and since then the library has undergone multiple renovations.

Notable people

* Amos Bronson Alcott, teacher, writer and Transcendentalist, Fruitlands founder *

, novelist, daughter of Amos Alcott * Cornelius Atherton, inventor and steel maker. Blacksmith, built muskets for the Revolutionary Army * Peter Atherton, 18th-century colonial leader *

Simon Atherton Simon Tuttle Atherton (May 19, 1803 – October 7, 1888) was an early American Shaker, who became highly successful on behalf of his own community, in selling herbs in and around Boston, Massachusetts. Early years He was born in Shirley, M ...

, early American Shaker who sold herbs in and around Boston * Tabitha Babbitt, tool maker * T. A. Barron, author of fantasy novels * Del Cameron, Hall of Fame

harness racing Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait (a trot or a pace). They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, or spider, or chariot occupied by a driver. In Europe, and less frequently in Australi ...

driver and trainer *

Theodore Ward Chanler Theodore Ward Chanler (April 29, 1902 – July 27, 1961) was an American composer. Early life Chanler was born on April 29, 1902 in Newport, Rhode Island. He was a son of Major Winthrop Astor Chanler and Margaret Ward (née Terry) Chanler, an aut ...

, American composer * Adam Dziewonski, geophysicist *

Jonathan Edwards Jonathan Edwards may refer to: Musicians *Jonathan and Darlene Edwards, pseudonym of bandleader Paul Weston and his wife, singer Jo Stafford *Jonathan Edwards (musician) (born 1946), American musician ** ''Jonathan Edwards'' (album), debut album ...

, musician * William Emerson, minister and father of Ralph Waldo Emerson * Fannie Farmer, cookbook author * Donald Featherstone, created the plastic flamingo lawn ornament *

, controversial Jesuit priest and founder of

St. Benedict Center Harvard is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The town is located 25 miles west-northwest of Boston, in eastern Massachusetts. A farming community settled in 1658 and incorporated in 1732, it has been home to several ...

* Levi Hutchins, clockmaker, inventor of the American alarm clock *

, religious leader * Lynn Jennings, Olympic runner * Charles Lane, Transcendentalist, Fruitlands founder *

George F. Lewis George F. Lewis (June 7, 1828 – May 30, 1890) was a nineteenth-century American journalist and proprietor of several newspapers. He helped in the printing of the first time news of presidential election results were published. He was involved ...

, proprietor of newspapers * Keir O'Donnell, Australian-born actor, Bromfield Class of 1996 * Joseph Palmer, Transcendentalist; known for his beard * Willard Van Orman Quine, American philosopher and logician * Clara Endicott Sears, founder of

* John Seccombe, religious leader, author * Ted Sizer, educational reform leader * Maurice K. Smith, architect * Fiske Warren, supporter of Henry George's land value tax or single tax system * William Channing Whitney, architect * Gary K. Wolf, creator of Roger Rabbit

Houses of worship

* Harvard Unitarian Universalist (

Unitarian Unitarian or Unitarianism may refer to: Christian and Christian-derived theologies A Unitarian is a follower of, or a member of an organisation that follows, any of several theologies referred to as Unitarianism: * Unitarianism (1565–present ...

) * Harvard United Church of Christ ( Congregational) * Saint Benedict Center / St. Benedict Abbey ( Benedictine) * Saint Theresa, the Little Flower Church ( Roman Catholic) * Seeds of Faith Church