Westminster is a town in
Worcester County,
, in the United States. At the
2020 census, the town population was 8,213.
History
Westminster was first settled by Europeans in 1737, and was officially incorporated in 1759.
Westminster has four entries in the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
:
Ahijah Wood House,
Nathan Wood House,
Ezra Wood-Levi Warner Place, and
Westminster Village-Academy Hill Historic District
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, Buckin ...
.
Westminster was the site of Westminster Academy, incorporated in 1833.
The town achieved national news in November 2014 when the Board of Health proposed banning all sales of tobacco.
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 4.90%, is water.
Westminster is bordered by
Ashburnham to the north,
Gardner to the west,
Hubbardston to the southwest,
Princeton
Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the ni ...
to the south, and
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 is t ...
and
Fitchburg to the east.
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 6,907 people, 2,529 households, and 1,954 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 194.5 people per square mile (75.1/km). There were 2,694 housing units at an average density of 75.9 per square mile (29.3/km). The racial makeup of the town was 97.50%
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 ...
, 0.46%
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 ...
, 0.14%
Native American, 1.14%
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 ...
, 0.14% 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 0.61% 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 1.11% of the population. 17.6% were of
French, 15.0%
Irish
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
, 13.2%
French Canadian
French Canadians (referred to as Canadiens mainly before the twentieth century; french: Canadiens français, ; feminine form: , ), or Franco-Canadians (french: Franco-Canadiens), refers to either an ethnic group who trace their ancestry to Fren ...
, 9.0%
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 ide ...
, 9.0%
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
, 8.5%
Finnish
Finnish may refer to:
* Something or someone from, or related to Finland
* Culture of Finland
* Finnish people or Finns, the primary ethnic group in Finland
* Finnish language, the national language of the Finnish people
* Finnish cuisine
See also ...
and 5.6%
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
ancestry according to
Census 2000
The United States census of 2000, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2 percent over the 248,709,873 people enumerated during the 1990 cen ...
.
There were 2,529 households, out of which 36.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.8% 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, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.7% were non-families. 17.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.8% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $57,755, and the median income for a family was $61,835. Males had a median income of $45,369 versus $31,818 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 $24,913. About 3.0% of families and 3.1% 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 1.5% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
From 1828 to 1970, Westminster was home to the
Westminster Cracker Company
The Westminster Cracker Company is a New England-based company established in Westminster, Massachusetts in 1828. The original building, which is depicted in its product labeling, still presently stands in the center of Westminster, although it has ...
. Westminster is currently home to:
* the U.S. Corporate Sales & Marketing division of
SimplexGrinnell
SimplexGrinnell, a subsidiary of Johnson Controls, is an American company specializing in active fire protection systems, communication systems and testing, inspection and maintenance services. The company headquarters is in Boca Raton, Florida; ...
* the Distribution Center of
Aubuchon Hardware
* the
Wachusett Brewing Company
Wachusett Brewing Company is a microbrewery and craft brewery in Westminster, Massachusetts. It is the first brewery in Worcester County.. It was founded in 1994 by Ned LaFortune, Peter Quinn, and Kevin Buckler.
History
Wachusett Brewing Compa ...
Arts and culture
The Westminster Town Library was established in 1868. In fiscal year 2008, the town of Westminster spent 2.97% ($518,171) of its budget on its public library—approximately $70 per person, per year ($93.47 adjusted for inflation to 2022). This is one of the highest per-person-per-year costs for a public library in the state of Massachusetts.
Government
State
*
State Representatives: Kimberly Ferguson (R), Jonathan Zlotnik (D)
*
State Senator: John J. Cronin (D)
*
Governor's Councilor: Paul DePalo (D)
Federal
*
U.S. Representative
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...
:
Lori Trahan
Lori Ann Trahan ( ; Loureiro; born October 27, 1973) is an American businesswoman and politician serving as the U.S. representative for since 2019. The district covers Boston's northwestern suburbs, and includes Lowell, Lawrence, Concord, and ...
*
U.S. Senators
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and powe ...
:
Elizabeth Warren
Elizabeth Ann Warren ( née Herring; born June 22, 1949) is an American politician and former law professor who is the senior United States senator from Massachusetts, serving since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party and regarded as a ...
(D),
Ed Markey
Edward John Markey (born July 11, 1946) is an American lawyer, politician, and former Army reservist who has served as the junior United States senator from Massachusetts since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the U.S. representa ...
(D)
Education
Westminster is part of the Ashburnham-Westminster Regional School District along with
Ashburnham.
The town has 2 schools. The Meetinghouse School serves students in grades K–1; the Westminster Elementary School, grades 2–5. Middle School students attend Overlook Middle School, and high School students attend
Oakmont Regional High School.
Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School
Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School, also known as Monty Tech, is a to public, secondary, vocational, open enrollment school in Fitchburg and Westminster, Massachusetts, United States. It provides training in 21 different tr ...
is a vocational/technical high school) in nearby
Fitchburg also serving Westminster students.
Infrastructure
Public transportation for northern Worcester county is largely supplied by 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) fixed-route bus system.
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 Fitchbur ...
, located in West Fitchburg, is the western terminus of the
MBTA Commuter Rail
The MBTA Commuter Rail system serves as the commuter rail arm of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's transportation coverage of Greater Boston in the United States. Trains run over of track to 141 different stations, with 58 statio ...
Fitchburg Line.
Notable people
*
Abijah Bigelow
Abijah Bigelow (December 5, 1775 – April 5, 1860) was a U.S. Representative from Massachusetts.
Born in Westminster in the Province of Massachusetts Bay, the son of Elisha and Sarah (Goodridge) Bigelow, Abijah Bigelow studied at Leicester ( ...
, former U.S. Representative
*
Gregory Ciottone, Harvard professor, White House Consultant, pioneering physician in Counter-Terrorism Medicine
*
Marcus A. Coolidge
Marcus Allen Coolidge (October 6, 1865January 23, 1947) was a Democratic United States Senator representing Massachusetts from March 4, 1931, to January 3, 1937.
Biography
Coolidge was born in Westminster, Massachusetts, son of Frederick Spau ...
, former U.S. Senator
*
John Ainsworth Dunn, furniture maker
*
Avery Yale Kamila, journalist
* George M. Lane, former U.S. ambassador to
North Yemen
North Yemen may refer to:
* Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen (1918–1962)
* Yemen Arab Republic
The Yemen Arab Republic (YAR; ar, الجمهورية العربية اليمنية '), also known simply as North Yemen or Yemen (Sanaʽa), was a ...
*
Nelson A. Miles
Nelson Appleton Miles (August 8, 1839 – May 15, 1925) was an American military general who served in the American Civil War, the American Indian Wars, and the Spanish–American War.
From 1895 to 1903, Miles served as the last Commanding Gen ...
, former Commanding General of the United States Army
*
William H. Upham, fought at the Battle of Bull Run; 18th Governor of Wisconsin
References
External links
*
Westminster Confluence ProjectBooks.google.com: Westminster Academy
{{authority control
Towns in Worcester County, Massachusetts
1737 establishments in Massachusetts
Populated places established in 1737
Towns in Massachusetts