Winchester, MA
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Winchester is a town in
Middlesex County, Massachusetts Middlesex County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,632,002, making it the most populous county in both Massachusetts and New England and the 22nd most populou ...
, United States, located 8.2 miles (13.2 km) north of downtown
Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
as part of the Greater Boston metropolitan area. It is also one of the wealthiest municipalities in Massachusetts. The population was 22,970 at the 2020 United States Census.


History

Native Americans inhabited the area that would become Winchester for thousands of years prior to
European colonization of the Americas During the Age of Discovery, a large scale colonization of the Americas, involving a number of European countries, took place primarily between the late 15th century and the early 19th century. The Norse explored and colonized areas of Europe a ...
. At the time of contact, the area was inhabited by the
Naumkeag people Naumkeag is a historical tribe of Eastern Algonquian-speaking Native American people who lived in northeastern Massachusetts. They controlled most of the territory from the Charles River to the Merrimack River at the time of the Puritan migra ...
, from whom the land that would become Winchester was purchased for the settlement of Charlestown in 1639. From the 17th century until the middle of the 19th century, parts of
Arlington Arlington most often refers to: *Arlington, Virginia **Arlington National Cemetery, a United States military cemetery *Arlington, Texas Arlington may also refer to: Places Australia *Arlington light rail station, on the Inner West Light Rail in S ...
, Medford,
Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...
, and Woburn comprised what is now Winchester. In the early years of the settlement, the area was known informally as Waterfield, a reference to its many ponds and to the river which bisected the central village. In its second century, the area was referred to as Black Horse Village, after the busy tavern and hostelry in its center. The movement toward incorporation of what, by this time, was called South Woburn was likely precipitated by the rise of the Whig Party in Massachusetts (''History of Winchester, Massachusetts'' by H. S. Chapman and Bruce W. Stone, 1936, 1975).


19th and 20th centuries

The town's early growth paralleled improvements in transportation. Prior to incorporation, the
Middlesex Canal The Middlesex Canal was a 27-mile (44-kilometer) barge canal connecting the Merrimack River with the port of Boston. When operational it was 30 feet (9.1 m) wide, and 3 feet (0.9 m) deep, with 20 locks, each 80 feet (24 m) long and between 10 ...
, linking the
Merrimack River The Merrimack River (or Merrimac River, an occasional earlier spelling) is a river in the northeastern United States. It rises at the confluence of the Pemigewasset and Winnipesaukee rivers in Franklin, New Hampshire, flows southward into M ...
to Boston, was completed through then Waterfield. It flourished from 1803 to 1836, until the
Boston and Lowell Railroad The Boston and Lowell Railroad was a railroad that operated in Massachusetts in the United States. It was one of the first railroads in North America and the first major one in the state. The line later operated as part of the Boston and Maine R ...
completed a line which neatly bisected the town and provided it with two stations. Able to deliver passengers as well as goods, the railroad soon bankrupted the canal and spurred more people to move to the area. The first church was built in 1840, the Post Office followed in 1841, and soon after incorporation town schools were started. Industries small and large followed, including the Beggs and Cobb tannery and the Winn Watch Hand factory which would operate well into the 20th century. By the time of the
Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
, to which Winchester lent many citizens, the need for a municipal water supply became apparent. Engineers convinced a skeptical public to fund a dam in the highlands to the east of town. The structure blocked the creek which flowed from the Middlesex Fells and produced the first of three reservoirs which continue to provide clear water today. In the early 20th century, growth continued apace as Winchester evolved from its agri-industrial roots into the bedroom community it is today. A rich mix of immigrants—the Irish in the northern and eastern neighborhoods, a smattering of African-Americans who flocked to the New Hope Baptist Church in the highlands, and finally Italians who came to work in the westside farms and live in the "Plains" to the east—complemented Winchester's Yankee forebears.


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 6.3 square miles (16.3 km), of which 6.0 square miles (15.6 km) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.6 km) is water. The total area is 3.97% water. The town is roughly bisected by a central valley which is the remnant of the original course of the
Merrimack River The Merrimack River (or Merrimac River, an occasional earlier spelling) is a river in the northeastern United States. It rises at the confluence of the Pemigewasset and Winnipesaukee rivers in Franklin, New Hampshire, flows southward into M ...
. After glacial debris effectively rerouted the Merrimack north to its current location, all that remained of its original course through present day Winchester is the
Aberjona River The Aberjona River is a ,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 1, 2011 heavily urbanized river in the northwestern suburbs of Boston, Massachusetts. The name is from t ...
and the several ponds it feeds en route to the
Mystic Lakes The Mystic Lakes, consisting of Upper Mystic Lake and Lower Mystic Lake, are closely linked bodies of water in the northwestern suburbs of Boston, Massachusetts. The lakes lie at an elevation of 1 meter above sea level, within the towns of Win ...
on Winchester's southern border. On its eastern third, the valley rises steeply into the wooded hills of the
Middlesex Fells Reservation Middlesex Fells Reservation, often referred to simply as the Fells, is a public recreation area covering more than in Malden, Medford, Melrose, Stoneham, and Winchester, Massachusetts, United States. The state park surrounds two inactive ...
, in which lie the North, Middle, and South Reservoirs. The western edge of the valley yields to Arlington and Lexington heights, and the boundaries with those two towns. To the north, the town's longest border is shared with Woburn. Winchester has several major bodies of water, including the
Mystic Lakes The Mystic Lakes, consisting of Upper Mystic Lake and Lower Mystic Lake, are closely linked bodies of water in the northwestern suburbs of Boston, Massachusetts. The lakes lie at an elevation of 1 meter above sea level, within the towns of Win ...
, Wedge Pond, Winter Pond, and the
Aberjona River The Aberjona River is a ,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 1, 2011 heavily urbanized river in the northwestern suburbs of Boston, Massachusetts. The name is from t ...
, as well as several minor bodies of water such as Sucker Brook and Sachem Swamp. Winchester borders the towns of Woburn, Stoneham, Medford,
Arlington Arlington most often refers to: *Arlington, Virginia **Arlington National Cemetery, a United States military cemetery *Arlington, Texas Arlington may also refer to: Places Australia *Arlington light rail station, on the Inner West Light Rail in S ...
, and Lexington.


Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 21,382 people, 7,647 households, and 5,785 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 7,988 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 87.1%
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 ...
, 9.3% Asian, 1.0%
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, 0.04%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, 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 th ...
, 0.4% from other races, and 2.0% 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 1.9% of the population. There were 7,647 households, of which 40.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.7% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.3% were non-families. 21.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.26. In the town, the population was spread out, with 28.7% under the age of 18 and 16.2% over the age of 65. The median age was 42.7 years. The population was 52.3% female and 47.7% male. According to a 2008 estimate, the
median income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two 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 unde ...
for a household in the town was $125,952, and the median income for a family was $200,000+. Males had a median income of $100,000+ versus $70,847 for females. The per capita income for the town was $68,479. The median home value was $838,420, compared to a U.S. average of $180,000. About 1.3% of families and 2.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.0% of those under the age of 18 and 2.3% ages 65 or older. The crime rate in Winchester is below the U.S. average. The most common crime is property crime, with 62 burglaries reported in 2010. Violent crimes are rare, with only five murders and five rapes reported in 10 years. Winchester was ranked number 86 on the
Bloomberg Bloomberg may refer to: People * Daniel J. Bloomberg (1905–1984), audio engineer * Georgina Bloomberg (born 1983), professional equestrian * Michael Bloomberg (born 1942), American businessman and founder of Bloomberg L.P.; politician a ...
list of America's 100 Richest Places with an average household income of $204,878 in 2016.


Education


Public schools

Winchester has five elementary schools (Ambrose, Lincoln, Lynch, Muraco, and Vinson-Owen) and one
middle school Middle school, also known as intermediate school, junior high school, junior secondary school, or lower secondary school, is an educational stage between primary school and secondary school. Afghanistan In Afghanistan, middle school includes g ...
, McCall Middle School. Considered one of Boston's elite public high schools, Winchester High School was founded in 1850, at the time was part of present-day Lincoln elementary. Winchester High was rebuilt in a different area in 1972, then renovated in 2017. Winchester public schools have achieved superior performances on the MCAS exams since their inception, and the district is consistently ranked by editorial reviews such as ''Boston Magazine'' as one of the best in Massachusetts. The Winchester High School sports teams were known as the "Sachems", a term that refers to people who have been appointed to represent a (native) nation in a meeting of a confederacy council. However, the mascot was removed in the year 2020 due to its offensive and stereotypical nature. Their sports teams are now known as the "Red and Black", referring to the school's colors. For the 2018–2019 school year, Winchester public schools and Winchester Recreation developed the WRAP-AROUND program. A program designed to provide supervision for students who are dropped at school a bit early or who need to stay at school later on some days and was created to assist families with the school start time change for next fall. Wrap-around care is offered at all five elementary schools for students in grades K–5, both before and after school. The teams practice and host home games at Knowlton Field. The Winchester Sports Foundation raises money through donations to maintain sports programs in the town and to give financial support, make sports programs accessible to all classes, meet costs of program expenses and preserve and promote the level of WHS sports programs.


Private schools

Founded in the 1942, the Children's Own School is among the earlier surviving
Montessori The Montessori method of education is a type of educational method that involves children's natural interests and activities rather than formal teaching methods. A Montessori classroom places an emphasis on hands-on learning and developing ...
schools in the United States. The building it occupies, a former farmhouse, is considered locally historic. The school's founder, Ms. Dorothy Gove, was an acquaintance of
Maria Montessori Maria Tecla Artemisia Montessori ( ; ; 31 August 1870 – 6 May 1952) was an Italians, Italian physician and educator best known for her philosophy of education (the Montessori method) and her writing on scientific pedagogy. At an early a ...
, giving her a firsthand opportunity to learn the Montessori concept of learning. Today the school operates as a private, non-religious, Montessori school for children of ages two to six, with classes of up to 20 children. Children's Own School is located at 86 Main Street in Winchester. Winchester has two parent-led cooperative nursery schools: Neighborhood Cooperative Nursery School and Winchester Cooperative Nursery School. In addition, the Methodist church, Winchester Recreation Department, and Creative Corner all offer preschool classes. St. Mary's School is a parochial school of St. Mary's Parish. The school opened in 1914 and has over 200 students in grades Pre-K through 5. The school building also serves as the Sunday school for the parish during Sunday services. The
church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a place/building for Christian religious activities and praying * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian comm ...
is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
. Acera School is a small private school founded in 2010 in Melrose which moved to Winchester in 2013. It offers K–8 education in small multi-age classrooms. Established in 2004, the Winchester School of Chinese Culture is a non-profit organization whose mission is to teach the language and traditional culture of China through classroom instructions, the arts, and cultural events. The school offers a K–8 weekend program at Lynch elementary school, after-school programs at Winchester Unitarian Church and Winchester First Congregational Church, and a summer program.


Transportation

Winchester has two "Zone 1" stops on the
MBTA Commuter Rail The MBTA Commuter Rail system serves as the commuter rail arm of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's (MBTA's) transportation coverage of Greater Boston in the United States. Trains run over of track on 12 lines to 142 stations. It ...
Lowell Line The Lowell Line is a commuter rail service of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, running north–south between Boston, Massachusetts, Boston and Lowell, Massachusetts. It is long, with nine stations including the terminals at North Station and Lowel ...
: Wedgemere and Winchester Center. The stops are within easy walking distance of one another. The
Lowell Line The Lowell Line is a commuter rail service of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, running north–south between Boston, Massachusetts, Boston and Lowell, Massachusetts. It is long, with nine stations including the terminals at North Station and Lowel ...
runs from Lowell to Boston's
North Station North Station is a commuter rail and intercity rail terminal station in Boston, Massachusetts. It is served by four MBTA Commuter Rail lines – the Fitchburg Line, Haverhill Line, Lowell Line, and Newburyport/Rockport Line – and the Amtr ...
, where one can connect with the "T", Boston's subway system. Nearby
Anderson Regional Transportation Center Anderson Regional Transportation Center (RTC) (noted on MBTA schedules and maps as Anderson/Woburn, and on Amtrak schedules and maps as Woburn–Anderson) is a train and bus station located at 100 Atlantic Avenue, off Commerce Way, in Woburn, M ...
off I-93 (Commerce Way exit) holds a stop for Amtrak's Downeaster train, going through New Hampshire, and terminating in Brunswick, Maine. While this train runs through Winchester, it does not stop at either of the town's two train stations. There are bus lines going through Winchester to nearby communities such as Medford, Arlington, and Cambridge. Bus route No. 134 runs between North Woburn and Wellington Station on the
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (abbreviated MBTA and known colloquially as "the T") is the public agency responsible for operating most public transportation services in Greater Boston, Massachusetts. The MBTA transit network in ...
's (MBTA) Orange Line in Medford. Bus route No. 350 runs from the Burlington Mall to
Alewife station Alewife station is a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) intermodal transit station in the North Cambridge neighborhood of Cambridge, Massachusetts. It is the northwest terminal of the rapid transit Red Line (part of the MBTA s ...
in
Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...
on the MBTA's Red Line. A commuter express bus runs from Cummings Park in Woburn to Boston during rush hours. Anderson Regional Transportation Center also has the
Logan Express The Logan Express (LEX) is an airport bus shuttle network which operates between Boston's Logan International Airport and Massachusetts suburbs. The service, which is funded by Massport, consists of four routes serving suburban park-and-ride t ...
shuttle bus service to Boston's Logan Airport every 30 minutes, and a paid shuttle service to Manchester New Hampshire Airport (reservations required in advance)


Winchester today

In December 2010 Winchester was among 18 Massachusetts communities to earn the "Green Community" designation by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (bringing the total number of green communities in the state up to 53). In 2011 Winchester was selected as one of four communities to participate in the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) Solarize MASS pilot program. The program provided incentives to home owners to install rooftop solar electric systems. During that year, 35 residents contracted to have solar systems installed, resulting in 165 kW of solar installations. Most recently, in July 2014, Winchester received a $250,000 Green Communities Grant which helped to offset the cost of installing 1668 cobra-head LED street lights. It is estimated that the LED streetlight conversion may potentially reduce the town's electricity costs by $50,000 each year. Across the Main Street bypass from the high school sits the Jenks Community Center, which offers programs for seniors and other age groups. Wedge Pond, home to Borggaard Beach and Splash Park, is a popular swimming spot which is continually monitored to ensure safe water quality levels. And every year, as for over a century, thousands of fans attend the annual Thanksgiving Day football contest between Winchester High School and its long-time traditional rival, Woburn. Several private entities provide recreational opportunities for local townsfolk. Founded in 1900 as a canoe club, the Winchester Boat Club serves locals wishing to sail casually or competitively on the Mystic Lakes. In the summer, it is a popular meeting place for local families and their children. The Winchester Country Club—located in the Myopia Hill neighborhood—offers an 18-hole course open to member and named after the Myopia Club based there in the late 19th century.


Government and politics

In the 1840s, the Whigs sought to split a new jurisdiction away from heavily Democratic Woburn and found enough supporters in the burgeoning village to organize a movement toward incorporation. Representatives of the planned new town selected the name Winchester in recognition of Colonel William P. Winchester of nearby Watertown, who pledged $3,000 toward the construction of the first town hall. Upon the signature of then Governor Briggs, the town of Winchester was officially incorporated on April 30, 1850. Colonel Winchester did not live to visit the town that had honored his family name. He succumbed to typhoid fever within months of its incorporation. Winchester's town government of Selectmen and Town Meeting members has remained essentially unchanged for most of its existence, until the renaming of the Board of Selectmen to the Select Board in 2018. A 1970s survey listed Winchester as "one of the top fifteen suburbs" in the nation (''Ladies Home Journal'', August 1975). The town is part of the
Massachusetts Senate's 2nd Middlesex district Massachusetts Senate's 2nd Middlesex district in the United States is one of 40 legislative districts of the Massachusetts Senate. It covers portions of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Middlesex County. Massachusetts Democratic Party, Democrat ...
. In recent years, Winchester has become an increasing stronghold for the Democratic Party, especially for presidential elections. * In 2008, Winchester voted 59% for Democrat
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
and 39% for Republican
John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American statesman and United States Navy, naval officer who represented the Arizona, state of Arizona in United States Congress, Congress for over 35 years, first as ...
. * In 2012, Winchester voted 55% for Democrat
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
and 44% for Republican former Massachusetts governor
Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American businessman and retired politician. He served as a United States Senate, United States senator from Utah from 2019 to 2025 and as the 70th governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 ...
. * In 2016, Winchester voted 68% for Democrat
Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, lawyer and diplomat. She was the 67th United States secretary of state in the administration of Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, a U.S. senator represent ...
and 32% for Republican
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
. * In 2020, Winchester voted 71% for Democrat
Joe Biden Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...
and 27.5% for Republican
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
. Below the presidential level, some moderate Republicans have been able to carry Winchester: * In the 2010 United States Senate special election in
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 ...
, Winchester voted 51% for Republican Scott Brown and 48% for Democrat Martha Coakley. * In the 2012 United States Senate election, Winchester voted 52% for Republican
Scott Brown Scott Brown may refer to: Sportsmen *Scott Brown (American football), American college football coach of Kentucky State *Scott Brown (baseball) (born 1956), former Major League Baseball pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds *Scott Brown (footballer, born ...
and 48% for Democrat
Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth Ann Warren (née Herring; born June 22, 1949) is an American politician and former law professor who is the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States senator from the state of Massachusetts, serving since 2013. A mem ...
. * In the
2018 Massachusetts gubernatorial election The 2018 Massachusetts gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 2018, to elect the Governor of Massachusetts, governor and Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts, lieutenant governor of the Massachusetts, Commonwealth of Massachusetts. ...
, Winchester voted 71% for incumbent Republican
Charlie Baker Charles Duane Baker Jr. (born November 13, 1956) is an American politician serving as the sixth president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, since 2023. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 72nd governor of Massa ...
and 29% for Democrat
Jay Gonzalez Juan Manuel "Jay" Gonzalez (born January 8, 1971) is an American academic and government administrator who is the president of Curry College. He served Secretary of Administration and Finance of Massachusetts under Governor Deval Patrick from ...
.


Town services

Town services include full-time police and fire departments, the Winchester Board of Health, the Town Clerk, the Post Office, Water and Sewer Department, and the Public Works Department. Winchester does not offer curbside trash collection. Residents must get an annual permit and use the "Transfer Station" to dispose off their trash and for recycling. Winchester also has a Chamber of Commerce located on the platform of the Winchester Center station of the MBTA Commuter Rail.


Points of interest

*
Middlesex Fells Reservation Middlesex Fells Reservation, often referred to simply as the Fells, is a public recreation area covering more than in Malden, Medford, Melrose, Stoneham, and Winchester, Massachusetts, United States. The state park surrounds two inactive ...
* Wright-Locke Farm * John Mason House * Sanborn House
Griffin Museum of Photography
* Capt. Josiah Locke House


Sister city

Winchester is the
sister city A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there are early examples of inte ...
of
St. Germain-en-Laye Saint-Germain-en-Laye () is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris, from the centre of Paris. Inhabitants are called ''Saint-Germanois'' or ''Saint- ...
, France.


Notable people

*
Lars Ahlfors Lars Valerian Ahlfors (18 April 1907 – 11 October 1996) was a Finnish mathematician, remembered for his work in the field of Riemann surfaces and his textbook on complex analysis. Background Ahlfors was born in Helsinki, Finland. His mothe ...
, mathematician and
Fields Medal The Fields Medal is a prize awarded to two, three, or four mathematicians under 40 years of age at the International Congress of Mathematicians, International Congress of the International Mathematical Union (IMU), a meeting that takes place e ...
ist * Joe Bellino, Heisman Trophy winning football player at the
United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (USNA, Navy, or Annapolis) is a United States Service academies, federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as United States Secre ...
* Bob Bigelow, retired NBA basketball player *
Robert A. Brown Robert A. Brown (born July 22, 1951) is an American chemical engineer and university administrator. He was the 10th president of Boston University and a former provost of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In 1991, Brown was elected ...
, president of
Boston University Boston University (BU) is a Private university, private research university in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. BU was founded in 1839 by a group of Boston Methodism, Methodists with its original campus in Newbury (town), Vermont, Newbur ...
*
Fischer Black Fischer Sheffey Black (January 11, 1938 – August 30, 1995) was an American economist, best known as one of the authors of the Black–Scholes equation. Working variously at the University of Chicago, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, ...
, mathematician and economist * Anthony Carrigan, actor most recently known for his role as North Hollywood Henry in the HBO series
Barry Barry may refer to: People and fictional characters * Barry (name), including lists of people with the given name, nickname or surname, as well as fictional characters with the given name * Dancing Barry, stage name of Barry Richards (born c. 195 ...
*
John Cazale John Holland Cazale (; August 12, 1935 – March 13, 1978) was an American actor. He appeared in five films over seven years, each of which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture at their respective awards ceremonies. Cazale starte ...
, actor, played Fredo in ''The Godfather'' *
Allan McLeod Cormack Allan MacLeod Cormack (February 23, 1924 – May 7, 1998) was a South African and American physicist, academic, and Nobel laureate. He was Professor of Physics at Tufts University and won the 1979 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (along with ...
, one of the recipients of the 1979
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine () is awarded yearly by the Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute for outstanding discoveries in physiology or medicine. The Nobel Prize is not a single prize, but five separate prizes that, acco ...
*
Kieran Corr Kieran Corr (born October 10, 2005) is an American college football kicker for the Harvard Crimson. Early life Corr attended Winchester High School in Winchester, Massachusetts, where he played placekicker In gridiron football, the pl ...
,
All-American The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed on outstanding athletes in the United States who are considered to be among the best athletes in their respective sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an Al ...
football player at
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 ...
University * John M. Corse, general; hero of Southern campaigns in the Civil War * Bill Cummings, philanthropist and real estate magnate * Glen Doherty, former United States Navy SEAL and CIA contractor killed during the
2012 Benghazi attack Members of the Islamic militant group Ansar al-Sharia carried out a coordinated attack against two United States government facilities in Benghazi, Libya, on September 11, 2012. At 9:40 p.m. local time, members of Ansar al-Sharia attacked ...
of the US Embassy. Portrayed by
Toby Stephens Toby Stephens (born 21 April 1969) is an English actor who has appeared in films in the United Kingdom, United States, and India. He is known for the roles of Bond villain Gustav Graves in the 2002 James Bond film '' Die Another Day'', for whic ...
in '' 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi'' *
Janet Doub Erickson Janet Ann Doub Erickson (June 29, 1924 – September 3, 2021) was an American graphic artist and writer who popularized linoleum-block and woodblock printing in the post-World War II period. She was a co-founder of the Blockhouse of Boston, an in ...
, co-founder of
the Blockhouse of Boston The Blockhouse of Boston was a pioneering art and design cooperative of alumni from the Massachusetts College of Art in Boston, Massachusetts that opened its doors in 1947. Blockhouse artisans, primarily the then-recent art school graduate Janet D ...
, artist, and author. Her grandfather William McIntosh was Winchester's first chief of police *
Edward Everett Edward Everett (April 11, 1794 – January 15, 1865) was an American politician, Unitarian pastor, educator, diplomat, and orator from Massachusetts. Everett, as a Whig, served as U.S. representative, U.S. senator, the 15th governor of Mas ...
, president of
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 ...
, governor of Massachusetts, and ambassador to Britain *
Jon Favreau Jonathan Kolia Favreau ( ; born October 19, 1966) is an American actor and filmmaker. As an actor, Favreau has appeared in films such as ''Rudy (film), Rudy'' (1993), ''PCU (film), PCU'' (1994), ''Swingers (1996 film), Swingers'' (1996), ''Very ...
, speechwriter for President Barack Obama *
Vic Fazio Victor Herbert Fazio Jr. (October 11, 1942 – March 16, 2022) was an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives for California from 1979 to 1999. Early life and education Fazio was born in Winc ...
, member of the
United States House of Representatives 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
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
from 1979 to 1999, chair of the
House Democratic Caucus The House Democratic Caucus is a congressional caucus composed of all Democratic representatives in the United States House of Representatives, voting and non-voting, and is responsible for nominating and electing the Democratic Party leadersh ...
from 1995 to 1999 *
Vic Firth Everett Joseph "Vic" Firth (June 2, 1930 – July 26, 2015) was an American musician and the founder of Vic Firth Company (formerly Vic Firth, Inc.), a company that makes percussion sticks and mallets. He was also known for his association ...
, musician, creator of Vic Firth drumsticks * Edward Gelsthorpe, (1923–2009), marketing executive known as " Cranapple Ed" for his best-known product launch *
Edwin Ginn Edwin Ginn (February 14, 1838 – January 21, 1914) was an American publisher, peace advocate and philanthropist. Biography Ginn was born in Orland, Maine, on February 14, 1838, into a Universalist farming family who were descendants of earl ...
(until 1914), founder of
Ginn and Company Pearson Education, known since 2011 as simply Pearson, is the educational publishing and services subsidiary of the international corporation Pearson plc. The subsidiary was formed in 1998, when Pearson plc acquired Simon & Schuster's educatio ...
and
Athenaeum Press Athenæum Press is an historic building located at 215 First Street in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The structure occupies the entire block between First Street, Second Street, Athenæum Street, and Linskey Way, which was formerly known as Munroe St ...
, and
World Peace Foundation The World Peace Foundation or WPF, created in 1910, is a philanthropic foundation for research into peace processes affiliated with The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. Alex de Waal is the director , having become directo ...
. * Arthur Griffin (1903–2001) photographer and founder of Griffin Museum of Photography. * Brian A. Joyce, politician and lawyer *
Brian Keefe Brian J. Keefe (born April 7, 1976) is an American professional basketball coach who is the head coach of the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Early life Brian Keefe was born in Winchester, Massachusetts. As a hi ...
, American professional basketball coach *
Kim Khazei Kim Khazei is a news anchor for 7News Boston WHDH-TV and its sister station WLVI-TV (CW56)."Bio: Kim Khazei"
, WLVI-TV ...
, anchorwoman,
WHDH-TV WHDH (channel 7) is an independent television station in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is owned by Sunbeam Television alongside Cambridge-licensed CW affiliate WLVI (channel 56). WHDH and WLVI share studios at Bulfinch Place (n ...
Diaz, Johnny
"And now, back to the news: Kim Khazei returns to TV after six years of anchoring the household"
''The Boston Globe'', August 6, 2007
*
Kofi Kingston Kofi Nahaje Sarkodie-Mensah (born August 14, 1981) is a Ghanaian-born American professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw (WWE brand), Raw WWE brand extension, brand under the ring name Kofi ...
, ring name of Kofi Nahaje Sarkodie-Mensah, professional wrestler *
Corey Kluber Corey Scott Kluber (born April 10, 1986) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox. He made his MLB ...
, Major League Baseball pitcher *
Louise Le Baron Louise Le Baron (1874–1918) was an American contralto singer who performed in opera and musical theatre during the early years of the twentieth century. Biography Louise Le Baron (née Shepherd) was born in Winchester, Massachusetts in 1874, ...
(née Shepherd), contralto * Ed Leslie, former WWF wrestler, and some-time tag team partner of fellow wrestler
Hulk Hogan Terry Gene Bollea (; born August 11, 1953), better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American retired Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE as a brand ambassador. Known for his flamboyance and massive physiq ...
* Jason Lewis, legislator serving in the Massachusetts House of Representatives * Julia Marino, an American-raised Paraguayan freestyle skiing athlete and the first Winter Olympian to represent Paraguay *
Pedro Martínez Pedro Jaime Martínez (born October 25, 1971) is a Dominican-American former professional baseball starting pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from to , for five teams—most notably the Boston Red Sox from to . As of 2023, M ...
, Major League Baseball pitcher *
Stephanie McCaffrey Stephanie Ann McCaffrey (born February 18, 1993) is an American former soccer player who played as a forward. During her career, she made six appearances for the United States women's national team. Early career McCaffrey attended Buckingham B ...
, professional soccer player for the Boston Breakers and the United States Women's National Team * Samuel W. McCall, ten-time United States congressman and three-time governor of Massachusetts * Mark A. Milley,
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* Glen Murray, NHL player for the Boston Bruins *
Laurence Owen Laurence Rochon "Laurie" Owen (; May 9, 1944 – February 15, 1961) was an American figure skater. She was the 1961 U.S. National Champion and represented the United States at the 1960 Winter Olympics, where she placed sixth. She was the ...
, national skating champion whose career was cut short by the plane crash that wiped out the national team in 1961 *
Mike Pagliarulo Michael Timothy Pagliarulo, a.k.a. "Pags" (born March 15, 1960), is an American former professional baseball third baseman and later the hitting coach of the Miami Marlins. He played in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees, San Diego Pa ...
, ex-pro baseball player for the Minnesota Twins and New York Yankees *
Jay Pandolfo Jay Paul Pandolfo (born December 27, 1974) is an American college ice hockey coach and former professional forward. He is currently the head coach of the Boston University Terriers. He spent most of his National Hockey League career with the ...
, NHL player * Harry Parker, Olympic rower/coach and current coach of Harvard crew *
Rand Pecknold Rand Pecknold (born February 4, 1967) is an American ice hockey coach who serves as the head coach for the men's ice hockey team at Quinnipiac University. Early life Pecknold was born February 4, 1967, in Bedford, New Hampshire. He attended, a ...
, Quinnipiac men's ice hockey coach and 500-game winner in NCAA ice hockey * Richard Phillips, American merchant mariner who served as captain of the MV ''Maersk Alabama'' during its hijacking by Somali pirates in April 2009. Portrayed by
Tom Hanks Thomas Jeffrey Hanks (born July 9, 1956) is an American actor and filmmaker. Known for both his comedic and dramatic roles, he is one of the most popular and recognizable film stars worldwide, and is regarded as an American cultural icon. Ha ...
in the 2013 film ''Captain Phillips'' *
Bjorn Poonen Bjorn Mikhail Poonen (born July 27, 1968, in Boston, Massachusetts) is a mathematician, four-time Putnam Competition winner, and a Distinguished Professor in Science in the Department of Mathematics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. ...
, mathematician * John Quinlan, champion bodybuilder and professional wrestler * Paul Reid, journalist and author, co-author of The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill *
Hartley Rogers, Jr. Hartley Rogers Jr. (July 6, 1926 – July 17, 2015) was an American mathematician who worked in computability theory, and was a professor in the MIT Mathematics Department, Mathematics Department of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Biogr ...
, mathematician *
Alicia Sacramone Alicia Marie Sacramone Quinn (; born December 3, 1987) is a retired American artistic gymnast. She won a silver medal with the United States team at the 2008 Summer Olympics and is the 2005 World Champion on floor exercise and the 2010 World C ...
, ten-time Gymnastics World Championships medalist and 2008 Olympic silver medalist * Ed Sandford, forward for the Boston Bruins, and briefly captain of the team * Richard R. Schrock, one of the recipients of the 2005
Nobel Prize in Chemistry The Nobel Prize in Chemistry () is awarded annually by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences to scientists in the various fields of chemistry. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel in 1895, awarded for outst ...
*
Claude Shannon Claude Elwood Shannon (April 30, 1916 – February 24, 2001) was an American mathematician, electrical engineer, computer scientist, cryptographer and inventor known as the "father of information theory" and the man who laid the foundations of th ...
, mathematician, electrical engineer, and "father of information theory" *
Conor Sheary Conor Michael Sheary ( ; born June 8, 1992) is an Americans, American professional ice hockey Winger (ice hockey), winger who is currently playing for the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Tampa Bay ...
, professional ice hockey player *
Harry Sinden Harry James Sinden (born September 14, 1932) is a Canadian former ice hockey player, coach, and executive. He served as a coach, general manager, and team president for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL), and was the coach of ...
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Whitney Smith Whitney Smith Jr. (February 26, 1940 – November 17, 2016) was an American vexillologist. He coined the term ''vexillology'', which refers to the scholarly analysis of all aspects of flags. He was a founder of several vexillology organizat ...
, founder of the
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and designer of the
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*
Pitirim Sorokin Pitirim Alexandrovich Sorokin (; ; – 10 February 1968) was a Russian American sociologist and political activist, who contributed to the social cycle theory. Sorokin was a professor at Saint Petersburg Imperial University, three times impris ...
, Russian-American sociologist and an academic and political activist in Russia * Dan Spang, professional ice hockey defenseman *
Richard Stoltzman Richard Leslie Stoltzman (born July 12, 1942) is an American clarinetist. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, he spent his early years in San Francisco, California, and Cincinnati, Ohio, graduating from Woodward High School in 1960. Today, Stoltzman is pa ...
, clarinetist *
Max Tegmark Max Erik Tegmark (born 5 May 1967) is a Swedish-American physicist, machine learning researcher and author. He is best known for his book ''Life 3.0'' about what the world might look like as artificial intelligence continues to improve. Tegmark i ...
, cosmologist *
Maribel Vinson Maribel Yerxa Vinson Owen (née Vinson; October 12, 1911 – February 15, 1961) was an American figure skater and coach. She competed in the disciplines of ladies' singles and pair skating. As a singles skater, she was the 1932 Olympic bronz ...
, 9-time national champion figure skater *
Brad Whitford Bradley Ernest Whitford (born February 23, 1952)Putterford, Mark (1991) ''The Fall and Rise of Aerosmith'', Omnibus Press, Strong, Martin C. (2001) ''The Great Metal Discography'' (2nd edn.), MOJO Books, , p. 11-13 is an American musician who ...
, guitarist with
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*
Brian Wilson Brian Douglas Wilson (June 20, 1942 – June 11, 2025) was an American musician, songwriter, singer and record producer who co-founded the Beach Boys. Often Brian Wilson is a genius, called a genius for his novel approaches to pop compositio ...
, baseball relief pitcher


Footnotes

# ''History of Winchester, Massachusetts'' by H.S. Chapman and Bruce W. Stone (1936, 1975) # ''Ladies Home Journal'', Aug. 1975


References


External links

* *
Town of Winchester official website

Winchester Public Schools

Winchester Historical Society

Winchester community site

WinCAM
Winchester Community Access & Media
Rotary Club of Winchester

''1871 Atlas of Massachusetts''.
by Wall & Gray
Map of Massachusetts.Map of Middlesex County.
* ''History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts''
Volume 1 (A-H)Volume 2 (L-W)
compiled by Samuel Adams Drake, published 1879–1880. 572 and 505 pages
Winchester article
by Edwin A. Wadliegh in volume 2, pages 506–525. {{authority control Towns in Middlesex County, Massachusetts Towns in Massachusetts