Hardwick, Massachusetts
Town
The Ware-Gilbertville Covered Bridge in Gilbertville
The Ware-Gilbertville Covered Bridge in Gilbertville
Official seal of Hardwick, Massachusetts
Seal
Location in Worcester County and the state of Massachusetts.
Location in Worcester County and the state of Massachusetts.
Coordinates: 42°21′00″N 72°12′00″W / 42.35000°N 72.20000°W / 42.35000; -72.20000
CountryUnited States
StateMassachusetts
CountyWorcester
Settled1737
Incorporated1739
Government
 • TypeOpen town meeting
Area
 • Total40.8 sq mi (105.8 km2)
 • Land38.6 sq mi (99.9 km2)
 • Water2.3 sq mi (5.8 km2)
Elevation
880 ft (268 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total2,667
 • Density65/sq mi (25/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (Eastern)
ZIP code
01031
Area code413
FIPS code25-28740
GNIS feature ID0619481
Websitewww.townofhardwick.com

Hardwick is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States, about 20 miles (32 km) west of the city of Worcester. It had a population of 2,667 at the 2020 census.[1] It includes the villages of Hardwick, Gilbertville, Wheelwright and Old Furnace.

History

Hardwick was first settled in 1737 and was officially incorporated in 1739, named in honor of Philip Yorke, Lord Hardwicke,[2] an English nobleman. In 1762, General Timothy Ruggles, one of the leading Tories of New England, introduced the Hardwick Fair, now the oldest annual fair in the United States. During the late 1800s, Hardwick experienced an expansion of its manufacturing industry, textile and paper mills, both of which left the area by the 1930s. The town has retained its agricultural roots, a long-standing tradition in the region. Hardwick is the home of Eagle Hill School, founded in 1967.

Geography and transportation

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 40.8 square miles (106 km2), of which 38.6 square miles (100 km2) is land and 2.2 square miles (5.7 km2), or 5.51%, is water. Hardwick was one of the towns which gained lands (though lost some land area) by the building of the Quabbin Reservoir. The reservoir's waters extend into the town along the former East Branch of the Swift River, which once ran through the northwest corner of town. Thanks to the disincorporation of the towns which the Quabbin Reservoir and its reservation lands now lie on, Hardwick gained a small portion of the former town of Greenwich along the northwest corner of town, though it is the smallest portion of land gained by any of the towns surrounding the reservoir. The town lies along the edge of the former Swift River Valley, with Muddy Brook and the former East Branch of the Swift River draining the western part of town, and the Ware River draining the eastern portion. The lands along the Ware, especially in the far eastern part of town, are marshy. The town has some open areas, and a portion of the lands not already protected as part of the Quabbin Reservation are part of the Muddy Brook Wildlife Management Area.

Hardwick lies along the western edge of Worcester County, bordered by Hampshire County to the southwest. It is bordered by Petersham to the northwest, Barre to the northeast, New Braintree to the southeast and Ware to the southwest. From its town center, Hardwick lies 24 miles (39 km) west-northwest of Worcester, 31 miles (50 km) northeast of Springfield, and 64 miles (103 km) west of Boston.

Hardwick has no interstates or limited access highways within town, lying approximately halfway between Interstate 90, also known as the Massachusetts Turnpike, to the south and Route 2 to the north. The southern neighborhood of Gilbertville is the location of the intersection of Route 32 and the southern terminus of Route 32A, with Route 32 coming from Ware heading northeast towards Barre, and Route 32A heading due north through the town's center towards the center of Petersham, where its northern end lies. The Massachusetts Central Railroad line passes through the town from Palmer towards Barre, roughly following the path of Route 32. It does not carry passenger rail, however, not having done so since the early twentieth century. The nearest private airport is the Tanner-Hiller Airport in New Braintree, and the nearest national air service can be reached at Bradley International Airport in Connecticut.

Demographics

As of the census[14] of 2000, there were 2,622 people, 997 households, and 689 families residing in the town. The population density was 67.9 inhabitants per square mile (26.2/km2). There were 1,086 housing units at an average density of 28.1 per square mile (10.8/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.79% White, 0.53% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 0.19% from other races, and 1.22% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.88% of the population.

There were 997 households, out of which 34.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.4% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.8% were non-families. 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 28.0% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 94.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $45,742, and the median income for a family was $54,667. Males had a median income of $37,763 versus $30,057 for females. The per capita income for the town was $20,824. About 5.5% of families and 7.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.7% of those under age 18 and 10.9% of those age 65 or over.

Government

County-level state agency heads
Clerk of Courts: Dennis P. McManus (D)
District Attorney: Joe Early Jr. (D)
Register of Deeds: Katie Toomey (D)
Register of Probate: Stephanie Fattman (R)
County Sheriff: Lew Evangelidis (R)
State government
State Representative(s): Donnie Berthiaume (R)
State Senator(s): Peter Durant (R)
Governor's Councilor(s): Jen Caissie (R)
Federal government
U.S. Representative(s): James P. McGovern (D-2nd District),
U.S. Senators: Elizabeth Warren (D), Ed Markey (D)

Education

Hardwick is part of the Quabbin Regional School District, along with Barre, Hubbardston, New Braintree, and Oakham. Elementary School Students attend Hardwick Elementary School from grades K–6, middle school students attend Quabbin Regional Middle School from grades 7–8, and high school students attend Quabbin Regional High School from grades 9–12. Hardwick is also part if the Pathfinder Regional Vocational-Technical High School District, comprising Belchertown, Granby, Hardwick, Oakham, Monson, New Braintree, Palmer, Ware, and Warren.

Library

The public library in Hardwick was established in 1892.[15][16] In fiscal year 2008, the town of Hardwick spent 1.58% ($64,023) of its budget on its public library—approximately $24 per person.[17] In fiscal year 2017, the town budget provided the library with 1.16 percent of the total budget, or $26.18 per year for each resident.[18]

A library in the Village of Gilbertville was constructed in 1911 to replace a library housed over one of the nearby Gilbert Company mills. The Gilbertville Library was dedicated on March 29, 1913, by Association President, Charles A. Ware, who acknowledged the library being given by E.H. Gilbert.

The building today retains most of its original design. The only significant change occurred when a barrier-free entrance was added. This new entryway, completed in 2002, was designed to complement the charm and beauty of the original plan. The library is funded through donations, fundraising by the Association and town funds.

Notable people

References

  1. ↑ "Census - Geography Profile: Hardwick town, Worcester County, Massachusetts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  2. ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 149.
  3. ↑ "Total Population (P1), 2010 Census Summary File 1". American FactFinder, All County Subdivisions within Massachusetts. United States Census Bureau. 2010.
  4. ↑ "Massachusetts by Place and County Subdivision - GCT-T1. Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  5. ↑ "1990 Census of Population, General Population Characteristics: Massachusetts" (PDF). US Census Bureau. December 1990. Table 76: General Characteristics of Persons, Households, and Families: 1990. 1990 CP-1-23. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  6. ↑ "1980 Census of the Population, Number of Inhabitants: Massachusetts" (PDF). US Census Bureau. December 1981. Table 4. Populations of County Subdivisions: 1960 to 1980. PC80-1-A23. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  7. ↑ "1950 Census of Population" (PDF). Bureau of the Census. 1952. Section 6, Pages 21-10 and 21-11, Massachusetts Table 6. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1930 to 1950. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  8. ↑ "1920 Census of Population" (PDF). Bureau of the Census. Number of Inhabitants, by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions. Pages 21-5 through 21-7. Massachusetts Table 2. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1920, 1910, and 1920. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  9. ↑ "1890 Census of the Population" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. Pages 179 through 182. Massachusetts Table 5. Population of States and Territories by Minor Civil Divisions: 1880 and 1890. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  10. ↑ "1870 Census of the Population" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1872. Pages 217 through 220. Table IX. Population of Minor Civil Divisions, &c. Massachusetts. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  11. ↑ "1860 Census" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1864. Pages 220 through 226. State of Massachusetts Table No. 3. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  12. ↑ "1850 Census" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1854. Pages 338 through 393. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  13. ↑ "City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2022". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  14. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  15. ↑ Report of the Free Public Library Commission of Massachusetts. v.9 (1899)
  16. ↑ Paige Memorial Library Archived 2010-06-20 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2010-11-10
  17. ↑ July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008; cf. The FY2008 Municipal Pie: What's Your Share? Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Board of Library Commissioners. Boston: 2009. Available: Municipal Pie Reports Archived 2012-01-23 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2010-08-04
  18. ↑ Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (December 2018). "The FY2017 Municipal Pie What's Your Share?". State Library of Massachusetts. Boston. p. 2. OCLC 725879606. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 7, 2019. Retrieved June 19, 2022.
  19. ↑ "ROBINSON, Jonathan, (1756 - 1819)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
  20. ↑ "Vermont Governor Moses Robinson", National Governors Association
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