FACTOID # 110: Around 80% of all livejournal users are from the United States of America.
 
 Home   Encyclopedia   Statistics   Countries A-Z   Flags   Maps   Education   Forum   FAQ   About 
 
WHAT'S NEW
RECENT ARTICLES
More Recent Articles »
 

SEARCH ALL

FACTS & STATISTICS    Advanced view

Search encyclopedia, statistics and forums:

 

 

(* = Graphable)

 

 


Encyclopedia > Ashland, Massachusetts
Ashland, Massachusetts
Nickname: A-Town
Location in Massachusetts
Coordinates: 42°15′40″N 71°27′50″W / 42.26111, -71.46389
Country United States
State Massachusetts
County Middlesex County
Settled 1750
Incorporated 1846
Government
 - Type Open town meeting
Area
 - Town  12.9 sq mi (33.5 km²)
 - Land  12.4 sq mi (32.2 km²)
 - Water  0.5 sq mi (1.2 km²)
Elevation  188 ft (57 m)
Population
 - Town 14,674
 - Density 1,179.3/sq mi (455.3/km²)
Time zone Eastern (UTC-5)
 - Summer (DST) Eastern (UTC-4)
ZIP code 01721
Area code(s) 508 / 774
Website: http://www.AshlandMass.Com

Ashland, Massachusetts is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the MetroWest region. The population was 14,674 at the 2000 census. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... // A nickname is a name of a person or thing other than its proper name. ... Image File history File links Ashland_ma_highlight. ... Official language(s) English Capital Boston Largest city Boston Area  Ranked 44th  - Total 10,555 sq mi (27,360 km²)  - Width 183 miles (295 km)  - Length 113 miles (182 km)  - % water 13. ... Middlesex County is a county located in the commonwealth of Massachusetts. ... An Open Town Meeting is a form of municipal legislature, typical in the New England region of the United States. ... Area is a physical quantity expressing the size of a part of a surface. ... The system of local government in use in New England is very different from that found throughout the rest of the United States. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Square kilometre (US spelling: Square kilometer), symbol km², is an SI unit of surface area. ... Basic Definition In geography, the elevation of a geographic location is its height above mean sea level (or some other fixed point). ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... The metre or meter is a measure of length. ... The system of local government in use in New England is very different from that found throughout the rest of the United States. ... Population density by country, 2006 Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. ... A time zone is a region of the Earth that has adopted the same standard time, usually referred to as the local time. ... The Eastern Standard Time Zone is a geographic region that keeps time by subtracting five hours from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). ... -12 | -11 | -10 | -9:30 | -9 | -8 | -7 | -6 | -5 | -4 | -3:30 | -3 | -2:30 | -2 | -1 | -0:25 | UTC (0) | +0:20 | +0:30 | +1 | +2 | +3 | +3:30 | +4 | +4:30 | +4:51 | +5 | +5:30 | +5:40 | +5:45 | +6 | +6:30 | +7 | +7:20 | +7... Though DST is common in Europe and North America, most of the worlds people do not use it. ... The Eastern Standard Time Zone is a geographic region that keeps time by subtracting five hours from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). ... −12 | −11 | −10 | −9:30 | −9 | −8 | −7 | −6 | −5 | −4 | −3:30 | −3 | −2:30 | −2 | −1 | −0:25 | UTC (0) | +0:20 | +0:30 | +1 | +2 | +3 | +3:30 | +4 | +4:30 | +4:51 | +5 | +5:30 | +5:40 | +5:45 | +6 | +6:30 | +7 | +7:20 | +7... Mr. ... Area code 508 was split from area code 617 on July 16, 1988. ... Area code 774 is an overlay of parts of area code 508. ... The system of local government in use in New England is very different from that found throughout the rest of the United States. ... Middlesex County is a county located in the commonwealth of Massachusetts. ... Official language(s) English Capital Boston Largest city Boston Area  Ranked 44th  - Total 10,555 sq mi (27,360 km²)  - Width 183 miles (295 km)  - Length 113 miles (182 km)  - % water 13. ... The MetroWest region is an area outside the city of Boston, in the state of Massachusetts. ...

Contents

History

The area now known as Ashland was settled by Europeans in the early 1700s and prior to that, the Megunko Indians to which Megunko Hill owes its name. Previously known as "Unionville", Ashland was incorporated in 1846 and is considerably younger than many towns which surround it. The establishment of the Boston to Albany railroad in the 1800s was a key factor to the early development of Ashland. Through most of the 1800s to the mid 20th century, Ashland was a rural town with scattered farms and centralized residential buildings with some industry. Ashland is where inventor Henry E. Warren invented the Warren Synchronizing Timer in 1916, which made electric clocks possible by keeping alternating current flowing from power plants at a consistent sixty cycles per second. In partnership with General Electric Warren founded Telechron, which manufactured electric clocks in Ashland into the 1980s. A Warren Synchronizing Timer is on display at the Smithsonian's Museum of American History. Also of note was the construction of the Ashland Reservoir around 1900 from the waters of Cold Spring. This is the current site of Ashland State Park. Through most of the 20th century Ashland's population remained slow in growth, until the post-war boom beginning in the 1950s. Ashland grew from a far-removed rural town 22 miles west of Boston to a primarily residential suburb by the 1980s. Many farms and open space have given way to housing, although some untouched land still remains. This includes the Ashland Town Forest and Ashland State Park. Two major routes, 135 and 126 pass through Ashland. Route 135 is dominated by older residential development of varying density and is also part of the route for the Boston Marathon, which originally started in Ashland until being moved to Hopkinton. Route 126 has seen much more growth since the 1980s, as farms have given way to shopping centers and condos. Part of the draw of Ashland, and one that has been publicized in recent years, is its "ideal" location about halfway between Boston and Worcester. Ashland is considered part of MetroWest, which also consists of Framingham, Holliston and Hopkinton.


Since the town is famous as the birthplace of the electric clock, the Ashland High School sports teams have been coined "The Clockers".


Even though the current Ashland has grown from its beginnings as a rural area, it still retains the look and feel of a typical residential New England town in the Boston area. Traditions like the Ashland Day fair and small-town favorites like the ice cream shop Tasty Treat and breakfast joint Sunnyside help maintain the feeling of a close-knit community. Ashland's traditional rival is Hopkinton for the Thanksgiving High School football game. Ashland High School graduates approximately 160 students each year, though that number is increasing with each passing year. Ashland High School homepage The new high school was opened last year and is located on 65 East Union Street . ...


Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 33.5 km² (12.9 mi²). 32.2 km² (12.4 mi²) of it is land and 1.2 km² (0.5 mi²) of it (3.72%) is water. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title ) is a part of the United States Department of Commerce. ... A square metre (US spelling: square meter) is by definition the area enclosed by a square with sides each 1 metre long. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ...


Adjacent towns

Ashland is located in Eastern Massachusetts, bordered by:

Framingham is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA and the only such named town in the United States. ... Sherborn is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. ... Holliston is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States in the Greater Boston area. ... Location in Massachusetts Coordinates: Country United States State Massachusetts County Middlesex County Settled 1715 Incorporated 1715 Government  - Type Open town meeting  - Town    Manager Anthony Troiano  - Board of    Selectmen Muriel E. Kramer, Chair Mary C. Pratt, Vice Chair Leonard A. Holden Ronald M. Clark Michael Shepard Area  - Town  28. ... Southborough is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. ...

Climate

Ashland's climate is variable. Winters are typically cold with frequent Nor'Easters and occasional Blizzards. Snowfall ranges widely from season to season, although the average is about 60 inches. In the past, there has been as little as 14 inches of snow in the 1988-89 winter season to 148 inches in the 1995-96 season. This amount decreases dramatically eastward towards Boston because of the influence of the Atlantic Ocean. Spring temperatures can be mitigated by penetrating cold fronts originating from the Canadian Maritimes, known as "Backdoor Cold Fronts". Typically, temperatures consistently above 70 degrees for highs do not set in until late May. The last frost is usually in mid May. Summers are generally comfortable, with periods of high humidity. Prolonged heat waves of 3 days or more of highs of 90 or above are not very common, but can occur. The first frost is usually around October 1st, and peak season for foliage averages around October 12th. Ashland can expect a "White" Christmas a little over 50 percent of the time.


Demographics

As of the census2 of 2000, there were 14,674 people, 5,720 households, and 4,021 families residing in the town. The population density was 455.4/km² (1,179.3/mi²). There were 5,794 housing units at an average density of 179.8/km² (465.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 91.88% White, 1.79% African American, 0.10% Native American, 2.47% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.67% from other races, and 2.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.92% of the population. 1870 US Census for New York City A census is the process of obtaining information about every member of a population (not necessarily a human population). ... The following is a list of sources used in the creation of encyclopedia articles on various geographic topics and locations, such as cities, counties, states, and countries. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... It has been suggested that Ethnicity (United States Census) be merged into this article or section. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ...


There were 5,720 households out of which 35.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.2% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.7% were non-families. 22.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.04. This article or section needs copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone and/or spelling. ...


In the town the population was spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 35.5% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.4 males.


The median income for a household in the town was $68,392, and the median income for a family was $77,611. Males had a median income of $51,869 versus $38,226 for females. The per capita income for the town was $31,641. About 0.9% of families and 2.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.2% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over. The per capita income for a group of people may be defined as their total personal income, divided by the total population. ... Map of countries showing percentage of population who have an income below the national poverty line The poverty line is the level of income below which one cannot afford to purchase all the resources one requires to live. ...


Government

The town is governed with frequent town meetings, and by a town council, which is an old, New England type tradition.


Education

Ashland has a public school system. Recently, the town built a new high school in 2005, and reestablished some of the grades' positions. These changes include the 6th grade being moved to join the 7th and 8th grades in the former high school to form what is now Ashland Middle School and moving the 3rd grade from the Warren elementary school into the Mindess elementary school to join the 4th and 5th grades. Ashland High School homepage The new high school was opened last year and is located on 65 East Union Street . ...


Utilities

Media

Points of interest

John Stone's Inn is located in the center of Ashland. John Stone's is on the list of highly haunted places in America. It has been in many documentaries and has tours daily. Also, in a business building in downtown Ashland is the first ever electric clock. Also, there is an old chemical plant, Nyanza, which was poisoning a pond near the old High School. Supposedly, because of this, Ashland has the highest cancer rate in New England.[citation needed]


There is also a famous Hindu Lakshmi Temple in Ashland.


Annual events

Ashland Day


Notable residents

  • Henry E. Warren First electric clock
  • Owner of Firefly's

See also

Greater Boston is the area of the U.S. state of Massachusetts closely surrounding the city of Boston. ... The MetroWest region is an area outside the city of Boston, in the state of Massachusetts. ... An Open Town Meeting is a form of municipal legislature, typical in the New England region of the United States. ...

References

See also

Ashland High School homepage The new high school was opened last year and is located on 65 East Union Street . ... Greater Boston is the area of the U.S. state of Massachusetts closely surrounding the city of Boston. ... The MetroWest region is an area outside the city of Boston, in the state of Massachusetts. ... An Open Town Meeting is a form of municipal legislature, typical in the New England region of the United States. ...

External links


  Results from FactBites:
 
Ashland, Massachusetts - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (628 words)
Ashland, Massachusetts is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States.
Previously known as Unionville, Ashland was first settled in 1750 and was incorporated in 1846.
The Hopkinton Hillers, the name for the Hopkinton High School sports teams, and the Ashland Clockers are heated rivals, and Ashland has a tradition to bring their greatest pep band and cheerleaders to games with Hopkinton.
Ashland Massachusetts, 1890 (655 words)
The post-office is Ashland (centre), which is also the railroad station and the principal village.
The papers are the "Ashland Advertiser" and the "Ashland Advocate," both weekly.
Among the eminent citizens of Ashland should be mentioned Benjamin Horner, William F. Ellis, Charles Alden, Adrian Foote, S. Wiggin, Charles H. Tilton and Albert Leland.
  More results at FactBites »


 

COMMENTARY     


Share your thoughts, questions and commentary here
Your name
Your comments
Please enter the 5-letter protection code

Want to know more?
Search encyclopedia, statistics and forums:

 


Lesson Plans | Student Area | Student FAQ | Reviews | Press Releases |  Feeds | Contact
The Wikipedia article included on this page is licensed under the GFDL.
Images may be subject to relevant owners' copyright.
All other elements are (c) copyright NationMaster.com 2003-5. All Rights Reserved.
Usage implies agreement with terms.