Carlisle, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Carlisle is an affluent, rural town northwest of Boston located in Middlesex County
, Massachusetts
, United States
. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of the town is 4,852.
, Billerica
, Chelmsford
and Concord
. Carlisle became a district of Concord in 1780 and was officially incorporated as a town in 1805.
and many residential buildings. Kimball Farms, an ice-cream store fairly well known in the state of Massachusetts, has one of its four locations in Carlisle. On the west end of town there is a small bookstore and an auto body shop, plus Blue Jay Recording Studios, where many artists, most notably Aerosmith, rehearse and record.
The town newspaper, the Carlisle Mosquito, has appeared as the weekly independent newspaper of the town since 1972. The paper includes local news, announcements, and logs.
, Acton
, Westford
, Chelmsford
, Billerica
, and Bedford
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 15.5 square miles (40.1 km²), of which 15.4 square miles (39.9 km²) is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) (1.09%) is water.
Conservation land makes up about a quarter of the town's area. Besides town-owned land overseen by the town's conservation committee, Carlisle is home to Great Brook Farm State Park and a portion of the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
neighboring the Concord River
.
Voluntary water testing in May 2006 confirmed the presence of Coliform bacteria
in four private wells within the town of Carlisle. The town's Board of Health indicated that one of the wells was located at Ferns Country Store. As a result of these tests, the Town of Carlisle adopted supplementary regulations for sewage disposal in April 2008. The town said that the action was necessary because Carlisle has no town water backup. When wells are lost to pollution, there is no town water which can be brought in because the town government has no wells of its own.
The water at the Carlisle Public School was a source of concern in January 2001, when it was determined that floor drains within the school did not comply with Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection regulations. The school drains made it possible to discharge photographic, art, and science waste materials directly into the septic system, putting groundwater at a high level of risk. This resulted in a new water treatment facility being built on school property in 2007. The town was also notified of a violation by the Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) in January 2009 because of its failure to sample the water at Carlisle Public School in a timely manner.
of 2000, there were 4,717 people, 1,618 households, and 1,372 families residing in the town. The population density
was 307.1 people per square mile (118.6/km²). There were 1,655 housing units at an average density of 107.7 per square mile (41.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 93.47% White, 0.17% African American, 0.06% Native American, 4.83% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.13% from other races
, and 1.29% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.19% of the population.
There were 1,618 households out of which 46.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 78.6% were married couples
living together, 4.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 15.2% were non-families. 11.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.92 and the average family size was 3.18.
In the town, the population was spread out with 30.6% under the age of 18, 3.4% from 18 to 24, 23.3% from 25 to 44, 34.3% from 45 to 64, and 8.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $129,811, and the median income for a family was $166,641. The per capita income
for the town was $62,553. About 1.5% of families and 2.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.6% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over. The town is ranked as having the third highest income per capita in Massachusetts, behind Weston
and Dover
.
Carlisle maintains a 2 acres (8,093.7 m²) zoning law on new development.
Middlesex County, Massachusetts
-National protected areas:* Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge* Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge* Longfellow National Historic Site* Lowell National Historical Park* Minute Man National Historical Park* Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of the town is 4,852.
History
English colonialists first settled the area comprising the town of Carlisle in 1651 on parcels of land of the neighboring towns of ActonActon, Massachusetts
Acton is a suburban town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States about twenty-one miles west-northwest of Boston along Route 2 west of Concord and about ten miles southwest of Lowell. The population was 21,924 at the 2010 census...
, Billerica
Billerica, Massachusetts
Billerica is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,243 at the 2010 census. It is the only town named Billerica in the United States and borrows its name from the town of Billericay in Essex, England.- History :...
, Chelmsford
Chelmsford, Massachusetts
Chelmsford is a suburban town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts in the Greater Boston area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town's population was 33,802. The Census Bureau's 2008 population estimate for the town was 34,409, ranking it 14th in population among the 54 municipalities in...
and Concord
Concord, Massachusetts
Concord is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 17,668. Although a small town, Concord is noted for its leading roles in American history and literature.-History:...
. Carlisle became a district of Concord in 1780 and was officially incorporated as a town in 1805.
Activities
Carlisle contains a library, a country store, a dentist's office, an automated teller machineAutomated teller machine
An automated teller machine or automatic teller machine, also known as a Cashpoint , cash machine or sometimes a hole in the wall in British English, is a computerised telecommunications device that provides the clients of a financial institution with access to financial transactions in a public...
and many residential buildings. Kimball Farms, an ice-cream store fairly well known in the state of Massachusetts, has one of its four locations in Carlisle. On the west end of town there is a small bookstore and an auto body shop, plus Blue Jay Recording Studios, where many artists, most notably Aerosmith, rehearse and record.
The town newspaper, the Carlisle Mosquito, has appeared as the weekly independent newspaper of the town since 1972. The paper includes local news, announcements, and logs.
Geography
Carlisle is located about 8 miles (12.9 km) south-southwest of Lowell, and 19 miles (30.6 km) northwest of Boston. It borders the following towns: ConcordConcord, Massachusetts
Concord is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 17,668. Although a small town, Concord is noted for its leading roles in American history and literature.-History:...
, Acton
Acton, Massachusetts
Acton is a suburban town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States about twenty-one miles west-northwest of Boston along Route 2 west of Concord and about ten miles southwest of Lowell. The population was 21,924 at the 2010 census...
, Westford
Westford, Massachusetts
Westford is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 21,951 at the 2010 census.-History:Originally a part of neighboring Chelmsford, West Chelmsford soon grew large enough to sustain its own governance, and was officially incorporated as Westford on September 23,...
, Chelmsford
Chelmsford, Massachusetts
Chelmsford is a suburban town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts in the Greater Boston area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town's population was 33,802. The Census Bureau's 2008 population estimate for the town was 34,409, ranking it 14th in population among the 54 municipalities in...
, Billerica
Billerica, Massachusetts
Billerica is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,243 at the 2010 census. It is the only town named Billerica in the United States and borrows its name from the town of Billericay in Essex, England.- History :...
, and Bedford
Bedford, Massachusetts
Bedford is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is within the Greater Boston area, north-west of the city of Boston. The population of Bedford was 13,320 at the 2010 census.- History :...
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 15.5 square miles (40.1 km²), of which 15.4 square miles (39.9 km²) is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) (1.09%) is water.
Conservation land makes up about a quarter of the town's area. Besides town-owned land overseen by the town's conservation committee, Carlisle is home to Great Brook Farm State Park and a portion of the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
The Great Meadows Wildlife Refuge, is a twelve-mile long river wetlands conservation area, in two major parcels, stretching from the towns of Billerica, Massachusetts to Wayland, Massachusetts , along the Concord and Sudbury rivers...
neighboring the Concord River
Concord River
The Concord River is a tributary of the Merrimack River in eastern Massachusetts in the United States. The river drains a small rural and suburban region northwest of Boston. One of the most famous small rivers in U.S...
.
Environmental issues
Drinking water quality continues to be a major source of concern for residents of Carlisle. The town is geographically situated in an area of extensive wetland, high water table, and extensive ledge, so repairs complying with Carlisle's new regulations are often complex when older septic systems fail.Voluntary water testing in May 2006 confirmed the presence of Coliform bacteria
Coliform bacteria
Coliform bacteria are a commonly used bacterial indicator of sanitary quality of foods and water. They are defined as rod-shaped Gram-negative non-spore forming bacteria which can ferment lactose with the production of acid and gas when incubated at 35-37°C...
in four private wells within the town of Carlisle. The town's Board of Health indicated that one of the wells was located at Ferns Country Store. As a result of these tests, the Town of Carlisle adopted supplementary regulations for sewage disposal in April 2008. The town said that the action was necessary because Carlisle has no town water backup. When wells are lost to pollution, there is no town water which can be brought in because the town government has no wells of its own.
The water at the Carlisle Public School was a source of concern in January 2001, when it was determined that floor drains within the school did not comply with Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection regulations. The school drains made it possible to discharge photographic, art, and science waste materials directly into the septic system, putting groundwater at a high level of risk. This resulted in a new water treatment facility being built on school property in 2007. The town was also notified of a violation by the Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) in January 2009 because of its failure to sample the water at Carlisle Public School in a timely manner.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 4,717 people, 1,618 households, and 1,372 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 307.1 people per square mile (118.6/km²). There were 1,655 housing units at an average density of 107.7 per square mile (41.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 93.47% White, 0.17% African American, 0.06% Native American, 4.83% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.13% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.29% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.19% of the population.
There were 1,618 households out of which 46.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 78.6% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 4.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 15.2% were non-families. 11.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.92 and the average family size was 3.18.
In the town, the population was spread out with 30.6% under the age of 18, 3.4% from 18 to 24, 23.3% from 25 to 44, 34.3% from 45 to 64, and 8.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $129,811, and the median income for a family was $166,641. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $62,553. About 1.5% of families and 2.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.6% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over. The town is ranked as having the third highest income per capita in Massachusetts, behind Weston
Weston, Massachusetts
Weston is a suburb of Boston located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States in the Boston metro area. The population of Weston, according to the 2010 U.S. Census, is 11,261....
and Dover
Dover, Massachusetts
Dover is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,589 at the 2010 census.Located about southwest of downtown Boston, Dover is a residential town nestled on the south banks of the Charles River. Almost all of the residential zoning requires or larger...
.
Carlisle maintains a 2 acres (8,093.7 m²) zoning law on new development.
External links
- carlislema.gov, the official Town of Carlisle website
- carlisle.org, a volunteer-run Carlisle community website
- The Carlisle Mosquito, the town newspaper
- Carlisle Conservation Foundation
- History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, compiled by Samuel Adams Drake, published 1879. Volume 1, page 359 Carlisle by B.F.Heald.