Chelmsford, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
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 Middlesex county. It is located 24 miles (38.6 km) northwest of Boston and, bordering on the city of Lowell
, is part of the Greater Lowell
metropolitan area
. Besides Lowell on its northeast, Chelmsford is surrounded by five towns: Tyngsborough
to the north, Tewksbury
to the east, Billerica
to the southeast, Carlisle
to the south, and Westford
to the west. Chelmsford is bordered by two sizable rivers: the Merrimack River
to the north, and the Concord River
to the east.
Named after Chelmsford, England, the town was incorporated in May 1655 by an act of the Massachusetts General Court
. When Chelmsford was incorporated, its local economy was fueled by lumber mills, limestone
quarries
and kiln
s. The Chelmsford militia played a role in the American Revolution
at the Battle of Lexington and Concord and the Battle of Bunker Hill
. The farming community of East Chelmsford was incorporated as Lowell in the 1820s; over the next decades it would go on to become one of the first large-scale factory town
s in the United States because of its early role in the country's Industrial Revolution
. Chelmsford experienced a drastic increase in population between 1950 and 1970, coinciding with the connection of US Route 3 in Lowell to Massachusetts Route 128 in the 1950s and the extension of US Route 3 from Chelmsford to New Hampshire in the 1960s.
Chelmsford has a representative town meeting
form of government. The current town manager is Paul Cohen. The town has one public high school – Chelmsford High School
– as well as two middle schools, and four elementary schools. The charter middle school started in Chelmsford became a regional charter school (Innovation Academy
Charter School) covering grades 5 through 12, now located in Tyngsborough. In 2007, Chelmsford was declared the 21st best place to live in the United States by Money
magazine.
and Concord
founded Chelmsford. An act of the Massachusetts General Court in the last week of May 1655 town incorporated Chelmsford, and it was named after Chelmsford, England. The nearby communities of Groton
and Billerica
were incorporated at the same time. Chelmsford originally contained the neighboring town of Westford
, and parts of Carlisle
, Tyngsborough
, and a large part of Lowell
(formerly known as East Chelmsford). Both the Middlesex Canal
and Middlesex Turnpike
, major transportation routes, were built through Chelmsford in the first part of the 19th century.
The Chelmsford militia played a role in the American Revolution
at the Battle of Lexington and Concord and the Battle of Bunker Hill
in 1775, the latter where Colonel Moses Parker (namesake of the Parker School) and Captain Benjamin Walker of this town were killed.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
opened a school in Chelmsford in 1825, closing it after a few months to take over his brother's school in Roxbury
.
Chelmsford, Massachusetts was the birthplace of the Chelmsford Spring Co. in 1901, which later became the Chelmsford Ginger Ale Company, acquired by Canada Dry in 1928. The ginger ale plant, rebuilt in 1912 after a disastrous fire consumed the original plant, stood on Route 110 until its demolition in 1994. The Chelmsford brand of golden ginger ale continued to be manufactured by Canada Dry
for decades. It is currently manufactured by Polar Beverages for DeMoulas' Market Basket
Supermarkets, based out of neighboring Tewksbury
.
, the town has a total area of 23.2 square miles (60.1 km²), of which, 22.6 square miles (58.5 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it (2.29%) is water. Chelmsford is bordered by two sizable rivers: the Merrimack River
to the north, and the Concord River
to the east.
Chelmsford consists of several neighborhoods. In addition to the town center, smaller areas include South Chelmsford, West Chelmsford, East Chelmsford, North Chelmsford
and The Westlands. North Chelmsford, an industrial village, is distinct from the rest of the town to the extent that it has many of its own town services. The northern parts of Chelmsford tend to be more urban and densely populated, while the south is generally more rural.
Like much of the rest of Massachusetts, Chelmsford has a humid continental climate
according to the Köppen climate classification
. Summers are typically warm and humid, while winters tend to be cold, windy, and snowy. The level of precipitation is roughly consistent throughout the year.
was 1,495.0 people per square mile (577.2/km²). There were 13,025 housing units at an average density of 575.1 per square mile (222.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 93.09% White, 0.79% African American, 0.07% Native American, 4.62% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.52% from other races
, and 0.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.23% of the population.
There were 12,812 households out of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.0% were married couples
living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.4% were non-families. 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 30.9% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $70,207, and the median income for a family was $82,676 (these figures had risen to $87,252 and $105,105 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $56,493 versus $38,927 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $30,465. About 2.0% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.2% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.
located near McCarthy Middle School. The 25000 ft2, $7.19-million dollar structure began operation in 2003.
model with a Board of Selectmen overseeing the operation of the town. As of April 2010, the members of the Board of Selectmen are: Chairman George Dixon, Vice Chairman Matt Hanson, Clerk James Lane, Jon Kurland and Pat Wotjas. Reporting to the Board of Selectmen are the town manager, counsel, and accountant. The town manager oversees the public employees and serves as Chief Executive Officer. Until recently, this position was held by Bernard F. Lynch, who has left to become the city manager of Lowell. The current town manager is Paul Cohen. Other elected boards include the Planning Board, School Committee, Library Trustees, Cemetery Commission, Board of Health, Sewer Commission and the Zoning Board of Appeals.
Chelmsford has been represented in the Massachusetts Senate
by state senator Susan Fargo since 1997. The town sends four delegates to the Massachusetts House of Representatives
, each of whom represent one or more of Chelmsford's nine precincts. Corey Atkins is the state representative for precincts one and nine; Thomas Golden, precincts two, six and eight; James Arciero, precincts three, five and seven; and David Nangle, precinct four.
, with 536 students; Center Elementary School, with 521 students; and South Row, with 473 students. Westlands Elementary School, which had been serving Kindergarten through fourth grade, with 366 students as of the 2007–08 school year, was closed in 2008 due to budget cuts, and North School burned down in 1981. Chelmsford has two middle schools, serving grades five through eight: Colonel Moses Parker Middle School, with 757 students; and McCarthy Middle School, with 947 students. The town contains one high school, Chelmsford High School
, serving grades nine through twelve to 1,641 students as of 2008–09. The town also had one public charter school, Innovation Academy, serving 400 students in grades five through ten. As of September 2008, Innovation Academy moved to the town of Tyngsborough
, currently serving grades five through eleven.
All expenditures considered, the Chelmsford public schools district spent $10,070 per pupil as of 2008, which was lower than the state average of $12,449. This was an increase of almost $400 dollars from Chelmsford per-pupil spending in 2007. As of 2008 per-pupil allocation, $3,937 went to classroom and specialist teachers, $333 to administration, and $185 to instructional materials, equipment and technology.
In 2009, Chelmsford High School ranked 66th out of 150 public high schools considered by Boston Magazine
. The ranking took into account many statistics associated with quality of education and academic performance, including the school's 14.5:1 student–teacher ratio. In the 2006–2007 school year, the average SAT
scores for Chelmsford High School were 527 in the reading section, 519 in writing, and 535 in math. Chelmsford High School performed significantly better than the state average in the English, math and science portions of the 2009 Grade 10 MCAS
tests, scoring 89, 87 and 77 out of 100, respectively.
and Route 3. Also found in Chelmsford are state routes 3A, 4
, 27
, 40
, 110
, and 129
.
Chelmsford Center is a notorious junction of roadways. The heart of the town center is Central Square - the junction of routes 4, 110, the end of 129, and Westford Street. The Square is affectionately known as 'Chicken Corner' to locals. Until the 21st century, lights there were seen as non-'historic', crossing the 1 acre (0.404686 ha) of pavement with no controls save a few stop signs was akin to a game of Chicken
. Drivers would wait in long lines of cars to enter the square, where they often would invent their own lanes, waiting for a relatively safe chance to cross. In 2004, the town was forced to put in stoplights and lane markers. They were necessary to control the traffic-clogged center. In addition to the Square, Chelmsford Center is a series of merging and splitting roads, many one-way, including the beginning of route 27.
Chelmsford is also home to the former Drum Hill Rotary. This rotary was the cause of many accidents that occurred due to its small overall size and ability for vehicles to gain speed. It formed the intersection of U.S. Route 3
(exit 32), Route 4
, Drum Hill Road, and Westford Road.The rotary was demolished in 2003. It was replaced with a four intersection square with traffic lights, and is now called Drum Hill Square. This was part of a widening project for U.S. Highway 3 between Interstate 95
(Route 128
) and the New Hampshire
state line.
Freight
travels daily through Chelmsford over the tracks of the historic Stony Brook Railroad. The line currently serves as a major corridor
of Pan Am Railway's
District 3 which connects New Hampshire
and Maine
with western Massachusetts
, Vermont
, and New York
.
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation is currently constructing the Bruce N. Freeman Rail Trail
, running 6.8 miles (10.9 km) through Chelmsford, including the Central Square intersection. The Bike Path will also run through part of Westford, Massachusetts
. Groundbreaking for the Rail Trail
was held on October 9, 2007 after more than 20 years of planning and design.
North Chelmsford
will get a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
commuter rail
station if the proposed extension of the Lowell
Line to Nashua
, New Hampshire
is completed.
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...
in the Greater Boston
Greater Boston
Greater Boston is the area of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts surrounding the city of Boston. Due to ambiguity in usage, the size of the area referred to can be anywhere between that of the metropolitan statistical area of Boston and that of the city's combined statistical area which includes...
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 Middlesex county. It is located 24 miles (38.6 km) northwest of Boston and, bordering on the city of Lowell
Lowell, Massachusetts
Lowell is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 106,519. It is the fourth largest city in the state. Lowell and Cambridge are the county seats of Middlesex County...
, is part of the Greater Lowell
Greater Lowell
Greater Lowell is the name given to the city of Lowell, Massachusetts and its suburbs, mostly in Northern Middlesex County, Massachusetts and the Merrimack Valley....
metropolitan area
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
. Besides Lowell on its northeast, Chelmsford is surrounded by five towns: Tyngsborough
Tyngsborough, Massachusetts
Tyngsborough is a town located in the northwest section of Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Composed of of land and surface water, Tyngsborough borders the towns of Dunstable, Groton, Westford, Chelmsford, Dracut, and the City of Lowell, as well as the New Hampshire communities of Hudson,...
to the north, Tewksbury
Tewksbury, Massachusetts
Tewksbury is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 28,961 at the 2010 census.- History :Tewksbury was first settled in 1637 and was officially incorporated in 1734 from Billerica. Like Tewksbury Township, New Jersey, it is named after the town of Tewkesbury,...
to the east, 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 :...
to the southeast, Carlisle
Carlisle, Massachusetts
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.-History:...
to the south, and 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,...
to the west. Chelmsford is bordered by two sizable rivers: the Merrimack River
Merrimack River
The Merrimack River 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 Massachusetts, and then flows northeast until it empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Newburyport...
to the north, and 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...
to the east.
Named after Chelmsford, England, the town was incorporated in May 1655 by an act of the Massachusetts General Court
Massachusetts General Court
The Massachusetts General Court is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The name "General Court" is a hold-over from the Colonial Era, when this body also sat in judgment of judicial appeals cases...
. When Chelmsford was incorporated, its local economy was fueled by lumber mills, limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
quarries
Quarry
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. Quarries are generally used for extracting building materials, such as dimension stone, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, and gravel. They are often collocated with concrete and asphalt plants due to the requirement...
and kiln
Kiln
A kiln is a thermally insulated chamber, or oven, in which a controlled temperature regime is produced. Uses include the hardening, burning or drying of materials...
s. The Chelmsford militia played a role in the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
at the Battle of Lexington and Concord and the Battle of Bunker Hill
Battle of Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill took place on June 17, 1775, mostly on and around Breed's Hill, during the Siege of Boston early in the American Revolutionary War...
. The farming community of East Chelmsford was incorporated as Lowell in the 1820s; over the next decades it would go on to become one of the first large-scale factory town
Mill town
A mill town, also known as factory town or mill village, is typically a settlement that developed around one or more mills or factories .- United Kingdom:...
s in the United States because of its early role in the country's Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
. Chelmsford experienced a drastic increase in population between 1950 and 1970, coinciding with the connection of US Route 3 in Lowell to Massachusetts Route 128 in the 1950s and the extension of US Route 3 from Chelmsford to New Hampshire in the 1960s.
Chelmsford has a representative town meeting
Representative town meeting
A representative town meeting is a form of municipal legislature particularly common in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Vermont....
form of government. The current town manager is Paul Cohen. The town has one public high school – Chelmsford High School
Chelmsford High School
Chelmsford High School a public high school located in North Chelmsford, Massachusetts built in 1974. Before 1974 the high school was located in the current McCarthy Middle School building. It serves as the public high school for students in grades 9 through 12. It is part of a central campus that...
– as well as two middle schools, and four elementary schools. The charter middle school started in Chelmsford became a regional charter school (Innovation Academy
Innovation Academy
Innovation Academy Charter School is a small but expanding charter school in Tyngsborough, Massachusetts.Its track team has received national honors in its first year.There were over 200 children on the track team in 2010-2011....
Charter School) covering grades 5 through 12, now located in Tyngsborough. In 2007, Chelmsford was declared the 21st best place to live in the United States by Money
Money (magazine)
Money is published by Time Inc. Its first issue was published in October 1972. Its articles cover the gamut of personal finance topics ranging from investing, saving, retirement and taxes to family finance issues like paying for college, credit, career and home improvement...
magazine.
History
Settlers from the adjacent communities of WoburnWoburn, Massachusetts
Woburn is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. The population was 38,120 at the 2010 census. Woburn is located north of Boston, Massachusetts, and just south of the intersection of I-93 and I-95.- History :...
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:...
founded Chelmsford. An act of the Massachusetts General Court in the last week of May 1655 town incorporated Chelmsford, and it was named after Chelmsford, England. The nearby communities of Groton
Groton, Massachusetts
Groton is a town located in northwestern Middlesex County, Massachusetts. The population was 10,646 at the 2010 census. It is home to two noted prep schools: Groton School, founded in 1884, and Lawrence Academy at Groton, founded in 1793. The historic town hosts the National Shepley Hill Horse...
and 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 :...
were incorporated at the same time. Chelmsford originally contained the neighboring town of 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,...
, and parts of Carlisle
Carlisle, Massachusetts
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.-History:...
, Tyngsborough
Tyngsborough, Massachusetts
Tyngsborough is a town located in the northwest section of Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Composed of of land and surface water, Tyngsborough borders the towns of Dunstable, Groton, Westford, Chelmsford, Dracut, and the City of Lowell, as well as the New Hampshire communities of Hudson,...
, and a large part of Lowell
Lowell, Massachusetts
Lowell is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 106,519. It is the fourth largest city in the state. Lowell and Cambridge are the county seats of Middlesex County...
(formerly known as East Chelmsford). Both the Middlesex Canal
Middlesex Canal
The Middlesex Canal was a 27-mile barge canal connecting the Merrimack River with the port of Boston. When operational it was 30 feet wide, and 3 feet deep, with 20 locks, each 80 feet long and between 10 and 11 feet wide...
and Middlesex Turnpike
Middlesex Turnpike
Middlesex Turnpike may refer to:*Middlesex Turnpike *Middlesex Turnpike...
, major transportation routes, were built through Chelmsford in the first part of the 19th century.
The Chelmsford militia played a role in the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
at the Battle of Lexington and Concord and the Battle of Bunker Hill
Battle of Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill took place on June 17, 1775, mostly on and around Breed's Hill, during the Siege of Boston early in the American Revolutionary War...
in 1775, the latter where Colonel Moses Parker (namesake of the Parker School) and Captain Benjamin Walker of this town were killed.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ralph Waldo Emerson was an American essayist, lecturer, and poet, who led the Transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century...
opened a school in Chelmsford in 1825, closing it after a few months to take over his brother's school in Roxbury
Roxbury, Massachusetts
Roxbury is a dissolved municipality and current neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It was one of the first towns founded in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630, and became a city in 1846 until annexed to Boston on January 5, 1868...
.
Chelmsford, Massachusetts was the birthplace of the Chelmsford Spring Co. in 1901, which later became the Chelmsford Ginger Ale Company, acquired by Canada Dry in 1928. The ginger ale plant, rebuilt in 1912 after a disastrous fire consumed the original plant, stood on Route 110 until its demolition in 1994. The Chelmsford brand of golden ginger ale continued to be manufactured by Canada Dry
Canada Dry
Canada Dry is a brand of soft drinks owned since 2008 by the Texas-based Dr Pepper Snapple Group. For over a century Canada Dry has been known for its ginger ale, though the company also manufactures a number of other soft drinks and mixers...
for decades. It is currently manufactured by Polar Beverages for DeMoulas' Market Basket
DeMoulas' Market Basket
DeMoulas Market Basket, more commonly known as Market Basket, is a chain of 66 operating supermarkets in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. It has stores from central New Hampshire to Bristol County, Massachusetts with headquarters in Tewksbury, Massachusetts...
Supermarkets, based out of neighboring Tewksbury
Tewksbury, Massachusetts
Tewksbury is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 28,961 at the 2010 census.- History :Tewksbury was first settled in 1637 and was officially incorporated in 1734 from Billerica. Like Tewksbury Township, New Jersey, it is named after the town of Tewkesbury,...
.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited 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 23.2 square miles (60.1 km²), of which, 22.6 square miles (58.5 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it (2.29%) is water. Chelmsford is bordered by two sizable rivers: the Merrimack River
Merrimack River
The Merrimack River 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 Massachusetts, and then flows northeast until it empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Newburyport...
to the north, and 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...
to the east.
Chelmsford consists of several neighborhoods. In addition to the town center, smaller areas include South Chelmsford, West Chelmsford, East Chelmsford, North Chelmsford
North Chelmsford, Massachusetts
North Chelmsford is an unincorporated village in the town of Chelmsford, Massachusetts, United States. Although North Chelmsford has its own zip code , library, post office, police station, fire station, and local calling area, it is run by the same local town government and is part of the same...
and The Westlands. North Chelmsford, an industrial village, is distinct from the rest of the town to the extent that it has many of its own town services. The northern parts of Chelmsford tend to be more urban and densely populated, while the south is generally more rural.
Like much of the rest of Massachusetts, Chelmsford has a humid continental climate
Humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot summers and cold winters....
according to the Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
. Summers are typically warm and humid, while winters tend to be cold, windy, and snowy. The level of precipitation is roughly consistent throughout the year.
Demographics
As of the US census of 2000, there were 33,858 people, 12,812 households, and 9,301 families residing in the town. The population densityPopulation 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 1,495.0 people per square mile (577.2/km²). There were 13,025 housing units at an average density of 575.1 per square mile (222.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 93.09% White, 0.79% African American, 0.07% Native American, 4.62% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.52% 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 0.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.23% of the population.
There were 12,812 households out of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.0% 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, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.4% were non-families. 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 30.9% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $70,207, and the median income for a family was $82,676 (these figures had risen to $87,252 and $105,105 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $56,493 versus $38,927 for females. 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 $30,465. About 2.0% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.2% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.
Crime
As of 2008, Chelmsford had a violent crime rate of 132 incidents per 100,000 people, compared to a rate of 449 in Massachusetts as a whole and 455 nationwide. The town had a property crime rate of 1,904 incidents per 100,000 people in 2008, compared to a rate of 2,400 for the state and 3,213 nationwide. Chelmsford has one police stationPolice station
A police station or station house is a building which serves to accommodate police officers and other members of staff. These buildings often contain offices and accommodation for personnel and vehicles, along with locker rooms, temporary holding cells and interview/interrogation rooms.- Facilities...
located near McCarthy Middle School. The 25000 ft2, $7.19-million dollar structure began operation in 2003.
Government
The town uses a representative town meetingRepresentative town meeting
A representative town meeting is a form of municipal legislature particularly common in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Vermont....
model with a Board of Selectmen overseeing the operation of the town. As of April 2010, the members of the Board of Selectmen are: Chairman George Dixon, Vice Chairman Matt Hanson, Clerk James Lane, Jon Kurland and Pat Wotjas. Reporting to the Board of Selectmen are the town manager, counsel, and accountant. The town manager oversees the public employees and serves as Chief Executive Officer. Until recently, this position was held by Bernard F. Lynch, who has left to become the city manager of Lowell. The current town manager is Paul Cohen. Other elected boards include the Planning Board, School Committee, Library Trustees, Cemetery Commission, Board of Health, Sewer Commission and the Zoning Board of Appeals.
Chelmsford has been represented in the Massachusetts Senate
Massachusetts Senate
The Massachusetts Senate is the upper house of the Massachusetts General Court, the bicameral state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Senate comprises 40 elected members from 40 single-member senatorial districts in the state...
by state senator Susan Fargo since 1997. The town sends four delegates to the Massachusetts House of Representatives
Massachusetts House of Representatives
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
, each of whom represent one or more of Chelmsford's nine precincts. Corey Atkins is the state representative for precincts one and nine; Thomas Golden, precincts two, six and eight; James Arciero, precincts three, five and seven; and David Nangle, precinct four.
Education
The Chelmsford public schools district serves students in pre-Kindergarten through twelfth grade. According to data for 2008–09 from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE), schools in the district include the Charles D. Harrington school serving 586 students in pre-Kindergarten through grade four. There are three other elementary schools serving Kindergarten through fourth grade: Byam Elementary SchoolByam Elementary School
Byam Elementary School is located in Chelmsford, Massachusetts. It is under the supervision of the Chelmsford School Board. In 2009, there were about 500 students enrolled, from Kindergarten to fourth grade. The principal is Dr...
, with 536 students; Center Elementary School, with 521 students; and South Row, with 473 students. Westlands Elementary School, which had been serving Kindergarten through fourth grade, with 366 students as of the 2007–08 school year, was closed in 2008 due to budget cuts, and North School burned down in 1981. Chelmsford has two middle schools, serving grades five through eight: Colonel Moses Parker Middle School, with 757 students; and McCarthy Middle School, with 947 students. The town contains one high school, Chelmsford High School
Chelmsford High School
Chelmsford High School a public high school located in North Chelmsford, Massachusetts built in 1974. Before 1974 the high school was located in the current McCarthy Middle School building. It serves as the public high school for students in grades 9 through 12. It is part of a central campus that...
, serving grades nine through twelve to 1,641 students as of 2008–09. The town also had one public charter school, Innovation Academy, serving 400 students in grades five through ten. As of September 2008, Innovation Academy moved to the town of Tyngsborough
Tyngsborough, Massachusetts
Tyngsborough is a town located in the northwest section of Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Composed of of land and surface water, Tyngsborough borders the towns of Dunstable, Groton, Westford, Chelmsford, Dracut, and the City of Lowell, as well as the New Hampshire communities of Hudson,...
, currently serving grades five through eleven.
All expenditures considered, the Chelmsford public schools district spent $10,070 per pupil as of 2008, which was lower than the state average of $12,449. This was an increase of almost $400 dollars from Chelmsford per-pupil spending in 2007. As of 2008 per-pupil allocation, $3,937 went to classroom and specialist teachers, $333 to administration, and $185 to instructional materials, equipment and technology.
In 2009, Chelmsford High School ranked 66th out of 150 public high schools considered by Boston Magazine
Boston magazine
Boston is a monthly magazine concerning life in the Greater Boston area and has been in publication for more than 40 years.-About the magazine:The magazine is self-described as:...
. The ranking took into account many statistics associated with quality of education and academic performance, including the school's 14.5:1 student–teacher ratio. In the 2006–2007 school year, the average SAT
SAT
The SAT Reasoning Test is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, a nonprofit organization in the United States. It was formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service which still...
scores for Chelmsford High School were 527 in the reading section, 519 in writing, and 535 in math. Chelmsford High School performed significantly better than the state average in the English, math and science portions of the 2009 Grade 10 MCAS
Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System, commonly shortened to MCAS , is the Commonwealth's statewide standards-based assessment program developed in 1993, in response to the Massachusetts Education Reform Act of the same year...
tests, scoring 89, 87 and 77 out of 100, respectively.
Transportation
Chelmsford is located at the intersection of the major US highways of I-495Interstate 495 (Massachusetts)
Interstate 495 is the designation of an Interstate Highway half-beltway in Massachusetts. It was the longest auxiliary Interstate Highway of its kind—measuring 120.74 miles —until 1996, when the PA Route 9 section of the Pennsylvania Turnpike was redesignated as Interstate 476, making it about ...
and Route 3. Also found in Chelmsford are state routes 3A, 4
Route 4 (Massachusetts)
Route 4 is an long state highway in northeastern Massachusetts. It runs south to north, serving many of Boston's western and northwestern suburbs, from an interchange with Route 2 in Lexington northwest to an intersection with Route 3A in North Chelmsford. Much of it, north of Lexington, runs...
, 27
Route 27 (Massachusetts)
-Route description:Route 27 runs in a sweeping arc from Kingston to Chelmsford. For most of its route, it acts as an intermediate route between Interstate 95 and Interstate 495....
, 40
Route 40 (Massachusetts)
Route 40 is a 10.5-mile east–west state route located in northeastern Massachusetts, entirely within Middlesex County. The short highway connects Groton and Chelmsford. Its western end is at an intersection with Massachusetts Route 119 and Massachusetts Route 225 in Groton, and its eastern...
, 110
Route 110 (Massachusetts)
Route 110, is a southwest-northeast state highway in Massachusetts. The route travels from West Boylston in Central Massachusetts to Salisbury near the coast....
, and 129
Route 129 (Massachusetts)
Route 129 is an east–west Massachusetts state route that runs from Chelmsford to Marblehead.-Route description:Route 129 begins at Route 110 in Chelmsford Center, where the northbound lanes of Route 4 leave Route 110. The route passes out of the town center to the east before intersecting...
.
Chelmsford Center is a notorious junction of roadways. The heart of the town center is Central Square - the junction of routes 4, 110, the end of 129, and Westford Street. The Square is affectionately known as 'Chicken Corner' to locals. Until the 21st century, lights there were seen as non-'historic', crossing the 1 acre (0.404686 ha) of pavement with no controls save a few stop signs was akin to a game of Chicken
Chicken (game)
The game of chicken, also known as the hawk-dove or snowdrift game, is an influential model of conflict for two players in game theory...
. Drivers would wait in long lines of cars to enter the square, where they often would invent their own lanes, waiting for a relatively safe chance to cross. In 2004, the town was forced to put in stoplights and lane markers. They were necessary to control the traffic-clogged center. In addition to the Square, Chelmsford Center is a series of merging and splitting roads, many one-way, including the beginning of route 27.
Chelmsford is also home to the former Drum Hill Rotary. This rotary was the cause of many accidents that occurred due to its small overall size and ability for vehicles to gain speed. It formed the intersection of U.S. Route 3
U.S. Route 3
U.S. Route 3 is a north–south United States highway that runs from its southern terminus in Cambridge, Massachusetts through New Hampshire to its terminus near Third Connecticut Lake at the Canadian border, where the road continues north as Quebec Route 257.In New Hampshire parts of US 3 are...
(exit 32), Route 4
Route 4 (Massachusetts)
Route 4 is an long state highway in northeastern Massachusetts. It runs south to north, serving many of Boston's western and northwestern suburbs, from an interchange with Route 2 in Lexington northwest to an intersection with Route 3A in North Chelmsford. Much of it, north of Lexington, runs...
, Drum Hill Road, and Westford Road.The rotary was demolished in 2003. It was replaced with a four intersection square with traffic lights, and is now called Drum Hill Square. This was part of a widening project for U.S. Highway 3 between Interstate 95
Interstate 95 in Massachusetts
Interstate 95 is the main highway on the East Coast of the United States, paralleling the Atlantic Ocean from Florida to Maine. The Massachusetts portion of the highway enters from the state of Rhode Island in Attleboro and travels in a northeasterly direction to the junction with Route 128 in...
(Route 128
Route 128 (Massachusetts)
Route 128, also known as the Yankee Division Highway , and originally the Circumferential Highway, is a partial beltway around Boston, Massachusetts, United States. The majority of the highway is built to freeway standards, and about 3/5 of it is part of the Interstate Highway System...
) and the New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
state line.
Freight
Freight train
A freight train or goods train is a group of freight cars or goods wagons hauled by one or more locomotives on a railway, ultimately transporting cargo between two points as part of the logistics chain...
travels daily through Chelmsford over the tracks of the historic Stony Brook Railroad. The line currently serves as a major corridor
Transport corridor
A transportation corridor is a tract of land in which at least one main line for transport, be it road, rail or canal, has been built...
of Pan Am Railway's
Pan Am Railways
Pan Am Railways, Inc. , known as Guilford Rail System before March 2006, is a holding company that owns and operates Class II regional railroads covering northern New England from Mattawamkeag, Maine to Rotterdam Junction, New York...
District 3 which connects New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
and Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
with western 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...
, Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
, and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation is currently constructing the Bruce N. Freeman Rail Trail
Segregated cycle facilities
Segregated cycle facilities are marked lanes, tracks, shoulders and paths designated for use by cyclists from which motorised traffic is generally excluded...
, running 6.8 miles (10.9 km) through Chelmsford, including the Central Square intersection. The Bike Path will also run through part of Westford, Massachusetts
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,...
. Groundbreaking for the Rail Trail
Segregated cycle facilities
Segregated cycle facilities are marked lanes, tracks, shoulders and paths designated for use by cyclists from which motorised traffic is generally excluded...
was held on October 9, 2007 after more than 20 years of planning and design.
North Chelmsford
North Chelmsford, Massachusetts
North Chelmsford is an unincorporated village in the town of Chelmsford, Massachusetts, United States. Although North Chelmsford has its own zip code , library, post office, police station, fire station, and local calling area, it is run by the same local town government and is part of the same...
will get a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, often referred to as the MBTA or simply The T, is the public operator of most bus, subway, commuter rail and ferry systems in the greater Boston, Massachusetts, area. Officially a "body politic and corporate, and a political subdivision" of the...
commuter rail
MBTA Commuter Rail
The MBTA Commuter Rail serves as the regional rail arm of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, in the United States. It is operated under contract by the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company a joint partnership of Veolia Transportation, Bombardier Transportation and Alternate...
station if the proposed extension of the Lowell
Lowell, Massachusetts
Lowell is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 106,519. It is the fourth largest city in the state. Lowell and Cambridge are the county seats of Middlesex County...
Line to Nashua
Nashua, New Hampshire
-Climate:-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 86,494 people, 35,044 households, and 21,876 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,719.9 people per square mile . There were 37,168 housing units at an average density of 1,202.8 per square mile...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
is completed.
Historic places in Chelmsford
- Chelmsford Center Historic DistrictChelmsford Center Historic DistrictChelmsford Center Historic District is a historic district on routes MA 4, MA 110 and MA 27 in Chelmsford, Massachusetts.The district was added to National Register of Historic Places in 1980....
- Fiske HouseFiske HouseFiske House is an historic house at 1 Billerica Road in Chelmsford Center, Massachusetts.The house was built in 1798 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977....
(1798) - Hildreth-Robbins HouseHildreth-Robbins HouseHildreth-Robbins House is a historic house in Chelmsford, Massachusetts.It was built in 1742 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006....
(1742) - Middlesex CanalMiddlesex CanalThe Middlesex Canal was a 27-mile barge canal connecting the Merrimack River with the port of Boston. When operational it was 30 feet wide, and 3 feet deep, with 20 locks, each 80 feet long and between 10 and 11 feet wide...
(1802) - Chelmsford Garrison House (1691), now a museum
- Oliver Hutchins HouseOliver Hutchins HouseOliver Hutchins House is an historic house at 79 Elm Street in Chelmsford, Massachusetts.The house was built in 1820 and added to the National Historic Register in 1985....
(1820)
Notable residents
- Josiah Gardner AbbottJosiah Gardner AbbottJosiah Gardner Abbott was an American politician who served in the Massachusetts General Court and as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts....
(1814–1891), born in Chelmsford, member of the United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, the Massachusetts House of RepresentativesMassachusetts House of RepresentativesThe Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
and the Massachusetts SenateMassachusetts SenateThe Massachusetts Senate is the upper house of the Massachusetts General Court, the bicameral state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Senate comprises 40 elected members from 40 single-member senatorial districts in the state... - Keith AucoinKeith AucoinKeith Aucoin is an American hockey player who plays for the Hershey Bears, in the Washington Capitals system.-Playing career:...
, current NHL player, Washington Capitals - Phil BourquePhil BourquePhillipe Richard Bourque is a former American professional ice hockey player. He was never selected in the NHL Entry Draft; instead, he was signed as a free agent by the Pittsburgh Penguins on October 4, 1982.-Playing career:...
, NHL veteran, two Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh PenguinsPittsburgh PenguinsThe Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original... - Gerry CallahanGerry CallahanDennis and Callahan is an American morning radio show on WEEI, a sports radio station in Boston, Massachusetts. On November 16, 2010, a live three-hour simulcast began airing on NESN from 6-9AM Eastern time each weekday. The show combines talk of sports and politics, along with current or "water...
, popular albeit controversial Boston HeraldBoston HeraldThe Boston Herald is a daily newspaper that serves Boston, Massachusetts, United States, and its surrounding area. It was started in 1846 and is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the United States...
and former Sports IllustratedSports IllustratedSports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
sports columnist and co-host of WEEIWEEIWEEI is a sports radio station in Boston, Massachusetts, that broadcasts on 850 kHz from a transmitter in Needham, Massachusetts, and is owned by Entercom Communications. The station is one of the top-rated sports talk radio stations in the nation. Studios are located in Brighton, Massachusetts...
's Dennis and Callahan, the popular sports radio morning program based in BostonBostonBoston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. Played on Chelmsford High School's first ever "Super Bowl" team in 1978. Many consider him the reason Chelmsford lost the game for he drew a penalty on a touchdown play resulting in Chelmsford High School's loss. This play led to the nickname Gerry "The Clipper" Callahan, which people often call up and mention on his radio show. - Dan CurranDan Curranis an American football fullback who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Nashville Kats as a street free agent in 2001...
, former fullback/linebacker for the Arena Football League's New Orleans VooDooNew Orleans VooDooThe New Orleans VooDoo are an Arena Football League team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They play their home games in New Orleans Arena....
and National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(2001–2009). - Mark EshbaughMark EshbaughMark Eshbaugh is an artist, author and musician and photographer.-Art career:Eshbaugh's primary media are photography and painting and sculpting....
, artist, author, musician and former professor at the University of Massachusetts LowellUniversity of Massachusetts LowellThe University of Massachusetts Lowell is a public university in Lowell, Massachusetts, and part of the University of Massachusetts system... - Steve HuntSteve HuntSteve Hunt is an American jazz pianist and composer who was born in 1958. He has released two studio albums, recorded extensively, and toured the world. He is ranked #39 on the Digital Dream Door list of greatest fusion keyboardists.-Music Career:...
, jazz pianist who recorded and toured with Allan HoldsworthAllan HoldsworthAllan Holdsworth is an English guitarist and composer. He has released twelve studio albums as a solo artist and played many different styles of music over a period of four decades, but first drew attention for his work in jazz fusion...
, Stanley ClarkeStanley ClarkeStanley Clarke is an American jazz musician and composer known for his innovative and influential work on double bass and electric bass guitar as well as for his numerous film and television scores...
, and Billy CobhamBilly CobhamWilliam C. Cobham is a Panamanian American jazz drummer, composer and bandleader, who has called Switzerland home since the late 1970s....
; teaches at Berklee College of MusicBerklee College of MusicBerklee College of Music, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known primarily as a school for jazz, rock and popular music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including hip... - Ulysses John "Tony" LupienTony LupienUlysses John "Tony" Lupien was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball. He was a left-handed batter who played for the Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago White Sox...
, Major League baseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player and the baseball coach at Dartmouth CollegeDartmouth CollegeDartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
for 21 seasons, born in Chelmsford in 1917 - Jon MorrisJon Morris (ice hockey)Jon Morris is a retired ice hockey center.Morris was chosen 86th overall by the New Jersey Devils in the 1984 NHL Draft after posting 81 points in 24 games for Chelmsford High School. He then spent four years at the University of Lowell and was placed on the Hockey East first all-star team in 1987...
, NHL veteran, New Jersey Devils - Benjamin PierceBenjamin Pierce (governor)Benjamin Pierce was an American Democratic-Republican politician. He served as Governor of New Hampshire from 1827 to 1828 and from 1829 to 1830.-Biography:...
, Governor of New HampshireGovernor of New HampshireThe Governor of the State of New Hampshire is the supreme executive magistrate of the U.S. state of New Hampshire.The governor is elected at the biennial state general election in November of even-numbered years. New Hampshire is one of only two states, along with bordering Vermont, to hold...
and the father of U.S. president Franklin PierceFranklin PierceFranklin Pierce was the 14th President of the United States and is the only President from New Hampshire. Pierce was a Democrat and a "doughface" who served in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. Pierce took part in the Mexican-American War and became a brigadier general in the Army...
, was born in Chelmsford, Massachusetts in 1757. - Peter Torkildsen, chairman of the Massachusetts Republican PartyMassachusetts Republican PartyThe Massachusetts Republican Party is the Massachusetts branch of the United States Republican Party. Governance of the party takes the form of a State Committee which, in accordance with Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 52, consists of one man and one woman from each of the 40 Senate Districts...
and former two-term Congressman in Massachusetts' 6th District, from 1993 to 1997 - John TraphaganJohn TraphaganJohn Willis Traphagan is an associate professor of Asian Studies, Anthropology, and Religious Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. Traphagan's research has largely focused on rural Japan, with most of his research conducted in Iwate Prefecture...
, author, associate professor of Religious Studies and Anthropology, and former director of the Center for East Asian Studies, University of Texas at Austin - Kristen WilsonKristen Wilson (actress)Kristen Wilson is an American actress.-Early life:Wilson was born and raised in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, near Boston. She was adopted as a child. She trained as a dancer there and worked with the Boston Ballet for four years...
, an actress appearing in several films, television shows and plays, including the national tour of West Side Story - Lance WilderLance WilderLance Wilder is a background design supervisor best known for his work on The Simpsons and The Critic.- Biography :...
, background design supervisor for The SimpsonsThe SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
, 1986 Chelmsford High School graduate. The elementary school appearing in The Simpsons is based on McCarthy Middle School, which was Chelmsford's high school before the construction of the current Chelmsford High School in 1974. The town hall in the show is based on the Chelmsford Public Library (prior to the recent reconstruction). Many other local businesses and stores in Chelmsford find their way into the background in The Simpsons' hometown of Springfield, including Zesty Pizza, and the now defunct, Skip's Restaurant, Skip's Ice Cream, Tony and Ann's Pizza, and Jack's Diner. - Jon McKennedyJon McKennedyJon McKennedy is a NASCAR driver. Jon currently races races the Modified Racing Series sponsored by BobValentiAutoMall.com. McKennedy won drivers championships in 2009 and 2010...
, NASCAR Driver - Bill CookeBill CookeWilliam Morrill Cooke is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League who played for the Green Bay Packers, the San Francisco 49ers, the Detroit Lions and the Seattle Seahawks...
, Pro Football player. - Amanda Orlando Radio personality & Actress. Co-host of billboards number one rated 'Bill & Amanda in the Morning' show on WUBE 105 in Cincinnati, nominated 3 times for the Academy of Country Music's radio show of the year.
- Tyson Thomas, philanthropist and educational benefactor.
- Rich Burt, Founder of Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm
- George CondoGeorge CondoGeorge Condo is an American contemporary visual artist.-Life and career:Condo works in the medium of painting and sculpture...
, Chelmsford High School graduate. Painter who has exhibited at the New Museum and the Whitney Museum Biennial. His artwork can also be found on the cover of Kanye West's 2011 album, "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy." He formerly worked as a printer for Andy Warhol.]]. - Gururaj DeshpandeGururaj DeshpandeGururaj Deshpande is an Indian American venture capitalist and entrepreneur, who is best known for co-founding the Chelmsford, MA-based internet equipment manufacturer Sycamore Networks, the Deshpande Center for Technological Innovation at MIT and the Deshpande Foundation.Presently, Deshpande is...
, Co-founder of Sycamore Networks, Deshpande Center for Technological Innovation at MIT, social entrepreneur.
Further reading
- 1871 Atlas of Massachusetts. by Wall & Gray. Map of Massachusetts. Map of Middlesex County.
- History of Chelmsford, Massachusetts, by Wilson Waters, Henry Spaulding Perham, published 1917, 893 pages.
Two versions of History of Chelmsford, Massachusetts are online: Page images and HTML - 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. Chelmsford article by Frederick P. Hill in volume 1 page 367-380.
- http://www.indiana.edu/~wfiu/nl_news.htm
- Money Magazine - Top 100 Places to Live
