Dracut, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Dracut is a town
in Middlesex County
, Massachusetts
, United States
. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 29,457. Dracut is primarily a suburban community, belonging to Greater Lowell
and bordering southern New Hampshire
. Additionally, it is in the northern portion of the Greater Boston
metropolitan area, and geographically part of the Merrimack Valley
.
Indian settlements, due to the fishing grounds at Pawtucket Falls
on the Merrimack River
and the abundant hunting game in the surrounding marsh areas
. From the late 16th to mid 17th centuries, the legendary sachem
, Passaconaway
and his family, spent much of their lives on this land.
Europeans began to settle in the "Augumtoocooke" area around 1653, and established the town of Chelmsford
, incorporated in 1655, on the opposite side of the Merrimack river
from modern Dracut. Ten years later, in October of 1665, Bess, wife of Nobb How and daughter of Passaconaway
sold the land called Augumtoocooke to Captain John Evered
, also known as, Webb of Draucutt of Norfolk County, for the sum of four yards of Duffill
and one pound of tobacco
. Webb then turned around and sold tracks of land to the Richard Shatswell and Samuel Varnum. Before owning it himself, Webb, had already sold 11000 acres (44.5 km²) of the land months earlier to Samuel Varnum, as the deed for "Drawcutt upon Mirrimack" was dated 1664, for 400£ (Four Hundred Pounds
). Richard Shatswell, then took his Dracut land and exchanged it with Edward Coburn for his home and land in Ipswich, Massachusetts
.
Even though this area, now known to the new settlers as Dracut (Draucutt), was across the Merrimack river
from the Chelmsford town center, they agreed to pay taxes and relied on Chelmsford for protection, as 1667 Middlesex Court documents so declared. But, by the Summer of 1669 protection became too costly and difficult, so the Chelmsford Mayor Henchman Declared:
On the morning of March 18, 1676, the Wamesit Indians burned down four of Edward Colburne's buildings, then attacked Samuel Varnum and family as they crossed the river to milk the cows grazing in the Dracut pastures. The Indians fired upon their boat, killing Samuel's two sons, as one died in his daughters arm as she sat behind him. The accompanying soldiers and Samuel fired back, but the Indians fled.
By the late 17th century the Varnum, Coburn, Richardson, and the other families of the Dracut section of Chelmsford, dissatisfied with the protection provide, began to petition to the General Court to layout their own township.
Dracut was granted separation from Chelmsford, and was officially incorporated as a town on February 26, 1701.
Parts of the community were part of the Wamiset Praying Town, one of the preserves set aside by the colonists for Christianized Indians. The town has several large ponds, bogs and swamps, and numerous brooks (most notably Beaver Brook
). Dracut's early economy relied on fishing, lumbering and milling, which led in turn to the 19th century industries of paper making and cotton textile manufacturing. These mills attracted Irish and French-Canadian immigrants.
There has been intense modern development in Dracut with suburban residential pressures from Lowell
. Twice in the 19th century, Lowell annexed large sections of Dracut into its borders. However, some rural landscapes remain intact, as do some handsome historic houses. One of the better known is the 290 year old Colburn/Cutter House, with its massive beams, huge center chimney and fireplaces. The building, dating back from about 1717, has served as the site of the annual Dracut Craft Fair. As well, Dracut holds an annual Old Home Day every September since 2001 http://www.dracutoldhomeday.com/. As of 2010, it is also the only town in the world with the name "Dracut".
, the town has a total area of 21.4 square miles (55.4 km²), of which 20.9 square miles (54.1 km²) is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) (2.15%) is water.
Dracut is located in the Merrimack Valley
of Massachusetts
, and is approximately 25–30 miles northwest of the state capital, Boston.
The southeastern end of Dracut is on the Merrimack River
, and the town is bisected by Beaver Brook
.
Dracut is sometimes referred to by its sections. They are:
to the west, the city of Lowell
to the south, Methuen
to the east, and Pelham
, New Hampshire
to the north. Tewksbury
and Andover
border the town to the southeast, but are inaccessible across the Merrimack River
.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 28,562 people, 10,451 households, and 7,733 families residing in the town. The population density
was 1,366.7 people per square mile (527.6/km²). There were 10,643 housing units at an average density of 509.3 per square mile (196.6/km²).
The racial makeup of the town was:
Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.55% of the population (U.S. Average: 12.5%).
There were 10,451 households with the average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.19.
In the town the population had a median age was 36 years (U.S. Average: 35.3).
For every 100 females there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $57,676 (U.S. Average: $41,994), and the median income for a family was $65,633 (U.S. Average: $50,046). Males had a median income of $41,873 versus $31,396 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $23,750. About 2.7% (U.S. Average: 9.2%) of families and 3.7% (U.S. Average: 12.4%) of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.2% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.
, I-495
, and US Route 3
are among the largest. Route 128 (which is concurrent with part of I-95) is not far from Dracut either (roughly 15–20 miles to the south), and the Massachusetts Turnpike
is only about 30–35 miles to the south in Boston. Massachusetts state highways Route 38, Route 110, and Route 113 actually run directly through the town.
The Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline
terminates in Dracut connecting to the North American natural gas
pipeline grid. The Portland Natural Gas Transmission System (PNGTS)),Tennessee Gas and the TransQuebec interconnect here .
1. Dracut School Data
New England town
The New England town is the basic unit of local government in each of the six New England states. Without a direct counterpart in most other U.S. states, New England towns are conceptually similar to civil townships in other states, but are incorporated, possessing powers like cities in other...
in Middlesex County
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...
. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 29,457. Dracut is primarily a suburban community, belonging to 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....
and bordering southern 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...
. Additionally, it is in the northern portion of 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...
metropolitan area, and geographically part of the Merrimack Valley
Merrimack Valley
The Merrimack Valley is a bi-state region along the Merrimack River in the states of New Hampshire and Massachusetts, United States. The Merrimack is one of the larger waterways in the New England region and has helped define the livelihood and culture of those living along it since native...
.
History
Prior to the area's European settlements in the mid-17th century, Dracut and the surrounding area was known as "Augumtoocooke," and was the site of important PennacookPennacook
The Pennacook, also known by the names Merrimack and Pawtucket, were a North American people that primarily inhabited the Merrimack River valley of present-day New Hampshire and Massachusetts, as well as portions of southern Maine...
Indian settlements, due to the fishing grounds at Pawtucket Falls
Pawtucket Falls (Massachusetts)
Pawtucket Falls is the name of a waterfall on the Merrimack River at Lowell, Massachusetts. The waterfall and rapids below it drop a total of 32 feet in a little under a mile., and was an important fishing ground for the Pennacook Indians in pre-colonial times.This location was used as a benchmark...
on 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...
and the abundant hunting game in the surrounding marsh areas
Lowell-Dracut-Tyngsboro State Forest
The Lowell-Dracut-Tyngsboro State Forest is a recreational preserve overlapping the three Massachusetts towns of Lowell, Dracut and Tyngsborough...
. From the late 16th to mid 17th centuries, the legendary sachem
Sachem
A sachem[p] or sagamore is a paramount chief among the Algonquians or other northeast American tribes. The two words are anglicizations of cognate terms from different Eastern Algonquian languages...
, Passaconaway
Passaconaway
Passaconaway, a name which translates to "Child of the Bear", was a chieftain in the Pennacook tribe.-Life:One of the key native figures in the colonial history of New Hampshire, Passaconaway was believed to have been born between 1550 and 1570, and is said to have died in 1679...
and his family, spent much of their lives on this land.
Europeans began to settle in the "Augumtoocooke" area around 1653, and established the town of 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...
, incorporated in 1655, on the opposite side of 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...
from modern Dracut. Ten years later, in October of 1665, Bess, wife of Nobb How and daughter of Passaconaway
Passaconaway
Passaconaway, a name which translates to "Child of the Bear", was a chieftain in the Pennacook tribe.-Life:One of the key native figures in the colonial history of New Hampshire, Passaconaway was believed to have been born between 1550 and 1570, and is said to have died in 1679...
sold the land called Augumtoocooke to Captain John Evered
Captain John Evered
Captain John Evered , also known as Webb, was one of the first Europeans to settle what is now known as the Merrimack Valley in Massachusetts, specifically the town of Dracut, which Evered named.-Early years:...
, also known as, Webb of Draucutt of Norfolk County, for the sum of four yards of Duffill
Duffle Coat
A duffle coat, or duffel coat, is a coat made from duffle, a coarse, thick, woollen material. The name derives from Duffel, a town in the province of Antwerp in Belgium where the material originates...
and one pound of tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
. Webb then turned around and sold tracks of land to the Richard Shatswell and Samuel Varnum. Before owning it himself, Webb, had already sold 11000 acres (44.5 km²) of the land months earlier to Samuel Varnum, as the deed for "Drawcutt upon Mirrimack" was dated 1664, for 400£ (Four Hundred Pounds
Pound (currency)
The pound is a unit of currency in some nations. The term originated in England as the value of a pound of silver.The word pound is the English translation of the Latin word libra, which was the unit of account of the Roman Empire...
). Richard Shatswell, then took his Dracut land and exchanged it with Edward Coburn for his home and land in Ipswich, Massachusetts
Ipswich, Massachusetts
Ipswich is a coastal town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,987 at the 2000 census. Home to Willowdale State Forest and Sandy Point State Reservation, Ipswich includes the southern part of Plum Island...
.
Even though this area, now known to the new settlers as Dracut (Draucutt), was across 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...
from the Chelmsford town center, they agreed to pay taxes and relied on Chelmsford for protection, as 1667 Middlesex Court documents so declared. But, by the Summer of 1669 protection became too costly and difficult, so the Chelmsford Mayor Henchman Declared:
"
Wherefore, Honorable and Worshipful, I judge it highly needful and necessary that we have relief, and that speedily of about twenty men or more for the repulsing of the enemy and guarding some outplaces, which are considerable on each side of the Merrimac, as Messrs. Howard, Varnum, Coburn & company who must otherwise come in to us, and leave what they have to the enemy, or be exposed to the merciless cruelty of bloody and barbarous men.
"
On the morning of March 18, 1676, the Wamesit Indians burned down four of Edward Colburne's buildings, then attacked Samuel Varnum and family as they crossed the river to milk the cows grazing in the Dracut pastures. The Indians fired upon their boat, killing Samuel's two sons, as one died in his daughters arm as she sat behind him. The accompanying soldiers and Samuel fired back, but the Indians fled.
By the late 17th century the Varnum, Coburn, Richardson, and the other families of the Dracut section of Chelmsford, dissatisfied with the protection provide, began to petition to the General Court to layout their own township.
"
To the Hon. Council & Representatives of his Majesty's Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England in General Court assembled February 1701.
"The petition of Samuel Sewall Esq., Benjamin Walker, John Hunt & Jonathan Belcher, proprietors of part of the Tract of Land called Dracut beyond Chelmsford in the County of Middlesex on the North Side of Merrimack River and of Samuel Varnum, ..., Thomas Colburne, ..., James Richardson, ..., Ezra Colburn,... Inhabitants and Proprietors of the said Tract of Land called Dracut, ... lyes very commodious for a Township & hath about twenty families already settled thereupon in which are about Eighty Souls & Forasmuch as the making said place a Township will not only be a great Encouragement to the Inhabitants thereof & be the means for a settlement of the Ministry among them (for the benefit of which they are now obliged to go to Chelmsford, which is a great difficulty & eamiot be attended by their children & several others by reason of the distance thereof) but will also be of considerable benefit to the Publick, and be a great strengthening of the Frontier parts by reason of the people which will be desirous to settle at said place when made a Township because of the convenient situation thereof.
Your Petitioners humbly pray that by the grant of this Honorable Court, the Tract of land aforesaid may be made a Township, and that the Inhabitants, which are or shall settle thereupon, may have and enjoy all Libertys, Privileges & Immunities as the Inhabitants of other Towns within this Province have & do enjoy. And ... the Tract of Land therein described be made a Township & called by the name of Dracut, ...
Sent up by concurrence Nehemiah Jewett, Speaker.
"
Dracut was granted separation from Chelmsford, and was officially incorporated as a town on February 26, 1701.
Parts of the community were part of the Wamiset Praying Town, one of the preserves set aside by the colonists for Christianized Indians. The town has several large ponds, bogs and swamps, and numerous brooks (most notably Beaver Brook
Beaver Brook (Merrimack River)
Beaver Brook is a river located in New Hampshire and Massachusetts in the United States. It is a tributary of the Merrimack River, part of the Gulf of Maine watershed....
). Dracut's early economy relied on fishing, lumbering and milling, which led in turn to the 19th century industries of paper making and cotton textile manufacturing. These mills attracted Irish and French-Canadian immigrants.
There has been intense modern development in Dracut with suburban residential pressures from 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...
. Twice in the 19th century, Lowell annexed large sections of Dracut into its borders. However, some rural landscapes remain intact, as do some handsome historic houses. One of the better known is the 290 year old Colburn/Cutter House, with its massive beams, huge center chimney and fireplaces. The building, dating back from about 1717, has served as the site of the annual Dracut Craft Fair. As well, Dracut holds an annual Old Home Day every September since 2001 http://www.dracutoldhomeday.com/. As of 2010, it is also the only town in the world with the name "Dracut".
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 21.4 square miles (55.4 km²), of which 20.9 square miles (54.1 km²) is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) (2.15%) is water.
Dracut is located in the Merrimack Valley
Merrimack Valley
The Merrimack Valley is a bi-state region along the Merrimack River in the states of New Hampshire and Massachusetts, United States. The Merrimack is one of the larger waterways in the New England region and has helped define the livelihood and culture of those living along it since native...
of 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...
, and is approximately 25–30 miles northwest of the state capital, Boston.
The southeastern end of Dracut is on 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...
, and the town is bisected by Beaver Brook
Beaver Brook (Merrimack River)
Beaver Brook is a river located in New Hampshire and Massachusetts in the United States. It is a tributary of the Merrimack River, part of the Gulf of Maine watershed....
.
Dracut is sometimes referred to by its sections. They are:
- CollinsvilleCollinsvilleThere are a number of cities or towns named Collinsville:Australia*Collinsville, QueenslandUnited States*Collinsville, Alabama*Collinsville, California*Collinsville, Connecticut*Collinsville, Illinois*Collinsville, Mississippi*Collinsville, Oklahoma...
- East Dracut
- Dracut Center
- KenwoodKenwood- Places :England* Kenwood , a part of Hampstead Heath, London, the location of** Kenwood House* Kenwood, in the parish of Kenton, Devon* Kenwood, St. George's Hill, John Lennon's home in Weybridge, SurreyUnited States* Kenwood, California...
- Navy YardNavy YardNavy Yard may refer to:* Boston Navy Yard, Massachusetts* Brooklyn Navy Yard, the New York Naval Shipyard* Charleston Navy Yard, South Carolina* San Francisco Naval Shipyard, California* Mare Island Naval Shipyard, California...
Adjacent towns
Dracut is bordered by TyngsboroTyngsborough, 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 west, 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...
to the south, Methuen
Methuen, Massachusetts
Methuen is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 43,789 at the 2000 census.-History:Methuen was first settled in 1642 and was officially incorporated in 1726; it is named for the British diplomat Sir Paul Methuen. Methuen was originally part of Haverhill,...
to the east, and Pelham
Pelham, New Hampshire
The earliest census data shows the town of Pelham having a population of 543 residents in 1767.As of the census of 2000, there were 10,914 people, 3,606 households, and 2,982 families residing in the town. The population density was 412.9 people per square mile . There were 3,740 housing units at...
, 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...
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,...
and Andover
Andover, Massachusetts
Andover is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. It was incorporated in 1646 and as of the 2010 census, the population was 33,201...
border the town to the southeast, but are inaccessible across 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...
.
Demographics
The earliest census data shows the town of Dracut having a population of 1173 residents in 1765.As of the census
Census
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 28,562 people, 10,451 households, and 7,733 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 1,366.7 people per square mile (527.6/km²). There were 10,643 housing units at an average density of 509.3 per square mile (196.6/km²).
The racial makeup of the town was:
- 95.13% White (U.S. Average: 75.1%)
- 2.58% Asian (U.S. Average: 3.6%)
- 0.78% African American (U.S. Average: 12.3%)
- 0.09% Native American (U.S. Average: 0.1%)
- 0.03% Pacific Islander (U.S. Average: 0.1%)
- 0.43% from other racesRace (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...
(U.S. Average: 5.5%) - 0.96% from two or more races (U.S. Average: 2.4%)
Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.55% of the population (U.S. Average: 12.5%).
There were 10,451 households with the average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.19.
- 35.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them (U.S. Average: 32.8%).
- 58.3% were married couplesMarriageMarriage 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 (U.S. Average: 51.7%). - 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present (U.S. Average: 12.2%).
- 26.0% were non-families (U.S. Average: 31.9%).
- 20.9% of all households were made up of individuals (U.S. Average: 25.8%).
- 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older (U.S. Average: 9.2%).
In the town the population had a median age was 36 years (U.S. Average: 35.3).
- 25.5% under the age of 18
- 7.3% from 18 to 24
- 33.5% from 25 to 44
- 22.2% from 45 to 64
- 11.6% who were 65 years of age or older.
For every 100 females there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $57,676 (U.S. Average: $41,994), and the median income for a family was $65,633 (U.S. Average: $50,046). Males had a median income of $41,873 versus $31,396 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 $23,750. About 2.7% (U.S. Average: 9.2%) of families and 3.7% (U.S. Average: 12.4%) of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.2% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Information about the government of the Town of Dracut can be found on the town's official website, www.dracut-ma.us.Public schools
The Dracut School Department consists of 7 public schools: one high school, one junior high (grades 7+8), one intermediate school (grades 5+6), and 4 elementary schools (grades K-4) They are1:- Dracut Senior High SchoolDracut High SchoolDracut Senior High School is the public senior high school in the Merrimack Valley town of Dracut, Massachusetts.The high school's colors are Columbia blue, navy blue, silver and white. The team name is the Middies and the symbol is an anchor, except for in Football where the logo is a "Lightning...
(1,300 students) - Lakeview Junior High School (800 students)
- Englesby Intermediate School (750 students)
- Brookside Elementary School (617 students) formerly Dracut Middle School
- Campbell Elementary School (583 students)
- Greenmont Elementary School (267 students)
- Parker Elementary School (163 students)
Transportation
Dracut is in proximity to many major area highways. I-93Interstate 93
Interstate 93 is an Interstate Highway in the New England section of the United States. Its southern terminus is in Canton, Massachusetts, in the Boston metropolitan area, at Interstate 95; its northern terminus is near St. Johnsbury, Vermont, at Interstate 91...
, I-495
Interstate 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 US 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...
are among the largest. Route 128 (which is concurrent with part of I-95) is not far from Dracut either (roughly 15–20 miles to the south), and the Massachusetts Turnpike
Massachusetts Turnpike
The Massachusetts Turnpike is the easternmost stretch of Interstate 90. The Turnpike begins at the western border of Massachusetts in West Stockbridge connecting with the Berkshire Connector portion of the New York State Thruway...
is only about 30–35 miles to the south in Boston. Massachusetts state highways Route 38, Route 110, and Route 113 actually run directly through the town.
The Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline
Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline
The Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline is a natural gas transmission pipeline that runs from the Sable Offshore Energy Project gas plant in Goldboro, Nova Scotia, Canada to Dracut, Massachusetts, United States....
terminates in Dracut connecting to the North American natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
pipeline grid. The Portland Natural Gas Transmission System (PNGTS)),Tennessee Gas and the TransQuebec interconnect here .
Notable residents
- Wendell CoreyWendell CoreyWendell Reid Corey was an American actor and politician.He was born in Dracut, Massachusetts, the son of Milton Rothwell Corey and Julia Etta McKenney . His father was a Congregationalist clergyman...
, actor - Scott GrimesScott GrimesScott Richard Grimes is an American actor, voice artist and singer. Some of his most prominent roles are his appearances in ER as Dr. Archie Morris, Party of Five as Will McCorkle, Band of Brothers as Technical Sergeant Donald Malarkey, and the popular animated sitcom American Dad!, voicing Steve...
, actor - John OgonowskiJohn OgonowskiJohn A. Ogonowski was an American pilot and an agricultural activist. A resident of Dracut, Massachusetts, Ogonowski was a leading advocate on behalf of farming in Massachusetts, particularly in aiding immigrant farmers from Cambodia, whom he assisted as part of the New Entry Sustainable Farming...
, airline pilot - James Mitchell VarnumJames Mitchell VarnumJames Mitchell Varnum was an American legislator, lawyer and a general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.-Early life:James Mitchell Varnum was born in Dracut, Massachusetts...
, lawyer - Joseph Bradley VarnumJoseph Bradley VarnumJoseph Bradley Varnum was a U.S. politician of the Democratic-Republican Party from Massachusetts.-Biography:...
, politician - Kent Varnum, politician
- Lucy LewThomas Dalton and Lucy LewThomas Dalton and Lucy Lew were African Americans in Massachusetts.- Lucy Lew :Lucy Lew was born in Dracut, Massachusetts on May 7, 1790 one of 13 children. Her father, Barzillai Lew , born a free black, was a Revolutionary War soldier and a talented musician...
, early African American rights leader - Harry LewHarry LewHarry Haskell Lew African American, was the first to integrate professional basketball in 1902.-Family History:Harry "Bucky" Lew was born in Dracut, Massachusetts the son of William and Isabell Lew. A member of an African-American family with a long history in Massachusetts...
, pro basketball player
See also
- Merrimack ValleyMerrimack ValleyThe Merrimack Valley is a bi-state region along the Merrimack River in the states of New Hampshire and Massachusetts, United States. The Merrimack is one of the larger waterways in the New England region and has helped define the livelihood and culture of those living along it since native...
- Greater LowellGreater LowellGreater Lowell is the name given to the city of Lowell, Massachusetts and its suburbs, mostly in Northern Middlesex County, Massachusetts and the Merrimack Valley....
- Greater BostonGreater BostonGreater 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...
- Beaver BrookBeaver Brook (Merrimack River)Beaver Brook is a river located in New Hampshire and Massachusetts in the United States. It is a tributary of the Merrimack River, part of the Gulf of Maine watershed....
Further reading
- 1871 Atlas of Massachusetts. by Wall & Gray. Map of Massachusetts. Map of Middlesex County.
- History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Volume 1 (A-H), Volume 2 (L-W) compiled by Samuel Adams Drake, published 1879-1880. 572 and 505 pages. Dracut article by Rev. Elias Nason in volume 1 pages 406-416.
1. Dracut School Data