Dudley, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Dudley is a town in Worcester County
, Massachusetts
, United States
. The population was 11,390 at the 2010 census.
On the night of April 6, 1776, on his way to intercept the British fleet that was retreating from Boston
to New York Harbor
, General George Washington
camped in the town of Dudley with the Continental Army
along what is now a portion of Route 31 near the Connecticut
border. During the trip, it is rumored that a "large cache" of captured and recovered British weaponry and supplies was ordered "concealed in the grounds" in the rural area along the route. The cache, hidden to resupply reinforcements from Massachusetts or to cover a retreat from the south, were never utilized or recorded as having been recovered.
Union
soldiers from Dudley were among the first to suffer casualties inflicted by the Confederacy
during the Battle of Gettysburg
. Dudley was the primary manufacturer of "Brogan boots" worn by the Union Army and produced the majority of the standard issue Union uniforms worn during the Civil War
.
Much of the western portion of Dudley was utilized by the Nipmuc Indians for burial grounds, and in 1986, it was discovered that the town landfill was located over ancient Indian burial sites.
To date, Dudley remains a bedroom community located in southern Worcester County.
, the town has a total area of 22.1 square miles (57.2 km²), of which 21 square miles (54.4 km²) is land and 1 square miles (2.6 km²), or 4.58%, is water. Dudley is bounded on the northeast by Oxford
, on the north by Charlton
, on the west by Southbridge
, on the south by Woodstock
and Thompson, Connecticut
, and on the east by Webster
, with which it traditionally had the closest cultural and political relations.
of 2000, there were 10,036 people, 3,737 households, and 2,668 families residing in the town. The population density
was 476.7 PD/sqmi. There were 3,910 housing units at an average density of 185.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 96.83% White, 0.23%African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.74% Asian, 0.75% from other races
, and 0.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.01% of the population.
There were 3,737 households out of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.5% were married couples
living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.6% were non-families. 23.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the town the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 98.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $48,602, and the median income for a family was $59,309. Males had a median income of $40,337 versus $27,589 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $21,546. About 3.1% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.2% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.
, which maintains a campus on Dudley Hill, the historical center of the town. Public schools in Dudley include Mason Road School (grades Preschool-1), Dudley Elementary School (grades 2-4), Dudley Middle School (grades 5-8) and Shepherd Hill Regional High School
(grades 9-12), the last of which also serves students from Charlton. All public schools in Dudley are part of the Dudley-Charlton Regional School District.
Worcester County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:In 1990 Worcester County had a population of 709,705.As of the census of 2000, there were 750,963 people, 283,927 households, and 192,502 families residing in the county. The population density was 496 people per square mile . There were 298,159 housing units at an average density...
, 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...
. The population was 11,390 at the 2010 census.
History
Dudley was first settled in 1714 and was officially incorporated in 1732. The town was named for landholders Paul and William Dudley.On the night of April 6, 1776, on his way to intercept the British fleet that was retreating from Boston
Boston
Boston 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...
to New York Harbor
New York Harbor
New York Harbor refers to the waterways of the estuary near the mouth of the Hudson River that empty into New York Bay. It is one of the largest natural harbors in the world. Although the U.S. Board of Geographic Names does not use the term, New York Harbor has important historical, governmental,...
, General George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
camped in the town of Dudley with the Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
along what is now a portion of Route 31 near the Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
border. During the trip, it is rumored that a "large cache" of captured and recovered British weaponry and supplies was ordered "concealed in the grounds" in the rural area along the route. The cache, hidden to resupply reinforcements from Massachusetts or to cover a retreat from the south, were never utilized or recorded as having been recovered.
Union
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
soldiers from Dudley were among the first to suffer casualties inflicted by the Confederacy
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
during the Battle of Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
. Dudley was the primary manufacturer of "Brogan boots" worn by the Union Army and produced the majority of the standard issue Union uniforms worn during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Much of the western portion of Dudley was utilized by the Nipmuc Indians for burial grounds, and in 1986, it was discovered that the town landfill was located over ancient Indian burial sites.
To date, Dudley remains a bedroom community located in southern Worcester County.
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 22.1 square miles (57.2 km²), of which 21 square miles (54.4 km²) is land and 1 square miles (2.6 km²), or 4.58%, is water. Dudley is bounded on the northeast by Oxford
Oxford, Massachusetts
Oxford is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 13,709 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Oxford, please see the article Oxford , Massachusetts.-History:...
, on the north by Charlton
Charlton, Massachusetts
Charlton is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,981 at the 2010 census.- History :Charlton was first settled in 1735. It was established as a District separated off from Oxford on January 10, 1755, and became a Town in 1775 by a law that made all...
, on the west by Southbridge
Southbridge, Massachusetts
The Town of Southbridge is a city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 16,719 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, on the south by Woodstock
Woodstock, Connecticut
Woodstock is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 7,221 at the 2000 census.-Annual events:*The Woodstock Fair, run by the Woodstock Agricultural Society has been held since 1860. The current President of the Woodstock Fair is Susan Z. Hibbard...
and Thompson, Connecticut
Thompson, Connecticut
Thompson is a rural town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The town was named after Sir Robert Thompson, an English landholder. The population was 9,458 at the 2010 census...
, and on the east by Webster
Webster, Massachusetts
-Media:* Worcester Telegram & Gazette * Webster Times, published every Friday* The Patriot, published every Wednesday* WGFP-AM 940, a country music station* Boston Globe* Boston Herald-Library:...
, with which it traditionally had the closest cultural and political relations.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 10,036 people, 3,737 households, and 2,668 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 476.7 PD/sqmi. There were 3,910 housing units at an average density of 185.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 96.83% White, 0.23%African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.74% Asian, 0.75% 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 0.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.01% of the population.
There were 3,737 households out of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.5% 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, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.6% were non-families. 23.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the town the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 98.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $48,602, and the median income for a family was $59,309. Males had a median income of $40,337 versus $27,589 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 $21,546. About 3.1% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.2% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Library
The public library in Dudley opened in 1897. In fiscal year 2008, the town of Dudley spent 1.44% ($163,468) of its budget on its public library—some $14 per person.Education
Dudley is the home of Nichols CollegeNichols College
Nichols College is a private, co-educational, four-year institution of higher learning that is located in Dudley, Massachusetts.Nichols has many diverse majors that mainly focus on business and liberal arts. The school also offers an MBA program for graduate students.Nichols College athletics...
, which maintains a campus on Dudley Hill, the historical center of the town. Public schools in Dudley include Mason Road School (grades Preschool-1), Dudley Elementary School (grades 2-4), Dudley Middle School (grades 5-8) and Shepherd Hill Regional High School
Shepherd Hill Regional High School
Shepherd Hill Regional High School is a high school located in Dudley, Massachusetts, USA. It is a regional high school covering the towns of Dudley and Charlton. The school is part of the Dudley-Charlton Regional School District. The principal is Mary A. Pierangeli. Shepherd Hill has over 1200...
(grades 9-12), the last of which also serves students from Charlton. All public schools in Dudley are part of the Dudley-Charlton Regional School District.