Southborough, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Southborough is an affluent town in Worcester County
, Massachusetts
, United States
. It incorporates the smaller villages of Cordaville
, Fayville, and Southville. Its name is often informally shortened to Southboro, a usage seen on many area signs and maps. Its population was 9,767 at the 2010 census.
Land use is primarily residential, with substantial open space. A quarter of the town's area is flooded by the Sudbury Reservoir
. Light industrial land use is concentrated along main roads, primarily Massachusetts Route 9, and there are several small business districts in the villages and along Route 9. Southborough was named Number 31 in the nation on CNN Money's "100 Best Places to Live" in 2009.
In 1898 the Fayville Dam was constructed to produce several reservoirs to supply a growing Boston
with water. As a result, manufacturing vanished and Southborough did not see substantial growth until the high-tech boom of the 1970s.
, the town has a total area of 15.7 square miles (40.7 km²), of which 14.1 square miles (36.5 km²) is land and 1.5 square miles (3.9 km²), or 9.64%, is water.
on the south, Framingham
and Ashland
on the east, Westborough
and Northborough
on the west, and Marlborough
on the north.
of 2000, there were 8,781 people, 2,952 households, and 2,426 families residing in the town. The population density
was 620.7 PD/sqmi. There were 2,997 housing units at an average density of 211.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 94.47% White, 0.54% African American, 0.07% Native American, 3.52% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.50% from other races
, and 0.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.50% of the population.
There were 2,952 households out of which 47.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.9% were married couples
living together, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.8% were non-families. 14.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.97 and the average family size was 3.30.
In the town the population was spread out with 32.1% under the age of 18, 3.7% from 18 to 24, 32.2% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 8.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 99.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $132,986, and the median income for a family was $129,454, although according to CNN, median family income had risen to $148,297 by 2009. Males had a median income of $80,961 versus $50,537 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $44,310. About 0.4% of families and .6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.7% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.
, who also appoints most of the membership of the unelected boards.
The three members of the Board of Selectmen, however, are elected to act as the executive body of the government. The Selectmen delegate day-to-day operations to the Town Manager.
Southborough has three school committees:
Southborough's town elections are non-partisan.
Almost sixty percent of current voters registered without enrolling in any political party. Democrats slightly outnumber Republicans in the remaining forty percent. Minor party enrollments are negligible.
, St. Mark's
, which was founded in 1865 by Joseph Burnett
. One of the oldest junior boarding schools in the nation, the Fay School
, was founded a year later in 1866 by Joseph Burnett's first cousin Harriet Burnett Fay.
The MBTA Commuter Rail
's Framingham/Worcester Line
train stops at Southborough Station
, which opened to commuters on June 22, 2002. The station is located in the Cordaville
neighborhood, on Route 85 near the border with Hopkinton
. As of October 2007, ten daily round-trip trains provide service to Boston
via the Back Bay and South Station
terminals.
Interstate 495
and the Massachusetts Turnpike
(Interstate 90
) both pass through Southborough, although neither have interchanges within town limits. Routes 9 and 30 are east-west routes passing through Southborough, while Route 85 serves the town as a north-south route.
There are also events on the prior Sunday, including a five-mile run, a three-mile walk, and a pumpkin-carving contest that is judged at dusk.
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...
. It incorporates the smaller villages of Cordaville
Cordaville, Massachusetts
Cordaville is a census-designated place in the town of Southborough in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 2,650 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Cordaville is located at ....
, Fayville, and Southville. Its name is often informally shortened to Southboro, a usage seen on many area signs and maps. Its population was 9,767 at the 2010 census.
Land use is primarily residential, with substantial open space. A quarter of the town's area is flooded by the Sudbury Reservoir
Sudbury Reservoir
The Sudbury Reservoir is a former Boston metropolitan water reservoir located in Framingham, Marlborough, Southborough, and Westborough, Massachusetts, USA...
. Light industrial land use is concentrated along main roads, primarily Massachusetts Route 9, and there are several small business districts in the villages and along Route 9. Southborough was named Number 31 in the nation on CNN Money's "100 Best Places to Live" in 2009.
History
Southborough was first settled in 1660 and was officially incorporated in 1727. Southborough was primarily a farming community until mills began to tap the small rivers that ran through the town. By the end of the 19th century, the town was home to the manufacture of plaster, boots and shoes, among other things.In 1898 the Fayville Dam was constructed to produce several reservoirs to supply a growing 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...
with water. As a result, manufacturing vanished and Southborough did not see substantial growth until the high-tech boom of the 1970s.
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 15.7 square miles (40.7 km²), of which 14.1 square miles (36.5 km²) is land and 1.5 square miles (3.9 km²), or 9.64%, is water.
Adjacent towns
Southborough is located in eastern Massachusetts, bordered by HopkintonHopkinton, Massachusetts
Hopkinton is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, just under 30 miles west and south of Boston. The town is best known as the starting point of the Boston Marathon, held annually on Patriots' Day in April, and as the home of computer storage firm EMC Corporation.For geographic and demographic...
on the south, Framingham
Framingham, Massachusetts
Framingham is a New England town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 68,318 as of the United States 2010 Census. -History:...
and Ashland
Ashland, Massachusetts
Ashland is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the MetroWest region. The population was 16,593 at the 2010 census.-History:...
on the east, Westborough
Westborough, Massachusetts
Westborough is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 18,272 at the 2010 census. The town is governed under the New England open town meeting system, headed by a five member elected Board of Selectmen whose duties include licensing, appointing various...
and Northborough
Northborough, Massachusetts
Northborough is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The official spelling of the town's name is "Northborough", but the shorter spelling "Northboro" is also used...
on the west, and Marlborough
Marlborough, Massachusetts
Marlborough is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 38,499 at the 2010 census. Marlborough became a prosperous industrial town in the 19th century and made the transition to high technology industry in the late 20th century after the construction of the...
on the north.
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 8,781 people, 2,952 households, and 2,426 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 620.7 PD/sqmi. There were 2,997 housing units at an average density of 211.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 94.47% White, 0.54% African American, 0.07% Native American, 3.52% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.50% 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 0.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.50% of the population.
There were 2,952 households out of which 47.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.9% 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, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.8% were non-families. 14.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.97 and the average family size was 3.30.
In the town the population was spread out with 32.1% under the age of 18, 3.7% from 18 to 24, 32.2% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 8.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 99.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $132,986, and the median income for a family was $129,454, although according to CNN, median family income had risen to $148,297 by 2009. Males had a median income of $80,961 versus $50,537 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 $44,310. About 0.4% of families and .6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.7% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.
Government
The form of town government is open town meeting, in which the voters of the town act as the legislature. Town Meeting is managed by the ModeratorModerator (town official)
A moderator is an official of an incorporated town who presides over the town meeting, and in some cases, other municipal meetings. In the United States, the area of the country best known for the town meeting form of government is New England. The office of moderator exists in at least Connecticut...
, who also appoints most of the membership of the unelected boards.
The three members of the Board of Selectmen, however, are elected to act as the executive body of the government. The Selectmen delegate day-to-day operations to the Town Manager.
Southborough has three school committees:
- Southborough K-8 School Committee
- Northborough-Southborough Regional School Committee
- Assabet Valley Regional Vocational-Technical School Committee
Southborough's town elections are non-partisan.
Almost sixty percent of current voters registered without enrolling in any political party. Democrats slightly outnumber Republicans in the remaining forty percent. Minor party enrollments are negligible.
Library
The public library in Southborough was established in 1852. In fiscal year 2008, the town of Southborough spent 0.95% ($370,390) of its budget on its public library—some $38 per person.Education
Public and private educational campuses frame Southborough's small New England downtown.Public schools
Southborough has six public schools. The four elementary and middle schools are inside town limits; the two high schools are regional schools in adjoining towns.- Mary E. Finn School - preschool, kindergarten, and 1st grade
- Albert S. Woodward School - 2nd and 3rd grade
- Margaret A. Neary School - 4th and 5th grade
- P. Brent Trottier Middle SchoolTrottier middle schoolTrottier Middle School is located in the town of Southborough, Massachusetts. The current principal is Keith Lavoie, taking over after Linda Murdock took a position at Neary Elementary school. The formal name is P. Brent Trottier Middle School. It is named after former Southborough educator P...
- 6th, 7th, and 8th grade - Algonquin Regional High SchoolAlgonquin Regional High SchoolAlgonquin Regional High School is a public high school located in Northborough, Massachusetts. The school serves the students of the Northborough-Southborough Regional School District comprising both Northborough and neighboring Southborough. Algonquin Regional's Superintendent is Charles E....
in Northborough, Massachusetts - 9th to 12th - Assabet Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School in Marlborough, Massachusetts - 9th to 12th
Private schools
Southborough is home to a private secondary schoolSecondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
, St. Mark's
St. Mark's School (Massachusetts)
St. Mark’s School is a coeducational, Episcopal, preparatory school, situated on in Southborough, Massachusetts, from Boston. It was founded in 1865 as an all-boys' school by Joseph Burnett, a wealthy native of Southborough who developed and marketed the world-famous Burnett Vanilla Extract . ...
, which was founded in 1865 by Joseph Burnett
Joseph Burnett (educator)
Joseph Burnett , educator, was born in Southborough, Massachusetts in November, 1820 and died there in 1894. He was an innovator in the production of premium vanilla extract in the United States. Vanilla extract was previously imported from France and made by processes which were proprietary secrets...
. One of the oldest junior boarding schools in the nation, the Fay School
Fay School
Fay School is an independent, coeducational day and boarding school, located on a campus some from Boston in Southborough, Massachusetts. It has 465 students enrolled from Pre-Kindergarten through grade 9; the boarding program enrolls 100 students from throughout the United States and more than...
, was founded a year later in 1866 by Joseph Burnett's first cousin Harriet Burnett Fay.
Transportation
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...
's Framingham/Worcester Line
Framingham/Worcester Line
The Framingham/Worcester Line is a railroad line of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, running west from Boston, Massachusetts to Worcester, Massachusetts, though some trains terminate at Framingham, Massachusetts...
train stops at Southborough Station
Southborough (MBTA station)
Southborough is a passenger rail station on MBTA Commuter Rail's Framingham/Worcester Line. It is officially located at 87 Southville Road in Southborough, Massachusetts,, however the parking lot is on the opposite side of the tracks off of River Street south of the 11 foot high railroad bridge...
, which opened to commuters on June 22, 2002. The station is located in the Cordaville
Cordaville, Massachusetts
Cordaville is a census-designated place in the town of Southborough in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 2,650 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Cordaville is located at ....
neighborhood, on Route 85 near the border with Hopkinton
Hopkinton, Massachusetts
Hopkinton is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, just under 30 miles west and south of Boston. The town is best known as the starting point of the Boston Marathon, held annually on Patriots' Day in April, and as the home of computer storage firm EMC Corporation.For geographic and demographic...
. As of October 2007, ten daily round-trip trains provide service to 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...
via the Back Bay and South Station
South Station
South Station, New England's second-largest transportation center , located at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Summer Street in Dewey Square, Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest train station and intercity bus terminal in Greater Boston, a prominent train station in the northeastern...
terminals.
Interstate 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 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...
(Interstate 90
Interstate 90
Interstate 90 is the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It is the northernmost coast-to-coast interstate, and parallels US 20 for the most part. Its western terminus is in Seattle, at Edgar Martinez Drive S. near Safeco Field and CenturyLink Field, and its eastern terminus is in...
) both pass through Southborough, although neither have interchanges within town limits. Routes 9 and 30 are east-west routes passing through Southborough, while Route 85 serves the town as a north-south route.
Points of interest
Some interesting places in Southborough are:- 9/11 Field
- Arts Center
- Village House
- Rural Cemetery
- Breakneck Hill conservation land
- Sudbury Reservoir Trail
- St. Mark's School
Annual events
Southborough celebrates Heritage Day on Columbus Day. The day starts with a brief, noisy parade down Main St., anchored by youth organizations, the Algonquin High School marching band, and police and fire vehicles. The parade ends adjacent to the St. Mark's green, where vendors and local organizations set up booths offering crafts, food, knick-knacks, and information.There are also events on the prior Sunday, including a five-mile run, a three-mile walk, and a pumpkin-carving contest that is judged at dusk.
Notable residents
- Marty Barrett, former Red Sox second baseman, who now resides in Las VegasLas Vegas metropolitan areaThe Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
- Storm LargeStorm LargeStorm Large is a singer best known as a contestant on the CBS reality television show Rock Star: Supernova.-Personal life:...
, musician and actress - Warner OlandWarner OlandWarner Oland was a Swedish American actor most remembered for his screen role as the detective Charlie Chan.-Biography:He was born Johan Verner Ölund in the village of Nyby, Bjurholm Municipality,...
(1879–1938), actor and star of sixteen 'Charlie ChanCharlie ChanCharlie Chan is a fictional Chinese-American detective created by Earl Derr Biggers in 1919. Loosely based on Honolulu detective Chang Apana, Biggers conceived of the benevolent and heroic Chan as an alternative to Yellow Peril stereotypes, such as villains like Fu Manchu...
' movies from 1931–1937 - Rico PetrocelliRico PetrocelliAmerico Peter "Rico" Petrocelli is an American retired baseball shortstop and third baseman who played his entire career in the American League with the Boston Red Sox...
, former Red Sox third baseman - Mike PortMike PortMichael D. Port is an American professional baseball executive. He was vice president, Umpiring for Major League Baseball from August 2005 through March 2011, when he left that position. He has been a front-office executive for three MLB clubs...
, former Red Sox General Manager and executive - E. C. SpykmanE. C. SpykmanElizabeth Choate Spykman was an American author known primarily for her children's books....
(1896–1965), children's novelist and journalist - Robert H. ThayerRobert H. ThayerRobert Helyer Thayer was an American lawyer, naval officer and diplomat.-Early life:Thayer was born in Southborough, Massachusetts, the son of Rev. William Greenough Thayer , headmaster of St. Mark's School from 1894–1930, and Violet Otis Thayer . He attended St...
(1901–1984), lawyer, naval officer and diplomat - Luis TiantLuis TiantLuis Clemente Tiant Vega , born November 23, 1940 in Marianao, Cuba, , is a former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Cleveland Indians , Minnesota Twins , Boston Red Sox , New York Yankees , Pittsburgh Pirates and California Angels...
, former Red Sox pitcher - Ramiro TorresRamiro TorresRamiro Torres is a Boston, Massachusetts area radio personality also known as "The Freakin' Puerto Rican".Born in Everett, Massachusetts, to Luz Maria and Ramiro Torres Sr., Ramiro started at Clear Channel Communications as an intern while attending the New England Institute of Art in 1994...
, radio personality - Michael WeishanMichael WeishanMichael Weishan is perhaps most widely known as the host of the American public television series, The Victory Garden, a position he held from 2001 through 2007...
, former PBS host - Jeffrey S.S. Johnson, actor, star of 'Letters To GodLetters to GodLetters to God is a 2010 Christian drama film directed by David Nixon and starring Robyn Lively, Jeffrey Johnson, Tanner Maguire, Michael Bolten and Bailee Madison. The story was written by Patrick Doughtie about his son Tyler, with the screenplay penned by Doughtie, Art D'Alessandro, Thrift...
', http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1378502/ - Winfield Scott HammondWinfield Scott HammondWinfield Scott Hammond was an American politician. He was a Democrat.Born in 1863 in Southborough, Massachusetts, he served from Minnesota in the United States House of Representatives in the 60th,...
(1863-1915), Congressman, Governor of Minnesota from January 5, to December 30, 1915.
Media
External links
- Southborough official website
- St. Mark's School
- The Fay School
- Breakneck Hill Cow Fund for Southborough's Belted Galloway Herd
- Southborough unofficial website
See also
- 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...
- MetroWestMetroWestMetroWest is a cluster of cities and towns lying west of Boston and east of Worcester, in the US state of Massachusetts. The name was coined in the 1980s by a local newspaper....
- Open town meeting formatOpen town meetingAn open town meeting is a form of town meeting in which all registered voters of a town may vote . This form of government is typical of smaller municipalities in the New England region of the United States....