Tyngsborough, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Tyngsborough is a town located in the northwest section of Middlesex County, Massachusetts
. Composed of 17.86 square miles (46.3 km²) 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
, Pelham
, and the City of Nashua
. Tyngsborough is
44 miles (70.8 km) from Boston
along the recently widened Route 3
corridor. The town calls itself 'The Gateway to the White Mountains
' of New Hampshire, which is the source of the Merrimack River
that bisects the town. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 11,292 but has experienced steady growth since World War II as part of Greater Boston
.
. The town of Dunstable, incorporated in 1673, was named after the hometown of pioneer Edward Tyng. However, a relative of his, and the source of the town of Tyngsborough's name, was Colonel Jonathan Tyng whose home, the Tyng Mansion House, was one of the oldest north of Boston. He settled near the Merrimack in what is now Tyngsborough in 1675. The house stood until the 1970s, when it was destroyed by arson. Early on Tyngsborough residents fought a series of small and bloody skirmishes with local Native American tribes. Evidence of this can be found in several old colonial homes in town that still have emergency passages that were used during these attacks. In 1789, Tyngsborough's parish split from the rest of Dunstable, making Tyngsborough a recognized district. On February 23, 1809, Tyngsborough became a town.
After Tyngsborough was incorporated it became known for its ferries which travelled up and down the Merrimack River
, the quarries that produced granite
, and several box companies that started in town. As the town developed, Tyngsborough became a vacation community and had a large seasonal resident population even up until the late 1960s. A notable summer resident was actress Nance O'Neil, whose estate became the campus of the Academy of Notre Dame
. Today, Tyngsborough is primarily a bedroom community, part of Greater Lowell
and the Nashua, New Hampshire
region, as well as being an easy commute to the Boston area. The town is probably best known today for its green painted single-arched iron bridge over the Merrimack. Constructed in the early 1930s as a replacement for an earlier wooden planked structure, this bridge has become the town's emblem, and more practically, a major river crossing for residents of Massachusetts
and New Hampshire
alike. Having fallen into serious disrepair, the green bridge has been replaced by a temporary structure while work is done to restore the former.
model with a Board of Selectmen
overseeing the operation of the town.
Reporting to the Board of Selectmen is the Town Administrator, Michael P. Gilleberto, who oversees the public employees and day-to-day operations of the Town Offices.
Other elected boards include: Planning Board, School Committee, Conservation Commission, Library Trustees, Cemetery Commission, Board of Health, Sewer Commission and the Zoning Board of Appeals.
Current members of the Board of Selectmen are (as of May 2011):
Rick Reault (Chairman), Robert Jackson (Vice-Chairman), Elizabeth Coughlin (Clerk), Allen Curseaden and Corliss Lambert.
, the town has a total area of 18 square miles (46.6 km²), of which 16.9 square miles (43.8 km²) is land and 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²) (6.65%) is water. Besides a series of lakes and ponds that dot Tyngsborough, the town is split in two by the Merrimack River
which runs roughly north-south near the center of town. The land is mostly rolling hills, small cleared fields, and wooded land. Marshlands can also be found in the area, although they are less prevalent than in surrounding towns.
Additionally, Tyngsborough is home to Greater Lowell Technical High School
, a public vocational school which serves the towns of Tyngsborough, Dracut, and Dunstable as well as the City of Lowell. There is one private school in Tyngsborough, the Academy of Notre Dame
The town also has one public charter school, Innovation Academy, serving over 400 students in grades five through 12. Innovation Academy moved to the town in of September 2008 from neighboring Chelmsford.
There are no colleges or universities in Tyngsborough, but Boston University
once maintained a corporate education center in Tyngsborough. The facility has since been moved to nearby Chelmsford.
of 2000, there were 11,081 people, 3,731 households, and 2,947 families residing in the town. The population density
was 657.4 people per square mile (253.8/km²). There were 3,806 housing units at an average density of 225.8 per square mile (87.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.63% White, 0.50% African American, 0.23% Native American, 2.48% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.14% from other races
, and 0.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.11% of the population.
There were 3,731 households out of which 44.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.5% were married couples
living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.0% were non-families. 16.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.97 and the average family size was 3.37.
In the town the population was spread out with 30.3% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 35.7% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 6.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 97.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $69,818, and the median income for a family was $78,680. Males had a median income of $46,942 versus $33,396 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $27,249. About 4.0% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.2% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.
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...
. Composed of 17.86 square miles (46.3 km²) of land and surface water, Tyngsborough borders the towns of Dunstable
Dunstable, Massachusetts
Dunstable is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,179 at the 2010 census.-Etymology:Dunstable was named after its sister town Dunstable, UK....
, 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...
, Westford
Westford, Massachusetts
Westford is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 21,951 at the 2010 census.-History:Originally a part of neighboring Chelmsford, West Chelmsford soon grew large enough to sustain its own governance, and was officially incorporated as Westford on September 23,...
, Chelmsford
Chelmsford, Massachusetts
Chelmsford is a suburban town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts in the Greater Boston area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town's population was 33,802. The Census Bureau's 2008 population estimate for the town was 34,409, ranking it 14th in population among the 54 municipalities in...
, Dracut
Dracut, Massachusetts
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...
, and 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...
, as well as 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...
communities of Hudson
Hudson, New Hampshire
Hudson is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 24,467 at the 2010 census.The primary settlement in town, where 7,336 people resided at the 2010 census, is defined as the Hudson census-designated place and is located at the junctions of New Hampshire...
, 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...
, and the City of 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...
. Tyngsborough is
44 miles (70.8 km) 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...
along the recently widened 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...
corridor. The town calls itself 'The Gateway to the White Mountains
White Mountains (New Hampshire)
The White Mountains are a mountain range covering about a quarter of the state of New Hampshire and a small portion of western Maine in the United States. Part of the Appalachian Mountains, they are considered the most rugged mountains in New England...
' of New Hampshire, which is the source 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...
that bisects the town. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 11,292 but has experienced steady growth since World War II as part of 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...
.
History
Tyngsborough was settled in 1661, as part of the massive Dunstable TownshipDunstable, Massachusetts
Dunstable is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,179 at the 2010 census.-Etymology:Dunstable was named after its sister town Dunstable, UK....
. The town of Dunstable, incorporated in 1673, was named after the hometown of pioneer Edward Tyng. However, a relative of his, and the source of the town of Tyngsborough's name, was Colonel Jonathan Tyng whose home, the Tyng Mansion House, was one of the oldest north of Boston. He settled near the Merrimack in what is now Tyngsborough in 1675. The house stood until the 1970s, when it was destroyed by arson. Early on Tyngsborough residents fought a series of small and bloody skirmishes with local Native American tribes. Evidence of this can be found in several old colonial homes in town that still have emergency passages that were used during these attacks. In 1789, Tyngsborough's parish split from the rest of Dunstable, making Tyngsborough a recognized district. On February 23, 1809, Tyngsborough became a town.
After Tyngsborough was incorporated it became known for its ferries which travelled up and down 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...
, the quarries that produced granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
, and several box companies that started in town. As the town developed, Tyngsborough became a vacation community and had a large seasonal resident population even up until the late 1960s. A notable summer resident was actress Nance O'Neil, whose estate became the campus of the Academy of Notre Dame
Academy of Notre Dame (Tyngsboro, Massachusetts)
The Academy of Notre Dame is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Tyngsborough, Massachusetts. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston.-Student life:...
. Today, Tyngsborough is primarily a bedroom community, part of 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 the Nashua, New Hampshire
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...
region, as well as being an easy commute to the Boston area. The town is probably best known today for its green painted single-arched iron bridge over the Merrimack. Constructed in the early 1930s as a replacement for an earlier wooden planked structure, this bridge has become the town's emblem, and more practically, a major river crossing for residents 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 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...
alike. Having fallen into serious disrepair, the green bridge has been replaced by a temporary structure while work is done to restore the former.
Government
The town uses a Open Town MeetingOpen town meeting
An 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....
model with a Board of Selectmen
Board of selectmen
The board of selectmen is commonly the executive arm of the government of New England towns in the United States. The board typically consists of three or five members, with or without staggered terms.-History:...
overseeing the operation of the town.
Reporting to the Board of Selectmen is the Town Administrator, Michael P. Gilleberto, who oversees the public employees and day-to-day operations of the Town Offices.
Other elected boards include: Planning Board, School Committee, Conservation Commission, Library Trustees, Cemetery Commission, Board of Health, Sewer Commission and the Zoning Board of Appeals.
Current members of the Board of Selectmen are (as of May 2011):
Rick Reault (Chairman), Robert Jackson (Vice-Chairman), Elizabeth Coughlin (Clerk), Allen Curseaden and Corliss Lambert.
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 18 square miles (46.6 km²), of which 16.9 square miles (43.8 km²) is land and 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²) (6.65%) is water. Besides a series of lakes and ponds that dot Tyngsborough, the town is split in two by 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...
which runs roughly north-south near the center of town. The land is mostly rolling hills, small cleared fields, and wooded land. Marshlands can also be found in the area, although they are less prevalent than in surrounding towns.
Schools
The Tyngsborough Public School district is coterminous with the town, and supports three schools:- Tyngsborough Elementary School (grades Pre K-5)
- Tyngsborough Middle School (grades 6-8)
- Tyngsborough High SchoolTyngsborough High SchoolTyngsborough High School is located at 36 Norris Road in Tyngsborough.Tyngsborough High School has approximately 490 students, and is part of the Tyngsborough school district.-History:...
(grades 9-12)
Additionally, Tyngsborough is home to Greater Lowell Technical High School
Greater Lowell Technical High School
Greater Lowell Technical High School is a public vocational high school in Tyngsborough, Massachusetts. Greater Lowell Technical High School former name was Greater Lowell Vocational Technical High School. The school serve the city of Lowell and towns of Tyngsborough, Dracut, and Dunstable. There...
, a public vocational school which serves the towns of Tyngsborough, Dracut, and Dunstable as well as the City of Lowell. There is one private school in Tyngsborough, the Academy of Notre Dame
Academy of Notre Dame (Tyngsboro, Massachusetts)
The Academy of Notre Dame is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Tyngsborough, Massachusetts. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston.-Student life:...
The town also has one public charter school, Innovation Academy, serving over 400 students in grades five through 12. Innovation Academy moved to the town in of September 2008 from neighboring Chelmsford.
There are no colleges or universities in Tyngsborough, but Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
once maintained a corporate education center in Tyngsborough. The facility has since been moved to nearby Chelmsford.
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 11,081 people, 3,731 households, and 2,947 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 657.4 people per square mile (253.8/km²). There were 3,806 housing units at an average density of 225.8 per square mile (87.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.63% White, 0.50% African American, 0.23% Native American, 2.48% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.14% 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 0.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.11% of the population.
There were 3,731 households out of which 44.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.5% 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, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.0% were non-families. 16.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.97 and the average family size was 3.37.
In the town the population was spread out with 30.3% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 35.7% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 6.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 97.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $69,818, and the median income for a family was $78,680. Males had a median income of $46,942 versus $33,396 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 $27,249. About 4.0% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.2% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.
Points of interest
- Lowell-Dracut-Tyngsboro State ForestLowell-Dracut-Tyngsboro State ForestThe Lowell-Dracut-Tyngsboro State Forest is a recreational preserve overlapping the three Massachusetts towns of Lowell, Dracut and Tyngsborough...
- Pheasant Lane MallPheasant Lane MallPheasant Lane Mall, occupying , is one of the largest shopping malls in the state of New Hampshire and the focal point of the commercial area in south Nashua....
Parking Lot - Old Town HallOld Town Hall (Tyngsborough, Massachusetts)Old Town Hall is a historic town hall in Tyngsborough, Massachusetts.It was built in 1834 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005....
- Vesper Country ClubVesper Country ClubThe Vesper Country Club, founded in 1899, is located on the Merrimack River in Tyngsborough, Massachusetts. According to the USGA, and Golf Magazine, its golf course is one of the first in the United States, and was home to the first Massachusetts Open in 1905, won by golfer and course designer...
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. Tyngsborough article by Rev. Elias Nason in volume 2 pages 391-399.
