East Brookfield, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
East Brookfield is a town in Worcester County
, Massachusetts
, United States
. The population was 2,183 at the 2010 census.
For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place
East Brookfield, please see the article East Brookfield (CDP)
, Massachusetts
.
in 1673, and was officially incorporated as a separate town in 1920, making it the "newest" town (by date of incorporation) in Massachusetts
. The town is the birthplace of Connie Mack
, the manager of the Philadelphia Athletics.
, the town has a total area of 10.4 square miles (26.9 km²), of which 9.8 square miles (25.4 km²) is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²), or 5.11%, is water. East Brookfield is bordered on the north by North Brookfield
, on the west by Brookfield
, on the south by Sturbridge
and Charlton
, and on the east by Spencer
.
Most community life in East Brookfield centers around Route 9, particularly the stretch closest to Lake Lashaway
, on the road from Spencer to North Brookfield. Within a block of this stretch are found all of the town's churches, its school and former schools, most of its retail businesses and its current and former municipal office buildings. The latter is on Depot Square, a triangular crossroads near the post office and Redmans Hall, the site of the Senior Center and some town meetings.
West of the town center is the Quaboag River
plains, known locally as "the Flats". The CSX Boston
-to-Selkirk
rail line runs parallel to Main Street through this section. North of Main Street is the town's main water body, Lake Lashaway
. Southwest of the town center are the Quaboag
and Quacumquasit Ponds (also known as North and South ponds). On Quacumquasit Pond is a YMCA residential summer camp, Camp Frank A. Day. Bordering the ponds, in the geographic center of town, is a sparsely populated marshland. South of the marshes is sparsely populated woodland, formerly a village called Podunk
—today marked only by a small cemetery along Podunk Road near the Sturbridge town line—and a hilly area called High Rocks. The term "Podunk" has come to stand for any archetypal "backwater" town.
of 2000, there were 2,097 people, 778 households, and 599 families residing in the town. The population density
was 213.0 people per square mile (82.3/km²). There were 849 housing units at an average density of 86.2 per square mile (33.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.52% White, 0.43% Black or African American
, 0.24% Native American, 0.14% Asian, 0.14% from other races
, and 0.52% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.76% of the population.
There were 778 households out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.7% were married couples
living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.9% were non-families. 18.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.6% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 98.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $51,860, and the median income for a family was $57,500. Males had a median income of $41,739 versus $28,250 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $22,629. About 2.8% of families and 3.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.6% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.
, and East Brookfield students also attend Knox Trail Junior High School (grades 7-8) and David Prouty High School (grades 9-12) in Spencer.
, also known as the Lashaway Middle School, was at the time of its closing in 2002, the oldest operating original, wooden school building in the nation. It is now the home of the East Brookfield Historical Museum, the Quaboag Valley Railroaders Club, and the Massasoit Art Guild. It is also the meeting place for Boy Scout Troop 238.
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 2,183 at the 2010 census.
For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
East Brookfield, please see the article East Brookfield (CDP)
East Brookfield (CDP), Massachusetts
East Brookfield is a census-designated place in the town of East Brookfield in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,323 at the 2010 census.-Geography:East Brookfield is located at ....
, 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...
.
History
East Brookfield was first settled in 1664 as part of the Quabog Plantation lands. It became part of the new town of BrookfieldBrookfield, Massachusetts
Brookfield is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,390 at the 2010 census.-History:Brookfield was first settled in 1660 and was officially incorporated in 1718...
in 1673, and was officially incorporated as a separate town in 1920, making it the "newest" town (by date of incorporation) in 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...
. The town is the birthplace of Connie Mack
Connie Mack (baseball)
Cornelius McGillicuddy, Sr. , better known as Connie Mack, was an American professional baseball player, manager, and team owner. The longest-serving manager in Major League Baseball history, he holds records for wins , losses , and games managed , with his victory total being almost 1,000 more...
, the manager of the Philadelphia Athletics.
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 10.4 square miles (26.9 km²), of which 9.8 square miles (25.4 km²) is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²), or 5.11%, is water. East Brookfield is bordered on the north by North Brookfield
North Brookfield, Massachusetts
North Brookfield is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 4,680 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place North Brookfield, please see the article North Brookfield , Massachusetts.- History :North Brookfield...
, on the west by Brookfield
Brookfield, Massachusetts
Brookfield is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,390 at the 2010 census.-History:Brookfield was first settled in 1660 and was officially incorporated in 1718...
, on the south by Sturbridge
Sturbridge, Massachusetts
Sturbridge is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. It is home to Old Sturbridge Village living history museum and other sites of historical interest such as Tantiusques.The population was 9,268 at the 2010 census...
and 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...
, and on the east by Spencer
Spencer, Massachusetts
Spencer is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 11,688 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Spencer, please see the article Spencer , Massachusetts....
.
Most community life in East Brookfield centers around Route 9, particularly the stretch closest to Lake Lashaway
Lake Lashaway
Lake Lashaway is a pond located near the East Brookfield and North Brookfield, Massachusetts town line. The town line cuts the lake approximately in half. The lake lies just to the north of state Route 9 as it passes through East Brookfield.-Description:...
, on the road from Spencer to North Brookfield. Within a block of this stretch are found all of the town's churches, its school and former schools, most of its retail businesses and its current and former municipal office buildings. The latter is on Depot Square, a triangular crossroads near the post office and Redmans Hall, the site of the Senior Center and some town meetings.
West of the town center is the Quaboag River
Quaboag River
The Quaboag River is a river in Massachusetts that heads at Quaboag Pond in Brookfield at an elevation of above sea level. It flows west to the village of Three Rivers, Massachusetts, at an elevation of .-History:...
plains, known locally as "the Flats". The CSX 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-Selkirk
Selkirk, New York
Selkirk is a hamlet in the town of Bethlehem, Albany County, New York. It is located south of the city of Albany, it is an suburb of that city....
rail line runs parallel to Main Street through this section. North of Main Street is the town's main water body, Lake Lashaway
Lake Lashaway
Lake Lashaway is a pond located near the East Brookfield and North Brookfield, Massachusetts town line. The town line cuts the lake approximately in half. The lake lies just to the north of state Route 9 as it passes through East Brookfield.-Description:...
. Southwest of the town center are the Quaboag
Quaboag Pond
Quaboag Pond is a pond located near the East Brookfield and Brookfield, Massachusetts. The pond lies about two miles south of state Route 9 as it passes through East Brookfield. Quaboag Pond was once named Podunk Pond.-Description:...
and Quacumquasit Ponds (also known as North and South ponds). On Quacumquasit Pond is a YMCA residential summer camp, Camp Frank A. Day. Bordering the ponds, in the geographic center of town, is a sparsely populated marshland. South of the marshes is sparsely populated woodland, formerly a village called Podunk
Podunk
In American English, Podunk, podunk, or Podunk Hollow denotes or describes a place of small size or "in the middle of nowhere", and is often used in the upper case as a placeholder name in a context of dismissing significance or importance....
—today marked only by a small cemetery along Podunk Road near the Sturbridge town line—and a hilly area called High Rocks. The term "Podunk" has come to stand for any archetypal "backwater" town.
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 2,097 people, 778 households, and 599 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 213.0 people per square mile (82.3/km²). There were 849 housing units at an average density of 86.2 per square mile (33.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.52% White, 0.43% Black or African American
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...
, 0.24% Native American, 0.14% Asian, 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 0.52% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.76% of the population.
There were 778 households out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.7% 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, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.9% were non-families. 18.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.6% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 98.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $51,860, and the median income for a family was $57,500. Males had a median income of $41,739 versus $28,250 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 $22,629. About 2.8% of families and 3.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.6% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.
Library
The East Brookfield public library was established in 1921. In fiscal year 2008, the town of East Brookfield spent 1.78% ($64,839) of its budget on its public library—some $31 per person.Education
There is one active school in town. It is East Brookfield Elementary School. In 2002, they closed down two older schools, Lashaway Junior High School (built in 1882, also known as the Hodgkins School), which at the time of closing served grades 3-6, and the Memorial School, built in 1952. East Brookfield is regionalized K-12 with SpencerSpencer, Massachusetts
Spencer is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 11,688 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Spencer, please see the article Spencer , Massachusetts....
, and East Brookfield students also attend Knox Trail Junior High School (grades 7-8) and David Prouty High School (grades 9-12) in Spencer.
Points of interest
The Hodgkins SchoolHodgkins School
The Hodgkins School was a former elementary school in East Brookfield, Massachusetts. At the time of its closing in 2002, it was the oldest continuously operating public school building in the state.-History:...
, also known as the Lashaway Middle School, was at the time of its closing in 2002, the oldest operating original, wooden school building in the nation. It is now the home of the East Brookfield Historical Museum, the Quaboag Valley Railroaders Club, and the Massasoit Art Guild. It is also the meeting place for Boy Scout Troop 238.