Shrewsbury, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
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 31,640 people, 12,366 households, and 8,693 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 1526.3 PD/sqmi. There were 12,696 housing units at an average density of 612.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 89.12% White, 1.45% African American, 0.12% Native American, 7.61% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.69% 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 1.00% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.59% of the population.
There were 12,366 households out of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.1% 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, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.7% were non-families. 25.3% 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 2.54 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.6% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 33.4% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 94.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $64,237, and the median income for a family was $77,674 (these figures had risen to $77,734 and $92,599 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $56,259 versus $37,129 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 $31,570. About 3.3% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.6% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.
Town Government
Shrewsbury is governed in the traditional New England style. Municipal elections are held on the first Tuesday in May.Legislative Branch: Representative Town Meeting
Representative town meeting
A representative town meeting is a form of municipal legislature particularly common in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Vermont....
: 237 elected members.
Executive Branch: Five-member 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:...
with three-year staggered terms, an appointed Town Manager, and other elected and appointed positions.
Board of Selectmen
- James F. Kane (2012)
- Moira Miller (2013)
- John I. Lebeaux (2013)
- Maurice M. DePalo (2014)
- Henry Fitzgerald (2014)
Town Manager
- Daniel J. Morgado (Appointed)
Chief of Police
Chief of police
A Chief of Police is the title typically given to the top official in the chain of command of a police department, particularly in North America. Alternate titles for this position include Commissioner, Superintendent, and Chief constable...
- James Hester,Jr. (Appointed)
Fire Chief
Fire chief
Fire Chief is a top executive rank or commanding officer in a fire department, either elected or appointed...
- James Vuona (Appointed)
Moderator
Moderator (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...
- Christopher Mehne (2012)
Town Clerk
- Sandra Wright (Appointed)
Library Board of Trustees
- Joan T. Barry (2011), Chairperson
- Laurie Lindberg Hogan (2012)
- Carl A. Larson (2012)
- Jack Avis (2012)
- Frances Whitney (2013)
- Carol B. Cullen (2013)
- Nancy Gilbert (2013)
- Kevin M. McKenna (2011)
- Barbara A. Carpenter (2011)
School Committee
- Mark T. Murray (2011), Chairperson
- Steve Levine (2012)
- Erin H. Canzano (2013)
- Dale Magee (2013)
- Sandra Fryc (2011)
Various other boards, committees, and commissions round out the variety of services provided to residents, including scattered municipal water, trash collection, fire, ambulance, police, education, recreation, etc.
Library
The Shrewsbury Public Library was established in 1872. In fiscal year 2008, the town of Shrewsbury spent 1.4% ($1,164,563) of its budget on its public library — about $34 per town resident. Following the 1978 library expansion project, another expansion was needed. In 2004 and 2010, officials completed research showing inadequate space, poorly maintained roofs and heating/cooling systems, lack of handicap accessibility, and a growing demand for library services. In 2010, a project was proposed that would create a new 42000 square feet (3,901.9 m²) facility for a total of approximately 19 Million Dollars.Notable residents
- Artemas WardArtemas WardArtemas Ward was an American major general in the American Revolutionary War and a Congressman from Massachusetts...
(1727–1800), AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Major GeneralMajor GeneralMajor general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
in the American Revolutionary WarAmerican Revolutionary WarThe American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
and a CongressmanUnited States CongressThe United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
from MassachusettsMassachusettsThe 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...
, often characterized as the runner-up for George WashingtonGeorge WashingtonGeorge 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...
's post. The Artemas Ward Homestead is a museum preserved by Harvard UniversityHarvard UniversityHarvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. Located at 786 Main Street in Shrewsbury, it is open to the public for limited hours during the summer months - Ralph Earl (1751–1801), American painterPaintingPainting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
and landscapeLandscapeLandscape comprises the visible features of an area of land, including the physical elements of landforms such as mountains, hills, water bodies such as rivers, lakes, ponds and the sea, living elements of land cover including indigenous vegetation, human elements including different forms of...
artist, known for his portraitPortraitthumb|250px|right|Portrait of [[Thomas Jefferson]] by [[Rembrandt Peale]], 1805. [[New-York Historical Society]].A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expression is predominant. The intent is to display the likeness,...
of Roger ShermanRoger ShermanRoger Sherman was an early American lawyer and politician, as well as a founding father. He served as the first mayor of New Haven, Connecticut, and served on the Committee of Five that drafted the Declaration of Independence, and was also a representative and senator in the new republic... - Levi Pease, "father of mail stages in this country"; organizer and proprietor of the first stagecoach lines in the U.S. First contractor for carrying U.S. Mail.
- Quintin J. Cristy, inventor of dry gasDry gasDry gas is an alcohol-based additive used in automobiles to prevent any water in the fuel from freezing, or to restore combustive power to gasoline spoiled by water. The name Drygas is actually a brand name, owned by Cristy. It is a liquid that is added in to the fuel tank, that absorbs the water...
- Lillian AsplundLillian AsplundLillian Gertrud Asplund was one of the last three living survivors of the sinking of the RMS Titanic on April 15, 1912; and more importantly, the last surviving person with memories of the disaster, as the other two last survivors were less than one year old at the time of the sinking.-Early...
(1906–2006), last American survivor of the Titanic sinking. - Min Chueh ChangMin Chueh ChangDr. Min Chueh Chang , often credited as M.C. Chang, was a Chinese American reproductive biologist. His specific area of study was the fertilisation process in mammalian reproduction...
(1908–1991), co-inventor of the combined oral contraceptive pill and in-vitro fertilizationIn vitro fertilisationIn vitro fertilisation is a process by which egg cells are fertilised by sperm outside the body: in vitro. IVF is a major treatment in infertility when other methods of assisted reproductive technology have failed...
. - Richard T. AntounRichard T. AntounProfessor Richard "Dick" T. Antoun was an American anthropologist who specialized in Islamic and Middle Eastern studies. He was a Professor Emeritus at Binghamton University....
(1932–2009), Professor Emeritus of Anthropology at Binghamton University; stabbed to death by a student. - Robert Allan Ridley ParkerRobert A. ParkerRobert Allan Ridley Parker is the former director of the NASA Management Office at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and a retired NASA astronaut...
(b. 1936), director of the NASANASAThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
Management Office at the Jet Propulsion LaboratoryJet Propulsion LaboratoryJet Propulsion Laboratory is a federally funded research and development center and NASA field center located in the San Gabriel Valley area of Los Angeles County, California, United States. The facility is headquartered in the city of Pasadena on the border of La Cañada Flintridge and Pasadena... - Gregory McDonaldGregory McdonaldGregory Mcdonald was an American mystery writer best known for his character Irwin Maurice Fletcher, an investigative reporter otherwise known as "Fletch." Fletch was later played by Chevy Chase in the movie of the same name...
(b. 1937–2008), author of the "FletchFletch (novel)Fletch is a 1974 mystery novel by Gregory Mcdonald, the first in a series featuring the character Irwin Maurice Fletcher.-Plot introduction:...
" series of novels - Peter I. BlutePeter I. BlutePeter I. Blute is a former American Republican member of the United States House of Representatives. He served two terms, between January 3, 1993 and January 3, 1997, representing the Third District of Massachusetts....
(b. 1956), Congressman representing from 1993 to 1997 - Craig C. Mello (b. 1960), 2006 Nobel Prize winner in Physiology or Medicine
- Brian Ryder (b. 1960), baseball player who was selected in the 1st round (26th overall) by the New York YankeesNew York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
in the 1978 Major League Baseball Draft1978 Major League Baseball Draft-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1978 Major League Baseball draft.- Background :In 1978, four players made the jump from amateur baseball to the major leagues, including Arizona State third baseman Bob Horner, who was selected number one overall by the Atlanta... - Mike BirbigliaMike Birbiglia-Professional work:Birbiglia has released three albums, including My Secret Public Journal Live, which was named one of the best comedy albums of the decade by the Onion AV Club....
(b. 1978), stand-up comedian - Francis Patrick O'ConnorFrancis Patrick O'ConnorFrancis Patrick O'Connor was an associate judge of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.O'Connor was known for his detailed decisions, sometimes opposing the majority on the court, which led to the nickname the "Great Dissenter". Born in Boston on Dec...
(b. 1927 - 2007) Massachusetts Supreme Court Judge - Ron DarlingRon DarlingRonald Maurice Darling, Jr. is an American former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets, Oakland Athletics and Montreal Expos...
(1960–present), baseball player - Charles P. Pierce (b. 1953), Well-known American writer/journalist, and panelist on NPRNPRNPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
's "Wait,Wait... Don't Tell Me".
Notable businesses
- The Hebert Candy MansionHebert Candy MansionThe Hebert Candy Mansion is an historic property and tourist attraction in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. The Mansion is the home to the Hebert Candies Company, and is the site of candy production. The Hebert Candies brand was sold in 2005, and the Candy Mansion continues as the Hebert Candies retail...
, where white chocolateWhite chocolateWhite chocolate is a confectionery derivative of chocolate. It commonly consists of cocoa butter, sugar, milk solids and salt, and is characterized by a pale yellow or ivory appearance...
was first produced in the United States. - The now-defunct Worcester Foundation for Experimental BiologyWorcester Foundation for Experimental BiologyThe Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research was a non-profit biomedical research institute based in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts.-History:...
, the renowned research facility where the combined oral contraceptive pill was first developed. The campus is now the Hoagland-Pincus Conference CenterHoagland-Pincus Conference CenterThe Hoagland-Pincus Conference Center is a conference facility of the University of Massachusetts Medical School.It is named for Hudson Hoagland and Gregory Goodwin Pincus, the co-founders of the Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology....
of the University of Massachusetts Medical SchoolUniversity of Massachusetts Medical SchoolThe University of Massachusetts Medical School is one of five campuses of the University of Massachusetts system and is home to three schools: the School of Medicine, the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, the Graduate School of Nursing; a biomedical research enterprise; and a range of...
. - The now-defunct Spag'sSpag'sSpag's was, from 1934 to 2004, a discount department store on Route 9 in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. The store was considered an early pioneer of discount retailing and was notable for its longtime resistance to accepting charge cards and offering plastic shopping bags and shopping carts...
, the original all-purpose store, which predated CostcoCostcoCostco Wholesale Corporation is the largest membership warehouse club chain in the United States. it is the third largest retailer in the United States, where it originated, and the ninth largest in the world...
, Walmart and other similar outlets. Spag's was noted for its unorthodox inventory and discount prices. Upon the death of it founder,Anthony Borgatti, Spag's succumbed to the competition of the modern megastore and the challenges of handing over the reins to a new generation and was acquired in 2002 by Building 19Building 19Building #19 is a chain of discount stores in New England. The store is well-known throughout New England for selling items at drastically discounted prices, although the items are oftentimes factory irregulars or damaged in some other way...
. The location became Spags 19, and in 2004 the store was converted to Building 19's format (it is now just another Building 19 location). - The now-defunct White City amusement park, now the site of a shopping plaza
- Maxtor Corporation, maker of computer hard drives, which was acquired by Seagate TechnologySeagate TechnologySeagate Technology is one of the world's largest manufacturers of hard disk drives. Incorporated in 1978 as Shugart Technology, Seagate is currently incorporated in Dublin, Ireland and has its principal executive offices in Scotts Valley, California, United States.-1970s:On November 1, 1979...
in May 2006 - Charles River Laboratories, leading provider of animal research models