Warren, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Warren is a town in Worcester County
, Massachusetts
, United States
. The population was 5,135 at the 2010 census.
For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place
Warren, please see the article Warren (CDP)
, Massachusetts
.
Originally a part of Quaboag Plantation, the town now known as Warren was part of Brookfield
for 68 years until it was renamed Western. Warren includes land petitioned from both the Quaboag Plantation and the "Kingsfield", which included parts of Palmer
and Brimfield
.
On March 13, 1834, the town was renamed Warren in honor of General Joseph Warren
, who died at the Battle of Bunker Hill
during the Revolutionary War. The need to rename the town came about due to confusion of the name "Western" with the town of Weston, Massachusetts
. According to the History of Warren Massachusetts by Olney I. Darling, Western was renamed Warren due to "countless mistakes in the transmission of the mails." On January 13, 1834, a town meeting was held to discuss a name change. Shortly thereafter, the town petitioned the legislature to change the name, which was soon done, and the first town meeting under the name "Warren" was held on April 28, 1834.
Two other places named "Warren" had existed in Massachusetts prior to 1834. The first Warren
, now in Rhode Island
, was located on land combining parts of the Massachusetts Bay Colony
and Plymouth Colony
. In 1636, Roger Williams
, banished from Salem
, fled to the Indian village of Sowams, where he was sheltered by Massasoit
until he settled at Providence
.
Permanent English settlement east of the Indian village began. In 1653, Massasoit and his oldest son sold to certain Plymouth Colony settlers what is now Warren and parts of Barrington, Rhode Island
, Swansea, Massachusetts
, and Rehoboth, Massachusetts
. In 1668, the township was officially incorporated with the name Sowams;[3] in 1691, the Plymouth Colony merged with the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Warren was ceded to Rhode Island from Massachusetts in 1747. The town was named "Warren" after a British naval hero, Admiral Sir Peter Warren, following a victory at Louisburg
in 1745. At the time of cession in 1747, Barrington was unified with Warren, until it was separated again in 1770.
The second "Warren, Massachusetts" is now the town of Warren, Maine
. On November 7, 1776, Upper Town of St. Georges Plantation was incorporated as a town and named after Joseph Warren, the Revolutionary War hero. Maine
separated from Massachusetts in 1820.
Warren in Worcester County historically contained the villages of #4 Village, Center Village, West Warren, Lower Village, and South Warren. Historical markers mark each of these areas, and West Warren and Warren each have their own zip codes.
, the town has a total area of 27.6 square miles (71.5 km²), of which 27.5 square miles (71.2 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²), or 0.33%, is water.
Warren is bordered by Palmer
on the west, Ware
on the northwest, West Brookfield
on the north and east, Brookfield
on the southeast, and Brimfield
on the south.
The Quaboag River
runs through the center of town.
, there were 4,776 people, 1,889 households and 1,286 families residing in the town. The population density
was 173.5 per square mile (67.0/km²). There were 2,014 housing units at an average density of 73.2 per square mile (28.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.42% White, 0.42% Black or African American
, 0.29% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.21% from other races
, and 1.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.88% of the population.
There were 1,889 households of which 33.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.0% were married couples
living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. 26.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.02.
Age distribution was 26.8% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 31.0% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.4 males.
The median household income was $34,583, and the median family income was $39,598. Males had a median income of $32,773 versus $26,667 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $17,192. About 5.0% of families and 6.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those aged 65 or over.
), industrial, and commercial pump manufacturing in the town that dates back to the 1790s.
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 5,135 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...
Warren, please see the article Warren (CDP)
Warren (CDP), Massachusetts
Warren is a census-designated place in the town of Warren in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,405 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Warren 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
Warren was first settled in 1664 and was officially incorporated on January 16, 1741 as the town of Western.Originally a part of Quaboag Plantation, the town now known as Warren was part of 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...
for 68 years until it was renamed Western. Warren includes land petitioned from both the Quaboag Plantation and the "Kingsfield", which included parts of Palmer
Palmer, Massachusetts
The Town of Palmer is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,140 as of the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area...
and Brimfield
Brimfield, Massachusetts
Brimfield is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,609 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
.
On March 13, 1834, the town was renamed Warren in honor of General Joseph Warren
Joseph Warren
Dr. Joseph Warren was an American doctor who played a leading role in American Patriot organizations in Boston in early days of the American Revolution, eventually serving as president of the revolutionary Massachusetts Provincial Congress...
, who died at the Battle of Bunker Hill
Battle of Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill took place on June 17, 1775, mostly on and around Breed's Hill, during the Siege of Boston early in the American Revolutionary War...
during the Revolutionary War. The need to rename the town came about due to confusion of the name "Western" with the town of Weston, Massachusetts
Weston, Massachusetts
Weston is a suburb of Boston located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States in the Boston metro area. The population of Weston, according to the 2010 U.S. Census, is 11,261....
. According to the History of Warren Massachusetts by Olney I. Darling, Western was renamed Warren due to "countless mistakes in the transmission of the mails." On January 13, 1834, a town meeting was held to discuss a name change. Shortly thereafter, the town petitioned the legislature to change the name, which was soon done, and the first town meeting under the name "Warren" was held on April 28, 1834.
Two other places named "Warren" had existed in Massachusetts prior to 1834. The first Warren
Warren, Rhode Island
Warren is a town in Bristol County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 10,611 at the 2010 census.-History:Warren was the site of the Indian village of Sowams on the peninsula called Pokanoket , and was first explored by Europeans in 1621, by Edward Winslow and Stephen Hopkins...
, now in Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, was located on land combining parts of the Massachusetts Bay Colony
Massachusetts Bay Colony
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was an English settlement on the east coast of North America in the 17th century, in New England, situated around the present-day cities of Salem and Boston. The territory administered by the colony included much of present-day central New England, including portions...
and Plymouth Colony
Plymouth Colony
Plymouth Colony was an English colonial venture in North America from 1620 to 1691. The first settlement of the Plymouth Colony was at New Plymouth, a location previously surveyed and named by Captain John Smith. The settlement, which served as the capital of the colony, is today the modern town...
. In 1636, Roger Williams
Roger Williams (theologian)
Roger Williams was an English Protestant theologian who was an early proponent of religious freedom and the separation of church and state. In 1636, he began the colony of Providence Plantation, which provided a refuge for religious minorities. Williams started the first Baptist church in America,...
, banished from Salem
Salem, Massachusetts
Salem is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,407 at the 2000 census. It and Lawrence are the county seats of Essex County...
, fled to the Indian village of Sowams, where he was sheltered by Massasoit
Massasoit
Massasoit Sachem or Ousamequin ,was the sachem, or leader, of the Pokanoket, and "Massasoit" of the Wampanoag Confederacy. The term Massasoit means Great Sachem.-Early years:...
until he settled at Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
.
Permanent English settlement east of the Indian village began. In 1653, Massasoit and his oldest son sold to certain Plymouth Colony settlers what is now Warren and parts of Barrington, Rhode Island
Barrington, Rhode Island
Barrington is a town in Bristol County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 16,310 at the 2010 census.In July 2005, CNN/Money and Money magazine ranked Barrington sixth on its list of the 100 best places to live in the United States.-History:...
, Swansea, Massachusetts
Swansea, Massachusetts
Swansea is a town in Bristol County in southeastern Massachusetts.It is located at the mouth of the Taunton River, just west of Fall River, 47 miles south of Boston; and 12 miles southeast of Providence, Rhode Island....
, and Rehoboth, Massachusetts
Rehoboth, Massachusetts
Rehoboth is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 10,172 at the 2000 census.-History:It was incorporated in 1643 making it one of the earliest Massachusetts towns to be incorporated. The Rehoboth Carpenter Family is among the founding families...
. In 1668, the township was officially incorporated with the name Sowams;[3] in 1691, the Plymouth Colony merged with the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Warren was ceded to Rhode Island from Massachusetts in 1747. The town was named "Warren" after a British naval hero, Admiral Sir Peter Warren, following a victory at Louisburg
Fortress of Louisbourg
The Fortress of Louisbourg is a national historic site and the location of a one-quarter partial reconstruction of an 18th century French fortress at Louisbourg, Nova Scotia...
in 1745. At the time of cession in 1747, Barrington was unified with Warren, until it was separated again in 1770.
The second "Warren, Massachusetts" is now the town of Warren, Maine
Warren, Maine
Warren is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,794 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of East Warren, Warren and South Warren, the latter home to the Maine State Prison and minimum security Bolduc Correctional Facility....
. On November 7, 1776, Upper Town of St. Georges Plantation was incorporated as a town and named after Joseph Warren, the Revolutionary War hero. Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
separated from Massachusetts in 1820.
Warren in Worcester County historically contained the villages of #4 Village, Center Village, West Warren, Lower Village, and South Warren. Historical markers mark each of these areas, and West Warren and Warren each have their own zip codes.
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 27.6 square miles (71.5 km²), of which 27.5 square miles (71.2 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²), or 0.33%, is water.
Warren is bordered by Palmer
Palmer, Massachusetts
The Town of Palmer is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,140 as of the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area...
on the west, Ware
Ware, Massachusetts
Ware is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 9,707 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.Part of the town comprises the census-designated place of Ware....
on the northwest, West Brookfield
West Brookfield, Massachusetts
West Brookfield is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,701 at the 2010 census. Lucy Stone was born in West Brookfield, and Noah Webster published his dictionary there....
on the north and east, 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 southeast, and Brimfield
Brimfield, Massachusetts
Brimfield is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,609 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
on the south.
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:...
runs through the center of town.
Demographics
At the 2000 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...
, there were 4,776 people, 1,889 households and 1,286 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 173.5 per square mile (67.0/km²). There were 2,014 housing units at an average density of 73.2 per square mile (28.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.42% White, 0.42% 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...
, 0.29% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.21% 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 1.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.88% of the population.
There were 1,889 households of which 33.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.0% 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, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. 26.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.02.
Age distribution was 26.8% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 31.0% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.4 males.
The median household income was $34,583, and the median family income was $39,598. Males had a median income of $32,773 versus $26,667 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 $17,192. About 5.0% of families and 6.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those aged 65 or over.
Industry
Warren Pumps LLC, which began operations in 1897, continues a tradition of municipal (including flood control pumps for New Orleans, LouisianaNew Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
), industrial, and commercial pump manufacturing in the town that dates back to the 1790s.
Government
Notable residents
- Molly BishMolly BishMolly Anne Bish was a sixteen-year-old girl from Warren, Massachusetts who was abducted and then murdered while working as a lifeguard in rural Massachusetts. Her body was found three years later after the largest search in the history of Massachusetts.In the summer of 2000, Bish worked as a...
(born 1983), murder victim who disappeared in June 2000. Her body was recovered but no one was ever charged. - Alyssa Juszczyk, star of the hit show "shes a hoe for sho" is a Warren native.