Whitinsville, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Whitinsville is an unincorporated village and census-designated place
(CDP) on the Mumford River
, a tributary of the Blackstone River
, in the town of Northbridge
in Worcester County
, Massachusetts
, United States
. The population was 6,704 at the 2010 census. Whitinsville is pronounced as if it were spelled "White-ins-ville." It is a post office jurisdiction, with a zip code of 01588. Whitinsville has been designated as a mill village of national historic significance to America's earliest industrialization, and is one of only four villages selected by the John H. Chaffee Blackstone River Valley National Historic Corridor Commission to receive this designation. Hopedale
is the only other Massachusetts mill village to achieve this designation by the corridor commission.
The Whitin Mill, owned by the Whitin family, for whom Whitinsville is named, is located in downtown Whitinsville, as is the Whitin Machine Works
, or "The Shop," an internationally renowned maker of textile machinery. "The Shop" specialized in making machines for picking, carding
and spinning
cotton and wool. During its more than 133 year run, The Shop was the world's largest producer of textile spindles. Today a visitor can still see much of the original village, including the housing for workers and their families, churches and the Community Center. The textile machine company and industrial village were written up as one of the Harvard
studies of history in business.
This village was originally Nipmuc Indian lands, and was first settled as part of Mendon
in 1662. From 1662 to 1727 it was part of Mendon, then later it became part of Uxbridge
from 1727 to 1772. In 1772 Northbridge finally became a separate town. The village's early name was "South Northbridge", before the Whitin family's rise to prominence. Col. John Spring led a militia training company from Uxbridge which fought in the American Revolution
. Col. Spring was from the section that became South Northbridge.
An 1936 Berlin Olympics champion backstroke swimmer, Alice Bridges
, then of Uxbridge, trained in the local gym pool (Whitin Community Center) in Whitinsville. The Whitinsville Savings Bank was involved in a precedent-setting case in the U.S., involving tort and contract law, known as "Swinton vs. Whitinsville Savings Bank (1942)". A real estate transaction two years earlier had failed to disclose termite
s in a building.
, originally St. Camillus Hospital for Incurable Diseases, is located at 447 Hill Street on the historic E. Kent Swift Estate named for the husband of one of George Marston Whitin's daughters. The historic mansion on the rear of the estate was restored in 1999 and is now known as Father Turci Manor.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the CDP has a total area of 10.5 km² (4.1 mi²). 9.4 km² (3.6 mi²) of it is land and 1.1 km² (0.4 mi²) of it (10.12%) is water.
of 2000, there were 6,340 people, 2,342 households, and 1,639 families residing in the CDP. The population density
was 672.5/km² (1,742.0/mi²). There were 2,427 housing units at an average density of 257.4/km² (666.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 94.79% White, 1.01% African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.18% from other races
, and 2.37% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.38% of the population.
There were 2,342 households out of which 38.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.4% were married couples
living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.0% were non-families. 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.19.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 29.3% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 32.2% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 89.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.4 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $44,627, and the median income for a family was $61,016. Males had a median income of $40,665 versus $26,325 for females. The per capita income
for the CDP was $21,264. About 4.8% of families and 6.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.2% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.
immigrants in to work. Later immigrant groups that came to work and to settle in Whitinsville were Jews
from Eastern Europe, French-Canadians and Dutch.
, an elected county registrar of deeds, and a correctional and court system, which are now administered by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and its Office of Public Safety. County commissioners were last elected in 1999, and local roads are now administered either by the towns or the state.
The Northbridge Town Hall is located at 7 Main Street in Whitinsville, the largest village in the town. The Northbridge Board of Selectmen
functions like a city council. Local police, public works, board of health, fire, and schools are each administered as part of the government of the Town of Northbridge.
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...
(CDP) on the Mumford River
Mumford River
The Mumford River is an river in south-central Massachusetts. It is a tributary of the Blackstone River.The river rises from its headwaters in Sutton and Douglas at Manchaug Pond and flows east in a meandering path through a series of ponds , and joins the Blackstone River in Uxbridge.The river...
, a tributary of the Blackstone River
Blackstone River
The Blackstone River is a river in the U.S. states of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. It flows approximately 48 mi and drains a watershed of approximately 540 sq. mi...
, in the town of Northbridge
Northbridge, Massachusetts
Northbridge is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 15,707 at the 2010 census. The Northbridge Town Hall is located at 7 Main Street in Whitinsville. The town is now a part of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, of the National Park...
in Worcester County
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 6,704 at the 2010 census. Whitinsville is pronounced as if it were spelled "White-ins-ville." It is a post office jurisdiction, with a zip code of 01588. Whitinsville has been designated as a mill village of national historic significance to America's earliest industrialization, and is one of only four villages selected by the John H. Chaffee Blackstone River Valley National Historic Corridor Commission to receive this designation. Hopedale
Hopedale, Massachusetts
Hopedale is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,911 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Hopedale, please see the article Hopedale , Massachusetts....
is the only other Massachusetts mill village to achieve this designation by the corridor commission.
History
Whitin Machine Works
The Whitin Machine Works was founded by Paul Whitin and his sons in 1831 on the banks of the Mumford River in South Northbridge, Massachusetts. The village of South Northbridge became known as Whitinsville in 1835, in honor of its founder....
, or "The Shop," an internationally renowned maker of textile machinery. "The Shop" specialized in making machines for picking, carding
Carding
Carding is a mechanical process that breaks up locks and unorganised clumps of fibre and then aligns the individual fibres so that they are more or less parallel with each other. The word is derived from the Latin carduus meaning teasel, as dried vegetable teasels were first used to comb the raw wool...
and spinning
Spinning (textiles)
Spinning is a major industry. It is part of the textile manufacturing process where three types of fibre are converted into yarn, then fabric, then textiles. The textiles are then fabricated into clothes or other artifacts. There are three industrial processes available to spin yarn, and a...
cotton and wool. During its more than 133 year run, The Shop was the world's largest producer of textile spindles. Today a visitor can still see much of the original village, including the housing for workers and their families, churches and the Community Center. The textile machine company and industrial village were written up as one of the Harvard
Harvard University
Harvard 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...
studies of history in business.
This village was originally Nipmuc Indian lands, and was first settled as part of Mendon
Mendon, Massachusetts
Mendon is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,839 at the 2010 census.Mendon is very historic and is now part of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, the oldest industrialized region in the United States.- Early history :The Nipmuc people...
in 1662. From 1662 to 1727 it was part of Mendon, then later it became part of Uxbridge
Uxbridge, Massachusetts
Uxbridge is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It was first settled in 1662, incorporated in 1727 at Suffolk County, and named for the Earl of Uxbridge. Uxbridge is south-southeast of Worcester, north-northwest of Providence, and southwest of Boston. It is part of...
from 1727 to 1772. In 1772 Northbridge finally became a separate town. The village's early name was "South Northbridge", before the Whitin family's rise to prominence. Col. John Spring led a militia training company from Uxbridge which fought in the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. Col. Spring was from the section that became South Northbridge.
An 1936 Berlin Olympics champion backstroke swimmer, Alice Bridges
Alice Bridges
Alice W. Bridges was an American swimmer, who at age 20, competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics at Berlin. It first appeared that Bridges, who originally was a back-up contestant, had actually won her event...
, then of Uxbridge, trained in the local gym pool (Whitin Community Center) in Whitinsville. The Whitinsville Savings Bank was involved in a precedent-setting case in the U.S., involving tort and contract law, known as "Swinton vs. Whitinsville Savings Bank (1942)". A real estate transaction two years earlier had failed to disclose termite
Termite
Termites are a group of eusocial insects that, until recently, were classified at the taxonomic rank of order Isoptera , but are now accepted as the epifamily Termitoidae, of the cockroach order Blattodea...
s in a building.
Whitin Community Center
The Whitin Community Center, operated by a non-profit organization and commonly called "The Gym", is located at 60 Main Street on what used to be the 11 acres (44,515.5 m²) John C. Whitin estate. The front 3.5 acres (14,164 m²) site and the funds necessary to build a recreation center on it were donated in 1922 by the four Whitin sisters, who had inherited the estate from their father, George Marston Whitin. They retained the remaining 7.5 acres (30,351.5 m²) on which the John C. Whitin mansion stood. The building erected on the front parcel was called the Whitin Community Center. In 1941, the surviving family members decided that none of them wanted to live in the mansion, so they had it torn down and donated the rest of the estate to the Community Center. In 1959, the recreation building built in 1922 was severely damaged by fire, but was rebuilt.St. Camillus Health Center
The St. Camillus Health CenterSt. Camillus Health Center
St. Camillus Health Center, a skilled nursing facility located in Whitinsville, Massachusetts, USA, was formerly known as St. Camillus Hospital for Incurable Diseases.-Services provided:...
, originally St. Camillus Hospital for Incurable Diseases, is located at 447 Hill Street on the historic E. Kent Swift Estate named for the husband of one of George Marston Whitin's daughters. The historic mansion on the rear of the estate was restored in 1999 and is now known as Father Turci Manor.
Geography
Whitinsville is located at 42°6′44"N 71°40′22"W (42.112208, -71.672890).According to the United States Census Bureau
United 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 CDP has a total area of 10.5 km² (4.1 mi²). 9.4 km² (3.6 mi²) of it is land and 1.1 km² (0.4 mi²) of it (10.12%) is water.
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 6,340 people, 2,342 households, and 1,639 families residing in the CDP. 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 672.5/km² (1,742.0/mi²). There were 2,427 housing units at an average density of 257.4/km² (666.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 94.79% White, 1.01% African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.18% 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 2.37% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.38% of the population.
There were 2,342 households out of which 38.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.4% 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, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.0% were non-families. 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.19.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 29.3% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 32.2% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 89.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.4 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $44,627, and the median income for a family was $61,016. Males had a median income of $40,665 versus $26,325 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 CDP was $21,264. About 4.8% of families and 6.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.2% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.
Ethnic groups
The 19th-century expansion of the Whitin mills brought many IrishIrish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
immigrants in to work. Later immigrant groups that came to work and to settle in Whitinsville were Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
from Eastern Europe, French-Canadians and Dutch.
Public
- Northbridge Public Schools administrative building is located at 87 Linwood Avenue.
- Northbridge High School is at 427 Linwood Avenue.
- Northbridge Middle School is at 171 Linwood Avenue.
- Balmer Elementary School is on Crescent Street.
- Northbridge Elementary School is at 30 Cross Street.
-
- Northbridge High School is well known for its football program, capturing 9 MIAA Division II, IIA, and III Super Bowl Championships, as recently as 2010.
- The team has won championships in 1974, 1987, 1989, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2007, and 2010.
- Northbridge High School is well known for its football program, capturing 9 MIAA Division II, IIA, and III Super Bowl Championships, as recently as 2010.
-
- Northbridge High School won the 1999 Division III Baseball State Championship
- Northbridge High School won the 2010 Division II Baseball State Championship
- In addition Northbridge has won MIAA Central Massachusetts titles in 1955, 1979, 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2010.
-
- Northbridge has captured two Central Massachusetts basketball titles, in 1980 and 2011.
Private
- Whitinsville Christian SchoolWhitinsville Christian SchoolWhitinsville Christian School is a K-12 Christian day school, one of the oldest in Massachusetts. The school is organized into an elementary school , a middle school and a high school...
is located at 279 Linwood Avenue in Whitinsville. The school is well known in the area for its excellent placement in athletics; in particular, the Whitinsville Christian School Crusaders high school boys basketball team was the Division III state champions in the 2004-2005 season and the 2010-2011 season.- The basketball team has won MIAA Central Massachusetts basketball championships in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010, and 2011.
Government
Whitinsville is a village within the town of Northbridge. New England towns, like Northbridge, administer the entire geography within their boundaries and function like a city and a county government rolled into one. The county government is weak or non-existent in the southern New England states. Worcester County exists today only as a historical area, with an elected County SheriffSheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
, an elected county registrar of deeds, and a correctional and court system, which are now administered by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and its Office of Public Safety. County commissioners were last elected in 1999, and local roads are now administered either by the towns or the state.
The Northbridge Town Hall is located at 7 Main Street in Whitinsville, the largest village in the town. The Northbridge 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:...
functions like a city council. Local police, public works, board of health, fire, and schools are each administered as part of the government of the Town of Northbridge.
Notable natives and residents
- Steve SpagnuoloSteve SpagnuoloSteven Christopher Spagnuolo is the current head coach of the St. Louis Rams. He was previously the defensive coordinator of the New York Giants from January 2007 to January 2009, and also served for eight years under defensive coordinator Jim Johnson of the Philadelphia Eagles.-Early years:Born...
, head coach of the St. Louis RamsSt. Louis RamsThe St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
of the National Football League, born in Whitinsville in 1959 - Phil VanderseaPhil VanderseaPhillip John "Phil" Vandersea is a former American football player.He was born in Whitinsville, Massachusetts. After graduating from high school in Northbridge, Massachusetts, Vandersea played football for the University of Massachusetts Amherst, weighing in at 245 pounds and standing 6'3" tall...
, born in Whitinsville in 1943, played for the Green Bay Packers - Paul Whitin, founder of the Whitin Machine Works
- Samuel SpringSamuel SpringSamuel Spring was an early American Revolutionary War chaplain and Congregationalist minister.-Early life and education:Spring was born in Uxbridge in the Massachusetts Colony on February 27, 1746....
Revolutionary War chaplain, born here when it was still part of Uxbridge