Sturbridge, Massachusetts

Sturbridge was first visited by the English Puritans in 1644 when John Winthrop the Younger visited the area now known as Tantiusques. Winthrop II bought the land from Tantasqua (local area sachem) and mined graphite, lead, and iron. The mine stayed in the Winthrop family as late as 1784 and was in operation until 1910. Sturbridge was first settled by the English in 1729 by settlers from Medfield, and was officially incorporated in 1738.{{cite web|url= http://www.city-data.com/city/Sturbridge-Massachusetts.html |title= Sturbridge, Massachusetts|publisher= City-data.com|access-date=August 29, 2012}} New Medfield and Dummer (after Governor William Dummer) were considered as town names before the town was named after Stourbridge, England.{{cite web|url= http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=3152 |title= Profile for Sturbridge, Massachusetts, MA|publisher= ePodunk |access-date=January 24, 2017}}

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of {{convert|39.0|sqmi|km2|0}}, of which {{convert|37.4|sqmi|km2|0}} is land and {{convert|1.5|sqmi|km2|0}}, or 3.95%, is water. Sturbridge is bordered by Charlton and Southbridge to the east, Union, Connecticut and Woodstock, Connecticut, to the south, Brimfield and Holland to the west, and Brookfield and East Brookfield to the north. Sturbridge lies approximately {{convert|29|mi|km}} east of Springfield, {{convert|16|mi|km}} southwest of Worcester, and {{convert|55|mi|km}} west of Boston.

U.S. Route 20 runs through Sturbridge, and the junction of Interstate 90 (the Massachusetts Turnpike) and the eastern terminus of Interstate 84 is located there. The Wilbur Cross Highway (Connecticut Route 15) formerly ended in Sturbridge; locals sometimes call Haynes Street and portions of Mashapaug Road "Old Route 15". Haynes Street ends at Main Street (Massachusetts Route 131), which connects Sturbridge Center with Southbridge; on the west side of town, Massachusetts Route 148 connects Fiskdale with Brookfield. On August 18, 1955, gale-force winds and torrential downpour from Hurricane Diane created floodwaters that broke dams in surrounding towns and flooded the village.

The northwestern portion of the town, Fiskdale, is a census-designated place with its own post office and ZIP-code assignment.

{{Weather box

|location = Sturbridge (East Brimfield Lake), Massachusetts (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1962–present)

|single line = Y

|Jan record high F = 68

|Feb record high F = 73

|Mar record high F = 83

|Apr record high F = 93

|May record high F = 93

|Jun record high F = 97

|Jul record high F = 101

|Aug record high F = 99

|Sep record high F = 95

|Oct record high F = 86

|Nov record high F = 78

|Dec record high F = 72

|Jan avg record high F = 56.8

|Feb avg record high F = 55.6

|Mar avg record high F = 64.9

|Apr avg record high F = 79.1

|May avg record high F = 86.1

|Jun avg record high F = 89.1

|Jul avg record high F = 91.0

|Aug avg record high F = 89.1

|Sep avg record high F = 85.5

|Oct avg record high F = 77.4

|Nov avg record high F = 68.7

|Dec avg record high F = 59.1

|year avg record high F = 93.2

|Jan high F = 34.2

|Feb high F = 36.6

|Mar high F = 44.3

|Apr high F = 56.9

|May high F = 67.5

|Jun high F = 75.4

|Jul high F = 80.5

|Aug high F = 79.1

|Sep high F = 72.3

|Oct high F = 60.8

|Nov high F = 50.1

|Dec high F = 39.3

|year high F= 58.1

|Jan mean F = 25.1

|Feb mean F = 26.7

|Mar mean F = 34.5

|Apr mean F = 46.2

|May mean F = 56.9

|Jun mean F = 65.6

|Jul mean F = 71.0

|Aug mean F = 69.4

|Sep mean F = 62.2

|Oct mean F = 50.4

|Nov mean F = 40.7

|Dec mean F = 31.1

|year mean F= 48.3

|Jan low F = 16.1

|Feb low F = 16.9

|Mar low F = 24.7

|Apr low F = 35.5

|May low F = 46.2

|Jun low F = 55.9

|Jul low F = 61.5

|Aug low F = 59.7

|Sep low F = 52.2

|Oct low F = 39.9

|Nov low F = 31.3

|Dec low F = 22.9

|year low F= 38.6

|Jan avg record low F = -4.2

|Feb avg record low F = -2.5

|Mar avg record low F = 6.2

|Apr avg record low F = 23.9

|May avg record low F = 32.2

|Jun avg record low F = 41.7

|Jul avg record low F = 51.1

|Aug avg record low F = 48.1

|Sep avg record low F = 36.9

|Oct avg record low F = 26.6

|Nov avg record low F = 16.0

|Dec avg record low F = 5.0

|year avg record low F = -7.1

|Jan record low F = -27

|Feb record low F = -24

|Mar record low F = -16

|Apr record low F = 5

|May record low F = 26

|Jun record low F = 32

|Jul record low F = 42

|Aug record low F = 33

|Sep record low F = 26

|Oct record low F = 15

|Nov record low F = -1

|Dec record low F = -14

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 3.67

|Feb precipitation inch = 3.19

|Mar precipitation inch = 4.26

|Apr precipitation inch = 4.32

|May precipitation inch = 3.48

|Jun precipitation inch = 3.86

|Jul precipitation inch = 4.04

|Aug precipitation inch = 4.41

|Sep precipitation inch = 4.07

|Oct precipitation inch = 4.85

|Nov precipitation inch = 3.91

|Dec precipitation inch = 4.56

|year precipitation inch =

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in

|Jan precipitation days = 12.8

|Feb precipitation days = 10.8

|Mar precipitation days = 11.6

|Apr precipitation days = 12.4

|May precipitation days = 13.7

|Jun precipitation days = 11.2

|Jul precipitation days = 10.9

|Aug precipitation days = 11.7

|Sep precipitation days = 9.9

|Oct precipitation days = 11.2

|Nov precipitation days = 10.5

|Dec precipitation days = 12.4

|Jan snow inch = 13.4

|Feb snow inch = 16.8

|Mar snow inch = 13.6

|Apr snow inch = 3.8

|May snow inch = 0.0

|Jun snow inch = 0.0

|Jul snow inch = 0.0

|Aug snow inch = 0.0

|Sep snow inch = 0.0

|Oct snow inch = 0.1

|Nov snow inch = 2.0

|Dec snow inch = 13.8

|year snow inch =

|unit snow days = 0.1 in

|Jan snow days = 6.7

|Feb snow days = 6.2

|Mar snow days = 4.6

|Apr snow days = 1.2

|May snow days = 0.0

|Jun snow days = 0.0

|Jul snow days = 0.0

|Aug snow days = 0.0

|Sep snow days = 0.0

|Oct snow days = 0.2

|Nov snow days = 1.3

|Dec snow days = 4.7

|Jan snow depth inch = 10.1

|Feb snow depth inch = 11.6

|Mar snow depth inch = 10.5

|Apr snow depth inch = 2.3

|May snow depth inch = 0.0

|Jun snow depth inch = 0.0

|Jul snow depth inch = 0.0

|Aug snow depth inch = 0.0

|Sep snow depth inch = 0.0

|Oct snow depth inch = 0.0

|Nov snow depth inch = 1.9

|Dec snow depth inch = 8.6

|year snow depth inch = 16.8

|source 1 = NOAA

{{cite web

|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00192107&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL

|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: E Brimfield Lake, MA

|access-date = September 16, 2024

}}

|source 2 = National Weather Service

{{cite web

|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/Climate?wfo=box

|publisher = National Weather Service

|title = NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Boston

|access-date = September 16, 2024

}}

}}

{{Historical populations | type=USA | align=left | state=collapsed

| 1850|2119

| 1860|2291

| 1870|2101

| 1880|2062

| 1890|2074

| 1900|2058

| 1910|1957

| 1920|1573

| 1930|1772

| 1940|2227

| 1950|2805

| 1960|3604

| 1970|4878

| 1980|5976

| 1990|7775

| 2000|7837

| 2010|9268

| 2020|9867

| 2022|9882

| footnote={{Historical populations/Massachusetts municipalities references}}{{cite web | title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2022| publisher=United States Census Bureau | access-date=November 4, 2023 | url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html}}

}}

By the 2010 census, the population had reached 9,268.

As of the census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}} of 2000, there had been 7,837 people, 3,066 households, and 2,213 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|209.5|PD/sqmi|/km2|1}}. There were 3,335 housing units at an average density of {{convert|89.1|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the town was 97.14% White, 3.6% Black or African American, 2.7% Native American, 1.14% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.31% from other races, and 0.70% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.30% of the population.

There were 3,066 households, out of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.7% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.8% were non-families. 23.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.5% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 26.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $56,519, and the median income for a family was $64,455. Males had a median income of $50,168 versus $31,940 for females. The per capita income for the town was $25,559. About 4.5% of families and 6.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.3% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.

{{Worcester County politicians

| county = Worcester

| state_rep = Todd M. Smola(R)

| state_sen = Anne Gobi (D)

| gov_councilors = Jen Caissie (R)

| fed_rep = 1st District

}}

Image:1899 Sturbridge public library Massachusetts.png

Old Sturbridge Village, located on U.S. Route 20, is a living museum that re-creates life in rural New England from 1790s to the 1830s.

Tantiusques is an open-space reservation and historic site.

Wells State Park is a {{convert|1400|acre|adj=on|-1}} woodland park and campground located on Route 49. The park includes {{convert|10|mi|0}} of trails and Walker Pond, which offers a setting for fishing, canoeing, and swimming.{{cite web|url=http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/central/well.htm|title=Wells State Park|publisher=Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation|access-date=February 16, 2008}}

Sturbridge is the home of the Sturbridge Worship Center church which impacts wider New England.

Burgess Elementary School, serving grades K–6, is one of three public schools in Sturbridge. It has its own school committee, part of School Union 61. Sturbridge students also attend Tantasqua Regional Junior High School (grades 7–8) and Tantasqua Regional High School, in the Fiskdale section of town. Union 61 and the Tantasqua district share administrators, including the superintendent, and both include Brimfield, Brookfield, Holland, Sturbridge and Wales.

The Sturbridge Public Library was established in 1873.C.B. Tillinghast. The free public libraries of Massachusetts. 1st Report of the Free Public Library Commission of Massachusetts. Boston: Wright & Potter, 1891. [https://books.google.com/books?id=LusKAAAAYAAJ Google books][http://www.town.sturbridge.ma.us/Public_Documents/F0000F86A/library Joshua Hyde Public Library]. Retrieved on November 10, 2010. In fiscal year 2008, the town of Sturbridge spent 1.51% ($332,136) of its budget on its public library, approximately $36 per person, per year ($47.44 adjusted for inflation to 2022).July 1, 2007, through June 30, 2008; cf. The FY2008 Municipal Pie: What's Your Share? Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Board of Library Commissioners. Boston: 2009. Available: [http://mblc.state.ma.us/advisory/statistics/public/repmunicpie/index.php Municipal Pie Reports] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120123010127/http://mblc.state.ma.us/advisory/statistics/public/repmunicpie/index.php |date=January 23, 2012 }}. Retrieved on August 4, 2010.

• Katharine Johnson Jackson (1841–1921), physician
• Scott Pontbriand (1967-) former monster truck driver

• Leadmine Wildlife Management Area

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Commons category|Sturbridge, Massachusetts}}

• {{Wikivoyage inline|Sturbridge}}
• [http://www.town.sturbridge.ma.us/ Sturbridge official website]

{{Worcester County, Massachusetts}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Towns in Worcester County, Massachusetts

Category:Populated places established in 1729

Category:Towns in Massachusetts

Category:1729 establishments in the Province of Massachusetts Bay