Grafton, Massachusetts

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Grafton
Grafton, Massachusetts
Grafton
Grafton
Location in Massachusetts
Basic data
Foundation : 1718
State : United States
State : Massachusetts
County : Worcester County
Coordinates : 42 ° 12 ′  N , 71 ° 41 ′  W Coordinates: 42 ° 12 ′  N , 71 ° 41 ′  W
Time zone : Eastern ( UTC − 5 / −4 )
Residents : 17,765 (as of 2010)
Population density : 300.6 inhabitants per km 2
Area : 60.4 km 2  (approx. 23 mi 2 ) of
which 59.1 km 2  (approx. 23 mi 2 ) are land
Height : 130 m
Postal code : 01519
Area code : +1 508
FIPS : 2502726430
GNIS ID : 00619480
Website : www.Grafton-MA.gov

Grafton is a city in Worcester County and is located in the state of Massachusetts in the United States .

geography

The city is located 8 kilometers southeast of Worcester , 50 kilometers southwest of Boston and approximately 80 kilometers northeast of Springfield and is located directly on Interstate 90 , which is also called the Massachusetts Turnpike .

history

Old Town of Grafton

The region of today's Grafton was originally inhabited by the Nipmuck Indians , who called the place Hassanamisco (place of small stones). As early as 1671, the English missionary John Elliot tried to convert the indigenous population to Christianity . The first European settlers came to the area in the early 18th century and Grafton was founded in 1735. The name was chosen in honor of Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Grafton (son of Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton ). After that, numerous industries developed, and the city became a major pioneer in the industrialization of the country.

In 1955 the United States Air Force opened a large forge in North Grafton, which also manufactured parts for the space shuttle . The operational management of this forge was taken over by Wyman-Gordon . The site is home to one of the largest forging presses in the world, developed in the 1950s as part of the Heavy Press Program .

Demographics

In 2009 there was a population of 17,800 people, which means an increase of 19.8% compared to 2000.

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