Worcester, Massachusetts
| Worcester | |
|---|---|
| Nickname : The Heart of the Commonwealth, The City of the Seven Hills, croWtown, Wormtown | |
 Downtown Worcester with Town Hall (right) |
|
 seal |
 flag |
| Location in Massachusetts | |
 |
|
| Basic data | |
| Foundation : | 1673 |
| State : | United States |
| State : | Massachusetts |
| County : | Worcester County |
| Coordinates : | 42 ° 16 ′ N , 71 ° 48 ′ W |
| Time zone : | Eastern ( UTC − 5 / −4 ) |
|
Inhabitants : - Metropolitan Area : |
184,508 (as of 2016) 935,781 (as of 2016) |
| Population density : | 1,896.3 inhabitants per km 2 |
| Area : | 99.9 km 2 (approx. 39 mi 2 ) of which 97.3 km 2 (approx. 38 mi 2 ) are land |
| Height : | 146 m |
| Postcodes : | 01601-01610, 01612-01615, 01653-01655 |
| Area code : | +1 508, 774 |
| FIPS : | 25-82000 |
| GNIS ID : | 0617867 |
| Website : | www.worcesterma.gov |
| Mayor : | Joseph C. O'Brien |
Worcester [ ˈwʊstər ] is a city in the US state of Massachusetts with 181,041 inhabitants (according to the last census in 2010, estimate 2016: approx. 185,000) . It is both the second largest city in New England and the second largest in Massachusetts. Worcester is the county seat of Worcester County .
Population development
| year | Residents¹ |
|---|---|
| 1980 | 161,799 |
| 1990 | 169,759 |
| 2000 | 172,529 |
| 2010 | 181.041 |
| 2016 | 184.508 |
¹ 1980–2010: census results; 2016: US Census Bureau estimate
history
Before the settlement by Europeans, the Nipmuck Indians lived in the area of the city . Worcester was settled in 1673 and officially founded in 1684. The settlement was named after the city of Worcester in England. In the 19th century, the city grew rapidly and changed its economic structure: the agricultural sector declined in favor of the industrial sector. Many Irish immigrants settled in Worcester, mainly employed in the construction of the Blackstone Canal and the railroad. In 1950 Worcester peaked at 200,000 people. In 1953 94 people lost their lives in a severe tornado . Much of the city was also destroyed.
Established businesses
Major employers in the city include several hospital operators, the city government, and the University of Massachusetts campus located here . From the free economy, Hanover Insurance and Saint-Gobain still have larger branches. The large forging company Wyman-Gordon was founded in Worcester in 1883, but today only has around 145 employees at this location.
Educational institutions
Worcester is the seat of the American Antiquarian Society as well as the Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), the College of the Holy Cross , Worcester State College , Clark University and the University of Massachusetts Medical School . The renowned Worcester Academy is also in the city.
Culture and sights
Buildings
The high-rise Worcester Plaza , built in 1975, is together with the Sky Mark Tower the tallest building in the city.
Sports
Worcester is home to the Worcester Sharks since the summer of 2006, a franchise of the American Hockey League . Before that, the Worcester IceCats were at home there from 1994 to 2005 .
Twin cities
Personalities
sons and daughters of the town
Personalities related to the city
- Alexander H. Bullock (1816–1882), politician; Mayor of Worcester
- William W. Rice (1826-1896), politician; Mayor of Worcester
- Pehr G. Holmes (1881–1952), politician; Mayor of Worcester (1917-1919)
- Esther Forbes (1891–1967), writer
- Bernard Joseph Flanagan (1908–1998), Roman Catholic Bishop of Worcester
- Timothy Joseph Harrington (1918–1997), Roman Catholic Bishop of Worcester
- Daniel Patrick Reilly (* 1928), former Roman Catholic Bishop of Worcester
- Robert Joseph McManus (* 1951), Roman Catholic Bishop of Worcester
Music bands
- The J. Geils Band (founded in 1967), blues rock / rhythm and blues group
- Four Year Strong (founded 2001), pop-punk band
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Precision Castparts: WYMAN-GORDON WORCESTER , accessed February 27, 2019