Lunenburg, Massachusetts
Town
Lunenburg Town Halland Hadwen Park Market
Lunenburg Town Hall
and Hadwen Park Market
Official seal of Lunenburg, Massachusetts
Seal
Location in Worcester County and the state of Massachusetts.
Location in Worcester County and the state of Massachusetts.
Coordinates: 42°35′40″N 71°43′30″W / 42.59444°N 71.72500°W / 42.59444; -71.72500
CountryUnited States
StateMassachusetts
CountyWorcester
Settled1718
Incorporated1728
Government
 • TypeOpen town meeting and Board of Selectmen
Area
 • Total27.7 sq mi (71.7 km2)
 • Land26.4 sq mi (68.4 km2)
 • Water1.3 sq mi (3.3 km2)
Elevation
510 ft (155 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total11,946
 • Density430/sq mi (170/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (Eastern)
ZIP code
01462
Area code351 / 978
FIPS code25-37420
GNIS feature ID0618370
Websitehttp://www.lunenburgma.gov/

Lunenburg is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 11,946 at the 2020 census.

History

Lunenburg was first settled by Europeans in 1718 and was officially incorporated in 1728. The name stems from one of the titles of King George II of Great Britain, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg.[1] During King George's War (1744–1748), French-allied First Nations, such as warriors of the M'iq Maq or Abenaki Confederacy, raided the village and took settlers captive to Quebec.[2]

Areas of neighboring Fitchburg were once part of Lunenburg, but broke away around 1764. The settlers found the walking distance to church and town meetings too great and needed their own town center.

Whalom Park on Whalom Lake had long been a noted amusement park in Lunenburg during the 20th century. It was home of the famous Flyer Comet, now demolished. The park closed in 2000, unable to survive the competition with the newer and increasingly popular Six Flags New England in Agawam.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 27.7 square miles (72 km2), of which 26.4 square miles (68 km2) is land and 1.3 square miles (3.4 km2), or 4.59%, is water.

Lunenburg is bordered by Townsend to the north, Shirley to the east, Lancaster to the southeast, Leominster to the south, Fitchburg to the west, and Ashby to the northwest. Three state highways pass through Lunenburg. Route 2A follows Mass Ave from the Shirley line to the Fitchburg line. Rt 13 follows Electric Ave from the Leominster line to Mass Ave. Rt 13 then follows Mass Ave/Rt 2a for 0.3 miles. Rt 13 then follows Chase Rd to the Townsend Line. Rt 225 begins in Lunenburg, at an intersection with Rt 2a/Mass Ave near the Shirley line. Rt 225 follows West Groton Rd from Rt 2a to the Shirley line.

Demographics

Historical population
YearPop.±%
19001,332—    
19101,393+4.6%
19201,634+17.3%
19301,923+17.7%
19402,195+14.1%
19503,906+77.9%
19606,334+62.2%
19707,419+17.1%
19808,405+13.3%
19909,117+8.5%
20009,401+3.1%
201010,086+7.3%
202011,782+16.8%
2022*11,835+0.4%
* = population estimate.
Source: United States census records and Population Estimates Program data.[3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]

As of the census[14] of 2000, there were 9,401 people, 3,535 households, and 2,668 families residing in the town. The population density was 355.8 inhabitants per square mile (137.4/km2). There were 3,668 housing units at an average density of 138.8 per square mile (53.6/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.01% White, 0.69% Black or African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.78% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.26% from other races, and 1.04% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.15% of the population.

There were 3,535 households, out of which 34.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.6% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.5% were non-families. 20.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.3% 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 3.08.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.8% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 26.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $56,813, and the median income for a family was $63,981. Males had a median income of $47,451 versus $31,934 for females. The per capita income for the town was $26,986. About 3.3% of families and 4.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.7% of those under age 18 and 1.4% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Town center c. 1910
County government: Worcester County
Clerk of Courts: Dennis P. McManus (D)
District Attorney: Joseph D. Early, Jr. (D)
Register of Deeds: Kathleen R. Daigneault (D)
Register of Probate: Stephen Abraham (D)
County Sheriff: Lew Evangelidis (R)
State government
State Representative(s): Danillo A. Sena (D)
State Senator(s): John Cronin (D)
Governor's Councilor(s): Paul Depaulo (D)
Federal government
President of the United States: Joe Biden (D)
U.S. Representative(s): Lori Trahan (D-3rd District),
U.S. Senators: Elizabeth Warren (D), Ed Markey (D)

Library

The Lunenburg public library began in 1853.[15][16] In fiscal year 2008, the town of Lunenburg spent 1.13% ($290,801) of its budget on its public library—approximately $29 per person, per year ($35.52 adjusted for inflation in 2021).[17]

Education

The public schools in town are the Lunenburg Primary School, Turkey Hill Elementary School, and Lunenburg Middle-High School. The high and middle schools are in the same building, beside the Turkey Hill building.

Private schools include Applewild School, an independent coeducational day school for pre-schoolers to eighth graders, established in 1957 in Fitchburg.

Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical High School serves Lunenburg and Fitchburg.

Transportation

The Montachusett Regional Transit Authority supplies Councils-On-Aging service for elderly and disabled residents.[18] Portions of Lunenburg are also on its regular bus routes.[19] The nearest rail stations are Shirley, Fitchburg and North Leominster on the MBTA Commuter Rail Fitchburg Line.

Notable people

Old Sanderson House c. 1905

References

  1. ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 192.
  2. ↑ "Collections, Historical and Miscellaneous and Monthly Literary Journal". Hill and Moore. 1831.
  3. ↑ "Total Population (P1), 2010 Census Summary File 1". American FactFinder, All County Subdivisions within Massachusetts. United States Census Bureau. 2010.
  4. ↑ "Massachusetts by Place and County Subdivision - GCT-T1. Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  5. ↑ "1990 Census of Population, General Population Characteristics: Massachusetts" (PDF). US Census Bureau. December 1990. Table 76: General Characteristics of Persons, Households, and Families: 1990. 1990 CP-1-23. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  6. ↑ "1980 Census of the Population, Number of Inhabitants: Massachusetts" (PDF). US Census Bureau. December 1981. Table 4. Populations of County Subdivisions: 1960 to 1980. PC80-1-A23. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  7. ↑ "1950 Census of Population" (PDF). Bureau of the Census. 1952. Section 6, Pages 21-10 and 21-11, Massachusetts Table 6. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1930 to 1950. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  8. ↑ "1920 Census of Population" (PDF). Bureau of the Census. Number of Inhabitants, by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions. Pages 21-5 through 21-7. Massachusetts Table 2. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1920, 1910, and 1920. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  9. ↑ "1890 Census of the Population" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. Pages 179 through 182. Massachusetts Table 5. Population of States and Territories by Minor Civil Divisions: 1880 and 1890. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  10. ↑ "1870 Census of the Population" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1872. Pages 217 through 220. Table IX. Population of Minor Civil Divisions, &c. Massachusetts. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  11. ↑ "1860 Census" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1864. Pages 220 through 226. State of Massachusetts Table No. 3. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  12. ↑ "1850 Census" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1854. Pages 338 through 393. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  13. ↑ "City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2022". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
  14. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  15. ↑ C.B. Tillinghast. The free public libraries of Massachusetts. 1st Report of the Free Public Library Commission of Massachusetts. Boston: Wright & Potter, 1891. Google books Archived February 15, 2023, at the Wayback Machine
  16. ↑ "Lunenburg Public Library | 1023 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, MA 01462". lunenburglibrary.org. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved December 5, 2015.
  17. ↑ 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: Municipal Pie Reports Archived 2012-01-23 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2010-08-04
  18. ↑ "MART: Communities served". mrta.us. Archived from the original on January 10, 2012. Retrieved January 31, 2012.
  19. ↑ "MART: How To Ride". mrta.us. Archived from the original on February 11, 2012. Retrieved January 31, 2012.
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