Westminster, Massachusetts Facts for Kids

Ahijah Wood House — 175 Worcester Rd. (added October 17, 1987)
Nathan Wood House — 164 Worcester Rd. (added October 16, 1987)
Ezra Wood-Levi Warner Place — 165 Depot Rd. (added August 7, 1983)
Westminster Village-Academy Hill Historic District — Bacon, Adams, Main, Dawley, Academy Hill, Leominster, and Pleasant Sts. (added July 23, 1983)

The District includes the following buildings:

Miles, Daniel Curtis Place — 116 Main St. — c1855. (added October 29, 2006)
Forbush Memorial Library — 118 Main St.— Built 1901; Dedicated 1902. (added October 29, 2006)

Westminster was the site of Westminster Academy, incorporated in 1833.

The town achieved national news in November 2014 when the Board of Health proposed banning all sales of tobacco. The meeting between the Board of Health and concerned citizens did not go well with citizens raising objections to the governmental over-reach.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 37.3 square miles (97 km²), of which 35.5 square miles (92 km²) is land and 1.8 square miles (4.7 km²), or 4.90%, is water.

Westminster is bordered by Ashburnham to the north, Gardner to the west, Hubbardston to the southwest, Princeton to the south, and Leominster and Fitchburg to the east.

Demographics

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1850	1,914	—
1860	1,840	−3.9%
1870	1,770	−3.8%
1880	1,652	−6.7%
1890	1,688	+2.2%
1900	1,327	−21.4%
1910	1,353	+2.0%
1920	1,343	−0.7%
1930	1,925	+43.3%
1940	2,126	+10.4%
1950	2,768	+30.2%
1960	4,022	+45.3%
1970	4,273	+6.2%
1980	5,139	+20.3%
1990	6,191	+20.5%
2000	6,907	+11.6%
2010	7,277	+5.4%
2020	8,213	+12.9%
* = population estimate. Source: United States Census records and Population Estimates Program data.

As of the census of 2000, there were 6,907 people, 2,529 households, and 1,954 families residing in the town. The population density was 194.5 people per square mile (75.1/km²). There were 2,694 housing units at an average density of 75.9 per square mile (29.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.50% White, 0.46% African American, 0.14% Native American, 1.14% Asian, 0.14% from other races, and 0.61% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.11% of the population. 17.6% were of French, 15.0% Irish, 13.2% French Canadian, 9.0% English, 9.0% Italian, 8.5% Finnish and 5.6% American ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 2,529 households, out of which 36.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.8% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.7% were non-families. 17.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.8% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $57,755, and the median income for a family was $61,835. Males had a median income of $45,369 versus $31,818 for females. The per capita income for the town was $24,913. About 3.0% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.5% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.

Infrastructure

Public transportation for northern Worcester county is largely supplied by the Montachusett Regional Transit Authority (MART) fixed-route bus system. Wachusett station, located in West Fitchburg, is the western terminus of the MBTA Commuter Rail Fitchburg Line.

Business

From 1828 to 1970, Westminster was home to the Westminster Cracker Company. Westminster is currently home to:

the U.S. Corporate Sales & Marketing division of SimplexGrinnell [1]
the Distribution Center of Aubuchon Hardware [2]
the Wachusett Brewing Company [3]/

Economy

From 1828 to 1970, Westminster was home to the Westminster Cracker Company. Westminster is currently home to:

the U.S. Corporate Sales & Marketing division of SimplexGrinnell
the Distribution Center of Aubuchon Hardware
the Wachusett Brewing Company

Education

Westminster is part of the Ashburnham-Westminster Regional School District along with Ashburnham.

The town has 2 schools. The Meetinghouse School serves students in grades K–1; the Westminster Elementary School, grades 2–5. Middle School students attend Overlook Middle School, and high School students attend Oakmont Regional High School.

Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School is a vocational/technical high school) in nearby Fitchburg also serving Westminster students.

Notable people

Abijah Bigelow, former U.S. Representative
Gregory Ciottone, Harvard professor, White House Consultant, pioneering physician in Counter-Terrorism Medicine
Marcus A. Coolidge, former U.S. Senator
John Ainsworth Dunn, furniture maker
Avery Yale Kamila, journalist
George M. Lane, former U.S. ambassador to North Yemen
Nelson A. Miles, former Commanding General of the United States Army
William H. Upham, fought at the Battle of Bull Run; 18th Governor of Wisconsin

Westminster, Massachusetts facts for kids

Contents

History