Charlton, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Charlton is a town in Worcester County
, Massachusetts
, United States
. The population was 12,981 at the 2010 census
.
on January 10, 1755, and became a Town in 1775 by a law that made all Districts into Towns. It was named after Sir Francis Charlton. During the 1800s, farming continued to be the major occupation, but woolen mills were being built along some of the town's brooks by the turn of the twentieth century.
, the town has a total area of 43.8 square miles (113.4 km²), of which 42.5 square miles (110.1 km²) is land and 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²) (2.86%) is water.
The town is bordered on the west by Sturbridge
; on the north by East Brookfield
, Spencer
and Leicester
; on the east by Oxford
; and on the south by Dudley
and Southbridge
.
Charlton is bisected by north-south Route 31, which runs through the historical villages of Charlton Center, Charlton City and Charlton Depot. North-south Route 169 connects Charlton City with Southbridge. East-west routes include Route 20, a major commuter road, and the Massachusetts Turnpike
(Interstate 90), which crosses through Charlton but does not have an exit in the town. While there is no exit for the town, there are two rest stops on the Mass Pike that are in Charlton.
of 2000, there were 11,263 people, 3,788 households, and 3,045 families residing in the town. The population density
was 264.8 people per square mile (102.2/km²). There were 4,008 housing units at an average density of 94.2 per square mile (36.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.08% White, 0.46% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.34% from other races
, and 0.62% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.98% of the population.
There were 3,788 households out of which 45.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.4% were married couples
living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.6% were non-families. 14.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.92 and the average family size was 3.24.
In the town the population was spread out with 30.0% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 34.4% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 7.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $63,033, and the median income for a family was $70,208. Males had a median income of $46,727 versus $33,451 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $23,626. About 4.9% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.3% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over.
As of December 2009, there were 13,745 residents.
form of government, with a five-member Board of Selectmen
.
's short story "Eve's Diary
" for its illustrations of Eve in "summer costume
." Twain testified before Congress after the incident saying, "The whole episode has rather amused me. I have no feeling of vindictiveness over the stand of the librarians there — I am only amused. You see they did not object to my book; they objected to Lester Ralph's pictures. I wrote the book; I did not make the pictures. I admire the pictures, and I heartily approve them, but I did not make them. It seems curious to me — some of the incidents in this case. It appears that the pictures in Eve's Diary were first discovered by a lady librarian. When she made the dreadful find, being very careful, she jumped at no hasty conclusions — not she — she examined the horrid things in detail. It took her some time to examine them all, but she did her hateful duty! I don't blame her for this careful examination; the time she spent was, I am sure, enjoyable, for I found considerable fascination in them myself. Then she took the book to another librarian, a male this time, and he, also, took a long time to examine the unclothed ladies. He must have found something of the same sort of fascination in them that I found."
. The town of Charlton has schools to serve children of all ages. Charlton Elementary serves students in kindergarten
and first grade
. The Heritage School serves students in grades 2 through 4. The Charlton Middle School serves grades 5 through 8. Charlton High Schoolers (ninth grade
through twelfth grade
) attend Shepherd Hill Regional High School
in Dudley
.
Charlton is also home to Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School
which serves Charlton and surrounding communities.
There used to be a high school in the center of town called Charlton High School. That building is now used for the Charlton Municipal Offices.
Worcester County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:In 1990 Worcester County had a population of 709,705.As of the census of 2000, there were 750,963 people, 283,927 households, and 192,502 families residing in the county. The population density was 496 people per square mile . There were 298,159 housing units at an average density...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 12,981 at the 2010 census
United States Census, 2010
The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...
.
History
Charlton was first settled in 1735. It was established as a District separated off from OxfordOxford, Massachusetts
Oxford is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 13,709 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Oxford, please see the article Oxford , Massachusetts.-History:...
on January 10, 1755, and became a Town in 1775 by a law that made all Districts into Towns. It was named after Sir Francis Charlton. During the 1800s, farming continued to be the major occupation, but woolen mills were being built along some of the town's brooks by the turn of the twentieth century.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 43.8 square miles (113.4 km²), of which 42.5 square miles (110.1 km²) is land and 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²) (2.86%) is water.
The town is bordered on the west by Sturbridge
Sturbridge, Massachusetts
Sturbridge is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. It is home to Old Sturbridge Village living history museum and other sites of historical interest such as Tantiusques.The population was 9,268 at the 2010 census...
; on the north by East Brookfield
East Brookfield, Massachusetts
East Brookfield is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 2,183 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place East Brookfield, please see the article East Brookfield , Massachusetts.- History :East Brookfield was...
, Spencer
Spencer, Massachusetts
Spencer is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 11,688 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Spencer, please see the article Spencer , Massachusetts....
and Leicester
Leicester, Massachusetts
Leicester is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 10,970 at the 2010 census.-History:Leicester was first settled in 1713 and was officially incorporated in 1714....
; on the east by Oxford
Oxford, Massachusetts
Oxford is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 13,709 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Oxford, please see the article Oxford , Massachusetts.-History:...
; and on the south by Dudley
Dudley, Massachusetts
Dudley is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 11,390 at the 2010 census.-History:Dudley was first settled in 1714 and was officially incorporated in 1732...
and Southbridge
Southbridge, Massachusetts
The Town of Southbridge is a city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 16,719 at the 2010 census.-History:...
.
Charlton is bisected by north-south Route 31, which runs through the historical villages of Charlton Center, Charlton City and Charlton Depot. North-south Route 169 connects Charlton City with Southbridge. East-west routes include Route 20, a major commuter road, and the Massachusetts Turnpike
Massachusetts Turnpike
The Massachusetts Turnpike is the easternmost stretch of Interstate 90. The Turnpike begins at the western border of Massachusetts in West Stockbridge connecting with the Berkshire Connector portion of the New York State Thruway...
(Interstate 90), which crosses through Charlton but does not have an exit in the town. While there is no exit for the town, there are two rest stops on the Mass Pike that are in Charlton.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 11,263 people, 3,788 households, and 3,045 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 264.8 people per square mile (102.2/km²). There were 4,008 housing units at an average density of 94.2 per square mile (36.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.08% White, 0.46% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.34% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.62% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.98% of the population.
There were 3,788 households out of which 45.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.4% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.6% were non-families. 14.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.92 and the average family size was 3.24.
In the town the population was spread out with 30.0% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 34.4% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 7.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $63,033, and the median income for a family was $70,208. Males had a median income of $46,727 versus $33,451 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $23,626. About 4.9% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.3% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over.
As of December 2009, there were 13,745 residents.
Government
Charlton has an open town meetingOpen town meeting
An open town meeting is a form of town meeting in which all registered voters of a town may vote . This form of government is typical of smaller municipalities in the New England region of the United States....
form of government, with a five-member Board of Selectmen
Board of selectmen
The board of selectmen is commonly the executive arm of the government of New England towns in the United States. The board typically consists of three or five members, with or without staggered terms.-History:...
.
Library
The Charlton Free Public Library was established in 1882. In fiscal year 2008, the town of Charlton spent 1.73% ($306,971) of its budget on its public library—some $24 per person. The library gained national recognition in 1906 after it banned Mark TwainMark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
's short story "Eve's Diary
Eve's Diary
Eve's Diary is a comic short story by Mark Twain.It was first published in the 1905 Christmas issue of the magazine Harper's Bazaar, and in book format in June 1906 by Harper and Brothers publishing house...
" for its illustrations of Eve in "summer costume
Nudity
Nudity is the state of wearing no clothing. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic. The amount of clothing worn depends on functional considerations and social considerations...
." Twain testified before Congress after the incident saying, "The whole episode has rather amused me. I have no feeling of vindictiveness over the stand of the librarians there — I am only amused. You see they did not object to my book; they objected to Lester Ralph's pictures. I wrote the book; I did not make the pictures. I admire the pictures, and I heartily approve them, but I did not make them. It seems curious to me — some of the incidents in this case. It appears that the pictures in Eve's Diary were first discovered by a lady librarian. When she made the dreadful find, being very careful, she jumped at no hasty conclusions — not she — she examined the horrid things in detail. It took her some time to examine them all, but she did her hateful duty! I don't blame her for this careful examination; the time she spent was, I am sure, enjoyable, for I found considerable fascination in them myself. Then she took the book to another librarian, a male this time, and he, also, took a long time to examine the unclothed ladies. He must have found something of the same sort of fascination in them that I found."
Education
Charlton public schools are part of the Dudley–Charlton Regional School districtSchool district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
. The town of Charlton has schools to serve children of all ages. Charlton Elementary serves students in kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
and first grade
First grade
First grade is a year of primary education in schools in the United States and English-speaking provinces of Canada. It is the first school year after kindergarten...
. The Heritage School serves students in grades 2 through 4. The Charlton Middle School serves grades 5 through 8. Charlton High Schoolers (ninth grade
Ninth grade
Ninth grade is the ninth post-kindergarten year of school education in some school systems. The students are 13 to 15 years of age, depending on when their birthday occurs. Depending on the school district, ninth grade is usually the first year of high school....
through twelfth grade
Twelfth grade
Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all...
) attend Shepherd Hill Regional High School
Shepherd Hill Regional High School
Shepherd Hill Regional High School is a high school located in Dudley, Massachusetts, USA. It is a regional high school covering the towns of Dudley and Charlton. The school is part of the Dudley-Charlton Regional School District. The principal is Mary A. Pierangeli. Shepherd Hill has over 1200...
in Dudley
Dudley, Massachusetts
Dudley is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 11,390 at the 2010 census.-History:Dudley was first settled in 1714 and was officially incorporated in 1732...
.
Charlton is also home to Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School
Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School
Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School is a secondary school located in Charlton, Massachusetts and sits on top of Old Mugget Hill. The school serves about 1100 students grades 9 to 12 and some Post-Grad students as well.-General:...
which serves Charlton and surrounding communities.
There used to be a high school in the center of town called Charlton High School. That building is now used for the Charlton Municipal Offices.
Points of interest
- Grave of John "Grizzly" Adams in Bay Path Cemetery.
- John Spurr HouseJohn Spurr HouseJohn Spurr House is an historic house on Main Street in Charlton, Massachusetts.The house was built in 1798 and added to the National Historic Register in 1976....
. - Rider TavernRider TavernRider Tavern is an historic tavern in the Northside Village Historic District of Charlton, Massachusetts....
. - Charlton Center Historic DistrictCharlton Center Historic DistrictCharlton Center Historic District is an historic district roughly on Main Street from Mugget Hill Road to Masonic Home Road and adjacent roads in Charlton, Massachusetts....
. - Northside Village Historic DistrictNorthside Village Historic DistrictNorthside Village Historic District is a historic district on Stafford Street, Northside and Cemetery Roads in Charlton, Massachusetts.The district was founded in 1735 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977....
. - No. 2 Schoolhouse.
- Headquarters of Nature's ClassroomNature's ClassroomNature's Classroom is a non-profit outdoor environmental education program started in 1973 in the Northeast of the United States. It hosts residential programs for teachers and students at fifteen sites in New England and New York; programs range from one to five days...
. - Heritage Country Club.
- Buffumville LakeBuffumville LakeBuffumville Lake is a , capacity United States Army Corps of Engineers flood control lake project located in Charlton, Massachusetts. The lake and surrounding grounds are open to the public for hiking, boating, fishing, and hunting. A 27-hole frisbee golf course is located next to the lake...
. - Elliott P. Joslin Camps for Children with DiabetesElliott P. Joslin Camps for Children with DiabetesThe Elliott P. Joslin Camps for Children with Diabetes located in Charlton, Massachusetts combine diabetes education, treatment, and support with recreation, sports, and camping.-History:Elliott P. Joslin, M.D...
. - Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High SchoolBay Path Regional Vocational Technical High SchoolBay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School is a secondary school located in Charlton, Massachusetts and sits on top of Old Mugget Hill. The school serves about 1100 students grades 9 to 12 and some Post-Grad students as well.-General:...
.