Mendon, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Mendon is a town in Worcester County
, Massachusetts
, United States
. The population was 5,839 at the 2010 census.
Mendon is very historic and is now part of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor
, the oldest industrialized region in the United States.
was named after this lake. Nipmuc means "small pond place" or "people of the fresh waters". The Nipmuc name does not refer to a specific village or tribe, but to natives that inhabited almost all of central Massachusetts. Over 500 Nipmuc live today in Massachusetts, and there are two nearby reservations at Grafton
and Webster
. The Nipmuc had a written language, tools, a graphite
mine at Sturbridge
, and well-developed agriculture, including maize
, beans and squash.Nipmuck Nation website
During King Philip's War
in 1675, Praying Indian
s (natives who converted to Christianity
) were settled into Praying Indian Villages. Wacentug and Rice City held two of these villages in Mendon, in a section that later became Uxbridge
. These were two of the 14 Praying Indian villages established by Reverend John Eliot
, from Natick
and Roxbury, who translated the Bible into the Nipmuc language.
petitioned to receive a land grant for 8 miles (12.9 km) square of land, 15 miles (24.1 km) west of Medfield
. In September 1662, after the deed was signed with a Native American chief, "Great John", the pioneers entered this part of what is now southern Worcester County. Earlier, unofficial, settlement occurred here in the 1640s, by pioneers
from Roxbury. This was the beginning of Mendon.
The land for the settlement was 8 miles (12.9 km) square of Native American land in the Massachusetts Bay Colony
and was purchased from the Nipmuc Indians, “for divers good and vallewable considerations them there unto Moovinge and especiall for an in consideration of the summe of twenty fower pound Ster.” In 1662, "Squinshepauke Plantation was started at the Netmocke settlement and plantation", and was incorporated as the town of Mendon in 1667. The settlers were ambitious and set about clearing the roads that would mark settlement patterns throughout the town’s history.
The early settlement at Mendon was first listed in Essex County
in 1667, then in 1671 in Suffolk County
, and in Worcester County from 1731. Mendon was first settled in 1660 and was officially incorporated in 1667. The town was originally 64 square miles (165.8 km²), including the modern-day towns of Milford
, Bellingham
, Hopedale
, Uxbridge
, Upton
, Blackstone
, Northbridge
and Millville
. For this reason, the town of Mendon is sometimes referred to as "Mother Mendon". Benjamin Albee (1614–1695) erected a water-powered mill in 1664 on modern-day Hartford Avenue in Hopedale
and was one of the town's important early residents.
On July 14, 1675, early violence in King Philip's War
took place in Mendon, with the deaths of multiple residents and the destruction of Albee's mill. These were the first settlers killed in this war in the Colony of Massachusetts. A man named Richard Post, of Post's lane, may have been the first settler killed. The town was largely burnt to the ground later that winter in early 1676. The town was resettled and rebuilt in 1680.
Robert Taft, Sr.
, settled here, in the part that became Uxbridge, in 1680 and was the patriarch of the famous Taft family
. He settled here in 1669 and was among those forced back to Braintree because of King Phillip's War. In 1712, Mendon was the birthplace of Lydia Chapin, who became America's first legal woman voter, known later as Lydia Chapin Taft, or simply Lydia Taft
. Ezra T. Benson
was born here and became a famous Mormon
Missionary and Utah Territory
legislator. (See also the article of neighboring Uxbridge, Massachusetts
.) The Taft family
became an American political dynasty, especially in Ohio
, but also in Iowa
, Rhode Island
, Vermont
, and other states. President William Howard Taft
was a descendant and also was a descendant of George Aldrich.
Another political dynasty American family began in Mendon with the immigrant, George Aldrich. His descendents included a number of U.S. congressmen, including Senator Nelson Aldrich, who started the Federal Reserve Bank
, and Vice President Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller
. Other descendants were Ezra T. Benson and his grandson, Ezra Taft Benson
, former Secretary of Agriculture under President Dwight D. Eisenhower
, later 13th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
today). Milestone 37 (from Boston
) was erected in 1772 and still stands today http://www.preserveamerica.gov/6-25-04PAcommunity-mendonMA.html. In 1719, Bellingham
became the first community to break off from Mother Mendon and incorporate as a separate entity. In 1789, it is purported that President George Washington
, during his inaugural journey, was denied a room in Mendon by an innkeeper’s wife. http://www.blackstonedaily.com/mendon.pdf
talent. Vintage postcards from this resort are frequently for sale on eBay
.
The first gig of Aerosmith
took place at Nipmuc Regional High School
in this town on November 6, 1970. History teacher Carl Olson hired the band and allowed them to use the girls' locker room, which they trashed with beer bottles.
In 1986 Congress
created the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor
, a national park. Mendon falls within this corridor. In modern times, Mendon serves primarily as a bedroom community but has seen some significant commercial development along Route 16 in recent years. Southwick's Zoo
in Mendon is currently Massachusetts's largest zoo. The Twin Drive-In, one of only three drive-in theater
s in Massachusetts, is stationed in Mendon.
, the town has a total area of 18.3 square miles (47.4 km²), of which 18.1 square miles (46.9 km²) is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²), or 0.88%, is water.
of 2000, there were 5,286 people, 1,815 households, and 1,450 families residing in the town. The population density
was 292.1 people per square mile (112.8/km²). There were 1,886 housing units at an average density of 104.2 per square mile (40.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.99% White, 0.40% African American, 0.59% Asian, 0.15% from other races
, and 0.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.96% of the population.
There were 1,815 households out of which 42.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.5% were married couples
living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.1% were non-families. 16.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.90 and the average family size was 3.28.
In the town the population was spread out with 29.5% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 32.7% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 8.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 98.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $71,164, and the median income for a family was $79,337. Males had a median income of $55,230 versus $36,174 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $27,693. About 2.6% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.4% of those under age 18 and 10.9% of those age 65 or over.
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 5,839 at the 2010 census.
Mendon is very historic and is now part of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor
Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor
The John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor is a National Heritage Corridor dedicated to the history of the early American Industrial Revolution, including mill towns stretching across 24 cities and towns near the river's course in Worcester County, Massachusetts and...
, the oldest industrialized region in the United States.
Early history
The Nipmuc people once inhabited Mendon, and Nipmuc Pond is named for them. Nipmuc Regional High SchoolNipmuc Regional High School
Nipmuc Regional High School is a public high school in Upton, Massachusetts, part of the Mendon-Upton Regional School District.Nipmuc High School was home to the first gig of the American rock band Aerosmith on November 6, 1970.- External links :*...
was named after this lake. Nipmuc means "small pond place" or "people of the fresh waters". The Nipmuc name does not refer to a specific village or tribe, but to natives that inhabited almost all of central Massachusetts. Over 500 Nipmuc live today in Massachusetts, and there are two nearby reservations at Grafton
Grafton, Massachusetts
Grafton is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 17,765 at the 2010 census. Grafton is the home of a Nipmuc village known as Hassanamisco Reservation, the Willard House and Clock Museum, and the Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine...
and Webster
Webster, Massachusetts
-Media:* Worcester Telegram & Gazette * Webster Times, published every Friday* The Patriot, published every Wednesday* WGFP-AM 940, a country music station* Boston Globe* Boston Herald-Library:...
. The Nipmuc had a written language, tools, a graphite
Graphite
The mineral graphite is one of the allotropes of carbon. It was named by Abraham Gottlob Werner in 1789 from the Ancient Greek γράφω , "to draw/write", for its use in pencils, where it is commonly called lead . Unlike diamond , graphite is an electrical conductor, a semimetal...
mine at 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...
, and well-developed agriculture, including maize
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, beans and squash.Nipmuck Nation website
During King Philip's War
King Philip's War
King Philip's War, sometimes called Metacom's War, Metacomet's War, or Metacom's Rebellion, was an armed conflict between Native American inhabitants of present-day southern New England and English colonists and their Native American allies in 1675–76. The war is named after the main leader of the...
in 1675, Praying Indian
Praying Indian
Praying Indian is a 17th century term referring to Native Americans of New England who converted to Christianity. While many groups are referred to by this term, it is more commonly used for tribes that were organized into villages, known as praying towns by Puritan leader John Eliot.In 1646, the...
s (natives who converted to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
) were settled into Praying Indian Villages. Wacentug and Rice City held two of these villages in Mendon, in a section that later became Uxbridge
Uxbridge, Massachusetts
Uxbridge is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It was first settled in 1662, incorporated in 1727 at Suffolk County, and named for the Earl of Uxbridge. Uxbridge is south-southeast of Worcester, north-northwest of Providence, and southwest of Boston. It is part of...
. These were two of the 14 Praying Indian villages established by Reverend John Eliot
John Eliot (missionary)
John Eliot was a Puritan missionary to the American Indians. His efforts earned him the designation “the Indian apostle.”-English education and Massachusetts ministry:...
, from Natick
Natick, Massachusetts
Natick is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. Natick is located near the center of the MetroWest region of Massachusetts, with a population of 33,006 at the 2010 census. Only west from Boston, Natick is considered part of the Greater Boston area...
and Roxbury, who translated the Bible into the Nipmuc language.
Pioneer settlement
Pioneers from BraintreeBraintree, Massachusetts
The Town of Braintree is a suburban city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Although officially known as a town, Braintree adopted a municipal charter, effective 2008, with a mayor-council form of government and is considered a city under Massachusetts law. The population was 35,744...
petitioned to receive a land grant for 8 miles (12.9 km) square of land, 15 miles (24.1 km) west of Medfield
Medfield, Massachusetts
Medfield is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,024 according to the 2010 Census. Medfield is an affluent community about 17 miles southwest of Boston....
. In September 1662, after the deed was signed with a Native American chief, "Great John", the pioneers entered this part of what is now southern Worcester County. Earlier, unofficial, settlement occurred here in the 1640s, by pioneers
American pioneer
American pioneers are any of the people in American history who migrated west to join in settling and developing new areas. The term especially refers to those who were going to settle any territory which had previously not been settled or developed by European or American society, although the...
from Roxbury. This was the beginning of Mendon.
The land for the settlement was 8 miles (12.9 km) square of Native American land in the Massachusetts Bay Colony
Massachusetts Bay Colony
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was an English settlement on the east coast of North America in the 17th century, in New England, situated around the present-day cities of Salem and Boston. The territory administered by the colony included much of present-day central New England, including portions...
and was purchased from the Nipmuc Indians, “for divers good and vallewable considerations them there unto Moovinge and especiall for an in consideration of the summe of twenty fower pound Ster.” In 1662, "Squinshepauke Plantation was started at the Netmocke settlement and plantation", and was incorporated as the town of Mendon in 1667. The settlers were ambitious and set about clearing the roads that would mark settlement patterns throughout the town’s history.
The early settlement at Mendon was first listed in Essex County
Essex County, Massachusetts
-National protected areas:* Parker River National Wildlife Refuge* Salem Maritime National Historic Site* Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site* Thacher Island National Wildlife Refuge-Demographics:...
in 1667, then in 1671 in Suffolk County
Suffolk County, Massachusetts
Suffolk County has no land border with Plymouth County to its southeast, but the two counties share a water boundary in the middle of Massachusetts Bay.-National protected areas:*Boston African American National Historic Site...
, and in Worcester County from 1731. Mendon was first settled in 1660 and was officially incorporated in 1667. The town was originally 64 square miles (165.8 km²), including the modern-day towns of Milford
Milford, Massachusetts
Milford is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. It had a population of 27,999 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Milford, constituting the center of the town, please see the article Milford ,...
, Bellingham
Bellingham, Massachusetts
Bellingham is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 16,332 at the 2010 census. The town sits on the southwestern fringe of Metropolitan Boston, along the rapidly growing "outer belt" that is Route 495...
, Hopedale
Hopedale, Massachusetts
Hopedale is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,911 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Hopedale, please see the article Hopedale , Massachusetts....
, Uxbridge
Uxbridge, Massachusetts
Uxbridge is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It was first settled in 1662, incorporated in 1727 at Suffolk County, and named for the Earl of Uxbridge. Uxbridge is south-southeast of Worcester, north-northwest of Providence, and southwest of Boston. It is part of...
, Upton
Upton, Massachusetts
Upton is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 7,542 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Upton-West Upton, please see the article Upton-West Upton, Massachusetts....
, Blackstone
Blackstone, Massachusetts
Blackstone is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 9,026 at the 2010 census. It is formally a part of the Providence metropolitan area. Blackstone is the only municipality in Massachusetts to employ automatic cameras in traffic enforcement.- History :This...
, Northbridge
Northbridge, Massachusetts
Northbridge is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 15,707 at the 2010 census. The Northbridge Town Hall is located at 7 Main Street in Whitinsville. The town is now a part of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, of the National Park...
and Millville
Millville, Massachusetts
Millville is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,190 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Providence metropolitan area.- History :...
. For this reason, the town of Mendon is sometimes referred to as "Mother Mendon". Benjamin Albee (1614–1695) erected a water-powered mill in 1664 on modern-day Hartford Avenue in Hopedale
Hopedale, Massachusetts
Hopedale is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,911 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Hopedale, please see the article Hopedale , Massachusetts....
and was one of the town's important early residents.
On July 14, 1675, early violence in King Philip's War
King Philip's War
King Philip's War, sometimes called Metacom's War, Metacomet's War, or Metacom's Rebellion, was an armed conflict between Native American inhabitants of present-day southern New England and English colonists and their Native American allies in 1675–76. The war is named after the main leader of the...
took place in Mendon, with the deaths of multiple residents and the destruction of Albee's mill. These were the first settlers killed in this war in the Colony of Massachusetts. A man named Richard Post, of Post's lane, may have been the first settler killed. The town was largely burnt to the ground later that winter in early 1676. The town was resettled and rebuilt in 1680.
Robert Taft, Sr.
Robert Taft, Sr.
Robert Taft, Sr., also known as Robert Taft, or Robert Taft I , was the first American Taft and founder of the American Taft Family...
, settled here, in the part that became Uxbridge, in 1680 and was the patriarch of the famous Taft family
Taft family
The Taft family of the United States hails from Cincinnati, Ohio, with historic origins in Massachusetts; its members have served Ohio, Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, Utah, and the United States in various positions, such as Governor of Ohio, Governor of Rhode Island, U.S. Senator , U.S...
. He settled here in 1669 and was among those forced back to Braintree because of King Phillip's War. In 1712, Mendon was the birthplace of Lydia Chapin, who became America's first legal woman voter, known later as Lydia Chapin Taft, or simply Lydia Taft
Lydia Taft
Lydia Chapin was the first known legal woman voter in colonial America. This occurred in the New England town Town Meeting, at Uxbridge, MA Massachusetts Colony.-Early life:...
. Ezra T. Benson
Ezra T. Benson
Ezra Taft Benson was as an apostle and a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints .-Early life:Benson was born in Mendon, Massachusetts, the son of John Benson and...
was born here and became a famous Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
Missionary and Utah Territory
Utah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
legislator. (See also the article of neighboring Uxbridge, Massachusetts
Uxbridge, Massachusetts
Uxbridge is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It was first settled in 1662, incorporated in 1727 at Suffolk County, and named for the Earl of Uxbridge. Uxbridge is south-southeast of Worcester, north-northwest of Providence, and southwest of Boston. It is part of...
.) The Taft family
Taft family
The Taft family of the United States hails from Cincinnati, Ohio, with historic origins in Massachusetts; its members have served Ohio, Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, Utah, and the United States in various positions, such as Governor of Ohio, Governor of Rhode Island, U.S. Senator , U.S...
became an American political dynasty, especially in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, but also in Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
, and other states. President William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
was a descendant and also was a descendant of George Aldrich.
Another political dynasty American family began in Mendon with the immigrant, George Aldrich. His descendents included a number of U.S. congressmen, including Senator Nelson Aldrich, who started the Federal Reserve Bank
Federal Reserve Bank
The twelve Federal Reserve Banks form a major part of the Federal Reserve System, the central banking system of the United States. The twelve federal reserve banks together divide the nation into twelve Federal Reserve Districts, the twelve banking districts created by the Federal Reserve Act of...
, and Vice President Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller
Nelson Rockefeller
Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller was the 41st Vice President of the United States , serving under President Gerald Ford, and the 49th Governor of New York , as well as serving the Roosevelt, Truman and Eisenhower administrations in a variety of positions...
. Other descendants were Ezra T. Benson and his grandson, Ezra Taft Benson
Ezra Taft Benson
Ezra Taft Benson was the thirteenth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1985 until his death and was United States Secretary of Agriculture for both terms of the presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower.-Biography:Born on a farm in Whitney, Idaho, Benson was the oldest of...
, former Secretary of Agriculture under President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
, later 13th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Colonial and revolutionary era
Mendon would eventually rebuild and find itself along Boston's Middle Post Road (Route 16Massachusetts Route 16
Route 16 is an east–west state highway in Massachusetts. It begins in the west at an intersection with Route 12 and Route 193 in Webster, just north of the Connecticut state border...
today). Milestone 37 (from Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
) was erected in 1772 and still stands today http://www.preserveamerica.gov/6-25-04PAcommunity-mendonMA.html. In 1719, Bellingham
Bellingham, Massachusetts
Bellingham is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 16,332 at the 2010 census. The town sits on the southwestern fringe of Metropolitan Boston, along the rapidly growing "outer belt" that is Route 495...
became the first community to break off from Mother Mendon and incorporate as a separate entity. In 1789, it is purported that President George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
, during his inaugural journey, was denied a room in Mendon by an innkeeper’s wife. http://www.blackstonedaily.com/mendon.pdf
Modern Mendon
Lake Nipmuc Park was a popular resort in the early 20th century, featuring leading musical and vaudevilleVaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
talent. Vintage postcards from this resort are frequently for sale on eBay
EBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
.
The first gig of Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
took place at Nipmuc Regional High School
Nipmuc Regional High School
Nipmuc Regional High School is a public high school in Upton, Massachusetts, part of the Mendon-Upton Regional School District.Nipmuc High School was home to the first gig of the American rock band Aerosmith on November 6, 1970.- External links :*...
in this town on November 6, 1970. History teacher Carl Olson hired the band and allowed them to use the girls' locker room, which they trashed with beer bottles.
In 1986 Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
created the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor
Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor
The John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor is a National Heritage Corridor dedicated to the history of the early American Industrial Revolution, including mill towns stretching across 24 cities and towns near the river's course in Worcester County, Massachusetts and...
, a national park. Mendon falls within this corridor. In modern times, Mendon serves primarily as a bedroom community but has seen some significant commercial development along Route 16 in recent years. Southwick's Zoo
Southwick's Zoo
Southwick's Zoo is a , privately-owned and operated zoological park located in Mendon, Massachusetts, USA. It was opened in 1963, and remains family operated to date.-History:...
in Mendon is currently Massachusetts's largest zoo. The Twin Drive-In, one of only three drive-in theater
Drive-in theater
A drive-in theater is a form of cinema structure consisting of a large outdoor screen, a projection booth, a concession stand and a large parking area for automobiles. Within this enclosed area, customers can view movies from the privacy and comfort of their cars.The screen can be as simple as a...
s in Massachusetts, is stationed in Mendon.
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 18.3 square miles (47.4 km²), of which 18.1 square miles (46.9 km²) is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²), or 0.88%, is water.
Adjacent towns
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 5,286 people, 1,815 households, and 1,450 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 292.1 people per square mile (112.8/km²). There were 1,886 housing units at an average density of 104.2 per square mile (40.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.99% White, 0.40% African American, 0.59% Asian, 0.15% 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 0.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.96% of the population.
There were 1,815 households out of which 42.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.5% 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, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.1% were non-families. 16.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.90 and the average family size was 3.28.
In the town the population was spread out with 29.5% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 32.7% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 8.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 98.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $71,164, and the median income for a family was $79,337. Males had a median income of $55,230 versus $36,174 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 $27,693. About 2.6% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.4% of those under age 18 and 10.9% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Library
Mendon's Taft Public Library was established in 1881. In fiscal year 2008, the town of Mendon spent 1.66% ($187,825) of its budget on its public library—some $32 per person.Points of interest
- Mendon Twin Drive-In
- Southwick's Zoo
- Historic walking tour of Mendon
- Mendon Town Beach
Media
- The Upton and Mendon Town Crier newspaper (circulation ~5500) is published twice monthly and mailed free to all residents of Mendon and the adjoining town of UptonUpton, MassachusettsUpton is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 7,542 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Upton-West Upton, please see the article Upton-West Upton, Massachusetts....
. - The Milford Daily News is the nearest daily publication.
Notable residents
- Benjamin Adams (1764–1837), congressmanUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
- George Aldrich, the immigrant ancestor of the American Aldrich family, a political dynasty
- Adin BallouAdin BallouAdin Ballou was an American prominent proponent of pacifism, socialism and abolitionism, and the founder of the Hopedale Community...
(1803–1890), social reformer, pacifistPacifismPacifism is the opposition to war and violence. The term "pacifism" was coined by the French peace campaignerÉmile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress inGlasgow in 1901.- Definition :...
, and UnitarianUnitarianismUnitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
minister, led Mendon’s Unitarian Church from 1831 to 1842, immediately before his founding of the Hopedale CommunityHopedale CommunityThe Hopedale Community was founded out of Worcester County, Massachusetts in 1842 by Adin Ballou. He and his followers purchased of land on which they built homes for the community members, chapels and the factories for which the company was initially formed.... - Ezra T. BensonEzra T. BensonEzra Taft Benson was as an apostle and a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints .-Early life:Benson was born in Mendon, Massachusetts, the son of John Benson and...
, Mormon pioneerMormon PioneerThe Mormon pioneers were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as Latter-day Saints, who migrated across the United States from the Midwest to the Salt Lake Valley in what is today the U.S. state of Utah...
(birthplace) - Joseph Daniels (1724–1779), Revolutionary War officer
- Albert HarknessAlbert HarknessAlbert Harkness was an American classical scholar and educator, born at Mendon, Massachusetts He graduated at Brown University in 1842, was senior master of the Providence High School from 1846 to 1853, pursued studies in Germany at the universities of Berlin, Bonn, and Göttingen, and was the...
(1822–1907), scholar and educator - Alexander Scammel (1747–1781), Revolutionary War officer
- The Taft familyTaft familyThe Taft family of the United States hails from Cincinnati, Ohio, with historic origins in Massachusetts; its members have served Ohio, Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, Utah, and the United States in various positions, such as Governor of Ohio, Governor of Rhode Island, U.S. Senator , U.S...
, a prominent American political family - Lydia TaftLydia TaftLydia Chapin was the first known legal woman voter in colonial America. This occurred in the New England town Town Meeting, at Uxbridge, MA Massachusetts Colony.-Early life:...
, America's first woman voter (birthplace) - Eli ThayerEli ThayerEli Thayer was a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1857 to 1861. Thayer was born in Mendon, Massachusetts. He graduated from Worcester Academy in 1840, from Brown University in 1845, and in 1848 founded Oread Institute, a school for young women in Worcester, Massachusetts...
(1819–1899), abolitionist congressmanUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
and founder of Oread InstituteOread InstituteThe Oread Institute was a women's college founded in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1849 by Eli Thayer. Before its closing in 1934, it was one of the oldest institutions of higher education for women in the United States...