Wilmington, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Wilmington is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts
, United States. The population was 22,325 at the 2010 census.
, Reading
and Billerica
. Minutemen
from Wilmington responded to the alarm on April 19, 1775 and fought at Merriam's Corner in Concord. Wilmington men also fought at Bunker Hill
.
The Middlesex Canal
passed through Wilmington. Chartered in 1792, opened in 1803, it provided freight and passenger transport between the Merrimack River
and Boston. One important cargo on the canal was hops. From the middle of the 18th century until the early 19th century, Massachusetts was the acknowledged leader in hop production in North America. Middlesex County in particular was famous for its hop yards, and Wilmington was the first place where the culture grew to a fever pitch.
When Lowell
was built in the 1820s, the canal became a primary means of transporting cotton to and from the mills. It was abandoned in 1852 after the construction of the Boston and Lowell Railroad
.
The Boston and Lowell Railroad was built in 1835. The line is now the oldest operating rail line in the U.S. Wilmington is also served by the Haverhill Division (the old B&M
Portland Division). A spur track known as the Wildcat
connects the Haverhill and Lowell divisions, following the path of the old Wilmington & Andover Railroad, the corporate ancestor of the Boston & Maine.
Wilmington is where the Baldwin apple was discovered.
Wilmington is also home to the Col. Joshua Harnden Tavern, which probably served as a stop on the underground railroad
and now houses the Wilmington Town Museum
.
Since World War II, Wilmington's population has quadrupled. Interstate 93
, Route 62, Route 129 and Route 38 run through town, and Route 128 is about a mile south of Wilmington.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the CDP has a total area of 17.2 square miles (44.5 km²), of which, 17.1 square miles (44.3 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.46%) is water.
Wilmington borders the following towns: Andover
, North Reading
, Reading
, Woburn
, Burlington
, Billerica
, and Tewksbury
.
Much of Wilmington was built on or still is wetlands. The Ipswich River
starts in Wilmington, and the Shawsheen River
forms part of Wilmington's border with Billerica.
There is one lake in the town, Silver Lake, a kettle lake formed in the retreat of the Pleistocene
glaciers at the end of the last ice age
. It is open for swimming during the summer.
that is equivalent to the town
As of the census
of 2000, there were 21,363 people, 7,027 households, and 5,776 families residing in the town. The population density
was 1247 PD/sqmi. There were 7,158 housing units at an average density of 417.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 96.31% White, 0.41% Black or African American
, 0.08% Native American, 2.03% Asian, 0.42% from other races
, and 0.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.95% of the population.
There were 7,027 households out of which 41.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.6% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.8% were non-families. 14.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.00 and the average family size was 3.33.
In the town the population was spread out with 27.6% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 33.5% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $70,652, and the median income for a family was $76,760. Males had a median income of $50,446 versus $36,729 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $25,835. About 1.8% of families and 1.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.7% of those under age 18 and 2.7% of those age 65 or over. It is the 181st richest place in Massachusetts. See Massachusetts locations by per capita income
.
students attend the Wildwood Street and Boutwell Street Schools. Grades 1-3 attend the Woburn Street School and the Shawsheen School. Grades 4 and 5 attend the North Intermediate School and the West Intermediate School. Grades 6-8 attend Wilmington Middle School
. High School Students attend Wilmington High School
. Wilmington High's mascot is the wildcat
and its athletic teams participate in the Cape Ann
League or CAL. They will join the Middlesex League
starting in the fall of 2011. The Wildcats' colors are Navy Blue, Columbia Blue and White and the primary rivals are the Tewksbury
Redmen of the Merrimack Valley Conference. The rivalry reaches its highest point every Thanksgiving
when the two towns square off in a football game. In the 2007 season, Wilmington lost to Tewksbury for the first time since 2002 and still trails in the overall series history that started with two games in 1935. The series has never been disrupted although they did not play on Thanksgiving in 1935 or from 1941 to 1956. In those years, their game was played on November 11. Wilmington is also home to Abundant Life Christian School a Pre-K to 8 private religious school.
, a board of selectmen
and a town manager. The current town manager is Michael Caira. Five of the town's six districts are represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives
by James R. Miceli, the last is represented by Charles A. Murphy
. The town's state senator is Bruce Tarr
. Wilmington is in the Massachusetts 6th Congressional District and is represented in the United States House of Representatives
by John F. Tierney
.
provides service from Boston's North Station
with the Wilmington station
on its Lowell Line
and the North Wilmington station
on its Haverhill/Reading Line
. LRTA
provides bus service from Wilmington station
via Rt 38 to Lowell Station.
Middlesex County, Massachusetts
-National protected areas:* Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge* Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge* Longfellow National Historic Site* Lowell National Historical Park* Minute Man National Historical Park* Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge...
, United States. The population was 22,325 at the 2010 census.
History
Wilmington was first settled in 1665 and was officially incorporated in 1730, from parts of WoburnWoburn, Massachusetts
Woburn is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. The population was 38,120 at the 2010 census. Woburn is located north of Boston, Massachusetts, and just south of the intersection of I-93 and I-95.- History :...
, Reading
Reading, Massachusetts
Reading is an affluent town situated in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, some north of central Boston. The population was 24,747 at the 2010 census.-Settlement and Independence:...
and Billerica
Billerica, Massachusetts
Billerica is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,243 at the 2010 census. It is the only town named Billerica in the United States and borrows its name from the town of Billericay in Essex, England.- History :...
. Minutemen
Minutemen
Minutemen were members of teams of select men from the American colonial partisan militia during the American Revolutionary War. They provided a highly mobile, rapidly deployed force that allowed the colonies to respond immediately to war threats, hence the name.The minutemen were among the first...
from Wilmington responded to the alarm on April 19, 1775 and fought at Merriam's Corner in Concord. Wilmington men also fought at Bunker Hill
Battle of Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill took place on June 17, 1775, mostly on and around Breed's Hill, during the Siege of Boston early in the American Revolutionary War...
.
The Middlesex Canal
Middlesex Canal
The Middlesex Canal was a 27-mile barge canal connecting the Merrimack River with the port of Boston. When operational it was 30 feet wide, and 3 feet deep, with 20 locks, each 80 feet long and between 10 and 11 feet wide...
passed through Wilmington. Chartered in 1792, opened in 1803, it provided freight and passenger transport between the Merrimack River
Merrimack River
The Merrimack River is a river in the northeastern United States. It rises at the confluence of the Pemigewasset and Winnipesaukee rivers in Franklin, New Hampshire, flows southward into Massachusetts, and then flows northeast until it empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Newburyport...
and Boston. One important cargo on the canal was hops. From the middle of the 18th century until the early 19th century, Massachusetts was the acknowledged leader in hop production in North America. Middlesex County in particular was famous for its hop yards, and Wilmington was the first place where the culture grew to a fever pitch.
When Lowell
Lowell, Massachusetts
Lowell is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 106,519. It is the fourth largest city in the state. Lowell and Cambridge are the county seats of Middlesex County...
was built in the 1820s, the canal became a primary means of transporting cotton to and from the mills. It was abandoned in 1852 after the construction of the Boston and Lowell Railroad
Boston and Lowell Railroad
The Boston and Lowell Railroad is a historic railroad that operated in Massachusetts. It was one of the first railroads in North America and the first major one in the state...
.
The Boston and Lowell Railroad was built in 1835. The line is now the oldest operating rail line in the U.S. Wilmington is also served by the Haverhill Division (the old B&M
Boston and Maine Railroad
The Boston and Maine Corporation , known as the Boston and Maine Railroad until 1964, was the dominant railroad of the northern New England region of the United States for a century...
Portland Division). A spur track known as the Wildcat
Wildcat Branch
The Wildcat Branch is a single track railroad branch line which connects the MBTA Lowell Line in Wilmington, Massachusetts to the MBTA Haverhill/Reading Line at Wilmington Junction...
connects the Haverhill and Lowell divisions, following the path of the old Wilmington & Andover Railroad, the corporate ancestor of the Boston & Maine.
Wilmington is where the Baldwin apple was discovered.
Wilmington is also home to the Col. Joshua Harnden Tavern, which probably served as a stop on the underground railroad
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
and now houses the Wilmington Town Museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
.
Since World War II, Wilmington's population has quadrupled. Interstate 93
Interstate 93
Interstate 93 is an Interstate Highway in the New England section of the United States. Its southern terminus is in Canton, Massachusetts, in the Boston metropolitan area, at Interstate 95; its northern terminus is near St. Johnsbury, Vermont, at Interstate 91...
, Route 62, Route 129 and Route 38 run through town, and Route 128 is about a mile south of Wilmington.
Geography
Wilmington is located at 42°33′30"N 71°10′13"W (42.559576, -71.170317).According to the United States Census Bureau
United 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 CDP has a total area of 17.2 square miles (44.5 km²), of which, 17.1 square miles (44.3 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.46%) is water.
Wilmington borders the following towns: Andover
Andover, Massachusetts
Andover is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. It was incorporated in 1646 and as of the 2010 census, the population was 33,201...
, North Reading
North Reading, Massachusetts
North Reading is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 14,892 at the 2010 census.-History:The area was first settled in 1651 when the town of Reading received a special land grant north of the Ipswich River...
, Reading
Reading, Massachusetts
Reading is an affluent town situated in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, some north of central Boston. The population was 24,747 at the 2010 census.-Settlement and Independence:...
, Woburn
Woburn, Massachusetts
Woburn is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. The population was 38,120 at the 2010 census. Woburn is located north of Boston, Massachusetts, and just south of the intersection of I-93 and I-95.- History :...
, Burlington
Burlington, Massachusetts
Burlington is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 24,498 at the 2010 census.- History :It is believed that Burlington takes its name from the English town of Bridlington, however this has never been confirmed....
, Billerica
Billerica, Massachusetts
Billerica is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,243 at the 2010 census. It is the only town named Billerica in the United States and borrows its name from the town of Billericay in Essex, England.- History :...
, and Tewksbury
Tewksbury, Massachusetts
Tewksbury is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 28,961 at the 2010 census.- History :Tewksbury was first settled in 1637 and was officially incorporated in 1734 from Billerica. Like Tewksbury Township, New Jersey, it is named after the town of Tewkesbury,...
.
Much of Wilmington was built on or still is wetlands. The Ipswich River
Ipswich River
Ipswich River is a small river in northeastern Massachusetts, USA. It is long, and its watershed is approximately , with an estimated population in the area of 160,000 people. - Geography :...
starts in Wilmington, and the Shawsheen River
Shawsheen River
The Shawsheen River is a tributary of the Merrimack River in northeast Massachusetts. The name has had various spellings. According to Bailey's history of Andover, the spelling Shawshin was the most common in the old records, although Shawshine, Shashin, Shashine, Shashene, Shawshene, and later,...
forms part of Wilmington's border with Billerica.
There is one lake in the town, Silver Lake, a kettle lake formed in the retreat of the Pleistocene
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
glaciers at the end of the last ice age
Ice age
An ice age or, more precisely, glacial age, is a generic geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers...
. It is open for swimming during the summer.
Demographics
The Census Bureau has defined Wilmington as a census-designated placeCensus-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
that is equivalent to the town
As of the census
Census
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 21,363 people, 7,027 households, and 5,776 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 1247 PD/sqmi. There were 7,158 housing units at an average density of 417.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 96.31% White, 0.41% Black or African American
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...
, 0.08% Native American, 2.03% Asian, 0.42% 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 0.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.95% of the population.
There were 7,027 households out of which 41.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.6% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.8% were non-families. 14.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.00 and the average family size was 3.33.
In the town the population was spread out with 27.6% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 33.5% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $70,652, and the median income for a family was $76,760. Males had a median income of $50,446 versus $36,729 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 $25,835. About 1.8% of families and 1.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.7% of those under age 18 and 2.7% of those age 65 or over. It is the 181st richest place in Massachusetts. See Massachusetts locations by per capita income
Massachusetts locations by per capita income
Massachusetts is the third richest state in the United States of America, with a per capita income of $25,952 and a personal per capita income of $39,815...
.
Education
Wilmington has its own schools. KindergartenKindergarten
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...
students attend the Wildwood Street and Boutwell Street Schools. Grades 1-3 attend the Woburn Street School and the Shawsheen School. Grades 4 and 5 attend the North Intermediate School and the West Intermediate School. Grades 6-8 attend Wilmington Middle School
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
. High School Students attend Wilmington High School
Wilmington High School (Massachusetts)
Wilmington High School is the public high school for the town of Wilmington, Massachusetts, USA. It is home to the Wilmington Wildcats. Eric Tracy is the principal.- Notable alumni :* Jason Bere, former MLB pitcher and American League All-Star in 1994....
. Wilmington High's mascot is the wildcat
Wild cat
The wildcat is a small cat with several subspecies and a very broad distribution, found throughout most of Africa, Europe, and southwest and central Asia into India, China, and Mongolia. It is a hunter of small mammals, birds, and other creatures of a similar or smaller size. Sometimes included is...
and its athletic teams participate in the Cape Ann
Cape Ann
Cape Ann is a rocky cape in northeastern Massachusetts on the Atlantic Ocean. The cape is located approximately 30 miles northeast of Boston and forms the northern edge of Massachusetts Bay. Cape Ann includes the city of Gloucester, and the towns of Essex, Manchester-by-the-Sea, and...
League or CAL. They will join the Middlesex League
Middlesex League
The Middlesex League is a high school sports conference located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. The twelve member schools are all members of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association.-Sports:*Fall: August–November...
starting in the fall of 2011. The Wildcats' colors are Navy Blue, Columbia Blue and White and the primary rivals are the Tewksbury
Tewksbury, Massachusetts
Tewksbury is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 28,961 at the 2010 census.- History :Tewksbury was first settled in 1637 and was officially incorporated in 1734 from Billerica. Like Tewksbury Township, New Jersey, it is named after the town of Tewkesbury,...
Redmen of the Merrimack Valley Conference. The rivalry reaches its highest point every Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving (United States)
Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Day, is a holiday celebrated in the United States on the fourth Thursday in November. It has officially been an annual tradition since 1863, when, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving to be celebrated on Thursday,...
when the two towns square off in a football game. In the 2007 season, Wilmington lost to Tewksbury for the first time since 2002 and still trails in the overall series history that started with two games in 1935. The series has never been disrupted although they did not play on Thanksgiving in 1935 or from 1941 to 1956. In those years, their game was played on November 11. Wilmington is also home to Abundant Life Christian School a Pre-K to 8 private religious school.
Government
Wilmington has an open town meetingTown meeting
A town meeting is a form of direct democratic rule, used primarily in portions of the United States since the 17th century, in which most or all the members of a community come together to legislate policy and budgets for local government....
, a 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:...
and a town manager. The current town manager is Michael Caira. Five of the town's six districts are represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives
Massachusetts House of Representatives
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
by James R. Miceli, the last is represented by Charles A. Murphy
Charles A. Murphy
Charles A. "Charley" Murphy is the current representative of the 21st Middlesex District to the Massachusetts House of Representatives and the Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means.-Biography:...
. The town's state senator is Bruce Tarr
Bruce Tarr
Bruce E. Tarr is the minority leader of the Massachusetts Senate. He has been a member of the Senate since 1995, representing the 1st Essex and Middlesex District. He is a member of the United States Republican Party and a former member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives...
. Wilmington is in the Massachusetts 6th Congressional District and is represented in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The 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...
by John F. Tierney
John F. Tierney
John F. Tierney is the United States representative for . He is a member of the Democratic Party and an advocate for liberal policies and government oversight. A former attorney, he has served since 1997....
.
Points of interest
- The Wilmington Town Common and Rotary Park are in the center of town and there are several parks and public recreation facilities throughout town with walking paths, soccer fields, baseball diamonds, and other athletic facilities.
- Aleppo Shrine AuditoriumAleppo Shrine AuditoriumThe Aleppo Shrine Auditorium is a 2,650-seat indoor arena located in Wilmington, Massachusetts. It was built in 1977 as the headquarters for the Aleppo Shriners, who had been based in Boston, Massachusetts since 1882. The Aleppo Shriners still own the auditorium today...
: a 2,650-seat indoor arena, home of the Boston Derby Dames women's flat track roller derbyWomen's Flat Track Derby AssociationThe Women's Flat Track Derby Association is an association of women's flat track roller derby leagues in the United States. The organization was founded in April 2004 as the United Leagues Coalition but was renamed in November 2005. It is registered in Raleigh, North Carolina as a 501 business...
league - Ristuccia Ice Arena : the practice rink of the Boston BruinsBoston BruinsThe Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
- Silver Lake : Open for swimming in the summer, ice-skating in winter, and fishing year-round. There is also a playground open all seasons.
Transportation
MBTA Commuter RailMBTA Commuter Rail
The MBTA Commuter Rail serves as the regional rail arm of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, in the United States. It is operated under contract by the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company a joint partnership of Veolia Transportation, Bombardier Transportation and Alternate...
provides service from Boston's North Station
with the Wilmington station
Wilmington (MBTA station)
Wilmington station is located at 405 Main Street at its intersection with Church Street Wilmington, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston. The station serves trains on the MBTA's Lowell Line, and some trains from the Haverhill Line via the Wildcat Branch...
on its Lowell Line
Lowell Line
The Lowell Line is a railroad line of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, running north from Boston to Lowell, Massachusetts. Originally built as the Boston and Lowell Railroad, and later operated as part of the Boston and Maine Railroad's Southern Division, the line was one of the first railroads in...
and the North Wilmington station
North Wilmington (MBTA station)
North Wilmington is a Massachusetts passenger rail station on MBTA Commuter Rail's Haverhill Line. The station is very small and consists of a small platform and a tiny shelter. Despite its small size, almost all of the trains on the route are scheduled to stop at this station.-External links:* * *...
on its Haverhill/Reading Line
Haverhill/Reading Line
The Haverhill Line is a branch of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, running north from downtown Boston, Massachusetts through the cities and towns ofMalden,Melrose,Wakefield,Reading,Wilmington,Andover,...
. LRTA
Lowell Regional Transit Authority
The Lowell Regional Transit Authority is a public, non-profit organization in Massachusetts, charged with providing public transportation to the Greater Lowell area. This primarily includes the city of Lowell and the towns of Billerica, Burlington, Dracut, Chelmsford, Tewksbury, Tyngsborough and...
provides bus service from Wilmington station
Wilmington (MBTA station)
Wilmington station is located at 405 Main Street at its intersection with Church Street Wilmington, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston. The station serves trains on the MBTA's Lowell Line, and some trains from the Haverhill Line via the Wildcat Branch...
via Rt 38 to Lowell Station.
Notable residents
- Jeanne AshworthJeanne AshworthJeanne Chesley Ashworth is an American former speed skater who competed in the 1960 Winter Olympics, 1964 Winter Olympics and 1968 Winter Olympics.She was born in Burlington, Vermont....
, speed skater, bronze medalist in the 1960 Winter Olympics1960 Winter OlympicsThe 1960 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VIII Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event held between February 18 and 28, 1960 in Squaw Valley, California, United States. In 1955 at the 50th IOC meeting, the organizing committee made the surprise choice to award Squaw Valley as...
. - Loammi BaldwinLoammi BaldwinColonel Loammi Baldwin was a noted American engineer, politician, and a soldier in the American Revolutionary War....
, Revolutionary WarAmerican RevolutionThe American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
ColonelColonelColonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
, noted Civil EngineerCivil engineerA civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
and the man who popularized the Baldwin AppleBaldwin (apple)The Baldwin apple is a bright red winter apple, very good in quality, and easily shipped. It was for many years the most popular apple in New England, New York, and for export from America.-History:...
. Baldwin lived in nearby Woburn, never in Wilmington. - Jason BereJason BereJason Phillip Bere is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for parts of 11 seasons from to...
, former MLB pitcherPitcherIn baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
and American LeagueAmerican LeagueThe American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
All-StarAll-starAll-star is a term designating an individual as having a high level of performance in their field. Originating in sports, it has since drifted into vernacular and been borrowed heavily by the entertainment industry...
in 19941994 in baseball-Headline events of the year:As a result of a players' strike, the MLB season ends prematurely on August 11, 1994. No postseason is played...
. - Ryland BlackintonRyland BlackintonRyland Blackinton is the lead guitarist for the band Cobra Starship. He is from Wilmington MA, but was born in South Kingstown Rhode Island on March 31, 1982. Before joining Cobra Starship, Ryland, along with high school best friend Alex Suarez formed the folk/pop duo This Is Ivy League...
, guitarist of Cobra StarshipCobra StarshipCobra Starship is an American synthpop band created by former Midtown bassist and lead vocalist Gabe Saporta in 2003 in New York City, New York...
, graduated from Wilmington High School. - Mike EspositoMike Esposito (American football)Michael John Esposito is a former American football running back in the National Football League. He played for the Atlanta Falcons. He played college football for the Boston College Eagles.-References:...
, running back and kick returner for the Atlanta FalconsAtlanta FalconsThe Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the late 1970s. He also set a number of rushing records at Boston CollegeBoston CollegeBoston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
. - Gen. Henry HarndenHenry HarndenHenry Harnden was an officer in the United States Army during the American Civil War. He led the Wisconsin troops who assisted a Michigan military company in the capture of Jefferson Davis.-Biography:...
, Civil War officer, tracked down Confederate President Jefferson DavisJefferson DavisJefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane Davis...
and confirmed his identity. - John Harnden, capt. of Minutemen company at Bunker Hill.
- Joseph Harnden, died in lines at Cambridge, Dec. 24, 1775 in American RevolutionAmerican RevolutionThe American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. - Joshua Harnden, namesake of the Harnden Tavern, great-uncle of Henry Harnden.
- David G. HartwellDavid G. HartwellDavid Geddes Hartwell is an American editor of science fiction and fantasy. He has worked for Signet , Berkley Putnam , Pocket , and Tor Books David Geddes Hartwell (b. July 10, 1941) is an American editor of science fiction and fantasy. He has worked for Signet (1971–1973), Berkley Putnam...
, science-fiction editor - Thomas HolmesThomas Holmes (executive)Thomas Holmes is an American executive.Holmes was born in Wilmington, Massachusetts, where his father, John Thomas Holmes, was chairman of the Board of Selectmen. Holmes' father died when Thomas was 10 years old. Holmes graduated from Wilmington High School in 1941.Holmes served as a naval pilot in...
, Executive with W.R. Grace and Ingersoll RandIngersoll RandIngersoll-Rand plc is a $13 billion global diversified industrial company founded in 1871. The Ingersoll Rand name came into use in 1905 through the combination of Ingersoll-Sergeant Drill Company and Rand Drill Company...
. - Ezra Otis Kendall, LL.D., 1818–1899 prof. of mathematics and astronomy at University of PennsylvaniaUniversity of PennsylvaniaThe University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
. Author of Uranography, a guide to the heavens, with atlas, Philadelphia, 1844. Half-brother to Timothy Walker and Sears Cook Walker. - Asa Sheldon, 19th Cent. contractor, builder of railroads & bridges, author of autobiography Wilmington Farmer, reprinted in paperback as Yankee Drover.
- Benjamin ThompsonBenjamin ThompsonSir Benjamin Thompson, Count Rumford , FRS was an American-born British physicist and inventor whose challenges to established physical theory were part of the 19th century revolution in thermodynamics. He also served as a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Loyalist forces in America during the American...
, Jr., Count Rumford, taught school in Wilmington 1768–1769. - Sears Cook WalkerSears Cook WalkerSears Cook Walker was an American astronomer.Born at Wilmington, Massachusetts son of Benjamin Walker and Susanna Cook, he graduated from Harvard University in 1825, he was a teacher till 1835, was an actuary in 1835-1845 for the Pennsylvania Company for Insurance on Lives and Granting Annuities,...
, [19th Century] astronomer, brother of Timothy Walker, half-brother of E.O. Kendall. - Timothy Walker, noted 19th century juristJuristA jurist or jurisconsult is a professional who studies, develops, applies, or otherwise deals with the law. The term is widely used in American English, but in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth countries it has only historical and specialist usage...
, author of Introduction to American Law, founder of Cincinnati Law School. - Phillis WheatleyPhillis WheatleyPhillis Wheatley was the first African American poet and first African-American woman whose writings were published. Born in Gambia, Senegal, she was sold into slavery at age seven...
, first published African-AmericanAfrican AmericanAfrican Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
poet.