Warwick, Massachusetts

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Warwick, Massachusetts
nickname =
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mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location in Franklin County in Massachusetts


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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Massachusetts
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Franklin
established_title = Settled
established_date = 1739
established_title2 = Incorporated
established_date2 = 1763
established_title3 =
established_date3 =
government_type = Open town meeting
leader_title =
leader_name =
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leader_name1 =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 97.4
area_total_sq_mi = 37.6
area_land_km2 = 96.5
area_land_sq_mi = 37.3
area_water_km2 = 0.9
area_water_sq_mi = 0.3
population_as_of = 2000
settlement_type = Town
population_total = 750
population_density_km2 = 7.8
population_density_sq_mi = 20.1
elevation_m = 286
elevation_ft = 937
timezone = Eastern
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = Eastern
utc_offset_DST = -4
latd = 42 |latm = 40 |lats = 55 |latNS = N
longd = 72 |longm = 20 |longs = 22 |longEW = W
website =
postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 01378
area_code = 351 / 978
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 25-73265
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0618177
footnotes =

Warwick is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 750 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Warwick was first settled in 1739 and was officially incorporated in 1763.

The land that became Warwick, Massachusetts was one of four tracts of land established by Massachusetts in 1735 to compensate the descendants of the officers and soldiers who served in the "expedition to Canada, in the year 1690." (Battle of Quebec (1690)) The area was initially called Gardner's Canada. Initial proprietors were named in 1736. A 1737 owners list (in Blake, below, p. 184) names the initial land owners, few of whom appear to have remained to settle the town once it was incorporated in 1763.

It took another 25 years to attract sufficient numbers of settlers to support a town and its minister. In 1760, such numbers were reached and the town hired a young Reverend Lemuel Hedge. The town was formed officially, as Warwick, on 17 Feb 1763 (Blake, p. 33). Its first officers were James Ball (town clerk); Moses Evans, Jeduthan Morse, James Ball (selectman and assessors); Amzi Doolittle (treasurer); Samuel Ball (constable); James Ball (collector) (Blake, p. 33-34).

As the Revolutionary War approached, the town voted unanimously in favor of independence, although the town minister preached against it. Rev. Lemuel Hedge was barred from leaving the town in July 1775 (see Morse, below). He died 15 October 1777, the day British General Burgoyne surrendered his troops to the colonists in Saratoga. In 1776, Lieutenant Thomas Rich was selected to represent the town at the General Assembly of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

'Sources:'

1. Warwick, Massachusetts: a biography of a town, 1963, By Charles Morse.

2. History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, Volume II, by Louis H. Everetts, 1879.

This can be read on-line at the following web site:http://www.franklincountyhistory.com/warwick/everts/index.html

3. History of the Town of Warwick Mass., by Hon. Jonathan Blake, 1873.

----A major event in Warwick's history was when we hosted the Brotherhood of the Spirit Commune for several years in the 1960s and 1970s. The commune was led by the controversial mystic Michael Metelica Rapunzel. The population of Warwick was only about 450 then, and hundreds of young people came to Warwick to join the commune. There was some friction in the early days, but townspeople and commune members gradually became more cooperative. The commune left Warwick for good in the 1980's.

The Goldsbury family is noted as being a primary contributor to the town's history and settlement. Most Goldsbury's in America today can trace their origin back to this town. Several of the books mentioned here chronicle the lives the Goldsburys who arrived from Ipswich, England.

Geography

), of which, 37.3 square miles (96.5 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square miles (0.9 km²) of it (0.90%) is water.

A landmark in Warwick is Mount Grace. This mountain is located in the center of town and has a network of hiking and cross-country ski trails. Most of the mountain is owned by the state and open to the public. The Metacomet-Monadnock Trail passes over the summit. At 1,617 feet, the summit is the highest point between Mount Greylock and Mount Wachusett. There's a fire tower at the top, which is accessible by foot. The best access is from Rt. 78 in Warwick. There is a good parking spot at Ohlson Field, just north of the town center. It's about a two hour round trip to the summit.

Warwick is known for Land preservation. The Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust was founded here, and owns a large amount of land with conservation restrictions. Over half the town has protection under one (or more) of the following:State Forest, State Park, Town Forest, Town Common, Privately held Conservation Restrictions, and Agricultural Restrictions.

The town Open Space Committee recently bought, and protected, a piece of ridge line that was going to be a house site.

Economy

Warwick has home based businesses, and a few wood shops. There are no stores, gas stations, restaurants, or other commercial businesses. There are farms here that produces grass fed organic dairy products, herbal products, flowers, and vegetables. Another business is logging.

There is a farmer's market on the common on Saturday mornings.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 750 people, 293 households, and 210 families residing in the town. The population density was 20.1 people per square mile (7.8/km²). There were 343 housing units at an average density of 9.2/sq mi (3.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.93% White, 0.27% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 1.07% from other races, and 1.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.93% of the population.

There were 293 households out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.4% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.0% were non-families. 20.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the town the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 28.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 102.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $42,083, and the median income for a family was $45,795. Males had a median income of $35,125 versus $26,875 for females. The per capita income for the town was $19,989. About 5.9% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.6% of those under age 18 and 1.0% of those age 65 or over.

External links

* [http://www.warwickma.org Town website]
* [http://www.tomdevine.net/guru.htm Account of the Brotherhood of the Spirit Commune]