Billerica, Massachusetts
Middlesex County
25-05805
Billerica is a town in the state of Massachusetts in the United States.
- 3.1 Traffic
- 3.2 Education
- 3.3 Economics
- 5.1 Sons and daughters of the town
- 5.2 personalities who have worked on site
Geography
Geographical Location
Billerica covers an area of 68.3 km ², of which 2.1 km ² attributable to water surfaces. The city lies about 35 km northwest of Boston and about 10 km south of Lowell on U.S. Highway 3 through Billerica the two rivers Shawsheen River and Concord River lead. Both rivers are ecologically stressed. So the city in 2007 was sentenced to a fine of $ 250,000 due to discharge of effluents into the Concord River. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the city led to much phosphorus in the river, which led to a much higher nutrient content and thus to excessive growth of aquatic plants, which now dominate the appearance of the river.
Neighboring communities
Billerica is located in close proximity to Chelmsford, Lowell, Tewksbury, Wilmington, Burlington, Bedford, and Carlisle.
Boroughs
The city consists of the nine districts of North Billerica, South Billerica, Billerica East, West Billerica, Billerica Village, Pinehurst, Riverdale, Nuttings Lake and River Pines.
History
From about 1000 BC was on the territory of today Billerica a burial site north Indians. In the early 1630s there existed a prayer city named Shawsheen. 1638 John Winthrop and Thomas Dudley were granted this land. Due to financial difficulties, the settlement was delayed, however. It was not until 1652, about a dozen families from Cambridge and the village of Charlestown and later other families from Woburn settled here.
Since many of the new residents from originally from Billericay in Essex, England, she chose the name Billerica for their new settlement. In 1655 the city was founded.
The oldest surviving house is the Manning parsonage, which was built in 1696. Here dwelt among others of federalism critic William Mannig, Ava Pollard, the first casualty in the battle of Bunker Hill, and Thomas Ditson, who was tarred and feathered for a stay in Boston by the British. Due to this event the song Yankee Doodle got a meaning of national pride in Billerica. Today, the city celebrates every year in September, the Yankee Doodle weekend.
Between 1795 and 1852 flowed the oldest canal of the United States - the Middlesex Canal - by Billerica. This channel was the main transportation route for goods between Boston and Lowell. Therefore, Billerica was nicknamed Gateway to Lowell.
1835 a rail link from Boston to Lowell through the districts of North Billerica and East Billerica was built. In both districts each have a station was built. The railway station of North Billerica is still in operation today and is used by many commuters. The operation in East Billerica was set in 1965. The station was rebuilt and is now a private house. Through the urban area also leads since 1962 largely disused railway Bedford - North Billerica, on the 1933 the last passenger trains were run.
Economy and infrastructure
Traffic
The railway undertaking MBTA Commuter Rail Lowell Line connects with the railway station of North Billerica with the Boston North Station. The Lowell Regional Transit Authority operates the public transport of Billerica.
Education
In the resort there are six elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school.
Economy
In Billerica is located the headquarters of the Pan Am Railways, a regional railroad company, which also operates the freight on the railway line from Boston to Lowell. The head office is located in the complex of Billerica shops, the main workshops of the railway, which is located in the north of the city.
Twinning
Billerica is twinned with the English town of Billericay since 1998.
Personalities
Sons and daughters of the town
- Tom Fitzgerald, a former professional hockey player
- Brad Gowans (1903-1954), jazz musician
- Elizabeth P. Peabody (1804-1894), writer and teacher
Personalities who have worked on site
- Gary DiSarcina, former professional baseball
- Tom Glavine, professional baseball
- Bob Miller, a former professional hockey player
- Julius Sumner Miller, scientists
- Asa Pollard, first Fallen at the Battle of Bunker Hill