 Our
Town History:
The town of Leicester was purchased in 1686 by a group of businessmen
from Roxbury, MA; it was settled and incorporated in February
of 1713. The town’s first name was Towtaid, which was the
name given to it by the group of Nipmuc Indians that sold the
land. It was later called Strawberry Hill, because wild strawberries
grew in great quantities. The name Leicester was finally decided
upon because it was where the father of the first selectman, Thomas
Green, came from.
Leicester began as a farming community but by the start of
the American Revolution numerous mills had been established
to complement the local farming industry. Leicester soon became
a center for the manufacture of hand cards, which are tools
for straightening fibers prior to spinning thread and weaving
cloth.
 The
term “Minuteman” originated with Leicester's, Colonel
William Henshaw declaring at a 1774 meeting of the Committee
on Safety that “we must have companies of men ready to
march upon a minute’s notice.
 Leicester
is also home to a confirmed site on the Underground Railroad.
Rev. Samuel May, who was pastor of the Unitarian Church, was
asked to step down from his post because his mill-owning parishioners
felt that he was devoting too much time to his position as Secretary
of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society. After his death Booker
T. Washington with members of the Tuskegee Institute delivered
a speech on May's work on the steps of the same church that
May had been asked to leave.
  Colonel
Thomas Denny, Jr. commissioned Ralph Earle, an American painter,
to paint the view from his home on Denny Hill. Colonel Denny
wanted to take a memento of this view the he had enjoyed since
childhood. Twelve Oaks at Stafford is situated on Denny Hill
and that magnificent view is still the same. The painting is
on view at The Worcester Art Museum.
The end of Leicester's textile industry came in 1991 with the
closing of Worcester Spinning and Finishing in Cherry Valley.
The textile industry is gone from Leicester but there are many
reminders of its past. These are the legacies of Leicester’s
past.
Local Information and Services:
| Land Area:
|
24.68 square miles |
| Population: |
10,471 |
| Safety: |
Police Dept 508-892-7010
Fire Dept. 508-892-7022 |
| Transportation: |
By Bus: WRTA (Leicester)
By Rail: Amtrak (Worcester)
By Air: Worcester Regional
Logan
(Boston)
T.F.
Green (RI) |
| Major Highways: |
Rt. 9, Rt. 20, Rt.56, I-290 and
I-90 (Mass Pike) |
| Banks: |
Country Bank for Savings
Spencer Savings Bank
Sovereign Bank |
| Shopping: |
Auburn Mall - Auburn
Shops at Blackstone Valley - Millbury
Greendale Mall- Worcester
Common Outlets - Worcester |
| Library: |
1136 Main Street 508-892-7072 |
| Senior Center: |
40 Winslow Avenue 508-897-7016 |
| Area Hospitals: |
U-Mass Memorial Medical Center
508-334-1000
Worcester Medical Center 508-363-5000
Fairlawn Rehabilitation Center 508-791-6351 |
| Local Churches: |
Baptist
Catholic
Episcopal
Federated
Jehovah's Witnesses
Lutheran
Non-Denominational |
|
 Kettlebrook
Golf Club
If putting is what you want to do then head for Kettlebrook Golf
Club in
Worcester. It is pleasantly situated on 213 acres of rolling land
with
spectacular views. It sits on the site of a former farm and is
right
next to the Kettlebrook Reservoir. It offers 9 holes. Other facilities
include a banquet room, golf shop and bar. To get there drive
past
Worcester Airport along Route 9.
Pakachoag Golf
Course
Located in Auburn, this is a 9-hole golf course. Motorized carts
are available for hire. A rocket monument dedicated to Robert
Goddard, rocket pioneer, sits on the course. Enjoy the rural
atmosphere of this pleasant town.
Rochdale Village
Leicester once used to be a thriving industrial community with
many mills. Rochdale Village in Leicester is a well-preserved
mill village. Go back in time as you see the village school,
store, fire barn, mills, and mill housing.
Worcester Art Museum
Established in 1898, the Worcester Art Museum in Worcester has
a fine collection of ancient treasures and cutting-edge contemporary
art. Its collection ranges from early American art to classical
European and Asian art as well as Pre-Columbian art. Its collection
of Early American paintings includes works by Thomas Smith,
Joseph Badger, Jeremiah Theus, Joseph Blackburn and Edward Savage.
As part of its ancient collection, the museum has admirable
floor mosaics from the city of Antioch. The museum conducts
art classes for children and adults. It also has a cafe and
shop.
Tower Hill Botanic Garden
A living museum of plants in Bolyston, 10 miles from Worcester.
Offers 132 acres of gardens, meadows and wooded trails. It has
a unique orchard of 119 antique apple varieties. Lawn Garden
contains more than 350 varieties of trees and shrubs. Check
out temperate and sub-tropical flora in the Orangerie.
 Boating
and Fishing in Spencer
A few minutes away from Leicester along Route 9 is the town
of Spencer, famous for its many lakes. These include Stiles
Reservoir, Thompson Pond, Lake Whittemore, Cranberry Meadow,
Sugden Reservoir and Brooks Pond where you can boat and fish.
The gentle ambience of this largely residential town makes it
the ideal weekend getaway. Spencer hosts an annual country fair
every Labor Day weekend.
Dining in Worcester
With decor like that of a renaissance castle and a world class
wine list, The
Castle in Worcester is one of the finest restaurants in
Massachusetts. Very much a part of the town culture, this restaurant
is a "must dine" experience. |
