Stow, Massachusetts

History

Stow was officially incorporated in 1683. The earliest Colonial settlers, c. 1660, were Matthew Boon and John Kettell. Coming from Gloucester and Charlestown, Massachusetts, these two men settled the land of the Tantamous (Jethro) Native Americans, called "Pompocitticut". Boon settled by a large body of water (later bearing his name: Lake Boon), upon a hill (also bearing his name: Boon Hill), with a vast tract of land surrounding him. It is said that he traded all this for a single jackknife. He lived on what is now known as Barton Road. A monument bearing his name is located on the plot of land he formerly resided on.

John Kettell took up residence in a portion of land in the southwestern corner of Stow, where the flatness helped with farming and its proximity to the Lancaster Garrison House (in present-day Bolton, owned by Reverend Joseph Rowlandson) house proved vital in later years. John, who brought his wife, Elizabeth Allen of Salem, Massachusetts, and three children: Elizabeth, Mary, Samuel, and James (the only one born in Stow in 1665), proceeded to trade with the natives and farm the land, though very little is known for fact.

Both families were involved in King Philip's War in 1676. Boon sent his family to the Sudbury Garrison House, then proceeded to return home with one of his sons and a neighbor. All three were killed. Little, if anything, is known about the remaining Boon family, but they did survive the initial attack.

John Kettell sent his family to the Lancaster Garrison, which was also attacked and burned. The natives took twenty captives, including Mary Rowlandson (a well-known captive, the wife of Rev. Rowlandson who wrote narratives of her captivity), Mrs. Rowlandson’s sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Kettell (John Kettell's wife), and some children. All twenty were ransomed by John Hoar of Concord for £20 after several months of the native life style. The Kettell family, once reunited, moved back to Salem, Massachusetts after selling their farm.

As with many colonial era Massachusetts towns, Stow started with a large area and gave up land as newer, smaller towns were created. Stow ceded land to Harvard (1732), Shirley (1765), Boxborough (1783) and Hudson (1866). In 1871, Stow lost 1300 acres (5.3 km²) and close to half its population to the creation of Maynard. Prior to that, what became Maynard was known as "Assabet Village" but was legally still part of the towns of Stow and Sudbury. There were some exploratory town-founding rumblings in 1870, followed by a petition to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, filed January 26, 1871. Both parent towns opposed this effort, but state approval was granted April 19, 1871. In return, the new town paid Sudbury and Stow about $23,600 and $8,000 respectively. Sudbury got more money because it owned shares in the railroad, plus the wool mill and paper mill were in Sudbury, and more land came from Sudbury. The population of the newly formed town - at 1,820 - was larger than either of its parent towns.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 18.1 square miles (47 km²), of which 17.6 square miles (46 km²) is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) (2.60%) is water. It is located in eastern/central Massachusetts.

Stow borders the towns of Harvard, Boxborough, Acton, Maynard, Sudbury, Hudson, and Bolton.

Villages

The village of Gleasondale is in both Hudson and Stow. An 1856 map shows Rock Bottom as an earlier name for Gleasondale - purportedly, when construction of a larger mill was underway, the workers on the foundation announced that they had hit 'rock bottom,' i.e., solid rock. The same map shows Assabet as a village on the eastern border - this became the center of the Town of Maynard in 1871. The original development of Stow - a mile east of the current center, became known as Lower Village after a meeting hall, and later, churches, were built to the west. The old cemetery on Route 117/62 is officially Lover Village Cemetery.

Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 6,590 people, 2,429 households, and 1,902 families residing in the town. The population density was 374.4 people per square mile (144.5/km²). There were 2,526 housing units at an average density of 143.5 per square mile (55.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 93.6% White, 0.7% African American, 0.2% Native American, 3.3% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.9% of the population.

There are 2,429 households, out of which 37.2% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.7% were married couples living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.7% were non-families. 17.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the town, the population was spread out with 28.2% under the age of 20, 25.2% from 20 to 44, 34.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.5 years. For every 100 females there were 103.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $115,714, and the median income for a family was $135,582. The per capita income for the town was $47,880. About 1.6% of families and 2.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.9% of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over.

Golf

Stow may be best known for its numerous golf courses, having 4 courses and 81 total holes of golf in town. The best known of these is Stow Acres Country Club, the site of the 1995 US Amateur Public Links Championship. Numerous times it has been ranked among the best public courses in the state and boasts a top 50 pro shop for public pro shops nationally.

Apple orchards

Stow is also well known for its numerous apple orchards and is a popular weekend destination for families during apple picking season.

Notable residents or past residents

Schools

Stow is a member of the Nashoba Regional School District, also serving the towns of Lancaster and Bolton. Stow is home to The Center School (PK-5), Hale Middle School (6-8), and Nashoba Regional High School (9-12).

Fire education

Stow is home to the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy. Future firefighters come here to train to become a firefighter at the minimum age of 18.

Airports

Minute Man Air Field (6B6), a privately owned, public-use airport, is located in Stow. Crow Island, an airfield for ultralights, is in Stow. The Collings Foundation is headquartered from a small grass airstrip at their museum that is also located in Stow.