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Worcester, Massachusetts

"Heart of the Commonwealth"
The second-largest city in New England, Worcester sits at the geographic center of Massachusetts and reinvented itself from a declining industrial city into a college town and biotech hub.
Founded 1673 | Population 215,691 | Peak 215,691 (2024) | County Worcester County

Top 10 Most Important Events for Worcester, Massachusetts

1
1673Settlement Established: English settlers established a community in the area, though conflict with Native Americans during King Philip's War temporarily forced abandonment. Permanent settlement resumed in 1713.
2
1828Blackstone Canal Opens: The canal connecting Worcester to Providence gave the inland city water access to the sea, launching its industrial development and growth as a manufacturing center.
3
1850First National Women's Rights Convention: Worcester hosted the first National Women's Rights Convention at Brinley Hall, with over 1,000 attendees including Lucy Stone, Sojourner Truth, and Frederick Douglass.
4
1882Industrial Peak: Worcester became one of America's leading manufacturing cities, producing everything from wire and textiles to grinding wheels and envelopes, earning the nickname 'Industrial Capital of the World.'.
5
1926Goddard Launches First Liquid-Fueled Rocket: Clark University professor Robert Goddard launched the world's first liquid-fueled rocket from a farm in Auburn, just outside Worcester. The flight lasted 2.5 seconds and reached 41 feet.
6
1953Devastating Tornado: An F4 tornado killed 94 people and injured over 1,300 in Worcester on June 9, destroying entire neighborhoods. It remains the deadliest tornado in New England history.
7
1970Industrial Decline: Worcester's manufacturing base contracted sharply as factories closed or relocated, leading to decades of economic challenges and population loss.
8
1999Worcester Cold Storage Fire: Six firefighters died battling a blaze at the Worcester Cold Storage warehouse on December 3, in one of the worst firefighter losses in Massachusetts history.
9
2012Biotech and College Boom: Worcester's economy rebounded around its 12 colleges and universities and a growing biotech sector anchored by UMass Medical School and the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council.
10
2021Polar Park Opens: The Worcester Red Sox (WooSox) Triple-A baseball team opened Polar Park in the Canal District, anchoring a major downtown revitalization effort.
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Population Over Time

0 53,923 107,846 161,768 215,691 1790 1850 1880 1900 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

Latest News in Worcester

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Complete Historical Timeline

1673 Government
English settlement established
1713 Government
Permanent resettlement after King Philip's War
1722 Government
Worcester incorporated as a town
1828 Transport
Blackstone Canal opens to Providence
1835 Transport
Railroad reaches Worcester
1848 Government
City charter granted
1850 Civil Rights
First National Women's Rights Convention
1865 Culture
Worcester Polytechnic Institute founded
1882 Industry
Industrial manufacturing peaks
1887 Culture
Clark University founded
1909 Culture
Freud lectures at Clark University
1926 Science
Goddard launches first liquid-fueled rocket
1953 Disaster
F4 tornado kills 94
1970 Industry
Manufacturing decline accelerates
1999 Disaster
Cold Storage fire kills 6 firefighters
2012 Business
Biotech sector grows around UMass Medical
2021 Culture
Polar Park opens for WooSox
2023 Government
Population surpasses 215,000

Did You Know?

1
Worcester is the birthplace of the smiley face — graphic artist Harvey Ball designed the iconic yellow smiley in 1963 for a local insurance company's morale campaign.
2
Robert Goddard's first liquid-fueled rocket flight in 1926 near Worcester lasted only 2.5 seconds and reached 41 feet — but it launched the Space Age.
3
Locals pronounce it 'WUSS-ter' — and correcting outsiders who say 'War-chester' or 'War-sess-ter' is practically a civic tradition.
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