There were 2,526 housing units at an average density of 143.5 per square mile (55.4/km 2). The population density was 380.6 people per square mile (144.5/km 2). An 1856 map shows Assabet as a village on the eastern border – this became the center of the Town of Maynard in 1871.Īs of the census of 2018, there were 7,214 people, 2,575 households, and 2,090 families residing in the town. The name "Rock Bottom" came about after a workman struck a solid rock while digging the mill's foundations and a coworker cried out, "You've struck rock bottom!" The name was changed to Gleasondale in 1898 after two of the original mill owners, Mr. Gleasondale was originally known as Randall's Mills, and then later became known as Rock Bottom. The village of Gleasondale is in both Hudson and Stow. Recent, monthly and annual riverflow data – measured in Maynard – is available from the U.S. The flood of March 2010 reached 2,500 cfs. However, in summer months the average drops to under 100 cfs. Average flow in the river is 200 cubic feet per second. The Assabet River flows through Stow from west to east, spanned by three bridges. Major bodies of water are Assabet River, Elizabeth Brook, Lake Boon, White's Pond and Delaney Flood Control Project, in the northwest corner. It is located in eastern/central Massachusetts. Geography Īccording to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 18.1 square miles (47 km 2), of which 17.6 square miles (46 km 2) is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km 2) (2.60%) is water. He reached an altitude of 9,000 feet (2,700 m). He was cited with four violations of FAA regulations and fined $4,000. On New Year's Day, 1984, Kevin Walsh took off from Minute Man Air Field with 57 helium balloons tied to a lawn chair, later descending by parachute. The modern butternut squash was developed by Charles Leggett in Stow in 1944. In 2005 it became part of the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge. The land remained military property for years. Army seized about one-tenth of the town's land area, from the south side, to created a munitions storage facility. Sudbury received more money because it owned shares in the railroad, the wool and paper mills were in Sudbury, and more land came from Sudbury. In return, the new town paid Sudbury and Stow about $23,600 and $8,000 respectively. The population of the newly formed town – at 1,820 – was larger than either of its parent towns. Both parent towns opposed this effort, but state approval was granted April 19, 1871. There were some exploratory town-founding efforts in 1870, followed by a petition to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, filed January 26, 1871. Prior to that, what became Maynard was known as "Assabet Village" but was legally still part of the towns of Stow and Sudbury.
Stow lost 1300 acres (5.3 km 2) and close to half its population to the creation of Maynard. Īs with many colonial era Massachusetts towns, Stow started with a large area and gave up land as newer, smaller towns were created. Gardner's grandson, also Henry Gardner, was the governor of Massachusetts from 1855 to 1857. After the war, Gardner served as state treasurer. On October 28, 1774, Henry Gardner, a Stow resident, was elected Receiver-General of the Massachusetts Provincial Congress, the government of Massachusetts during the American Revolution. The old cemetery on Route 117/62 is officially Lower Village Cemetery. 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 area that was to become Stow was not resettled by colonists for several years. Their families had been moved to other locations, and survived. Both families were affected by King Philip's War, an attempt by Native Americans to drive out colonists. John Kettell took up residence in a portion of land in the southwestern corner of Stow where another monument marks the alleged site of his farm. A monument bearing his name is located on the plot of land where he formerly resided. It is said that he traded all this for a single jackknife. 1660, were Matthew Boon and John Kettell, who settled the land of Tantamous (Jethro), a Native American, whose land was called "Pompocitticut." Boon settled by a pond (later bearing his name: Lake Boon) with a vast tract of land surrounding him. Stow was officially incorporated in 1683. Previous to its incorporation in 1683, Stow was called Pompositticut Plantation.