Stow, Massachusetts | |
|---|---|
 Town center of Stow | |
 Seal | |
| Motto: "A place for growing up in and a place for coming back to" | |
 Location of Stow inMiddlesex County, Massachusetts | |
| Coordinates:42°26′13″N71°30′22″W / 42.43694°N 71.50611°W /42.43694; -71.50611 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Middlesex |
| Settled | c. 1660 |
| Established | 1669 |
| Incorporated | May 16, 1683 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Open town meeting |
| • Town Administrator | Denise Dembkowski |
| Area | |
• Total | 18.1 sq mi (46.9 km2) |
| • Land | 17.6 sq mi (45.6 km2) |
| • Water | 0.46 sq mi (1.2 km2) |
| Elevation | 230 ft (70 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 7,174 |
| • Density | 407.6/sq mi (157.4/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (Eastern) |
| ZIP Code | 01775 |
| Area code | 351/978 |
| FIPS code | 25-68050 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0618236 |
| Website | www.stow-ma.gov |
Stow is a town inMiddlesex County,Massachusetts, United States. The town is located 21 miles (34 km) west ofBoston, in theMetroWest region ofMassachusetts. The population was 7,174 at the2020 census.[1] Stow was officially incorporated in 1683 with an area of approximately 40 square miles (100 km2).
Over centuries it gave up land as newer, smaller towns were created, ceding land to Harvard (1732), Shirley (1765), Boxborough (1783), Hudson (1866) and Maynard (1871). Stow now has an area of 18.1 square miles (47 km2). With the exception of factories at Assabet Village and Rock Bottom (later Maynard and Gleasondale), Stow was primarily sparsely settled farm and orchard land until the 1950s.
Previous to its incorporation in 1683, Stow was called Pompositticut Plantation.[2] Stow was officially incorporated in 1683.[3] The earliest Colonial settlers,c. 1660, wereMatthew Boon andJohn Kettell, who settled the land ofTantamous (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. It is said that he traded all this for a single jackknife. A monument bearing his name is located on the plot of land where he formerly resided. 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. Both families were affected byKing Philip's War, an attempt by Native Americans to drive out colonists. Boon and Kettell were killed. Their families had been moved to other locations, and survived. The area that was to become Stow was not resettled by colonists for several years.[4][5]
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 Lower Village Cemetery.[4] On October 28, 1774, Henry Gardner, a Stow resident, was electedReceiver-General of theMassachusetts Provincial Congress, the government of Massachusetts during theAmerican Revolution. After the war, Gardner served as state treasurer. Gardner's grandson, alsoHenry Gardner, was the governor of Massachusetts from 1855 to 1857.[6]
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), Hudson (1866) and Maynard (1871). Stow lost 1300 acres (5.3 km2) and close to half its population to the creation ofMaynard. Prior to that, what became Maynard was known as "Assabet Village" but was legally still part of the towns of Stow andSudbury. There were some exploratory town-founding efforts 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. The population of the newly formed town—at 1,820—was larger than either of its parent towns.[7] In return, the new town paid Sudbury and Stow about $23,600 and $8,000 respectively. 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.[7]
In 1942 the U.S. Army seized about one-tenth of the town's land area, from the south side, to create a munitions storage facility. Land owners were evicted. The land remained military property for years. In 2005 it became part of theAssabet River National Wildlife Refuge.[8][9]
The modernbutternut squash was developed by Charles Leggett in Stow in 1944;[10] the Leggett Woodlands in the town are named after his family, after his wife donated the land.[11][12] The squash was developed in a field across from the woodland.[12]
OnNew 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. He was cited with four violations of FAA regulations and fined $4,000 ($10,922.66 adjusted for inflation to 2022).[13] He reached an altitude of 9,000 feet (2,700 m).[14][15]
From 2022 until 2025, Stow was one of the only municipalities inMassachusetts to not have aDunkin' Donuts, after the two in town closed down that year, for which the town received attention on social media.[16] On July 24, 2025, a new Dunkin' Donuts opened in Great Road. On the same day, the town was temporarily renamed toDunkin' in commemoration of the event, following a unanimous vote from the Stow Select Board.[17][18]
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.
Major bodies of water areAssabet River, Elizabeth Brook,Lake Boon,White's Pond and Delaney Flood Control Project, in the northwest corner. The Assabet River flows through Stow from west to east, spanned by three bridges. Average flow in the river is 200 cubic feet per second. However, in summer months the average drops to under 100 cfs. The flood of March 2010 reached 2,500 cfs. Recent, monthly and annual riverflow data—measured in Maynard—is available from the U.S. Geological Service.[19]
The village ofGleasondale is in bothHudson and Stow. Gleasondale was originally known as Randall's Mills, and then later became known as Rock Bottom. 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. Gleason and Mr. Dale.[6] An 1856 map[20] shows Assabet as a village on the eastern border – this became the center of the Town of Maynard in 1871.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 1,455 | — |
| 1860 | 1,641 | +12.8% |
| 1870 | 1,813 | +10.5% |
| 1880 | 1,045 | −42.4% |
| 1890 | 903 | −13.6% |
| 1900 | 1,002 | +11.0% |
| 1910 | 1,115 | +11.3% |
| 1920 | 1,101 | −1.3% |
| 1930 | 1,142 | +3.7% |
| 1940 | 1,243 | +8.8% |
| 1950 | 1,700 | +36.8% |
| 1960 | 2,573 | +51.4% |
| 1970 | 3,984 | +54.8% |
| 1980 | 5,144 | +29.1% |
| 1990 | 5,328 | +3.6% |
| 2000 | 5,902 | +10.8% |
| 2010 | 6,590 | +11.7% |
| 2020 | 7,174 | +8.9% |
| 2024* | 7,335 | +2.2% |
| * = population estimate. Source:United States census records andPopulation Estimates Program data.[21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31] | ||
As of thecensus[32] of 2018, there were 7,214 people, 2,575 households, and 2,090 families residing in the town. The population density was 380.6 inhabitants per square mile (147.0/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 91.8%White, 2.7%African American, 0.2%Native American, 3.9%Asian, 0.4% fromother races, and 1.9% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 2.8% of the population.
There were 2,575 households, out of which 25.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.7% weremarried couples living together, 2.2% had a male householder with no wife present, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.7% were non-families. The householder of 17.4% of all households were living alone and 16.7% was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 people and the average family size was 3.10 people.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 28.2% under the age of 20, 24.6% 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 males there were 103.1 females. For every 100 males age 18 and over, there were 106.8 females.
As of 2015, the median income for a household in the town was $137,551, and the median income for a family was $153,763. Theper capita income for the town was $51,081. About 2.7% of families and 4.5% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 4.7% of those under age 18 and 3.1% of those age 65 or over.
Stow is known for its four golf courses (81 total holes). The best known of these is Stow Acres Country Club (36 holes), the site of the 1995 US Amateur Public Links Championship.
The south course, formerly known as Mapledale Country Club, hosted a nine-hole course that was the first course designed, operated, and managed by a Black man,Robert H. Hawkins. Hawkins bought the property in 1926, and it was home to the first three United States Colored Golf Association (USCGA) Opens from 1926-1928.[33]
Stow is also well known for its apple orchards (Carver Hill, Small Farm, Derby Ridge Farms, Honey Pot Hill, One Stack Farm and Shelburne Farms), which providetourism for the town in the fall.
The town center contains a memorial for the Stow soldiers lost in theFrench and Indian War,Revolutionary War, both World Wars, theKorean War, theVietnam War, and the various U.S. involvements in theMiddle East. Townspeople gather at the site onMemorial Day.[34]
Near theRandall Library (named afterJohn Witt Randall[35]) is atrolley station from when the town wasconnected by trolley line toBoston andWaltham.[36]
A significant portion of theAssabet River National Wildlife Refuge (opened in 2005) is located in Stow.
A military history museum built in 2018 and located on the grounds of theCollings Foundation, with a large collection of tanks and other artifacts fromWorld War I,World War II, theKorean War,Vietnam War,Gulf War,Iraq War, theSeptember 11 attacks and its ensuingWar on Terrorism.[37]
Pine Bluffs is a 34-acre (14 ha) park and beach located off Sudbury Road on the northern shore of Lake Boone.[38] It underwent renovations in 2017–2018 to have a pavilion, restrooms, and be more accessible.[39] Theforest nearby contains many trails including well as a dropoff for launchingcanoes andkayaks, and contains a tire swing overlooking the lake as well as a popular hill.[40]
Stow contains multiple buildings on theNational Register of Historic Places, including theWalcott-Whitney House,Tenney Homestead,Randall–Hale Homestead,Hapgood House, andBrown–Stow House.
Stow uses theOpen Town Meeting form of town government popular in small to mid-sized Massachusetts towns. Anyone may attend a town meeting, but only registered voters may vote. Before the meeting, a warrant is distributed to households in Stow and posted on the town's website. Each article in the warrant is debated and voted on separately. Stow does not require a defined minimum of registered voters to hold a town meeting and vote on town business, i.e., zeroquorum. Important budgetary issues approved at a town meeting must be passed by a subsequent ballot vote. Stow's elected officials are a five-member Board of Selectmen. Each member is elected to a three-year term. Also filled by election are the School Committee, Housing Authority,Randall Library Trustees and a Moderator to preside over the town meetings. Positions filled by appointment include the Town Administrator and other positions.
On the federal level, Stow is part ofMassachusetts's 3rd congressional district, represented byLori Trahan. The state's senior (Class I) member of theUnited States Senate isElizabeth Warren. The junior (Class II) senator isEd Markey.
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 (Pre-K–5) and Hale Middle School (6–8).
Stow also contains the "Stow West School", a one-room schoolhouse that was in operation from 1825–1903.[44]
Pompositticut School (an elementary school, K–3) was converted into a community center in 2017.[45]
Masters Academy International, aprivate multi-sports academy, will open in Stow in September, 2026, for both boarders and day students. The school will be located on an 82-acre campus that previously heldBose Corporation headquarters. The academy is founded by Peter Masters, co-owner of theBoston Junior Bruins.[46]USA Fencing will also move its official home fromColorado Springs to Stow to make use of the Masters Academy facilities.[47] The facility will cost $83.8 million dollars and received a tax credit of $2.85 million from the Massachusetts Economic Assistance Coordinating Council.[48]
Stow is home to the headquarters of the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy, which provides recruit and in-service training for Massachusetts firefighters.[49]
Municipalities and communities ofMiddlesex County, Massachusetts,United States | ||
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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