About the town » Uxbridge, Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States

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Uxbridge, is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts first settled in 1662, incorporated in 1727, and named for the Earl of Uxbridge, in England. The town, (population 13,457), lies 39.77 miles (64.00 km) southwest of Boston and 16 miles (26 km) south-southeast of Worcester in the Greater Boston. This National Heritage Corridor community, offers glimpses of the Rhode Island System of mill villages at: Rogerson's Village, Elmdale, and Ironstone. The original Nipmuc village of 'Wacentug" (bend in the river), saw 17th century settlers arrive from Braintree, including the Taft family, (a later political dynasty). Agriculture was dominant for the first 100 years. Lt. Col. Seth Reed fought at Bunker Hill, and was "instrumental" in adding E Pluribus Unum, ('From Many, One'), to U.S. Coins. There are more than 375 state or national historic sites that include architectural styles of the 18th and 19th Century. Rivers powered mills, and the Blackstone Canal moved freight, positioning Uxbridge for textile advances in: woolen power looms, satinets, vertical integration for clothing, military uniforms, "wash and wear" fabrics, and more. One of the oldest US woolen mills began here in 1809. Uxbridge Worsted Co. , begun by the Caprons in 1820, made "Uxbridge Blue", the first US Air Force Dress Uniform. Fortune 500 BJ's northern distribution warehouse is located here. Uxbridge granted town meeting rights to America's first woman voter, Lydia Chapin Taft in 1756, and approved Massachusetts's first women jurors in 1922. Local Quakers led Uxbridge to become a center for anti-slavery work, a junction on the underground railroad, and home to national anti-slavery champion, and textile scion, Effingham Capron. A local Quaker, Abby Kelley Foster, led Susan B. Anthony, and Lucy Stone into the abolition movement. Brian Skerry, a modern reformer, captures the effects of climate change, fisheries, and devastation of sea-life in his epic photojournalism. Uxbridge "weaves a tapestry of early America" in industry and social reform.