Worcester | History, Attractions & Education (2024)

Worcester, city, seat of Worcester county, central Massachusetts, U.S., on the Blackstone River, about midway between Boston and Springfield. A major commercial and industrial centre and the state’s second largest city, it is the hub of an urbanized area composed of a number of towns (townships), including Holden, Shrewsbury, Boylston, Millbury, Auburn, and Leicester. The original settlement (1673) was disbanded during King Philip’s War (1675–76), and permanent settlement was not realized until 1713. The community was incorporated as a town in 1722 and named for Worcester, England.

Textile manufacturing began in 1789, and the first corduroy cloth in the United States was produced there. Early economic development was hindered by a lack of waterpower, but, with the advent of steam power and the opening (1828) of the Blackstone Canal linking the community to Providence, Rhode Island, a period of expansion and industrialization began; the building of railway connections further stimulated the city’s growth. Modern industries are highly diversified and include the production of metals, textiles, clothing, paper, electrical machinery, and precision instruments. Hospitals, colleges, and other service-related institutions and firms also contribute to the economy.

The city was an early centre of abolitionist sentiment and became an important stop on the Underground Railroad, a route for escaped slaves. The Massachusetts branch of the Free-Soil Party, which opposed the extension of slavery, evolved out of a meeting (1848) held in Worcester. The city, a noted educational and cultural centre, is the seat of the College of the Holy Cross (1843; the oldest Roman Catholic college in New England), Worcester Polytechnic Institute (1865), the Worcester State College (1874), Clark University (1887), Assumption College (opened 1904; university status 1950), and the Worcester campus of Becker College (1887). Other institutions include the Worcester Art Museum, the EcoTarium (formerly the New England Science Center), the Worcester Historical Museum, and the Higgins Armory Museum (with a notable collection of medieval armour). The annual Worcester Music Festival, which has provided classical music since 1858, is the oldest music festival in the United States. Lake Quinsigamond and the Quinsigamond State Park are to the north. Inc. city, 1848. Pop. (2000) 172,648; Worcester Metro Area, 750,963; (2020) 206,518; Worcester Metro Area, 798,552.