Fitchburg Massachusetts MA Warrant Search

Fitchburg, Massachusetts Fitchburg is the third largest city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 39,102 at the 2000 census. Fitchburg is home to Fitchburg State University as well as 17 public and private elementary and high schools. History Fitchburg was first settled in 1730 and was officially incorporated in 1764. It is named for John Fitch, a settler. In 1748, Fitch and his family were abducted to Canada by Native Americans, but returned the next year.[citation needed]Fitchburg is situated on both the Nashua River and a railroad line. The original Fitchburg Railroad ran through the Hoosac Tunnel, linking Boston and Albany, New York. The tunnel was built using the Burleigh Rock Drill, designed and built in Fitchburg. Fitchburg was a 19th century industrial center. Originally operated by water power, large mills produced machines, tools, clothing, paper, and firearms. The city is noted for its architecture, particularly in the Victorian style, built at the height of its mill town prosperity. As the city is one of two shire towns, the Northern Worcester County Registry of Deeds, established in 1903, and the county jail on Water Street were two county facilities located in Fitchburg.The 1961 film Return to Peyton Place was filmed in Fitchburg. Geography Fitchburg is located at 42°34′43″N 71°48′12″W / 42.57861°N 71.80333°W / 42.57861; -71.80333 (42.578689, -71.803383).According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 28.1 square miles (72.7 km²), of which, 27.8 square miles (71.9 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square miles (0.8 km²) of it (1.07%) is water. The city is drained by the Nashua River. Fitchburg is very hilly and is often referred to as the second hilliest city in the United States after San Francisco.Fitchburg borders Ashby to the north, Lunenburg to the east, Leominster to the south, Westminster to the west, and a small portion of Ashburnham to the northwest. Neighborhoods Fitchburg is divided into multiple different neighborhoods/villages including:Cleghorn Crockerville East Fitchburg Rollstone Hill South Fitchburg Tar Hill The Patch Watchusett Station Waite's Corner West Fitchburg Notable features Fitchburg is noted for the 'Rollstone Boulder', a 110 ton specimen of porphyritic granite which today is situated in a small triangular park adjacent to the city green. The boulder was historically a feature of the summit of Rollstone Hill but was exploded and reassembled on the green in 1929-30. A plaque attached to the boulder today reads, in part:'This boulder, carried by the last glacier from Mt. Monadnock, New Hampshire to the summit of the hill whose name commemorates it, was for centuries a land mark to Indian and Settler. Threatened with destruction by quarrying operations, it was saved by popular subscription...' Demographics As of the census of 2000, there were 39,102 people, 14,943 households, and 9,369 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,408.5 people per square mile (543.9/km²). There were 16,002 housing units at an average density of 576.4/sq mi (222.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 81.86% White, 3.65% African American, 0.35% Native American, 4.27% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 6.78% from other races, and 3.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.97% of the population. 16.4% were of French, 12.4% French Canadian, 10.5% Italian, 14.2% Irish and 5.7% English ancestry according to Census 2000. 77.2% spoke English, 13.4% Spanish, 3.2% French and 1.9% Hmong as their first language.There were 14,943 households out of which 31.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.1% were married couples living together, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.3% were non-families. 30.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.13.In the city the population was spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 11.6% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 91.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.7 males.The median income for a household in the city was $37,004, and the median income for a family was $43,291. Males had a median income of $35,855 versus $26,558 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,256. About 12.1% of families and 15.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.1% of those under age 18 and 11.2% of those age 65 or over. Fire department Fitchburg Fire/EMSCentral Fire/EMS Headquarters-33 North Street Summer Street Station #1-42 John Fitch Highway Oak Hill Road Station #2-231 Fairmount Street Law enforcement There are four law enforcement agencies that serve the City of Fitchburg. Two at the city level, one at the county level, and one at the state level.City Level:Fitchburg Police Department- The Fitchburg Police Department is a full service law enforcement agency with law enforcement responsibilities for 28 square miles (73 km2) and 192 miles (310 km) of public road. The department responds to over 40,000 incidents each year, while addressing the needs of a population of approximately 40,000 people in Central Massachusetts. Fitchburg State University Campus Police- TheFitchburg State UniversityPolice Department includes a Chief, Lieutenant, Sergeant, thirteen Police Officers, three full time Dispatchers, three Reserve Officers. The Police Officers are fully trained, licensed, and armed as Special State Police Officers under Massachusetts General Law c.22c, 63 and c.73,18 as well as sworn Worcester County Deputy Sheriffs. Officers possess full police powers and are responsible for the prevention of crime, the detection and apprehension of offenders, the preservation of public peace, and the enforcement of all criminal laws and state statues as well as compliance with the policies and regulations of the University. County Level:Worcester County Sheriff State Level:Massachusetts State Police-The Massachusetts State Police (MSP) is an agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Executive Office of Public Safety and Security responsible for criminal law enforcement and traffic vehicle regulation across the state. At present, it has approximately 2,200 officers and 400 civilian support staff—making it the largest law enforcement agency in New England. Medical care There is one medical facility in Fitchburg, HealthAlliance Hospital (Burbank Campus). Fitchburg is also served by HealthAlliance Hospital (Leominster Campus), which is located in neighboring Leominster. Library The Fitchburg public library was established in 1859.In fiscal year 2008, the city of Fitchburg spent 1.34% ($1,111,412) of its budget on its public library -- some $27 per person. Education Fitchburg has a rich football tradition, and every year its team plays cross-town rival Leominster in the Thanksgiving Day game, which is a proud member of a list of high school football rivalries in the United States.Public Schools:Goodrich School Crocker Elementary School McKay Elementary School Reingold Elementary School South Street Elementary School North Central Charter Essential School Fitchburg Arts Academy (FAA) Arthur M. Longsjo Jr. Middle School Memorial Middle School B.F Brown Middle School (Closed 2009) Fitchburg High School Fitchburg Evening Alternative High School Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School, also calledMonty Tech Private Schools:Applewild School Notre Dame Preparatory School St. Anthony di Padua Elementary School St. Bernard's Elementary School St. Bernard's Central Catholic High School St. Joseph's Elementary School (Closed in 2007) Colleges & Universities:Fitchburg State University Transportation Transportation for Fitchburg is largely supplied by the Montachusett Regional Transit Authority (MART). MART operates 10 bus routes in Fitchburg/Leominster.The MBTA operates a commuter train to Boston's North Station. The commuter rail stop serving Fitchburg is the Fitchburg stop on the Fitchburg Line.Fitchburg Municipal Airport, located on the border of Fitchburg and Leominster, serves as the air hub of Fitchburg. Business * Throughout the early Twentieth Century, Fitchburg was known for its paper industry which occupied the banks of the Nashua River and employed a large segment of the European immigrant population. It has been noted by many residents in Fitchburg that the Nashua river would be dyed the color the paper mills had been coloring the paper that day.Founded in 1939, theWachusett Potato Chip Company, Inc. purchased the former County Jail buildings and grounds in the 1940s and has operated as a manufacturing and distributing facility for snack products since that time. Two truck manufacturing firms, the Wachusett Truck Company and the New England Truck Company operated in Fitchburg during the early twentieth century. The Iver Johnson Arms and Cycle Worksmade motorcycles for a short time, in addition to their primary products, firearms and bicycles. Assumption Life, a largefinancial servicescompany was founded in Fitchburg in 1903 before moving toMoncton,New Brunswick. Media NewspapersSentinel & Enterprise Telegram & Gazette TelevisionFitchburg Access Television RadioWPKZ, AM-1280 WEEI, AM-850 Sports Radio WXPL, FM-91.3 Fitchburg State Radio Culture Fitchburg's cultural highlights include:Fitchburg Historical Society Fitchburg Art Museum Coggshall Park Wallace Civic Center Fitchburg Longsjo Classic Cornerstone Performing Arts Center Use in popular culture In the fictional Harry Potter universe, Fitchburg is the hometown of the professional Quidditch team the Fitchburg Finches. Notable residents Mike Barnicle, newspaper writer Ken BouchardandRon Bouchard,NASCARdrivers Everett Francis Briggs, Catholic priest, born in Fitchburg, whose life's mission was dedicated to the victims ofMonongah Mining Disaster George Crowther-American footballplayer Bruce Gordon, actor,Ishtar, 'Adam-12', 'Bonanza', 'Get Smart', and 'The Untouchables' Ripley Hitchcock, prominent editor. Art Longsjo, Winter and Summer Olympian;Fitchburg Longsjo Classicis held in his memory Pat Moran, Major League Baseball player and manager of thePhiladelphia Philliesand the1919 World SeriesChampionCincinnati Reds. James 'Nixey' Callahan, Major League Baseball pitcher around the turn of the 20th century, later manager of theChicago White Sox. George Noory, host ofCoast to Coast AMspent some years in Fitchburg and occasionally mentions the city on his show. Amerie, (Amerie Mi Marie Rogers) Singer & Actress Marion Rice, Denishawn dancer, teacher, choreographer, producer. Carolyn Brown, author, modern dancer withMerce CunninghamDance Company. Michael BeasleyProfessional BasketballNBAhighschool All-American. AttendedNotre Dame Preparatory School. Draft: 1st round, 2nd overall. Ryan Gomes,NBAAttendedNotre Dame Preparatory School Erika Lawler, Member of the2009–10 United States national women's ice hockey team. Hiram Maxim, Inventor of thefirst self powered machine gun. John Legere, CEO ofGlobal Crossing, a telecommunications company based inHamilton, Bermuda Sister cities Fitchburg has four sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International:Kleve,Germany Kokkola,Finland Tianjin,China Oni,Georgia