| History
Southbridge has been settled since 1730;
as early as 1638, John Winthrop Jr.
purchased a tract of land for mining ore.
Water power from the Quinebaug River made
Southbridge a good location for saw and
grist mills in the 1700s and textile mills
in the 1800s. Immigrants, mostly
unskilled laborers or Irish,
French-Canadian, Italian and Polish descent,
came to work here. Southbridge has a
long history of manufacture of optical
products. Early in the 20th Century,
when American Optical Company was growing,
Southbridge was nicknames "Spectown."
AO, under the leadership of the Wells
family, became the world's largest
manufacturer of ophthalmic products and at
its height employed more than 6,000 people
around the world.
Today Southbridge is a major center for
fiber optics technology, as well as cutlery
and hand tools. Southbridge has worked
hard to renovate and revitalize the downtown
area. It has successfully maintained a
Moody's bond rating of A for over a decade
while ensuring services for its residents.
Many ethnic groups are part of
Southbridge's history and present life.
French-Canadians, Italians, Irish, Polish,
Greek, Albanian, Armenian, Romanian,
Hispanic, and Laotian populations all
contribute to the heritage and diversity of
the town. With the ever growing mix of
ethnic groups, churches and religious
institutions play a big part in the town's
life.
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| Town Facts
Population (2000):
17,214
Registered Voters (1996): 7,100
School Enrollment (1996): 2,350
Worcester County
Square Miles: 26.71
Public Road Miles (1996): 81.2
Median Family
Income (2000): $41,863
Tax Rate (2003): $16.23
Contact Information
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