James Fowle Baldwin (April 29, 1782 – May 20, 1862) was an early American civil engineer who worked with his father and brothers on the Middlesex Canal , surveyed and designed the Boston and Lowell Railroad and the Boston and Albany Railroad , the first Boston water supply from Lake Cochituate , and many other early engineering projects. He was the first president of the Boston Society of Civil Engineers and served one term as a Senator from Suffolk County to the Massachusetts Senate , then served as a Boston Water Commissioner.
63-588: James Fowle Baldwin was born in Woburn and died in Boston aged eighty. He married July 28, 1818, Sarah Parsons, daughter of Samuel and Sarah (Parsons) Pitkin, of East Hartford, Connecticut. They had three sons all of whom died in childhood. One at the age of eight in 1829; and the two others of typhus fever in 1834, at the ages of fifteen and six years. James was the fourth son of Loammi Baldwin Sr., and received his early education in
126-487: A change in state law. Immediately prior to its dissolution, the executive branch consisted of three County Commissioners elected at-large to staggered four-year terms. There was a County Treasurer elected to a six-year term. The county derived its revenue primarily from document filing fees at the Registries of Deeds and from a Deeds Excise Tax; also a transfer tax was assessed on the sale price of real estate and collected by
189-470: A female householder with no husband present, and 35.6% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.09. In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.1% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 34.9% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age
252-580: A few shots on location in Woburn. Woburn is located at 42°29′4″N 71°9′7″W / 42.48444°N 71.15194°W / 42.48444; -71.15194 (42.484545, −71.152060). It is bordered by the towns of Wilmington , Reading , Stoneham , Winchester , Lexington , and Burlington . According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 12.9 square miles (33 km ), of which 12.7 square miles (33 km )
315-471: A geographic boundary and is used primarily as district jurisdictions within the court system and for other administrative purposes; for example, as an election district. The National Weather Service weather alerts (such as severe thunderstorm warning ) continue to localize based on Massachusetts's counties. The county was created by the Massachusetts General Court on May 10, 1643, when it
378-530: A hand-full of Middlesex County law enforcement and court related entities: the Superior Court and District Attorney Office moved first to have their base of operations relocated from Cambridge. In 2020 the county's registrar of Probate & Family Court in Cambridge subsequently also moved their base of operations and followed by the county Sheriff's office in 2022. The county's executive branch of government
441-522: A part of the Middlesex County government, was also relatedly forced to relocate to Medford at the time of the closure of the Superior Courthouse building in Cambridge. Of the fourteen counties of Massachusetts, Middlesex is one of eight which have had no county government or county commissioners since July 1, 1998, when county functions were assumed by state agencies at local option following
504-413: A wide variety of other health problems were linked to the possible exposure to volatile organic compounds in the groundwater pumped from wells G and H. In May 1982, a number of citizens whose children had developed or died from leukemia filed a civil lawsuit against two corporations, W. R. Grace and Company and Beatrice Foods . Grace's subsidiary, Cryovac, and Beatrice were suspected of contaminating
567-595: Is encouraged to actively participate on these committees. The Woburn Redevelopment Authority is an independent municipal urban renewal authority established by the City of Woburn in 1961, in accordance with Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 121B. The Authority is governed by five members, four of whom are appointed by the Mayor, and one by the Governor. The WRA functions as the City's community development agency, under an agreement with
630-463: Is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km ), or 1.71%, is water. Woburn features a humid continental climate , similar to those of many of the other Boston suburban areas. It features moderately cold winters, but not usually as cold as the ones around the Great Lakes Region or Southern Canada, or even Northern New England. Nonetheless, it features occasional 'arctic blasts' which can easily drop
693-572: Is land and 29 square miles (75 km ) (3.5%) is water. It is the third-largest county in Massachusetts by land area. It is bounded southeast by the Charles River and drained by the Merrimack , Nashua , and Concord rivers, and other streams. The MetroWest region comprises much of the southern portion of the county. These routes pass through Middlesex County As of 2006 , Middlesex County
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#1732855204974756-821: Is oversight of the Middlesex House of Correction and Jail in Billerica . It formerly ran the Middlesex Jail in Cambridge , which closed on June 28, 2014. In addition, the Sheriff's Office operates the Office of Civil Process and, the Lowell Community Counseling Centers, and crime prevention and community service programs. The office of sheriff was created in 1692, making it one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in
819-713: Is the executive and a partly district-based, partly at-large city council is the legislature. It was the last of Massachusetts' 351 municipalities to refer to members of its city council as " aldermen ". Woburn was first settled in 1640 near Horn Pond , a primary source of the Mystic River , and was officially incorporated in 1642. At that time the area included present day towns of Woburn, Winchester, Burlington, and parts of Stoneham and Wilmington. In 1730 Wilmington separated from Woburn. In 1799 Burlington separated from Woburn; in 1850 Winchester did so, too. Woburn got its name from Woburn, Bedfordshire . Woburn played host to
882-640: Is then filtered and treated at the Horn Pond Treatment Plant. About one-third of the water is supplemented by the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority . Middlesex County, Massachusetts Middlesex County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts , United States. As of the 2020 census , the population was 1,632,002, making it the most populous county in both Massachusetts and New England and
945-555: The 2020 United States census , the Commonwealth's mean center of population for that year was geo-centered in Middlesex County, in the town of Natick (this is not to be confused with the geographic center of Massachusetts, which is in Rutland , Worcester County ). On July 11, 1997, Massachusetts abolished the executive government of Middlesex County primarily due to the county's insolvency . Middlesex County continues to exist as
1008-636: The 22nd most populous county in the United States . This also makes the county the most populous county on the East Coast outside of New York or Florida. Middlesex County is one of two U.S. counties (along with Santa Clara County, California ) to be amongst the top 25 counties with the highest household income and the 25 most populated counties. It is included in the Census Bureau's Boston – Cambridge – Newton , MA– NH Metropolitan Statistical Area . As part of
1071-519: The Boston Navy Yard dry dock at Charlestown. In 1827 he, with two others, were appointed commissioners to make the survey for a railroad to the western part of the state, this being then a new and untried enterprise, and the survey was made from Springfield to Albany. Upon this work he was engaged for more than two years. It was not prosecuted at the time, but subsequently the Western railroad, so called,
1134-522: The Superior Courthouse , one of which was formerly in Cambridge (since 2008 relocated to Woburn.) and one in Lowell; and the defunct Middlesex County Hospital in the city of Waltham. The legislation abolishing the Middlesex County executive retained the Sheriff and Registers of Deeds as independently elected officials, and transferred the Sheriff's Office under the state Department of Public Safety and
1197-493: The poverty line , including 7.9% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over. The Woburn Business Association (WBA) is a membership organization consisting of companies located in Woburn, Massachusetts. Memberships are also available to those firms who are situated elsewhere, but do business in Woburn. The purpose of the WBA is to promote and protect Business Interests in the City of Woburn and provide Networking Services for
1260-514: The 80s, but when an Atlantic low comes, temperatures may fail to rise out of the 60s. High pressure from the Gulf of Mexico, occasionally brings much hotter conditions with temperatures sometimes topping near 100, though this is fairly rare and only happens so often. Falls are generally crisp, but start out warm with temperature highs around 70 and lows around 50. Quickly things cool, and it feels and looks like winter with temperatures around 40 usually towards
1323-580: The Business Community. The WBA Board of Directors meets monthly to develop policy and provide direction for the Association. The Executive Committee meets periodically, usually on an "as needed" basis, to review important issues and make recommendations to the Board regarding WBA policy. The WBA accomplishes its work through committees of WBA members and representatives of the Woburn community. The membership
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#17328552049741386-597: The City of Woburn executed in July 2000. Companies based in Woburn include Boston Acoustics , Boston Metal , Kaspersky Lab USA , Monotype , Skyworks Solutions , and U-Turn Audio . According to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, the top employers in the city are: Though the official county seats remains designated to Cambridge with a secondary northern junior-seat at Lowell ( de jure ), since 2008 Woburn plays host to
1449-563: The John F. Kennedy Middle School and the Daniel L. Joyce Middle School. In recent years the Goodyear, Reeves, Shamrock, and Malcolm White, as well as Woburn Memorial High School , were rebuilt. The Hurld-Wyman sits on a portion of the city's Spence Farm property. The Clapp, Parker, Tarkey, Plympton, Golden, and Veterans' Memorial Schools are now closed, and the former Veterans' Memorial School now serves as
1512-538: The Massachusetts State Legislature created a minor Registry of Deeds for the Northern District of Middlesex County in Lowell. In the late 19th century and early 20th century, Boston annexed several of its adjacent cities and towns including Charlestown and Brighton from Middlesex County, resulting in an enlargement and accretion toward Suffolk County . Beginning prior to the dissolution of
1575-537: The Northern District at Lowell and another for the Southern District at Cambridge) are each elected to serve six-year terms. Besides the employees of the Sheriff's Office and the two Registries of Deeds, the county had a Maintenance Department, a Security Department, some administrative staff in the Treasurer's and Commissioners' Offices, and the employees of the hospital. The county government also owned and operated
1638-484: The Registries of Deeds. Budgets as proposed by the County Commissioners were approved by a County Advisory Board that consisted of a single representative of each of the 54 cities and towns in Middlesex County. The votes of the individual members of the advisory board were weighted based on the overall valuation of property in their respective communities. The County Sheriff and two Registers of Deeds (one for
1701-506: The Thames company of Norwich , and the proprietors of the locks and canals at Lowell. He also determined the relative amount of water power used by the mills of the different companies at Lowell . He was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1841. In 1825 the subject of the water supply of Boston attracted the attention of the authorities, and an investigation of
1764-417: The United States. The sheriff is elected to a 6-year term. Notable sheriffs include: Prior to 1960, Middlesex County was a Republican Party stronghold, backing only two Democratic Party presidential candidates from 1876 to 1956. The 1960 election started a reverse trend, with the county becoming a Democratic stronghold. This has been even more apparent in recent years, with George H. W. Bush in 1988 being
1827-533: The Woburn Senior Center. St. Charles, a Pre-K–8 private Catholic school, is part of the adjacent St. Charles Parish. It has been graduating classes since 1884 in grades K–8; the high school closed in 1972. Woburn is one of the few communities close to Boston which provides its own drinking water. The City’s water supply mostly comes from five wells from the underground aquifer within the Horn Pond area, which
1890-589: The cities and towns in which they are located. School districts include: K-12: Secondary: Elementary: Tertiary institutions include: Middlesex County is home to the Middlesex County Volunteers , a fife and drum corps that plays music from the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Founded in 1982 at the end of the United States Bicentennial celebration, the group performs extensively throughout New England. They have also performed at
1953-403: The city was 90.57% White , 1.87% African American , 0.10% Native American , 4.85% Asian , 0.05% Pacific Islander , 1.44% from other races , and 1.13% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.09% of the population. There were 14,997 households, out of which 26.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.5% were married couples living together, 10.9% had
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2016-549: The county was 80.0% white, 9.3% Asian, 4.7% black or African American, 0.2% American Indian, 3.3% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 6.5% of the population. The largest ancestry groups were: Of the 580,688 households, 31.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.5% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 36.9% were non-families, and 27.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size
2079-420: The end. Like most of the region, temperatures can vary widely in the span of a day. As of the census of 2000, there were 37,258 people (37,010 by 2006 estimate), 14,997 households, and 9,658 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,939.6 inhabitants per square mile (1,135.0/km ). There were 15,391 housing units at an average density of 1,214.3 per square mile (468.8/km ). The racial makeup of
2142-528: The executive county government, the county comprised two regions with separate county seats for administrative purposes: Since the start of the 21st century, much of the current and former county offices have physically decentralized from the Cambridge seat, with the sole exceptions being the Registry of Deeds and the Middlesex Probate and Family Court, which both retain locations in Cambridge and Lowell. Since
2205-650: The first quarter of 2008, the Superior Courthouse has been seated in the city of Woburn ; the Sheriff's Office is now administratively seated in the city of Medford and the Cambridge-based County Jail has since been amalgamated with another county jail facility in Billerica. The Cambridge District Court (which has jurisdiction for Arlington, Belmont and Cambridge); along with the Middlesex County District Attorney's Office, although not
2268-516: The first religious ordination in the Americas on November 22, 1642. Rev. Thomas Carter was sworn in by many of the most prominent men of New England including John Cotton , minister of the First Church of Boston, Richard Mather minister of the First Church of Dorchester, and Capt. Edward Johnson co-founder of the church and town of Woburn. Johnson is regarded as "the father of Woburn." He served as
2331-534: The first time in the presence of a large concourse of people. He was for several years a senator from Suffolk in the Massachusetts general court, and the first president of the Boston Society of Civil Engineers. Mr. Baldwin was of commanding presence, being considerably about six feet in stature, and remarkably well proportioned." His mind was clear, but not rapid in its operation. He came to his conclusions by successive steps, carefully taken and closely examined; but
2394-500: The first town clerk, represented the town in the Massachusetts General Court, made the first map of Massachusetts, and wrote the first history of the colony. The first organizational Town Meeting was held on April 13, 1644, and the first town officers were chosen. Town Selectmen were Edward Johnson, Edward Convers , John Mousall, William Learned, Ezekiel Richardson, Samuel Richardson, and James Thompson. William Learned
2457-485: The governmental functions such as property tax assessment and collection, public education, road repair and maintenance, and elections were all conducted at the municipal city and town level and not by the county government. In 2012 the 22-story Superior Court Building in Cambridge which was transferred from the abolished Executive County government was sold by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Due to its transfer from state control, many local residents had tried to force
2520-413: The groundwater by improperly disposing of trichloroethylene (TCE), perchloroethylene (perc or PCE) and other industrial solvents at their facilities in Woburn near wells G and H. In a controversial decision, Judge Walter Jay Skinner ruled that the jurors should answer questions that they and many others considered confusing. Beatrice was acquitted and Grace only paid $ 8 million, a third of which went to
2583-461: The largest Irish-American population of any U.S. county with a plurality of Irish ancestry. The ranking of unincorporated communities that are included on the list is reflective if the census-designated locations and villages were included as cities or towns. Data is from the 2007-2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. The primary responsibility of the Middlesex Sheriff's Office
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2646-566: The last Republican presidential candidate to manage forty percent of the county's votes and Mitt Romney in 2012 being the last Republican presidential candidate to manage even thirty percent of the vote. In 2020, Joe Biden won 71% of the vote, the highest percent for any presidential candidate since 1964. Most municipalities in Middlesex County have a town form of government; the remainder are cities, and are so designated on this list. Villages listed below are census or postal divisions but have no separate corporate or statutory existence from
2709-424: The lawyers and lawyer fees. A United States Environmental Protection Agency report later found Beatrice and Grace responsible for the contamination. A book titled A Civil Action was written about the case by Jonathan Harr . In 1998 the book was turned into a movie starring John Travolta and Robert Duvall , also titled A Civil Action . The film was largely filmed in nearby Bedford and Lexington, with only
2772-520: The private developers to reduce the overall height of the structure. Even following the abolition of the executive branch for county government in Middlesex, communities are still granted a right by the Massachusetts state legislature to form their own regional compacts for sharing of services and costs thereof. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 847 square miles (2,190 km ), of which 818 square miles (2,120 km )
2835-415: The results once reached, his confidence in them was rarely shaken. Confidence in his integrity enabled him to settle questions of the transfer of property with a facility that was surprising, especially with those persons who had not the clearest conviction of the invariable uprightness of corporate bodies in their dealings with individuals. He endeavored to encourage and assist young students who were pursuing
2898-460: The schools of his native Woburn and in the academies at Billerica and Westford . About 1803 he was in Boston acquiring a mercantile education. He was later established there as a merchant; but the influence of his early association with the engineering faculties of the older members of his own family turned his attention in that direction. He joined his brother Loammi Baldwin Jr. in the construction of
2961-460: The section of Technology and Civil Engineering." Woburn, Massachusetts Woburn ( / ˈ w uː b ər n / WOO -bərn ) is a city in Middlesex County , Massachusetts , United States. The population was 40,876 at the 2020 census . Woburn is located 9 miles (14 km) north of Boston . Woburn uses Massachusetts' mayor-council form of government, in which an elected mayor
3024-446: The sources for a pure supply was made, and in 1837 he was appointed on a commission to inquire still further into the matter. He dissented from the majority in the recommendation of Spot and Mystic ponds, and recommended Long Pond (Lake Cochituate). Others high in authority differed from his conclusion, but still he was immovable in adherence to his recommendation, in spite of rejection by popular vote, to which it had been submitted, and it
3087-501: The study of civil engineering, and the number were many who remembered him with affection and veneration. The Boston Daily Advertiser, in a notice of him at the time of his death says, "He was of a kindly and benevolent disposition, affable in his manners, warm and unfaltering in his attachment to his friends. His sense of justice and his fair appreciation of the rights of others showed to great advantage in many of his public works." A memoir of Hon. James Fowle Baldwin, by Dr. Usher Parsons,
3150-451: The temperature below zero. Spring generally starts out cool, around 45-50 degrees, often with snow still on the ground. However, it quickly begins to rapidly warm to around 75 degrees by the time summer begins. Summers are generally warm or hot and often accompanied with humidity, though not nearly as bad as cities in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic, and even Rhode Island . Temperatures often top in
3213-595: The two Registries of Deeds. Besides the Sheriff and the two Registers of Deeds, the Middlesex District Attorney, the Middlesex Register of Probate and the Middlesex Clerk of Courts (which were already part of state government before the abolition of Middlesex County government) are all elected countywide to six-year terms. In Middlesex County (as in the entirety of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts),
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#17328552049743276-538: The two Registry of Deeds offices to the Massachusetts Secretary of State's Office. Additionally, all county maintenance and security employees were absorbed into the corresponding staffs of the Massachusetts Trial Court . The legislation also transferred ownership of the two Superior Courthouses to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The hospital was closed. Finally, the office of County Commissioner
3339-661: Was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.10. The median age was 38.5 years. The median income for a household in the county was $ 77,377 and the median income for a family was $ 97,382. Males had a median income of $ 64,722 versus $ 50,538 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 40,139. About 5.1% of families and 7.6% of the population were below the poverty line , including 8.0% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those age 65 or over. 79.6% spoke English , 4.3% Spanish , 2.7% Portuguese , 1.6% Italian , 1.6% Chinese including Mandarin and other Chinese dialects and 1.5% French as their first language. Middlesex County has
3402-406: Was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.1 males. The median income for a household in the city was $ 54,897, and the median income for a family was $ 66,364. Males had a median income of $ 45,210 versus $ 33,239 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 26,207. About 4.5% of families and 6.1% of the population were below
3465-677: Was abolished in 1997, and the county still exists as a geographical and political region. The employees of Middlesex County courts, jails, registries, and other county agencies now work directly for the state though with much of these offices transferred to Woburn, (only the Registry of Deeds remaining in Cambridge). Woburn's public elementary schools are the Goodyear Elementary, Altavesta Elementary, Shamrock Elementary, Malcolm White Elementary, Clyde Reeves Elementary, Linscott-Rumford Elementary, and Hurld-Wyman Elementary. The two middle schools are
3528-420: Was also selected as Constable. Michael Bacon, Ralph Hill, Thomas Richardson were chosen as Surveyors of Highways. (The History of Woburn, 1868) Deacon Edward Convers was also one of the founders of Woburn. He was one of its first selectmen, and built the first house and first mill in Woburn. He was very active in town affairs and was a large landowner, miller and surveyor. List of important events Woburn
3591-514: Was built upon the location selected by him and his plans were generally adopted. He always looked upon this, next to the introduction of pure water into Boston, as the most important of his professional works. In 1832 he began the location of the Boston and Lowell Railroad , which was constructed under his superintendence. He was also employed in engineering lines by the Ware Manufacturing company,
3654-424: Was immediately abolished and the office of County Treasurer was abolished as of December 31, 2002. Any county roads transferred to the Commonwealth as part of the dissolution. The other administrative duties (such as Sheriff, Department of Deeds and court system , etc.) and all supporting staff were transferred under the Commonwealth as well. Records of land ownership in Middlesex County continue to be maintained at
3717-416: Was not renewed till 1844, when he was again in a position of influence on the commission. His plan was, however, adopted March 30, 1846; the plan was presented and read before that society, and soon after published in its Transactions. The ground was broken five months after, and on October 25. 1848, he had the pleasure of seeing his plan, so long resisted, finally triumphant, and the public fountain playing for
3780-494: Was ordered that "the whole plantation within this jurisdiction be divided into four shires. " Middlesex initially contained Charlestown , Cambridge , Watertown , Sudbury , Concord , Woburn , Medford , and Reading . In 1649 the first Middlesex County Registry of Deeds was created in Cambridge. On April 19, 1775, Middlesex was the site of the first armed conflict of the American Revolutionary War . In 1855,
3843-529: Was published in 1865. From this memoir are gleaned the following tributes: "He was a gentleman of highly respectable attainments, and surpassed by none as a scientific and practical engineer. He was employed by the State to superintend the construction of its gigantic public works. He was a prominent member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and during many years held the position in that learned society in
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#17328552049743906-403: Was tenth in the United States on the list of most millionaires per county. As of the 2010 United States Census , there were 1,503,085 people, 580,688 households, and 366,656 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,837.9 inhabitants per square mile (709.6/km ). There were 612,004 housing units at an average density of 748.3 per square mile (288.9/km ). The racial makeup of
3969-504: Was the scene of a high-profile water contamination crisis. During the mid to late 1970s, the local community became concerned over the high incidence of childhood leukemia and other illnesses, particularly in the Pine Street area of east Woburn. After high levels of chemical contamination were found in City of Woburn's Wells G and H in 1979, some members of the community suspected that the unusually high incidence of leukemia , cancer , and
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