The nickname Wormtown is synonymous with the city's once large underground rock music scene. Worcester now hosts the Massachusetts Pirates, an indoor football team in the Indoor Football League (where they are the defending United Bowl champions, which started in 2018 at the DCU Center. Sixties era radical Abbie Hoffman was born in Worcester in 1936 and spent more than half of his life in the city. Worcester, MA Crime Rates & Map - AreaVibes Worcester and the surrounding areas in 2006, looking north from 3,700 feet (1,100m). KKK members were pulled from their cars and beaten. This was the highest single-day snowfall total for anywhere in Massachusetts since data collection began in 1892. Worcester | Massachusetts, United States | Britannica Worcester Ranked the Third Safest City to Live in the U.S. A: As of 2023, the estimated population of Worcester, MA is 191,487. [citation needed], In the 1770s, Worcester became a center of American revolutionary activity. The all-time record low temperature is 24F (31C), recorded on February 16, 1943. Worcester is home to many classic lunch car diners including Boulevard Diner, Corner Lunch, Chadwick Square Diner, and Miss Worcester Diner. Understand []. Taxis and rideshares are available, but you'll likely want to explore Worcester with a car rental. Theres also a good work-life balance and this is thought to signal good life quality. U.S. News and World Report released its list of Safest Places to Live in the U.S. in 2021-2022. Springtime in Worcester is beautiful. . Q: Is Worcester, MA safe? In the mid-20th century, large urban renewal projects were undertaken to try to reverse the city's decline. Lauded as being one of the best places to live in all of Massachusetts, Worcester's West Side neighborhood is safe, idyllic, and peaceful.Known as one of the Worcester neighborhoods with the best schools, this area is especially preferred among families with children and teens. Additionally, the Worcester Technical High School offers adult education classes. There are also many dedicated community organizations and art associations in the city. [29] Worcester hospitals Saint Vincent Hospital and UMass Memorial Health Care have become two of the largest employers in the city. Currently, there are 11 councilors: 6 at-large and 5 district. Worcester, Massachusetts - Wikipedia Worcester, city, seat of Worcester county, central Massachusetts, U.S., on the Blackstone River, about midway between Boston and Springfield. Safest Cities in Massachusetts - Safe at Last The fire took the lives of six firemen and drew national attention as one of the worst firefighting tragedies of the late 20th century. Quality of life score is 7.1 in Worcester while value (cost of living) ranked 6.5. In 2002, the Massachusetts Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated in Green Hill Park. There are some safety concerns but I generally feel safe. 66% Violent crime NAT. Klansmen's cars were stoned and burned, and their windows smashed. Index: Central Mass. I can't wait to return. The Blackstone River forms in the center of Worcester by the confluence of the Middle River and Mill Brook. The American Antiquarian Society has been in Worcester since 1812. This independent, non-profit collegiate association includes academic institutions in Worcester and other communities in Worcester County, such as Anna Maria College in neighboring Paxton. Worcester is the principal city of Central Massachusetts, and is a regional government, employment and transportation hub. Youll see more modern art throughout Worcester, with dozens of murals that make perfect Instagram moments. Anarchist Emma Goldman and two others opened an ice cream shop in 1892. After that, the airport encountered years of spotty commercial service, but it has since been given new life with the arrival of jetBlue, Delta Air Lines, and American Airlines. By the mid-19th century Worcester was one of New England's largest manufacturing centers. Paul is passionate about helping students learn and grow, and he has written extensively on the topic of education. The mayor has no more authority than other city councilors, but is the ceremonial head of the city and chair of the city council and school committee. It also means Worcester retains its title as the second-largest city in New England, only behind Boston. The other colleges and Universities in Worcester correspond with division II and III. However, the manufacturing industry in Worcester would not begin to thrive until the opening of the Blackstone Canal in 1828 and the opening of the Worcester and Boston Railroad in 1835. The company began in 1906 and built many famous lunch car diners in New England. Its proximity to Logan International Airport as well as affordable apartment rates makes this neighborhood popular with students and young professionals. A Convention Center was built along the DCU Center arena in downtown Worcester in 1997. City. Worcester can get a wide range of dangerous weather events, from snowstorms to blizzards to severe weather and even tropical weather or tornadoes. The usually busy areas of North End, the Waterfront area, and the Theatre District are also locations where it doesnt hurt to be extra careful at night. He currently works as a professor at a local college. The park is open throughout the year, so you can cross-country ski even in the dead of winter. Worcester ranked as the third safest place to live in the U.S. Worcester received an overall score of 6.5 out of 10. Several of the locations here are historical places, like Miss Worcester. [20], In 1831, Ichabod Washburn opened the Washburn & Moen Company. Dont leave your car unlocked when you park it, and always roll up the windows. Both parks are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The city transformed into a transportation hub and the manufacturing industry flourished. Interstate 290 (I-290) connects central Worcester to I-495 in Marlboro, the Mass Pike and I-395 in nearby Auburn and the Connecticut city of Norwich. Smoking inside of workplaces in Worcester is prohibited. Finally, I heard that some areas are downright dangerous not only at night but during the day as well. //Is Worcester worth visiting? - Foodly The station was built in 1911, replacing the previous 1875 depot. A man was arraigned in Fitchburg District Court on Monday on charges related to the stabbing of Jesus Maisonet Davila, 45, last week. Quinsigamond State Park (Quinn-sig-uh-mund) and the associated lake is a great place to start, with walking paths and one of the best rowing courses in the world. Competitive rowing teams first came to Lake Quinsigamond in 1857. WORCESTER, MA Worcester is among the best cities in the U.S. to live in 2020, according to rankings released by U.S. News & World Report today. [17], Worcester was officially chartered as a city on February 29, 1848. Is Worcester a good place to buy a house? [9] A center of higher education, it is home to eight separate colleges and universities, including the College of the Holy Cross, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), and Clark University. Worcester, MA Reviews - Niche More boating clubs and races followed, and soon many colleges (local, national, and international) held regattas, such as the Eastern Sprints, on the lake. Worcester is also served by several smaller Massachusetts state highways. Hanover Insurance helped fund a multimillion-dollar renovation to the old Franklin Square Theater into the Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts. Make sure you know these ten things about living in Worcester! However, Worcester has more than seven hills, examples of which include Indian Hill, Newton Hill, Poet's Hill, and Wigwam Hill. The Worcester Art Museum touts itself as covering 51 centuries of art, and the building itself is an artistic marvel dating back to 1896. They were chiefly Irish immigrants brought to America by the builders of the Blackstone canal. UMass Memorial Medical Center provides emergency medical services (EMS) under contract with the city. [60] UMass Memorial EMS maintains two community EMS stations and operates a fleet of 18 ambulances (including spares), as well as a special-operations trailer, several other support vehicles, and a bike team; the agency responds to an average of 100 emergencies each day. The IceCats were chiefly affiliated with the St. Louis Blues. [101], Worcester is home to America's largest community of Mandaeans, numbering around 2,500. Worcester is not the safest city in the region, but it is quite comfortable to stay in it if you follow the usual precautions. The city's other public high schools include South High Community School, North High School, Doherty Memorial High School, Burncoat Senior High School, University Park Campus School, and Claremont Academy. The school is closely affiliated with UMass Memorial Health Care, the clinical partner of the medical school, which has expanded its locations all over Central Massachusetts. If you say it with a Massachusetts accent, it will sound more like Woos-stah.. All rights reserved. Hanover Insurance was founded in 1852 and retains its headquarters in Worcester. The course also hosted the U.S. Open in 1925, and the U.S. Women's Open in 1960. The 2021 Water Quality Report shows another year of full compliance and no violations. Nothing else in the crime data suggests women should have an elevated risk. Worcester felt the national trends of movement away from historic urban centers. Bancroft Tower looks like the remnants of a medieval castle, but its actually a memorial with an interesting story behind it. The public schools in Worcester are above average. Charlie Baker signs bill allowing unused Worcester land to become biomanufacturing site", "City of Worcester 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report", "America's Best Graduate Schools 2007: Top Medical Schools Primary Care", "Becker College in Worcester Closing After 237-Year Run", "Becker Game Design Program Ranked Top 10", "Clark University launches new school after announcement about Becker College closure", https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worcester_Junior_College, DPW Parks, Recreation & Cemetery Salisbury Park, "Shrewbury Street: A Mecca for the Diverse Palate", "The Worcester Youth Orchestras Founded in 1947 Home", "New England Symphony Orchestra 'From the 'New World, "Valentines weren't invented in Worcester, but they have special history here", "Photos: Polar Park, Worcester's sparkling new $159-million ballpark, is officially open", "Digital History Display: A Legacy for The Worcester Armenian Community", "These Iraqi immigrants revere John the Baptist, but they're not Christians", "GateHouse parent buys T&G and its parent chain", "Ask the Rambler What Is The Longest Road in the United States?