Worcester State University - Oak Leaf Yearbook (Worcester, MA)

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WORCESTER: IN THE HEART OF NEW ENGLAND Worcester, with a popula- tion of 161,000, is the second largest city in New England. It has grown into the eighties as a city that gives people the op- portunity to live and work in a quality environment. Attesting to the strengths of its commu- nity character, Worcester is a four-time winner of the All America City Award. Worcester serves as a so- cial, educational and econom- ic hub for the 56 towns and three other cities in Worcester County, which has a popula- tion of 646,000. Rolling coun- tryside, abundant forest land, rivers and lakes surround the city and neighboring residen- tial towns and quaint New Eng- land Villages. Worcester was founded as a permanent settlement in 1713, and incorporated as a town in 1722. By 1848 it was officially chartered as a city. Due to its central location, the Worcester area became the focal point for the region’s ex- panding industrial base in the first half of the nineteenth cen- tury. Invention and innovation aided in local industrial growth and served as a catalyst for national and gloval change. County residents have histor- ically provided the creative spark for many major advancements. When Dr. Robert Goddard launched his fuel-powered rocket from Pakachoag Hill in Auburn in 1 926, the world saw the begin- ning of the space age. The in- vention of the birth control pill at the Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology had a strong impact on the entire world. 15

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Counter Clockwise from top center: Worcester’s Main-South Area. One of the many industries that surround the downtown area. Police and Fire departments are always visible. One of the many statues on the common Downtown. Worcester ' s City Hall in the foreground of the Worcester Plaza tower, the tallest building in Central Massachusetts. Worcester ' s skyline may not be imposing, but it’s growing! 14

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Since Worcester’s early days of waterway systems, the city has maintained its promi- nence as a transportation hub. Today, a system of highway, rail service and the Worcester Municipal Airport make per- sonal as well as commercial travel convenient and effe- cient. While retaining much of its Colonial charm in both the city and surrounding towns, the Worcester area is filled with ethnec and architectural di- versity representative of its varied history. The cultural influence of Worcester’s early residents on the physical development of the city remains today in the various neighborhoods, which retain a proud ethnic heritage. Much new development has occurred throughout the Worcester area. Most notice- able is the downtown recon- Counter clockwise from top center: A Cabbie steps out for some fresh air downtown. The city streets are littered with parking meters, and they are always full. 1-290 is the divider between the downtown area and the residential east side. Traffic downtown is a nightmare any time of day. 16