Barre

History

Originally called the Northwest District of Rutland, it was first settled by Europeans in 1720. The town was incorporated as a district on June 17, 1774, as Hutchinson after Thomas Hutchinson, colonial governor of Massachusetts. Eventually, along with 41 other districts in the state, they were all incorporated on August 23, 1775, by the Massachusetts Court. The next year on November 7, 1776, it was renamed Barre in honor of Colonel Isaac Barré, an Irish-born MP who was a champion of American Independence. "This township was originally known as Rutland, West District; but prior to 1770 its name was changed to "Hutchinson", in honor of the Hon. Thomas Hutchinson who was Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts in 1765, became acting Governor in 1769, and Governor in 1770. When, in 1774, on account of his Tory proclivities, Governor Hutchinson resigned his office and went to England, his name and memory were so execrated by the patriots of the township of Hutchinson that, in 1776, the General Assembly of Massachusetts changed the name of the township to "Barré." In 1849 the Boston, Barre and Gardner Railroad was founded to build a railroad from Worcester to Barre, but it failed to raise enough capital to start construction. The project was revived in 1869, but it was re-routed to run between Worcester and Gardner, bypassing Barre. When the line opened in 1871 it was still called the Boston, Barre and Gardner RR, although it never reached Barre. The line's nearest depot to Barre was at Hubbardston, away. On April 11, 1943, Barre held a civic welcome for Basil Izzi, a local man who was a United States Navy Armed Guard and had recently survived 83 days in the Atlantic Ocean on a life raft after his ship, the , was torpedoed. In 1988 the Barre Gazette claimed that the…

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.63%, is water. Barre is drained by the Ware River. Barre is bordered by Hubbardston to the northeast, Rutland and Oakham to the southeast, New Braintree to the south, Hardwick to the southwest, Petersham to the northwest, and a small portion of Phillipston to the north.

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• Templeton Elementary School
  Elementary · Templeton · 644 students · 16.5:1 ratio
• Quabbin Regional High School
  High · Barre · 566 students · 12.9:1 ratio
• Quabbin Regional Middle School
  Middle · Barre · 517 students · 16.2:1 ratio
• Ruggles Lane
  Elementary · Barre · 388 students · 15.5:1 ratio
• Central Tree Middle
  Middle · Rutland · 371 students · 14.8:1 ratio
• Naquag Elementary School
  Elementary · Rutland · 363 students · 15.8:1 ratio
• Glenwood Elementary School
  Elementary · Rutland · 333 students · 14.5:1 ratio
• Hubbardston Center
  Elementary · Hubbardston · 305 students · 19.1:1 ratio