Groton

History

The area surrounding modern-day Groton has, for thousands of years, been the territory of various cultures of indigenous peoples. They settled along the rivers, which they used for domestic tasks, fishing and transportation. Historic tribes were the Algonquian-speaking Nipmuc and Nashaway Indians, who established trails connecting the area to Massachusetts Bay. The European presence in the era began when John Tinker established a trading post with the Nashaway tribe at the confluence of Nod Brook and the Nashua River. The Nashaway called the area Petapawag, meaning "swampy land." Over the years, more European settlers moved to the area, as it was productive for fishing and farming. Called The Plantation of Groton, it included all of present-day Groton and Ayer, almost all of Pepperell and Shirley, large parts of Dunstable, Littleton, and Tyngsborough, smaller parts of Harvard and Westford, and the New Hampshire towns of Nashua and Hollis. Among those killed was John Nutting, a Groton Selectman. Survivors fled to Concord and other safe havens. Two years later, many returned to rebuild. In 1694, Abenaki warriors attacked the town again during the Raid on Groton (during King William's War). Lydia Longley and two of her siblings were taken captive; the rest of their family was killed. Lydia was taken to Montreal where she was ransomed, converted to Catholicism, and joined the Congregation of Notre Dame, a non-cloistered order. In 1704, during Queen Anne's War, an Abenaki raiding party kidnapped Matthias Farnsworth III from his home and brought him to Montreal. In June 1707, Abenaki warriors abducted three children of the large family of Thomas Tarbell and his wife Elizabeth (Wood), cousins to the Longleys who were abducted in 1694. The raiders took them overland and by…

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, Groton has a total area of 33.7 square miles (87.3 km2), of which 32.8 square miles (84.9 km2) is land and 0.9 square miles (2.4 km2) (2.79%) is water. Groton is the largest town in Middlesex County in terms of square mileage. The town is drained by the Nashua River, Squannacook River, and Merrimack River. The center of the town is dominated mainly by Gibbet Hill, with several other large hills throughout the town. Groton is served by state routes 40, 111, 119 and 225. It borders the towns of Pepperell, Dunstable, Tyngsborough, Westford, Littleton, Ayer, Shirley, and Townsend. Groton has a hot-summer humid continental climate (Dfa) bordering on Dfb and monthly averages range from in January to in July. The hardiness zone is 5b.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  36,609
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  34,109
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  31,855
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  30,786
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  30,491
• American Goldfinch

  Spinus tristis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  29,096
• Downy Woodpecker

  Dryobates pubescens (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  27,602
• Song Sparrow

  Melospiza melodia (A.Wilson, 1810) · Aves
  27,281

Largest nearby schools

• Gr Lowell Regional Vocational Technical
  High · Tyngsborough · 2,302 students · 10.8:1 ratio
• Westford Academy
  High · Westford · 1,525 students · 13.5:1 ratio
• Chelmsford High
  High · North Chelmsford · 1,367 students · 13.7:1 ratio
• Innovation Academy Charter School
  High · Tyngsboro · 793 students · 11.3:1 ratio
• North Middlesex Regional
  High · Townsend · 779 students · 13.7:1 ratio
• Tyngsborough Elementary
  Elementary · Tyngsborough · 752 students · 12.7:1 ratio
• Nashoba Valley Technical High School
  High · Westford · 750 students · 11.7:1 ratio
• Col Moses Parker School
  Middle · Chelmsford · 723 students · 11.3:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 3.8 — 2025-01-27
  9 km SE of York Harbor, Maine
• M 2.7 — 2023-12-23
  5 km SW of Chichester, New Hampshire
• M 2.7 — 2018-02-15
  0 km SE of East Kingston, New Hampshire
• M 2.8 — 2016-03-21
  4 km ESE of Warner, New Hampshire
• M 2.6 — 2015-01-13
  2 km E of Wauregan, Connecticut
• M 3.3 — 2015-01-12
  0 km NE of Wauregan, Connecticut