Townsend

History

Townsend was first settled by Europeans in 1676 in an area known by indigenous people of the area as Wistequassuck, and was officially incorporated in 1732. The town was named after Charles Townshend, English secretary of state and an opponent of the Tories. The town initially used the same spelling as its namesake, but the "h" was dropped in patriotic fervor in response to the Townshend Acts of 1767. The current spelling of Townsend became official by 1780.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 33.1 square miles (85.8 km), of which 32.9 square miles (85.1 km) is land and 0.2 square mile (0.6 km) (0.72%) is water. The headwaters of the Squannacook River rise in the town's western hills. Townsend has the largest land area of any town in Middlesex County. Townsend is bordered by Mason, New Hampshire, and Brookline, New Hampshire to the north, Pepperell to the east, Groton and Shirley to the southeast, Lunenburg to the south, and Ashby to the west. Route 119 runs east-west through Townsend, and Route 13 runs north-south.

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• North Middlesex Regional
  High · Townsend · 779 students · 13.7:1 ratio
• Groton Dunstable Regional Middle
  Middle · Groton · 723 students · 12.1:1 ratio
• Groton Dunstable Regional
  High · Groton · 680 students · 12.8:1 ratio
• Varnum Brook
  Elementary · Pepperell · 633 students · 13.2:1 ratio
• Florence Roche School
  Elementary · Groton · 526 students · 13.2:1 ratio
• Nissitissit Middle School
  Middle · Pepperell · 481 students · 9.4:1 ratio
• Hawthorne Brook
  Middle · Townsend · 464 students · 11.3:1 ratio
• Spaulding Memorial
  Elementary · Townsend · 419 students · 12.7:1 ratio