About Worcester........
"Worchester? Woostah? Wormtown?
Outsiders can't even pronounce it, let alone spell it. Newspaper reporters have called it "New England's utility closet (The New York Times) or have even gone so far as to describe Hartford as "Worcester on a good day" (The Boston Globe).
Unlike Boston, Hartford and Providence, Worcester is not a capital city. No Kennedys live here.
Lets face it, like Rodney Dangerfield___who once said from El Morroco's dining room, "It's a beautiful view, if only the view was beautiful"__the City of the Seven Hills just can't get no respect. some residents have even been known to answer the question of " Where are you from?" by replying. "45 minutes west of Boston."
But the 169,000 people who live in Worcester and many thousands more in surrounding towns, know something that most outsiders will never get a chance to learn. And that is that "WUS-ter" (as it is phonetically spelled out on the nationwide "City info" Web page) is a very easy city to live in and near.
What other city can boast that it is the birthplace of the smiley face, the birth control pill and Abbie Hoffman?..According to the 1990 Census, Worcester has a significantly lower poverty rate than either Providence or Hartford (Hartford, 27 percent; Providence, 23 percent; Worcester 15.5 percent.) People in the city's very strong middle class make up to $10,000 more a year than those in Hartford or Boston. And in 1997, unemployment in Worcester was only 4 percent, as opposed to 6.6 percent in Providence and 10 percetn in Hartford.
Located in the "Heart of the Commonwealth", Worcester is just one hour from the ocean and one hour from the mountains. Lots of people who work in the city have an easy commute from unspoiled , charming towns like Princeton, Grafton, Barre, and West Boylston.
For many New Englanders, Worcester may just be an exit on the Pike, but some travelers actually stop off to sample some of the city's largely hidden cultural gems, like the world class collection at the Worcester Art Musuem, an impressive science center(even if they do call it an EcoTarium), and the country's leading library of early American history, The American Antiquarian Society..."
By Susan Dewey and Lawrence Pintak (WOMAG) Worcester Magazine, Annual Manual 1999.
Worcester Fast Facts:
1690- On September 25, a newspaper called "Publick Occurences" published its first and last edition in Worcester.
1776-Worcesterite Isiah Thomas publicly read the Declaration of Independence at Boston's Old South Meeting House.
1778- The first U.S. dictionary was printed by Isiah Thomas.
1791- The first illustrated bible was printed in Worcester.... for more fast-facts'
The author himself has lived in this fair city for thirty years and knows a thing or two about the inner workings of this once blue-collared town; it rivals Springfield in size but seems infinitely more 'liveable' in feeling. A good place to raise your kids, and a place to relax and get away from the madness of route 128 or any area closer to Boston. Worcester is a well kept secret, those east of 128 always ask, "where's woosta?" Oh well , what they don't know... they won't miss.
The following links are endorsed by yours truly who has seen many new establishments come and go. I won't pretend that I know the latest cool places to eat, instead I will mention places that are distinctive and have remained as fixtures as Worcester tries to build and improve for the year 2000 and beyond.
MY FAVORITES.....
Mechanics Hall
