Fitchburg

Town in Worcester County, north-central Massachusetts; population (1998 est) 40,000. It is situated on the Mohawk Trail and the north branch of the Nashua River, north of Worcester and 72 km/45 mi northwest of Boston. A manufacturing centre since early in the 19th century, Fitchburg is also a trading, shopping, and financial centre surrounded by dairy farms and orchards. Industries include paper, textiles, furniture, clothing, foundry products, pharmaceuticals, and metal, plastic, and leather goods. Fitchburg was settled in 1740, incorporated in 1764, and became a city in 1872.

Early industry was focused on the use of water power from the Nashua River. Industrialization was encouraged by a railway built to Fitchburg in 1845, and the town grew from 3,883 people in 1845 to 31,531 in 1900. There was considerable immigration from Irish, Italians, Finns, English, and French Canadians. It has since been badly affected by industrial decline.

One of the early settlers was inventor John Fitch. Fitchburg is home to Fitchburg State College (1894) and is the site of the annual Longsjo Classic Bicycle Race.