115-630: The Boulevard Diner is a historic diner at 155 Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, Massachusetts . It was built by Worcester Lunch Car Company in 1936 as #730. It is a well-preserved instance of a barrel-roof diner that the company made in significant numbers in the years before the Second World War , and the city's best-preserved 1930s diner. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. The Boulevard Diner
230-554: A 2014 poll, 20% of Puerto Ricans living in the mainland United States speak Spanish at home, and 78% chose to answer the poll in English instead of Spanish, significantly more than other Latino groups polled. Many first- and second- generation Puerto Ricans living in New York speak " Nuyorican English ", a mix of local New York English with Puerto Rican Spanish influences, while many Puerto Ricans living in other US cities speak with
345-460: A Mayor/ Bicameral form of government. Together, the two chambers—the 11-member Board of Aldermen and the 30-member Common Council—were vested with complete legislative powers. The mayor handled all administrative departments, though appointments to those departments had to be approved by the two-chamber City Council. Seeking to replace the 1848 charter, Worcester voters in November 1947 approved
460-604: A blizzard traversed over the city as it shed almost 32 inches (81 cm) of snow. This was the highest single-day snowfall total for anywhere in Massachusetts since data collection began in 1892. While rare, the city has had its share of extreme weather. On September 21, 1938, the city was hit by the brutal New England Hurricane of 1938 . Fifteen years later, Worcester was hit by a tornado that killed 94 people. The deadliest tornado in New England history, it damaged
575-508: A center of American revolutionary activity. The Worcester Revolt on September 6, 1774, was an early successful attempt to throw off British rule. British General Thomas Gage was given information of patriot ammunition stockpiled in Worcester in 1775. That same year, Massachusetts Spy publisher Isaiah Thomas moved his radical newspaper out of British occupied Boston to Worcester. Thomas would continuously publish his paper throughout
690-502: A change to Plan E municipal government . In effect from January 1949 until November 1985, this charter (as outlined in chapter 43 of the Massachusetts General Laws) established City Council/City Manager government. This type of governance, with modifications, has survived to the present day. Initially, Plan E government in Worcester was organized as a 9-member council (all at-large), a ceremonial mayor elected from
805-638: A deed to eight square miles of land in Quinsigamond from the Nipmuc people and English traders and settlers began to inhabit the region. In 1675, King Philip's War broke out throughout New England with the Nipmuc Indians coming to the aid of Indian leader King Philip . The English settlers completely abandoned the Quinsigamond area and the empty buildings were burned by the Indian forces. The town
920-517: A dramatic reversal from being the only state to register a decrease in its Puerto Rican population between 1990 and 2000. The Puerto Rican population of New York State, still the largest in the United States, is estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau to have increased from 1,070,558 in 2010 to 1,103,067 in 2013. Puerto Rican migration trends since 2006 have been highly complex: New York State gained more Puerto Rican migrants from Puerto Rico (31% of
1035-485: A five-alarm fire at the Worcester Cold Storage & Warehouse Company . The fire took the lives of six firemen and drew national attention as one of the worst firefighting tragedies of the late 20th century. President Bill Clinton , Vice President Al Gore and other local and national dignitaries attended the funeral service and memorial program in Worcester. In recent decades, a renewed interest in
1150-554: A higher degree of tri-hybrid admixture than most countries in Latin America. A recent study of DNA in a census-based sample of 642 Puerto Rican individuals, demonstrated that almost all modern Puerto Ricans are admixed descendants of the three ancestral populations (Taínos, Europeans, and Africans). The study shows that the average Puerto Rican on the Eastern region is 54.7% European, 31.8% African, and 13.5% Native American, while
1265-400: A large area of the city of Worcester. The tornado left massive destruction and killed 94 people. The Worcester tornado would be the deadliest tornado ever to hit Massachusetts. Debris from the tornado landed as far away as Dedham . In the 1960s, Interstate 290 was built right through the center of Worcester, permanently dividing the city. In 1963, Worcester native Harvey Ball introduced
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#17327975434041380-489: A large part of the city and surrounding towns. It struck Assumption Preparatory School , now the site of Quinsigamond Community College . According to the 2020 U.S. Census, Worcester had a population of 206,518, of which 104,911 (50.8%) were female and 101,607 (49.2%) were male. In terms of age, 81.0% were over 18 years old and 13.6% were over 65 years old; children under 5 made up 5.2% of the city's population. In terms of race and ethnicity, Worcester's population as of 2020
1495-628: A new retail, commercial and living destination in the city. After struggling to secure finances for a number of years, Hanover Insurance took over the project and demolition began on September 13, 2010. Unum Insurance and the Saint Vincent Hospital leased into the project and both facilities opened in 2013. The new Front Street opened on December 31, 2012. Worcester has become home to many refugees in recent years. The city has successfully resettled over 2,000 refugees coming from over 24 countries. Today, most of these refugees come from
1610-423: A number of factors. These include the large circular migration between the island and the mainland United States, a long tradition of the government of Puerto Rico promoting its ties to those stateside, the continuing existence of racial-ethnic prejudice and discrimination in the United States, and high residential and school segregation. Notable attributes that set the stateside Puerto Rican population apart from
1725-439: A riot broke out. Klansmen's cars were stoned and burned, and their windows smashed. KKK members were pulled from their cars and beaten. Klansmen called for police protection, but the situation raged out of control for most of the night. The violence after the "Klanvocation" had the desired effect: Membership fell off, and no further public Klan meetings were held in Worcester. Robert Stoddard , owner of The Telegram and Gazette ,
1840-724: A schoolteacher and studied law in Worcester. Worcester also had a role in the start of the American Revolution , with an event that is oft-forgotten. On September 6, 1774, 4,622 militiamen from 37 towns in Worcester County assembled and marched on Main Street, Worcester; they sought to shut down the Crown's court before it could sit for a new session. The event was dubbed the Worcester Revolution , or
1955-471: A significant influx of Puerto Rican workers to the US began. With its 1898 victory, the United States acquired Puerto Rico from Spain and has retained sovereignty since. The 1917 Jones–Shafroth Act made all Puerto Ricans US citizens, freeing them from immigration barriers. The massive migration of Puerto Ricans to the mainland United States was largest in the early and late 20th century, prior to its resurgence in
2070-465: A similar English accent. More Americanized Puerto Ricans speak the local English accent with little to no Spanish traces, sounding similar to other local groups including Black Americans or assimilated Italian Americans. The vast majority of Puerto Ricans in the United States are adherents of Christianity. Though, Catholics are the largest in number, there are also significant numbers of followers of numerous Protestant denominations . Protestants make up
2185-559: A soda-water fountain and some lovely colored dishes." On October 19, 1924, the largest gathering of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) ever held in New England took place at the Agricultural Fairgrounds in Worcester. Klansmen in sheets and hoods, new Knights awaiting a mass induction ceremony, and supporters swelled the crowd to 15,000. The KKK had hired more than 400 "husky guards", but when the rally ended around midnight,
2300-428: A third of the 5 million Puerto Ricans living stateside were born on the island. Puerto Ricans are also the second-largest Latino group in the United States after those of Mexican descent. The Puerto Rican population by state, showing the percentage of the state's population that identifies itself as Puerto Rican relative to the state/territory population as a whole is shown in the following table. The ten states with
2415-519: A whole. Puerto Rican population by state, showing the percentage of Puerto Rican residents in each state relative to the Puerto Rican population in the United States as a whole. Even with such movement of Puerto Ricans from traditional to non-traditional states, the Northeast continues to dominate in both concentration and population. The largest populations of Puerto Ricans are situated in
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#17327975434042530-588: A year, as well as an average of 64 inches (160 cm) of snowfall a season, receiving far more snow than coastal locations less than 40 miles (64 km) away. Massachusetts' geographic location, jutting out into the North Atlantic , as well as Worcester's elevation relative to the surrounding terrain, makes the city very prone to Nor'easter weather systems that can dump heavy snow on the region. Extreme winters have brought up to 120 inches (300 cm) of snowfall, as happened in 2005. In late January 2015,
2645-408: Is 102 °F (39 °C), recorded on July 4, 1911, the only 100 °F (38 °C) or greater temperature to date. The all-time record low temperature is −24 °F (−31 °C), recorded on February 16, 1943. Worcester is known for being particularly snowy in the cold months, sometimes even experiencing intense autumn blizzards. The city averages 48.07 inches (1,220 mm) of precipitation
2760-530: Is a regional hub of government, industry, and transportation hub. Since the 1970s, and especially since the construction of Route 146 and interstates 90 , 495 , 190 , 290 , and 395 , both Worcester and its surrounding towns have become more integrated with Boston's suburbs. The Worcester region now marks the western periphery of the Boston–Worcester–Providence (MA–RI–NH) U.S. Census Combined Statistical Area (CSA), or Greater Boston . The area
2875-713: Is being driven by movement not only into New York City proper, but also into the city's surrounding suburban areas, including areas outside New York State, especially Northern New Jersey , such that the New York City metropolitan area gained the highest number of additional Puerto Rican Americans of any metropolitan area between 2010 and 2016, from 1,177,430 in 2010 to 1,494,670 in 2016. Florida witnessed an even larger increase than New York State between 2010 and 2013, from 847,550 in 2010 to 987,663 in 2013, with significant migration from Puerto Rico, as well as some migration from Chicago and New York to Florida. However, most of
2990-415: Is governed by a council–manager government , with a popularly elected mayor . A city council acts as the legislative body, and the council-appointed manager handles the traditional day-to-day chief executive functions. City councilors can run as either a representative of a city district or as an at-large candidate. The winning at-large candidate who receives the greatest number of votes for mayor becomes
3105-711: Is home to one of the largest Puerto Rican communities in Chicago and is known as "Little Puerto Rico" or Paseo Boricua. Orlando and the surrounding area has had a sizable Puerto Rican population since the 1980s, as Florida as a whole has always had a decent sized Puerto Rican population. A big contributing factor for the growth of the Puerto Rican community in Central Florida was Walt Disney World , who heavily recruited employees in Puerto Rico. Central Florida's Puerto Rican population began to skyrocket starting in
3220-542: Is known as the "Heart of the Commonwealth" because of its proximity to the center of Massachusetts. The city is about 40 miles (64 km) west of Boston , 50 miles (80 km) east of Springfield , and 38 miles (61 km) northwest of Providence, Rhode Island . The Blackstone River forms in the center of Worcester by the confluence of the Middle River and Mill Brook. The river courses underground through
3335-492: Is located on Worcester's east side, on the south side of Shrewsbury Street at its junction with Plum Street. Shrewsbury Street is a major artery running northeast from downtown Worcester to join Massachusetts Route 9 . The diner is set on a brick foundation set close to the sidewalk, and has a utilitarian single-story brick kitchen attached to the rear. The diner is eight bays wide and four deep, with entrances at
3450-809: Is mainly derived from the Spanish spoken in southern Spain and the Canary Islands . It also has noticeable influences from numerous languages, including Taíno and various West African languages . It is very similar to other Caribbean Spanish variants . About 83% of Puerto Ricans living in the United States ages 5 and older speak English proficiently, of whom 53% are bilingual in Spanish and English, and another 30% speak only English fluently with little proficiency in Spanish. The other 17% speak only Spanish fluently and report speaking English "less than very well" with little proficiency in English, compared to 34% of Latinos overall who report doing so. According to
3565-522: Is near the geographic center of Massachusetts, Worcester is known as the "Heart of the Commonwealth"; a heart is the official symbol of the city. Worcester is the historical seat of Worcester County . Worcester developed as an industrial city in the 19th century because the Blackstone Canal and railways facilitated the import of raw materials and the export of such finished goods as machines, textiles, and wire. Many European immigrants made up
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3680-593: Is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of Massachusetts and the 114th most populous city in the United States . Named after Worcester, England , the city had 206,518 people at the 2020 census , also making it the second- most populous city in New England , after Boston . Worcester is about 40 miles (64 km) west of Boston, 50 miles (80 km) east of Springfield , and 40 miles (64 km) north-northwest of Providence . Because it
3795-523: Is the largest and most affluent urban corridor in the world, being described as a "node of wealth ... [an] area where the pulse of the national economy beats loudest and the seats of power are well established." With major world class universities clustered in Boston and stretching throughout this corridor, the economic and media power and international power politics in New York City and the seat of
3910-577: The 50 states and the District of Columbia who were born in or trace any family ancestry to the unincorporated US territory of Puerto Rico . Pursuant to the Jones–Shafroth Act , all Puerto Ricans born on the island have US citizenship . At 9.3% of the Hispanic population in the United States, Puerto Ricans are the second largest Hispanic group nationwide after Mexicans , and are 1.78% of
4025-766: The American Revolutionary War . On July 14, 1776, Thomas performed the first public reading in Massachusetts of the Declaration of Independence from the porch of the Old South Church, where the 19th-century Worcester City Hall stands today. He would later go on to form the American Antiquarian Society in Worcester in 1812. During the turn of the 19th century, Worcester's economy moved into manufacturing. Factories producing textiles, shoes and clothing opened along
4140-558: The Democratic Republic of the Congo , Iraq , Somalia , Bhutan , Syria , Ukraine and Afghanistan . Worcester has a total area of 38.6 square miles (100 km ): 37.6 square miles (97 km ) of land and 1.0 square mile (2.6 km ), comprising roughly 2.59%, of water. Worcester is bordered by the towns of Auburn , Grafton , Holden , Leicester , Millbury , Paxton , Shrewsbury , and West Boylston . Worcester
4255-518: The New York metropolitan area continues to be the largest demographic and cultural center for Puerto Ricans in the mainland United States, with the Orlando metropolitan area having the second-largest community. The portmanteau " Nuyorican " refers to Puerto Ricans and their descendants in the New York City area . About 67% of the Puerto Rican population in the United States proper resides in either
4370-552: The Northeast or Florida . Puerto Ricans have been migrating to the continental United States since the 19th century and migrating since 1898 (after the island territory was transferred from Spain to the United States) and have a long history of collective social advocacy for their political and social rights and preserving their cultural heritage. In New York City, which has the largest concentration of Puerto Ricans in
4485-468: The Spanish Harlem and Loisaida neighborhoods of Manhattan . Labor recruitment was the basis of this particular community. In 1960, about 70% of stateside Puerto Ricans lived in New York City. They helped others settle, find work, and build communities by relying on social networks containing friends and family. For a long time, Spanish Harlem (East Harlem) and Loisaida ( Lower East Side ) were
4600-498: The United States Census Bureau , estimated that as of 2010, Puerto Ricans made up between 70–80 percent of Philadelphia's Latino population. Other sources put the percentage Puerto Ricans make up of Philadelphia's Latino population, as high as 90% and others as low as 64%. Puerto Ricans first arrived in the early part of the 20th century from more affluent families to study at colleges or universities. In
4715-480: The federal poverty line ." However, more affluent Puerto Rican American professionals have migrated to suburban neighborhoods on Long Island and in Westchester County , New Jersey and Connecticut. New York City also became the mecca for freestyle music in the 1980s, of which Puerto Rican singer-songwriters represented an integral component. Puerto Rican influence in popular music continues in
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4830-459: The inner city , suggests that "the Puerto Rican community has fallen victim to poverty through social marginalization due to the transformation of New York into a global city." The Puerto Rican population in East Harlem and New York City as a whole remains the poorest among all migrant groups in US cities. As of 1973, about "46.2% of the Puerto Rican migrants in East Harlem were living below
4945-423: The poverty threshold . Worcester is known for its diversity and large immigrant population, with significant communities of Vietnamese , Brazilians , Albanians , Puerto Ricans , Ghanaians , Dominicans , along with Chinese and Indian Americans. 22% of Worcester's population in 2018 was born outside the United States. Data is from the 2015–2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Worcester
5060-554: The 1930s there was an enclave around 35th and Michigan . In the 1950s two small barrios emerged known as la Clark and La Madison just North and West of Downtown, near hotel jobs and then where the factories once stood. These communities were displaced by the city as part of their slum clearance . In 1968, a community group, the Young Lords mounted protests and demonstrations and occupied several buildings of institutions demanding that they invest in low income housing. Humboldt Park
5175-705: The 2010 US census, of the stateside Puerto Rican population, about 53.1% self-identified as white, about 8.7% self-identified as black, about 0.9% as American Indian, about 0.5% as Asian, and 36.7% as mixed or other. Though over half self-identified as white, the Puerto Rican population is largely made up of multi-racials , most Puerto Ricans are mixed to varying degrees, usually of white European/North African, black West African and indigenous Taino ancestry. The average genomewide individual ancestry proportions have been estimated as 56% European, 28% West African and 16% Native American. However, there are significant numbers of (pure or nearly pure) blacks and whites within
5290-491: The 21st century, encompassing major artists such as Jennifer Lopez . As of the 2010 U.S. Census , there was an estimate of 121,643 Puerto Rican Americans living in Philadelphia , up from 91,527 in 2000. Representing 8% of Philadelphia's total population and 75% of the city's Latino American population, as of 2010. Puerto Ricans are the largest Latino group in the city and that, outside Puerto Rico, Philadelphia now has
5405-723: The Canal District Business Association, have proposed restoring the canal and creating a Blackstone Valley National Park . Worcester is one of many cities claimed, like Rome , to be found on seven hills : Airport Hill, Bancroft Hill, Belmont Hill (Bell Hill), Grafton Hill , Green Hill, Pakachoag Hill and Vernon Hill. However, Worcester has more than seven hills, examples of which include Indian Hill, Newton Hill, Poet's Hill, and Wigwam Hill. Worcester has many ponds and two prominent lakes: Indian Lake and Lake Quinsigamond . Lake Quinsigamond (also known as Long Pond) stretches four miles (6.4 km) across
5520-521: The Earles and the Chases, whose organizing efforts were crucial to the anti-slavery cause in central Massachusetts and throughout New England. Anarchist Emma Goldman and two others opened an ice cream shop in 1892. "It was spring and not yet warm," Goldman later wrote, "but the coffee I brewed, our sandwiches, and dainty dishes were beginning to be appreciated. Within a short time, we were able to invest in
5635-950: The Hispanic/Latino population in the United States, there are some states where Puerto Ricans make up a much larger portion of the Hispanic/Latino population, including Connecticut, where 46.3 percent of the state's Latinos are of Puerto Rican descent and Pennsylvania, where Puerto Ricans make up 43.5 percent of the Latinos. Other states where Puerto Ricans make up a remarkably large portion of the Latino community include Massachusetts, where they make up 35.2 percent of all Hispanics, New Hampshire at 30.9 percent, Delaware at 27.2 percent, Ohio at 25.6 percent, New York at 25.3 percent, New Jersey at 22.9 percent, Rhode Island at 22.4 percent, and Florida at 20.3 percent of all Hispanics/Latinos in each respective state. The U.S. States where Puerto Ricans were
5750-914: The National Puerto Rican Forum, the Puerto Rican Family Institute, Boricua College , the Center for Puerto Rican Studies of the City University of New York at Hunter College , the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund , the National Conference of Puerto Rican Women and the New York League of Puerto Rican Women, Inc., among others. The government of Puerto Rico has a long history of involvement with
5865-443: The Northeast continue to see very strong growth, particularly Pennsylvania and Lower New England (Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island). Pennsylvania easily having the second largest numerical increase of Puerto Ricans for the past 10–15 years, showing an increase of over 110,000 from 2010 to 2017-second only to Florida. Connecticut having the highest percentage of Puerto Ricans in the United States, from 2010 to 2017 (Pre-Maria)
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#17327975434045980-530: The Orlando area, but the heaviest concentration is in the southern portions, like Kissimmee , Poinciana and many other areas in Osceola County , where Puerto Ricans make up the majority of the population. In 1950, about a quarter of a million Puerto Rican natives lived "stateside", or in one of the U.S. states. In March 2012 that figure had risen to about 1.5 million. That is, slightly less than
6095-644: The Performing Arts . In 2000, the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences built a new campus in downtown Worcester. In 2007, WPI opened the first facility in their new Gateway Park center in Lincoln Square. In 2004, Berkeley Investments proposed demolishing the old Worcester Center Galleria for a new mixed-used development called City Square . The ambitious project looked to reconnect old street patterns while creating
6210-470: The Puerto Rican migration to Florida has been to the central portion of the state, surrounding Orlando. Orlando and to a lesser degree Philadelphia and Tampa have witnessed large increases in their Puerto Rican populations between 2010 and 2013 and now have some of the fastest growing Puerto Rican populations in the country. According to the Pew Research Center , Puerto Rican arrivals from
6325-530: The Puerto Rican population as well. Historically, under Spanish and American rule, Puerto Rico underwent a whitening process , in particular, the island had laws like the Regla del Sacar , in which mixed-race people of mostly European origin were classified as "white" (the opposite of the one-drop rule in the United States). Puerto Ricans, on average, have genetic contributions from Europeans, North Africans, West Africans, and Native Americans. The island has
6440-718: The Puerto Rican population of the New York City Metropolitan Area increasing from 1,177,430 in 2010 to a Census-estimated 1,494,670 in 2016, maintaining its status as the largest metropolitan concentration and cultural center for Puerto Rican Americans by a significant margin on Continental America . New York City neighborhoods such as East Harlem in Upper Manhattan , the South Bronx and Bushwick , Williamsburg in Brooklyn are often
6555-594: The US Northeast. The 2017 total population count of stateside Puerto Ricans was 5.5 million. With the migration boom due to Hurricane Maria, as well as live births taken into account, the US Puerto Rican population is estimated at 5.8 million as of 2018. This drop in Puerto Rico's population resulting in the increase in the stateside Puerto Rican population, is the result of Hurricane Maria and other recent natural disasters, as well as economic decline on
6670-483: The US. During the nineteenth century it was mostly political exiles who came to the mainland. Since 1898, Puerto Rico has been an "insular possession" and "unincorporated territory" of the United States, ruled for its first half-century by American generals and non-Puerto-Rican civil servants from the mainland, fueling migratory patterns between the mainland and the island. After the end of the Spanish–American War
6785-449: The United States and other destinations." Puerto Ricans migrated in search of higher-wage jobs, first to New York City, and later to other cities such as Chicago , Philadelphia and Boston . However, in more recent years, there has been a significant resurgence in migration from Puerto Rico to New York and New Jersey , with an apparently multifactorial allure to Puerto Ricans, primarily for economic and cultural considerations; with
6900-671: The United States, they began running for elective office in the 1920s, electing one of their own to the New York State Assembly for the first time in 1937. Important Puerto Rican institutions have emerged from this long history. ASPIRA was established in New York City in 1961 and is now one of the largest national Latino nonprofit organizations in the United States. There is also the National Puerto Rican Coalition in Washington, D.C. ,
7015-462: The United States. Worcester would also claim many inventions and firsts. New England Candlepin bowling was invented in Worcester by Justin White in 1879. Esther Howland began the first line of Valentine's Day cards from her Worcester home in 1847. Loring Coes invented the first monkey wrench and Russell Hawes created the first envelope folding machine. On June 12, 1880, Lee Richmond pitched
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#17327975434047130-529: The Worcester Revolt. Having seized the courthouse, the militiamen waited for the 25 appointees from the Crown to arrive, where they were denied entry and later forced to disavow their appointments by King George III. Bloodshed and violence was avoided, with not a shot fired. British authority had been demonstrably overthrown in the American colonies for the first time. In the 1770s, Worcester became
7245-547: The Worcester and Shrewsbury border and is a very popular competitive rowing and boating destination. Worcester's humid continental climate ( Köppen : Dfb ) is typical of New England . The weather changes rapidly owing to the confluence of warm, humid air from the southwest; cool, dry air from the north; and the moderating influence of the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Summers are typically hot and humid, while winters are cold, windy, and snowy. Snow typically falls from
7360-499: The average Puerto Rican on the Western Region is 68.5% European, 15.9% African, and 15.6% Native American. The highest indigenous ancestry recorded in the study was nearly 40%. Puerto Rican culture is a blend of Spanish, Taíno and West African cultures, with recent influences from the United States and neighboring Latin American and Caribbean countries. Due to Puerto Rico's status as a US territory, people in Puerto Rico have
7475-596: The center of the city, and emerges at the foot of College Hill. It then flows south through Quinsigamond Village and into Millbury. Worcester is the beginning of the Blackstone Valley that frames the river. The Blackstone Canal was once an important waterway connecting Worcester to Providence and the Eastern Seaboard , but the canal fell into disuse at the end of the 19th century and was mostly covered up. In recent years, local organizations, including
7590-405: The city's downtown has brought new investment and construction to Worcester. A Convention Center was built along the DCU Center arena in downtown Worcester in 1997. In 2000, Worcester's Union Station reopened after 25 years of neglect and a $ 32 million renovation. Hanover Insurance helped fund a multimillion-dollar renovation to the old Franklin Square Theater into the Hanover Theatre for
7705-615: The city's growing population. After World War II , manufacturing there waned; economic and population decline was not reversed until the 1990s, when higher education, medicine, biotechnology , and new immigrants started making their mark. The population has grown by 28% since 1980, reaching its all-time high in the 2020 census and effecting urban renewal . Modern Worcester is known for its diversity and large immigrant population, with significant communities of Vietnamese , Brazilians , Albanians , Puerto Ricans , Ghanaians , Dominicans , and others. Twenty-two percent of Worcester's population
7820-541: The council by the councilors, and a council-appointed city manager. The manager oversees the daily administration of the city, makes all appointments to city offices, and can be removed at any time by a majority vote of the council. The mayor chairs the city council and the school committee, and does not have the power to veto any vote. From 1949 through 1959, elections were by the single transferable vote . Voters repealed that system in November 1960. Despite non-partisan elections, two groups alternated in control of council:
7935-424: The country and Washburn became one of the leading industrial and philanthropic figures in the city. Worcester would become a center of machinery, wire products and power looms and boasted large manufacturers, including Washburn & Moen, Wyman-Gordon Company, American Steel & Wire, Morgan Construction and the Norton Company . In 1908, the Royal Worcester Corset Company was the largest employer of women in
8050-431: The early 2000s and accelerating in the 2010s, with many New Yorkers of Puerto Rican ancestry ( Nuyoricans ) moving to Florida, joining the island-born Puerto Ricans. During this time, the 1990s and early 2000s, the overall migration patterns out from Puerto Rico to the US mainland began to switch and Orlando became the main destination from Puerto Rico by far, replacing New York City. Puerto Ricans are largely spread out in
8165-404: The early 21st century. U.S. political and economic interventions in Puerto Rico created the conditions for emigration, "by concentrating wealth in the hands of US corporations and displacing workers." Policymakers "promoted colonization plans and contract labor programs to reduce the population. U.S. employers, often with government support, recruited Puerto Ricans as a source of low-wage labor to
8280-486: The entire population of the United States. Stateside Puerto Ricans are also the largest Caribbean-origin group in the country, representing over one-third of people with origins in the geographic Caribbean region. While the 2020 Census counted the number of Puerto Ricans living in the States at 5.6 million, estimates in 2022 show the Puerto Rican population to be 5.91 million. Despite newer migration trends,
8395-478: The federal government in Washington, DC, also a major global power center. These shifts in the relative sizes of Latino populations have also changed the role of the stateside Puerto Rican community. Thus, many long-established Puerto Rican institutions have had to revise their missions (and, in some cases, change their names) to provide services and advocacy on behalf of non-Puerto Rican Latinos. According to
8510-731: The first perfect game in Major league baseball history for the Worcester Ruby Legs at the Worcester Agricultural Fairgrounds . The first three-decker homes were built by Francis Gallagher (1830–1911) in Worcester. After World War II, Worcester began to fall into decline as the city lost its manufacturing base to cheaper alternatives across the country and overseas. Worcester felt the national trends of movement away from historic urban centers. The city's population dropped over 20% from 1950 to 1980. In
8625-482: The following metropolitan areas (Source: 2020 ACS 5-Year Estimates): The top 25 US communities with the largest populations of Puerto Ricans (Source: Census 2020) The top 25 US communities (over 5,000 in population) with the highest percentages of Puerto Ricans as a percent of their total populations (Source: Census 2020) The 10 large cities (over 200,000 in population) with the highest percentages of Puerto Rican residents include (2020 Census): Like other groups,
8740-563: The iconic yellow smiley face to American culture. In the late 20th century, Worcester's economy began to recover as the city expanded into biotechnology and healthcare fields. The UMass Medical School has become a leader in biomedical research and the Massachusetts Biotechnology Research Park has become a center of medical research and development. Worcester hospitals Saint Vincent Hospital and UMass Memorial Health Care have become two of
8855-417: The island for the US mainland, either permanently or temporarily, nearly half of which went to the state of Florida alone, especially to the metropolitan areas of Orlando and Miami, and to a lesser degree Tampa and Jacksonville. The other half are spreading out throughout the country but went mostly to the metropolitan areas of Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland and numerous smaller cities across
8970-561: The island since 2000 are also less well off than earlier migrants, with lower household incomes and a greater likelihood of living in poverty. After Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico in September 2017, devastating the infrastructure of the island, New York, Florida and New Jersey were expected to be the three likeliest destinations for Puerto Rican migrants to the U.S. mainland when premised upon family ties. Since Hurricane Maria in September 2017, about 400,000 Puerto Ricans have left
9085-502: The island. However, many Puerto Ricans have since been moving back, though not enough to reverse the population decline in Puerto Rico. There is also a growing number of Puerto Ricans living in military towns , such as Killeen (Texas), Columbus (Georgia), and the Hampton Roads metro area of Virginia. Residential segregation is a phenomenon characterizing many stateside Puerto Rican population concentrations. While blacks are
9200-440: The largest Hispanic/Latino group in the New York metropolitan area , however the Puerto Rican population in the area began to decrease due to rising cost of living and in turn the overall Latino population began to diversify with increases in other Latino groups. During the same time, the Puerto Rican population has increased in many other areas throughout the country and in areas with large Latino communities, Puerto Ricans represent
9315-439: The largest Hispanic/Latino group were New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Hawaii. U.S. states with higher percentages of Puerto Ricans then the national average (1.6%) as of 2020, are Connecticut (8.0%), Florida (5.3%), New York (5.0%), New Jersey (4.9%), Massachusetts (4.5%), Rhode Island (3.8%), Pennsylvania (3.6%), Hawaii (3.1%), and Delaware (2.9%). Historically, Puerto Ricans were
9430-538: The largest employers in the city. Worcester's many colleges, including the College of the Holy Cross , Worcester Polytechnic Institute , Clark University , UMass Medical School, Assumption University , Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences , and Worcester State University , attract many students to the area and help drive the new economy. On December 3, 1999, a homeless couple accidentally started
9545-463: The largest increases of Puerto Ricans between 2010 and 2020 were: Florida (with an increase of 306,330 Puerto Ricans), Texas (99,886), Pennsylvania (90,507), Massachusetts (46,152), North Carolina (43,117), Ohio (38,296), Georgia (37,022), Connecticut (35,372), Virginia (30,887), and New Jersey (25,178). Most other states showed modest growth. Though, New Jersey, along with California, Hawaii, and Illinois showed slower growth than previous decades. New York
9660-527: The local Democratic Party and a slate known as the Citizens' Plan E Association (CEA). CEA members included the Republican Party leadership and other groups not affiliated with the regular Democratic Party. In 1983, Worcester voters again decided to change the city charter. This "Home Rule" charter (named for the method of adoption of the charter) is similar to Plan E, the major changes being to
9775-406: The mainland total) as well as from elsewhere on the mainland (20% of interstate moves) between 2006 and 2012 than any other U.S. state, in absolute numbers , even while the southern United States gained the highest number as an overall national region. Also, unlike the initial pattern of migration several decades ago, this second significant Puerto Rican migration into New York and surrounding states
9890-469: The majority of Hispanic/Latinos in the following; Central Florida around Orlando , but also some areas in the Tampa and Jacksonville areas, southwest New England especially around Hartford and Springfield , South Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania including the Philadelphia area and various smaller metro areas like Allentown among others, and the stretch from Western New York to Northeast Ohio including
10005-554: The mayor (at-large councilor candidates must ask to be removed from the ballot for mayor if they do not want to be listed on the mayoral ballot). As a result, voters must vote for their mayoral candidate twice, once as an at-large councilor, and once as the mayor. The mayor has no more authority than other city councilors, but is the ceremonial head of the city and chair of the city council and school committee. Currently, there are 11 councilors: 6 at-large and 5 district. Worcester's first charter , which went into effect in 1848, established
10120-467: The metropolitan areas of Rochester , Buffalo and Cleveland . Hispanic/Latino populations in the Northeast Ohio and Western New York areas in particular, tend to be 80–90% Puerto Rican. However, Central Florida and Southwestern New England, which is Connecticut and western Massachusetts, have the highest concentrations of Puerto Ricans by percentage of the total populations of these areas as
10235-530: The mid-19th century and later many immigrants of Lithuanian, Polish, Italian, Greek, Turkish, Armenian, Syrian, and Lebanese descent. Immigrants moved into new three-decker houses (which originated in Worcester) lining hundreds of Worcester's expanding streets and neighborhoods. In 1831, Ichabod Washburn opened the Washburn & Moen Company . The company would become the largest wire manufacturing in
10350-692: The mid-20th century, large urban renewal projects were undertaken to try to reverse the city's decline. A huge area of downtown Worcester was demolished for new office towers and the 1,000,000 sq ft (93,000 m ) Worcester Center Galleria shopping mall. After only 30 years, the Galleria would lose most of its major tenants and its appeal to more suburban shopping malls around Worcester County. On June 9, 1953, an F4 tornado touched down in Petersham , northwest of Worcester. The tornado tore through 48 miles (77 km) of Worcester County including
10465-442: The most associated with the stateside Puerto Rican population. However, several neighborhoods in eastern North Philadelphia , especially Fairhill , have some of the highest concentrations of Puerto Ricans in the United States, Fairhill having the highest when being compared to other big city neighborhoods. Between the 1950s and the 1980s, large numbers of Puerto Ricans migrated to New York, especially to Brooklyn , The Bronx , and
10580-402: The most exposure to US culture and Puerto Ricans in the mainland United States tend to be the most "American-ized" of all major Latino groups. Though, 1st-generation Puerto Rico-born migrants tend to be more traditional, while people born in the US mainland of Puerto Rican ancestry tend to merge traditional Puerto Rican culture with mainland American culture . The Puerto Rican variant of Spanish
10695-532: The most residentially segregated group in the United States, a 2002 study shows that stateside Puerto Ricans are the most segregated among US Latinos. Stateside Puerto Ricans are disproportionately clustered in what has been called the "Boston-New York-Philadelphia-Washington Corridor" and in Florida along the East Coast . The U.S. Northeast Corridor , coined a "megalopolis" by geographer Jean Gottman in 1956,
10810-501: The nearby Blackstone River . However, the manufacturing industry in Worcester would not begin to thrive until the opening of the Blackstone Canal in 1828 and the opening of the Worcester and Boston Railroad in 1835. The city transformed into a transportation hub and the manufacturing industry flourished. Worcester was officially chartered as a city on February 29, 1848. The city's industries soon attracted immigrants of primarily Irish, Scottish, French, German, and Swedish descent in
10925-419: The past, as said earlier Florida and other Northeast states are now receiving larger numerical growth. However, much of the stagnant population growth is due to an equal number of Puerto Ricans leaving New York as there is Puerto Ricans moving to New York, as many people of Puerto Rican ancestry now living in other states are originally from the New York City area . Although Puerto Ricans constitute 9 percent of
11040-490: The percentage went up about 1.1 percentage points which is a percentile increase more than any other state, and currently over 8 percent of the state is of Puerto Rican ancestry, sitting nearly three whole percentage points above the second highest percentage. Of smaller states with populations under 3 million, Rhode Island has the fastest growing number of Puerto Ricans. New York is still a relatively popular destination for those migrating from Puerto Rico, though not as much as in
11155-564: The population is also growing throughout the United States, particularly in the South. From 2010–17, Florida's Puerto Rican population increased from 847,000 to 1.120 million, increasing by nearly 300,000, allowing Florida to replace New York as the state with the largest Puerto Rican population. Puerto Ricans have been heavily increasing in many other parts of the country too, such as Texas and Ohio. Despite Puerto Rican populations in New York and New Jersey being relatively stagnant, other parts of
11270-604: The ports of the eastern coast of the United States and Puerto Rico. Ship records show that many Puerto Ricans traveled on ships that sailed from and to U.S. and Puerto Rico. Many of them settled in places such as New York , New Jersey , Connecticut , and Massachusetts . Upon the outbreak of the American Civil War , some Puerto Ricans joined the ranks of the military armed forces. However, since Puerto Ricans were still Spanish subjects, they were inscribed as Spaniards . Even during Spanish rule, Puerto Ricans settled in
11385-498: The rest of the US Latino community, are facts such as, Puerto Ricans have the highest military enrollment rates compared to other Latinos, Puerto Ricans are more likely to be proficient in English than any other Latino group, and Puerto Ricans are also more likely to intermarry with other ethnic groups, and far more likely to intermarry with Blacks than any other Latino group. During the 19th century, commerce existed between
11500-622: The second half of November into early April, with occasional falls in October; May snow is much rarer. The USDA classifies the city as straddling hardiness zones 5b and 6a. The hottest month is July, with a 24-hour average of 70.2 °F (21.2 °C), while the coldest is January, at 24.1 °F (−4.4 °C). There are an average of only 3.5 days of highs at or above 90 °F (32 °C) and 4.1 nights of lows at or below 0 °F (−18 °C) per year, and periods of either extremes are rarely sustained. The all-time record high temperature
11615-415: The second largest Puerto Rican population, estimated at about 150,000. Since 2010, Philadelphia replaced the city of Chicago as the city with the second-largest Puerto Rican population, Chicago's slightly shrunk and Philadelphia's continued to grow, more than ever before, not only having the second largest Puerto Rican population, but also one of the fastest-growing. Most sources, including the most reliable,
11730-451: The sides, sheltered by the ends of the barrel roof. The eastern entrance is enclosed in a 1950s steel-and-glass enclosure, and the western entrance is accessed by an enclosed stair; both still have their original wooden doors. The diner is covered in yellow ceramic panels with red lettering reading "Boulevard Diner". The interior has had many of its features restored, including marble counters, tile floors, and appliance surrounds. The diner
11845-453: The stateside Puerto Rican community for most of the 20th century. However, it is not clear whether these settlement changes can be characterized as simple population dispersal. Puerto Rican population settlements today are less concentrated than they were in places like New York City, Chicago and a number of cities in Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Jersey. New York State has resumed its net in-migration of Puerto Rican Americans since 2006,
11960-411: The stateside Puerto Rican community. In July 1930, Puerto Rico's Department of Labor established an employment service in New York City. The Migration Division (known as the "Commonwealth Office"), also part of Puerto Rico's Department of Labor, was created in 1948, and by the end of the 1950s, was operating in 115 cities and towns stateside. The strength of stateside Puerto Rican identity is fueled by
12075-446: The structure of the council and the election of the mayor. The 9-member Council became 11, 6 at-large and 1 from each city district. The mayor is chosen by popular election, but must also run and win as an at-large councilor. Worcester's history of social progressivism includes a number of temperance and abolitionist movements. It was a leader in the women's suffrage movement: The first national convention advocating women's rights
12190-407: The theme of "dispersal" has had a long history with the stateside Puerto Rican community. More recent demographic developments appear at first blush as if the stateside Puerto Rican population has been dispersing in greater numbers. Duany had described this process as a "reconfiguration" and termed it the "nationalizing" of this community throughout the United States. New York City was the center of
12305-700: The two major Puerto Rican communities in the city, but during the 1960s and 1970s, predominately Puerto Rican neighborhoods started to spring up in the Bronx because of its proximity to East Harlem and in Brooklyn because of its proximity via the Williamsburg Bridge to the Lower East Side. There are significant Puerto Rican communities in all five boroughs of New York City . Philippe Bourgois , an anthropologist who has studied Puerto Ricans in
12420-491: Was 67.7% White (including Hispanics), 13.0% Black or African American , 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 7.2% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, 5.2% from Some Other Race, and 6.4% from Two or More Races. Hispanics and Latinos of any race made up 24.6% of the population (of whom nearly half were Puerto Rican). Non-Hispanic Whites were 48.93% of the population in 2020, down from 96.8% in 1970. In 2010, 19.7% of Worcester's population are below
12535-428: Was again abandoned during Queen Anne's War in 1702. Finally, in 1713, Worcester was permanently resettled for a third and final time by Jonas Rice . Named after the city of Worcester, England , the town was incorporated on June 14, 1722. On April 2, 1731, Worcester was chosen as the county seat of the newly founded Worcester County government. Between 1755 and 1758, future U.S. president John Adams worked as
12650-438: Was born outside the United States. A center of higher education, it is home to eight colleges and universities, including the College of the Holy Cross , Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), and Clark University . Worcester has many 19th-century triple-decker houses, Victorian-era mills and related buildings , and lunch-car diners, such as Miss Worcester . Worcester is the principal city of Central Massachusetts , and
12765-533: Was held in Worcester on October 23–24, 1850. Two of the nation's most radical abolitionists, Abby Kelley Foster and her husband Stephen S. Foster, adopted Worcester as their home, as did Thomas Wentworth Higginson , the editor of The Atlantic Monthly and Emily Dickinson 's avuncular correspondent, and Unitarian minister Rev. Edward Everett Hale . The area was already home to Lucy Stone , Eli Thayer , and Samuel May Jr . They were joined in their political activities by networks of related Quaker families such as
12880-524: Was inhabited by members of the Nipmuc tribe at the time of European contact. The native people called the region Quinsigamond and built a settlement on Pakachoag Hill in Auburn . In 1673, English settlers John Eliot and Daniel Gookin led an expedition to Quinsigamond to establish a new Christian Indian praying town and identify a new location for an English settlement. On July 13, 1674, Gookin obtained
12995-649: Was manufactured in 1936 by the Worcester Lunch Car Company as #730, and was owned by Frank Galanto, a prominent local owner of several diners, from its construction until 1969. At the time of its National Register listing in 2000, it had been owned since 1969 by members of the George family. The barrel-roof diner was one of the company's more common products. Worcester, Massachusetts Worcester ( / ˈ w ʊ s t ər / WUUST -ər , locally [ˈwɪstə] )
13110-467: Was one of the founders of the John Birch Society . Stateside Puerto Ricans Stateside Puerto Ricans (Spanish: Puertorriqueños en Estados Unidos ), also ambiguously known as Puerto Rican Americans (Spanish: puertorriqueño-americanos , puertorriqueño-estadounidenses ), or Puerto Ricans in the United States , are Puerto Ricans who are in the United States proper of
13225-473: Was the only state to register a decrease in its Puerto Rican population in the 2020 census. There is a notable number of stateside-born Puerto Ricans moving from the Northeastern states to South Atlantic States , especially to Florida, but to a lesser degree many are also going to Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia as well. The Northeast Corridor remains a major destination for Puerto Ricans, however
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