Tewksbury

Tewksbury is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 28,961.HistoryTewksbury was first settled in 1637 and was officially incorporated in 1734 from Billerica. Like Tewksbury Township, New Jersey, it is named after the town of Tewkesbury, England. Tewksbury, Massachusetts and Tewkesbury, England kept connected through a local committee called the twinning committee. One of the oldest sections of town is the area around the Shawsheen River. This is where the Shawshin tribe settled, allowing them access to a great food source through fishing in the river. Tewksbury was also known for a historic visit by President Andrew Jackson, stopping off at local watering hole, Brown's Tavern.On July 24, 1857, a powerful tornado swept through Tewksbury. The tempest began at Round Pond as a small water spout, and traveled west and then southeast to the Shawsheen River. It dissipated at North Wilmington. Several corn fields and orchards were severely damaged, with one residence having its roof blown off. The tornado was powerful enough to flatten barns and sheds, pull up large trees by their roots, and sweep away and kill a team of oxen. Due to the sparse population, and homes located above the valley floor, no one was killed, and only a few people were injured.GeographyAccording to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 21.1sqmi, of which 20.7sqmi is land and 0.3sqmi, or 1.61%, is water.