USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wilmington > Town of Wilmington Annual Report 1956-1957 > Part 25
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4.00
Salary, Clerical
6. 25
Advertising
82.00
Printing, Voting Lists, etc.
20. 79
Repairs, Office Equipment
23. 85
Binding
12. 50
Supplies, Office
936. 01
Census Expenses
1,000.00
Supplies, Office
190. 44
Town Clerk:
Salary, Administration
3,515.00
Services, Clerical
30.00
Dues & Subscriptions
7. 50
Dues
25.00
Binding, Births, Deaths, Mtg. , etc.
31.00
Printing, Finance Comm. Reports
175.00
Supplies, Office
80. 36
Advertising
7,00
Postage
69.00
Assessors, Board of:
306. 00
Salary, Administration
5,088.00
Salaries, Members
5,153. 40
Salary, Administration
9,172. 71
Services, Clerical
279. 05
Salary, Secretary
2,683.00
Dues & Subscriptions
65. 25
Services, Clerical
42.00
Printing
9. 50
Dues & Subscriptions
169. 13
Binding
80.53
Printing & Advertising
3. 35
Recording Fees
28. 10
Mileage Allowances
396. 16
Mileage Allowances
451. 28
Repairs, Office Equipment
108. 20
Repairs, Office Equipment
79. 10
Supplies, Office
377. 77
Supplies, Office
555. 91
Supplies, Library
93. 64
11,790. 12
ndustrial Account:
Retainer
875.00
Dues & Subscriptions
442. 00
Legal Fees
525.00
Travel Allowances
50. 00
Recording Fees
51. 24
Contractual Services
4. 61
Supplies, Office
48. 76
496. 61
1,500.00
Town Accountant:
Salary, Administration
5,088.00
Services, Clerical
1,407.20
Dues & Subscriptions
12. 00
Travel Allowances
25.00
Salary, Clerk
480.00
Rental, Town Meeting Costs
340.00
Jues & Subscriptions 50.00
Printing & Advertising
107. 75
Legal Fees/ Land Sale Costs
171. 42
Travel Allowances
75.00
Supplies Office
63. 55
1,237. 72
lection Expenses:
Bank Charges
150. 00
4,510.29
1,792. 84
Finance Committee:
Postage
1.60
3,635. 46
Town Manager:
13,045. 96
Town Counsel:
5,120. 86
electmen, Board of:
125
Wiryla +=n M'amerial Library
Town Hall:
Salaries, Clerks
5,720.00
Salaries
62,537. 2!
Salary, Janitor
1,600.00
Dues & Subscriptions
8. 00
Postage
938. 60
Postage
5. 1.
Electricity
608. 91
Mileage Allowances
600. 00
Telephone
1,930.89
Meals, Call Firemen
268. 84
Water
18.00
Repairs, Radios
137. 34
Repairs, Office Equipment
559. 23
Repairs, Dept. Equipment
34. 94
Repairs, Building & Grounds
371. 99
Repairs, Fire Alarm System
94.81
Supplies, Office
677. 15
Repairs, Fire Trucks
2,198.50
Supplies, Janitor
78. 15
Supplies, Office
48. 8℃
Supplies, Uniforms
409. 75
Supplies, Plant
1 32. 86
Supplies, Rubberwear
98. 00
Outlays, Office Equipment
54. 41
Supplies, Small Tools & Equip.
141. 57
Outlays, Plant Equipment
208. 80
Supplies, Firefighting
208. 38
Gasoline & Oils
817. 64
Tires & Tubes
139. 15
Batteries
22.00
Services, Clerical
152.25
Printing
176. 50
Advertising
171. 00
Recording Fees
6. 00
Experts & Consultants
4,100.00
Supplies, Office
108. 42
Medical Payments, Fire Chief
2,700.00
Firefighting Equipment
2,502.00
Fire Alarm Extension
2,722. 14
TOTAL EXPENDITURES GENERAL GOVERNMENT:
70,946. 54
Ambulance Account:
Wages, Attendants
690. 00
PROTECTION OF PERSONS AND
Laundering & Cleaning
49. 00
Repairs, Vehicles
565.00
Supplies, Bedding
11. 50
Gasoline & Oils
246. 14
Wax & Polish
26. 25
1,587. 89
Fire/Police Department:
Lights
668. 44
Telephone
390. 64
Meals, Prisoner, visiting persons
31. 44
Water Charges
25. 70
Repairs, Radios
Bottled Gas
25. 50
Repairs, Cruisers
548.26
Repairs, Radio Base Station
193. 77
Supplies, Office
133. 15
Repairs, Building
619. 90
Supplies, Uniforms
564. 15
Supplies, Janitor
89. 18
Supplies, Small Tools & Equipment
Fuel, Heating
1,745. 31
Gasoline & Oils
2,032.07
Supplies, Plant
739. 85
Tires & Tubes
394. 00
Outlay, Major Repairs
2,717. 20
Batteries
21. 75
Accessories
19. 00
Civil Defense:
Utilities, Telphone
189. 43
Communications
533. 33
Transportation
265. 41
Supplies, Office
69. 58
Repairs, Equipment
448. 40
Repairs, Building
240. 00
Training & Education
165. 64
Supplies, Department
1,108. 41
126
3,020.60
Salaries
61,033.00
Dues & Subscriptions
20.00
Postage
21.05
Telephone
777. 56
Mileage Allowances
600.00
Care of Grounds
4. 14
Batteries & Lights
114. 11
67,888. 42
Fire Department Outlays:
New Fire Truck
7,434. 15
Supplies, Fuel Oil
521. 77
Outlays, Major Repairs & Instal.
1,963.96
15,384. 72
Planning Board:
Outlay, New Cruisers
1,793. 68
68,629. 52
7,215. 49
Ammunition
16. 40
Medical & First Aid
3,90
Safety Car Storage
100.00
Fire Department:
4, 714. 17
15,359.07
PROPERTY:
Police Department:
388. 28
131. 83
Constable: Services
100.00
Dog Officer:
Salary, Administration
400.00
Mileage Allowances
360.00
Lease of Quarters
300.00
Services, Disposal of Dogs
372.00
1,432.00
Town Engineer:
Salary, Administrative
5,565.00
Salary, Administration
4,770.00
Salary, Assistant 3,004.00
Fees, Plumbing Inspector
533. 63
Dues & Subscription
4.00
Fees, Electrical Inspector
1,007.50
Blueprints
43. 06
Dues & Subscriptions
31.50
Recording Fees
17.00
Printing
84. 55
Mileage Allowances
494.00
Repairs, Equipment
65. 37
Supplies, Office
117.02
Supplies, Office
353. 60
Supplies, Library
7.50
Board of Appeals:
Supplies, Small Tools & Equipment
110. 76
Services, Clerical
143. 75
Postage
10.00
Street Betterments:
466. 00
188. 21
Supplies, Construction
213. 38
Sealer of Weights & Measures:
250.00
Highway Department:
Salary & Wages
32,984. 52
Supplies, Small Tools & Equipment
63.00
Rent, Buildings
360.00
Rent, Trucks
63. 50
Tree Warden:
Rent, Equipment
7,726. 00
Salary, Administrative
4,664. 00
Lights
22. 10
Dues & Subscriptions
9.00
Telephone
157.00
Lights
1.00
18.00
Telephone
91.90
Repairs, Radios
8.00
Mileage Allowances
423. 76
Repair & Maintenance Garages
490. 20
Repairs, Equipment
61.93
Supplies, Office
42. 78
Repairs, Trucks
157. 75
Supplies, Garage Maintenance
21.25
Supplies, Care of Grounds
13. 25
Supplies, Rubberwear
59.29
Gas & Oils
252. 38
Fuel, Heating
364. 87
Supplies, Small Tools & Equipment
1,864. 23
Supplies, Lumber
181. 34
Dutch Elm Control:
Supplies, Paint, etc.
267. 93
Salaries, Tree Workers
5,276. 95
Supplies, Fixtures & Bulbs
1.57
Repairs, Departmental Equipment
7.50
Supplies, Hardware
14. 64
Supplies, Small Tools & Equipment
567. 25
Supplies, Sand, Gravel & Stone
3,019. 71
Supplies, Chemicals
708. 12
Supplies, Patch
1,907. 82
Supplies, Tar & Road Oils
955. 58
Gypsy Moth Control:
Supplies, Catch Basins & Drains
1,083.57
Salaries & Wages
4,302. 25
Supplies, Fence & Sign Posts
2, 622. 34
Dues & Subscriptions
7.00
Lights
12. 38
Repairs, Equipment
38. 56
Supplies, Chemicals
687. 21
Chapter 90 Construction:
Wages
3, 221. 26
Town Forest:
Rent, Equipment
264.00
Wages
149. 25
Supplies, Construction
13,523. 74
Supplies, Kerosene
28. 24
Supplies, Flashlights & Batteries
21. 48
54,123. 28
5,047.40
Mosquito Control:
Supplies, Chemicals 501. 01
TOTAL EXPENDITURES: PROTECTION OF PERSONS AND PROPERTY 190,990. 64
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS:
Building Inspector:
Mileage Allowances
467. 44
Supplies, Office
34. 46
Salary & Wages
679. 38
Salary, Administrative
Supplies, Office
11. 35
324. 35
Outlay, Mechanical Equipment
301.00
5,975.97
6,559. 82
17,009.00
127
Water Charges
9,664. 29
7,011.64
Road Machinery Account:
Repairs, Equipment Gas & Oils
4,937. 40
Postage
Tires & Tubes
810. 16
Lights
12. 3
Batteries
81. 11
Telephone
164. 1
Water Charges
18. )
Mileage Allowances
43.
Repairs, Equipment
211.
Repairs, Vehicles
42. )
Salary & Wages
1,073.70
Fuel, Heating
122. )
Supplies, Department
113. 1
Supplies, Patch
2,161.53
Supplies, Flowers & Bulbs
333.
Supplies, Fertilizers
52.
Chapter 81 Maintenance:
Salary & Wages
8,856.27
Supplies, Liners
764. . 1
14,719.
TOTAL EXPENDITURES:
DEPT. OF PUBLIC WORKS
185,852. !
HEALTH & SANITATION:
Garden Court Extension:
Construction
1,488.40
Health & Sanitation:
Salary, Sanitarian
5,088. 6
Services, Clerical
480. (
Wages
2,580. 30
Services, Constable
10. (
Recording Fees
57. 65
Salary, Public Nurse
3,392. (
Supplies
11,601.01
Salary, Substitute Nurse
142. (
Salary, Health Agent
500. 0
Snow & Ice Removal:
Salary & Wages
6,154. 30
Rent, Laboratory
Rent, Equipment
2,571.25
Dues & Subscriptions
19. 5
Meals, Emergency Workers
82. 33
Repairs, Equipment
1,592.50
Weather Contract
220.00
11. 2
Supplies, Small Tools & Equipment
40. 77
Recording Fees
11. 0
Supplies, Salt & Sand
2,615. 50
Mileage Allowances
1,052. 1
Gasolines & Oils
996. 52
Outlay, Equipment
1,225.00
Disposal of Animals
150. 4
Supplies, Office
117. 5
Supplies, Chemicals
5.2
Public Street Lights:
12, 747. 99
Supplies, First Aid
21. 0
Supplies, Medical
24, 9
Hospitalization
1,479. 1
Immunization Clinics
114. 5
Anti-Rabies Clinic
358. 5
Polio Clinic
1,093.6
Wages, Beach Police Detail
288.00
15,308. 3
Lights
6. 12
Water Charges
20. 30
Garbage Collection
9,450.0
Supplies, Equipment
311. 49
Supplies, Sand
71. 81
Operate Dump
4,000.0
937. 72
TOTAL EXPENDITURES
Public Sewer Mains:
25.00
HEALTH & SANITATION:
28,758. 4
Cemeteries:
4,802. 40
Salaries & Wages
12,740. ) 3. 5
Fuel, Operating
171. 54
Supplies, Vehicles
665. 50
11,468.11
Chapter 90 Maintenance:
4,491. 29
Gasoline & Oils
26. 1
Rent, Equipment
163. 75
Supplies, Sand, Gravel & Stone
7,638. 49
Supplies, Patch
11,242.02
Supplies, Signs & Fences
848. 70
28,749.23
Construction of Specified Streets:
14,238.96
Animal Inspector
500. 0
200. 0
Printing
14. 5
Advertising
322. 7
Postage
Administration of the Housing Act
200. 2
15,498.17
Land Reclamation:
11.96
Parks:
Wages, Maintenance of Grounds
240.00
128
. . 4.
Supplies, Sand, Gravel & Stone
1,256.06
CHARITIES & VETERANS AID:
Schools (contd. )
Library Supplies, Schools
1,154.03
Physical Education & Athletics
4,244. 99
Cafeteria Subsidy 2,344. 71
Rent, Quarters
300.00
Dues
8.00
New Equipment
2,765. 30
Postage
33. 60
511, 974. 62
Telephone
232. 90
Additions & Alterations Jr /Sr
Legal Fees
10. 75
High School 68,227. 10
Travel Allowances, Agent
5.25
Meals
7.25
Athletic Field Construction
8,876. 40
Repairs, Office Equipment
12. 25
Repairs, Vehicles
248. 18
Contractual Services
5. 25
Supplies, Office
599. 98
Supplies, Department
8. 50
Salaries & Wages 51,615.80
Repairs, High School 353. 76
Welfare Aid
6,435. 54
Aid to Dependent Children
14, 933. 04
Supplies, Janitors, High School
2,121. 58
Old Age Assistance
35,644. 14
Fuel, Heating, High School
6,183. 60
Disability Assistance
16,000.00
Supplies, High School Plant
1,814.69
Veterans Aid:
Rent, Elementary Classrooms
2,596. 42
Salary, Administrative
1,060.00
Repairs, Elementary Schools
1,465. 16
Dues & Subscriptions
10.00
Window Cleaning, Elementary Schools
., 558. 27
Postage
12. 00
Supplies, Janitors, Elementary
2,238.85
Telephone
26. 37
Fuel, Heating, Elementary
9,464. 43
Transportation
125. 60
Supplies, Plant, Elementary 1,828. 83
Supplies, Office
9.50
Outlay, Major Repairs, Elementary
3,775. 79
Veterans Aid
15,036. 63
Telephone Shop
91. 35
Repairs, Shop, Equipment
23. 06
TOTAL EXPENDITURES
Repairs, Vehicles
318. 78
CHARITIES & VETERANS AID
95,250.63
Small Tools & Equipment, Shop
548. 61
Supplies, Shop
799. 98
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
Gasoline & Oils
50.00
EDUCATIONAL & LIBRARY:
Outlay, Mechanical Equipment
226. 28
School Grounds, Maintenance
3,881. 31
Schools, Educational:
92,251.29
Salaries
428,254. 99
Vocational Training:
Tuition Charges
4,719. 12
Superintendent's Expenses, Office
1,744. 22
Transportation Reimbursement
745. 20
Census Expenses
165.00
5,464. 32
Directors & Supervisors Exp. , Office
183. 30
Public Library:
H. S. Texts & Instructional Aids
5,880. 35
Salaries & Wages
3,623. 65
H. S. Stationery * Supplies
8,931.82
Dues
2. 00
Elementary Texts & Instruction Aids
5,695. 45
Binding
55. 59
Elementary Stationery & Supplies
5,207. 19
Electricity
139. 36
Health Expenses
275. 18
Telephone
84.90
Health Clinic
300.00
Water Charges
18.00
High School Utilities
3,439.69
Repairs, Building
54. 57
Elementary School Utilities
3,814. 16
Supplies, Office
223. 83
Bus Transportation
33,771.00
Supplies, Books
2,912.23
Taxi Transportation
1,536.00
Fuel, Heating
195. 63
Athletic Transportation
1,126. 50
7,309. 76
Out of State Travel
500.00
TOTAL EXPENDITURES
SCHOOLS & LIBRARY:
741,214. 14
129
Welfare:
Salaries, Administrative
4,485. 90
Special Education 499. 98
Construction Glen Road School
47,110.65
School Operating Plants:
5,957.81
Window Cleaning, H. S. 735. 22
73,012. 72
Outlay, Major Repairs, High School
1,559.52
16,280. 10
School Committee Expenses
140. 76
RECREATION & UNCLASSIFIED:
Recreation Account:
Salary & Wages
5,804. 50
Utilities
54. 79
Repairs, Buildings
9. 50
Supplies, Office
24. 08
Supplies, First Aid
49. 43
Supplies, Playground & Beach
194. 21
Supplies, Prize Awards
75. 00
Bonds & Insurance:
Bonds
1,620.65
Workmen's Comp. & Public Liab.
5,049.82
Vehicle Public Liab. & Prop. Damage
6,013. 91
Vehicle Fire & Theft
293. 58
Equip. Property Floater Policy
71. 58
Boiler Insurance
279. 91
Fire & Ext. Coverage, Bldgs.
1,711.98
15,041.43
Interest:
Water Bonds
3,941.25
Anticipation Revenue Notes
11,259.40
Anticipation Serial Issue Bonds
1,960. 27
Repairs, Buildings
121. 08
Repairs, Vehicles
1,113. 35
Rent of Equipment
3,023. 60
Hydrant Maintenance
1,785. 60
Supplies, Department
14,721. 90
Outlay, Purchase of Truck
795. 00
Water Bonds
24,500.00
Fire /Police Station
5,000.00
School Bonds
120,000.00
149,500. 00
Water Extensions, 1955 (West St. )
Salaries
18. 00
Contractual Services
1,372.00
Supplies
55.00
Town Report:
Clerical Services
114. 60
Advertising
10.00
Printing
2,169. 37
Photos
57.00
2,350. 97
Contractual Services
14,375. 91
Equipment Hire
1,769.00
Construction Supplies
14,841.08
33, 963. 34
Town Clock
45. 00
Fluoridation Equipment:
Supplies
847. 13
Unpaid Bills of Previous Years
1,856.25
Memorial Day Committee:
694. 05
1956
994. 83
1957
27,464. 71
Lease of Quarters, D. A. V., V.F. W.,
2,250.00
Water Meters :
14,450. 04
4 H Town Committee:
100.00
TOTAL EXPEND. - WATER DEPT.
163, 618. 03
130
11,474. 76
Microfilm Town Records
1,042.40
Urban Renewal in Wilmington
962. 78
Valuation Books
3,140. 20
Re-Appraisal Account
1,633. 44
TOTAL EXPENDITURES RECREATION & UNCLASSIFIED
265, 526. 84
Water Department, Maintenance and Operation
Salaries & Wages
51,772. 38
Clerical Services
734. 03
Travel Allowances
393. 17
Contractual Services
671. 23
Supplies, Office & Station
1,790.50
Outlay, Office Equipment
89. 76
Utilities
584. 84
Repairs, Equipment
792. 12
Fire /Police Station
1,168. 75
School Bonds
48,757.50
Street Construction Bonds
420.00
67,507.17
Maturing Debt:
Gasoline & Oils
1,666. 32
Fuel, Diesel
4,349. 50
84,404. 38
Training & Conferences:
748. 82
Barrows Well Field & Improvements to Existing System:
Salaries
1,966. 85
Professional Services
1,010.50
Tax Title & Legal Assistance
872. 06
1,493. 60
Water Betterments:
and American Legion
Outlay, Road Machinery Equip.
6,211.51
APPENDIX
GENERAL PLAN REPORT -
1957
131
. ...
GENERAL PLAN REPORT for the TOWN OF WILMINGTON MASSACHUSETTS
Prepared by PLANNING & RENEWAL ASSOCIATES PLANNING CONSULTANTS
for WILMINGTON PLANNING BOARD and MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Utilizing the URBAN PLANNING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM SECTION 701, TITLE VII, HOUSING ACT OF 1954
JULY, 1957
NGTON
TOWN OF WILMINGTON MASSACHUSETTS
PLANNING BOARD
To the Townspeople of Wilmington:
In recent years it has become increasingly apparent that haphazard, uncontrolled growth of towns and cities can and does lead to very serious difficulties. These mostly come in the form of financial troubles leading to high taxes, but other effects equally undesirable are also felt. Some of these are traffic congestion, double sessions at school, lack of recreational areas, inability to maintain proper police and fire protection, unsightly devastation of natural land features, overcrowding, and a host of others that tend to make a town a less desirable place in which to live.
The Wilmington Planning Board has already taken some steps to fore- stall this sort of trend. New subdivision regulations have been adopted in recent years, and a new set of zoning by-laws was presented to and accepted by the town meeting in November, 1955. These steps have proven to be of immeasurable value to the town, but still there is more to be done. With this in mind the Planning Board hired a professional firm of planning con- sultants to make further studies and recommendations in this field. The re- port which they have completed and returned to us is hereby submitted to you for your information and comments. The recommendations contained therein may not necessarily be the complete answer. However, these facts and opinions were gathered and offered by experts in the field of town planning and should be given the most serious of consideration. It is the intent of the Planning Board to use this report as a reference for further studies leading eventually to the adoption of a master plan for the town of Wilmington.
William K. Irwin, Ch.
A. Daniel Gillis, Sec. John R. Evans Claude W. Helwig John P. Tobey Elmer H. Woller
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Letter of Introduction
iii
A. Development Up to the Present 1
1. History .
2. Physical Features 1
3. Present Role 1
B. Current Problems 2
1. Population Growth 2
2. Municipal Resources 2
3. Route 28 . 2
4. The Town as a Unit 4
5. Controls over Land Use & Building 4
C. Future Development 5
1. Population and New Home Construction.
5
(a) Predominance of Youth. 5
(b) Population Characteristics 5
(c) Recent Growth 8
(d) Population Projection, 1955-1980 8
(e) Population Distribution. 13
2. Neighborhood Services. 13
(a) Elementary Schools 13
(b) Intermediate Schools 18
(c) Organized Play Areas 19
(d) Local Shopping and Related Parking 19
3. Town-Wide Services 22
(a) Population-Centered Services
24
(1) Town Hall and Police Headquarters. 24
(b) Site-Oriented Services .
(2) Fire Department 24 (1) Town Dump. . 24 24 24
(2) Town Garage. .
24
(c) Topography-Bound Services (1) Well fields . 24
(2) Informal Recreation Areas 25
4. Circulation 25
(a) Railroads.
27
(b) Airports 27
(c) Through Roads 27
(d) Recommended Internal Links & Improvements 28
(1) Railroad overpases
28 28
(2) Links between neighborhoods .
(3) Off-street parking . 28
(4) Relocation of Route 62 28
(5) Neighborhood streets 28
5. Non-Residential Uses 29
(a) Commercial Areas
29
(b) Industrial Areas 30
D. Summary and Table of Recommended Actions. 31
E. Next Steps 36
1
V
TABLE OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Page
1. LAND DEVELOPMENT FACTORS fol. 2
2. WILMINGTON IN THE REGION . . fol. 2
3. IN-MIGRATION FACTORS. 3
4. AGE OF POPULATION 6
5. ESTIMATED COSTS OF NEW HOMES, 1950-1956 7
6. NEW HOMES, 1946-1956. 9
7. INDICATIONS OF GROWTH AND NATURAL INCREASE 10
8. POPULATION GROWTH, 1910-1955 11
9. POPULATION PROJECTIONS, 1955-1980 12
10. RESIDENTIAL CAPACITY and BUILDABLE ACRES. 14
11. POPULATION DISTRIBUTION 15
12. EVENTUAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND PLAYGROUNDS 17
13. EVENTUAL INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS AND PLAYFIELDS 20
14. PROPOSED LOCAL BUSINESS PARKING AND ZONING 23
15. SUGGESTED LOCATIONS FOR TOWN-WIDE SERVICES 26
16. PROPOSED CIRCULATION PLAN fol. 28
17. PROPOSED GENERAL LAND USE PLAN fol. 30
18. LAND USES IN THE WILMINGTON REGION fol. 32
vi
A.
DEVELOPMENT UP TO THE PRESENT
1. HISTORY
The Massachusetts Department of Commerce's "Monograph No. 67, Town of Wilm - ington, 1954" gives a concise history worth repeating:
"Wilmington was originally settled in 1639. It was formerly within the limits of old Charlestown Village. Because of the distance to the meeting house, the General Court was petitioned to incorporate the area into a separate town. By this time, the area was part of Woburn and was called Goshen until, in 1730, after an earlier denial, the General Court passed an act incorporating parts of the territories of Woburn and Reading (then Redding) into a town to be called Wilmington.
Early settlement was for agricultural land and agriculture was dominant here until the recent past. The population, almost exclusively farmers, was small and scattered. The early agricultural product centered on three crops -- cranberries, apples and hops. The development of low land with sandy soil into cranberry bogs greatly enhanced land values and Wilmington, for a time, was the principal cranberry growing locality in a wide area. Apple raising also became important and it was here that the famous Baldwin apple was first developed by James Butters. Laommi Baldwin cut scions from Butter's tree and gave the apple its name. For many years ice was harvested from Silver Lake. Manu- facturing development was limited and came late. The Harriman tannery for a long period was the only substantial manufacturing industry of the town."
2. PHYSICAL FEATURES
Wilmington's two most striking geographical characteristics are its extensive swamp area - fully 25% of the total land - and the manner in which it is quartered and drawn, one might say, by streams, railroads and highways. Most of the remaining land is level or slightly rolling, and porous, except for rough and stony hills to the extreme north and south. Some farming persists, especially the raising of livestock, poultry and cran- berries, but little of the land is of first-rate quality for this use, and so farms will un- doubtedly give way to subdivisions. Gravel pits have gouged ugly scars in wide areas of the Town, but the new regulations in force will reduce such obvious ravage.
Many of the swamp areas in the heart of Wilmington are considered drainable, ac- cording to engineering reports made to the Massachusetts Legislature (H. 2206, 1953 and H. 2391, 1954). These lands will probably not be suitable for building unless extensive fill is added. They are therefore not included in the estimates of residential land.
3. PRESENT ROLE
The location of Wilmington - 16 miles from the employment centers of Boston, 11 from Lowell and 13 from Lawrence, and reached easily from all three by commuter train or car - sets its chief but not exclusive present function as that of a dormitory town. Given this role, the general character of land use is suggested by the geography itself: clearly defined residential areas; extensive industrial lands utilizing level. spaces adjoin- ing the length of the railroads, and knots of commercial use where the main lines of circu- lation intersect. These geographic characteristics favor one of the appropriate goals for Wilmington's development: a number of individual neighborhoods in a setting of rural simplicity, able to meet modern standards of schooling, health and communications by means of a balanced tax-base that includes industry and commerce.
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B.
CURRENT PROBLEMS
1. POPULATION GROWTH
The experience of the past years has shown that Wilmington, since the days of the railroad and now even more in the days of the automobile, owes its existence to commut- ers. Today, in spite of a great increase in local employment, at least three out of four wage-earners still work outside Wilmington.
Migration from Boston, Lowell, and Lawrence has had a noticeable effect on the region between these cities. While they were losing population in the ten years between 1945 and 1955, Wilmington and adjacent towns gained with great rapidity. In the case of Wilmington, there were, in 1955, 757 in-immigrants 21 years and over. Of these, 676 were previous Massachusetts residents. And of this number, two-thirds, or about 450, came from a three-mile-wide strip between Boston and Wilmington. It is interesting to note further that very few of the remaining one-third came from Lawrence, Lowell, or places south of Boston (Illustration 3 - Map of In-migration).
The inference to be drawn from this distribution is that in-migration into Wilming- ton will be greatly hastened by the early opening of relocated Route 28, leading out of Boston and traversing North Wilmington. It can also be stated that in-migration into Wilmington will not be noticeably affected by other new roads opened to the west and south of Boston later on. The rate of in-migration may therefore be expected to remain high.
Several questions arise out of this large influx: Can the extent and distribution of new settlement be predicted? How many schools will be needed, and where? What will the increased numbers of residents and employees require in commercial centers and related off-street parking ?
2. MUNICIPAL RESOURCES
Questions related to the rising costs of providing services for so many more people include the following: Are there any potentially saleable sites for business or in- dustry beyond those already zoned? Can the Town do anything more to add to their salea- bility? How can Wilmington attract some higher-income bracket tax-payers as residents? What can be done to increase the efficiency of services provided by the Town?
New quarters will be needed for such municipal services as the Town garage, police headquarters, auxiliary fire stations and dump. What requirements should these sites meet for maximum service? Are any tax-title properties available for them ?
3. ROUTE 28
The imminent relocation of this route will of itself create some problems - and also opportunities -, for instance: Can the Town take advantage of the potential consumer- traffic at the new interchanges to enrich its tax-base? How can zoning for highway busi- ness be realistically handled in advance of demonstrated demand for the site? Can the State be asked to supply an access road ?
What can be done to overcome the splitting effect of the limited-access highway on the neighborhood which straddles it and the internal circulation it disrupts? Is Tewks- bury's idea of moving the eventual highway connecting Route 28 with Lowell southwards into Wilmington desirable for the Town?
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