MassLive.com – September 7, 2020
Located in Central Massachusetts, Worcester is known as the “heart of the Commonwealth.” Established as a town in 1722, it was formally incorporated as a city in 1848. Worcester has a long rich history of industry and innovation but it came of age as a truly industrial city in the forty years after the Civil War. 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 but in the mid-20th century, large urban renewal projects were undertaken to try and reverse the city’s decline. Today, Worcester’s economy has begun to recover as the city expanded into biotechnology and healthcare fields and the city has gotten national recognition as an entrepreneurial friendly hub. Fun fact: Worcester resident Harvey Ball designed the world famous Smiley Face in 1963.
