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is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States.
It is bounded on the northwest by Phillipston and Templeton; on the northeast by Gardner and Westminster; on the southeast by Princeton and Rutland; and on the southwest by Barre.
Originally called the "Northeast Quarter", Hubbardston was part of Rutland until it became a town in 1767. It was named for Thomas Hubbard, a prominent Bostonian who served several years as the Massachusetts Speaker of the House of Representatives and was the treasurer for Harvard College for 17 years. Hubbard was an extensive land owner in several central Massachusetts towns. Tradition says that in view of the honor of giving his name to the town, he promised to provide the glass for the windows or the first meeting house built in town. To make his liberality more conspicuous, the people planned for extra windows. Hubbard died in 1773 and his estate was so complicated that the town of Hubbardston received nothing and was obliged to glaze the windows at its own expense.
The first settler was Eleazer Brown, who came from Rutland in 1737. Mr. Brown was provided 60 acres by the proprietors and operated a hotel used by surveyors and trappers passing through this wilderness. Until 1746, Mr. Brown and his wife were the only inhabitants of Hubbardston. After Eleazer's death (it is said that he was killed by a deer), Mrs. Brown was the only occupant of town for several years and kept a public house for prominent travelers. In 1749 Israel Green moved into Hubbardston. His daughter, Molly Green is reported to be the first child born in Hubbardston. Mr. Green was the fist chairman of the board of selectmen.
The community has been described by historians as a poor town in its early years, sparsely settled and almost solely agricultural. By the 18th century, there were sawmills potash works and cottage industries, including the making of palm leaf hats, chairs, cabinets, shoes, and horse blankets.
By the 19th century, dairy and berry farming and market gardening were major enterprises. Immigrants from Ireland, French Canada, England, Sweden and Finland moved to town to work on local farms.