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is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, in the United States. Incorporated in 1653, Lancaster is the oldest town in Worcester County. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 7,380.
For geographic and demographic information on the village of South Lancaster, please see the article South Lancaster, Massachusetts.
Lancaster was first settled as "Nashaway" (after the local Nashaway Indian tribe) in 1643. It was officially incorporated and renamed "Lancaster on the Nashua" in 1653. Until it was cut down due to safety concerns, Lancaster boasted the largest oak tree in the state, called the Beaman Oak, named after settler Gamaliel Beaman (1623-1677).
Lancaster boasts being the official "mothertown" to all of central Massachusetts. Towns such as Harvard, Stow, Bolton, Hudson, Marlborough, Leominster, Clinton, Berlin and Boylston were all once considered part of Lancaster.
Supporters of Lancaster's founder, John Prescott (1604-1681), wished to name the new settlement Prescottville, but the Massachusetts General Court considered such a request from a common freeman presumptuous, given that at that time not even a governor had held the honor of naming a town after himself. Instead, they decided to use Lancaster, the name of his home town in England.
Lancaster is home to the Mary Rowlandson (c1637-1711) attack in 1675 and 1676. During King Philip's War, which was fought partially in Lancaster, a tribe of Indians pillaged the entire town of Lancaster. Their last stop on their trail of destruction was Mary Rowlandson's house. Coming to the defense of the house was Rowlandson's brother in-law who was immediately shot and killed by the attacking Indians. The Indians then set fire to the house, forcing Rowlandson to exit the burning building. Upon crossing the doorstep, Rowlandson saw a scene full of carnage. Her entire family was slaughtered, with the exception of her son, Joseph, her two daughters, Mary and Sarah, and herself. They were kidnapped by the Indians who then took them with them on their travels across New England. The Indians non-fatally shot her in her side.
During her captivity, Rowlandson wrote a book called "A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson." The book is widely considered one of the greatest examples of a captivity narrative.
In 2000, Lancaster Elementary school changed its name to Mary Rowlandson Elementary School.
In 2002, Lancaster Middle school changed its name to Luther Burbank Middle School.