Book excerpt: This book is a comprehensive history of Worcester, Massachusetts, from its earliest settlement to the present day. With chapters on topics such as government, industry, and culture, the author provides a comprehensive view of the city's development over time. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of Worcester and the role of the city in Massachusetts and New England history. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.