Billerica /bɪlˈrɪkə/ (listen) is a town in Middlesex County,
Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,243 according to
the 2010 census. It takes its name from the town of Billericay in
Essex, England.In the early 1630s, a Praying Indian village named
Shawshin was at the current site of Billerica, commonly spelled
Shawsheen today, as in the Shawsheen River. In 1638, Massachusetts Bay
Governor John Winthrop and Lt. Governor Thomas Dudley were granted
land along the Concord River in the area, and roughly a dozen families
from Cambridge and Charlestown Village had begun to occupy Shawshin by
1652. The settlers chose the name Billerica because some of the
families originally came from the town of Billericay in Essex,
England. The town was incorporated as Billerica in 1655, on the same
day as neighboring Chelmsford and nearby Groton. The original
plantation of Billerica was divided during the colonial period into
the towns of Billerica, Bedford, Wilmington, and Tewksbury.In the
early 1630s, a Praying Indian village named Shawshin was at the
current site of Billerica, commonly spelled Shawsheen today, as in the
Shawsheen River. In 1638, Massachusetts Bay Governor John Winthrop and
Lt. Governor Thomas Dudley were granted land along the Concord River
in the area, and roughly a dozen families from Cambridge and
Charlestown Village had begun to occupy Shawshin by 1652. The settlers
chose the name Billerica because some of the families originally came
from the town of Billericay in Essex, England. The town was
incorporated as Billerica in 1655, on the same day as neighboring
Chelmsford and nearby Groton. The original plantation of Billerica was
divided during the colonial period into the towns of Billerica,
Bedford, Wilmington, and Tewksbury.The oldest remaining homestead in
the town is the Manning Manse built in 1696, which was also the
residence of William Manning (1747â€"1814), the author of The Key of
Liberty, a critique of Federalist policies. Other notable
Revolutionary War era residents included Asa Pollard (1735â€"75), the
first soldier killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill, and Thomas Ditson
(born 1741), who was tarred and feathered by the British in 1775 while
on a visit to Boston. The song "Yankee Doodle" supposedly became a
term of national pride instead of an insult because of this event. The
town now celebrates "Yankee Doodle Weekend" every September.According
to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 26.4
square miles (68 km2), of which 25.9 square miles (67 km2) are land
and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km2) (1.90%) is water. Billerica, Massachusetts Top Movies & Young Movies