It is 21 miles north of Boston, easily accessable via major highways making it popular choice with residents and businesses to reside. Tewksbury was first settled in 1637 and was officially incorporated in 1734 from Billerica. Like Tewksbury Township, New Jersey, it is named after the town of Tewkesbury, England. One of the oldest sections of town is the area around the Shawsheen River. This is wh
ere the Shawshin tribe settled, allowing them access to a great food source. Tewksbury was also known for a historic visit by President Andrew Jackson, stopping off at local watering hole, Brown's Tavern.[1]
Tewksbury, like most towns in Massachusetts, operates under a New England town form of government. Day-to-day management is led by a Town Manager, who reports to the town's five member Board of Selectmen. Every spring the town holds an Open Town Meeting where the budget is submitted for approval by the town's citizens. Tewksbury State Hospital, a state-owned facility, is located here. Originally built as an almshouse in the mid-19th century, it includes over 900 acres (3.6 km2) of open space. Tewksbury Hospital is home to both the Department of Mental Health and the Department of Public Health, and has many different programs for addictive behavior and other health concerns. Anne Sullivan (Helen Keller's teacher) spent time at Tewksbury Hospital
