Middlesex County Massachusetts

Minuteman High School, Minuteman Drive, Paul Revere Lane - the names in this county tell its tale. In Concord, Mass, locals stop for the tour buses without blinking an eye. In nearby Lexington, children tumble on the manicured grass where colonists faced off with British soldiers on a spring day in 1775.

Middlesex County, Massachusetts is the site of the "shot heard round the world," and many of the battles that changed history and created a country. The farmers who fought for the rocky soil they'd cleared have been supplanted by modern families with careers, computers and SUVs. But the events of the Revolution, and the state's rich history, run like a golden thread through this inland county.

Lexington and Concord were the sites of the first two battles of the Revolutionary War. The British, coming to confiscate the armaments stored by rebels at Concord, were met with resistance on the Lexington Green. They made their way to Concord, where more colonists took up arms for their freedom. The leafy side streets are quiet now; the red brick downtowns bustle with people with Blackberrys. In Concord the battleground has been designated a National Park, with a ranger and interpretive material. In Lexington the battle green is the town green, smack in the middle of downtown and part of everyday living in a town that will never forget.

Middlesex County is true to its agricultural roots and to those farmers who fought for freedom. Rich farmland lines the town of Lincoln, with farm stands, nurseries and greenhouses every few miles. But the county has a rich urban heritage, too: Lowell, the county seat, once made cloth for the world. The heritage of the Lowell Mills is available in museums and walking tours. And while the Gap and Starbucks have replaced some of the funky shops in Cambridge, you can still stand on a street corner and hear four languages, and you can still park your car in Harvard Yard.

Both small and big Middlesex County towns offer family fun, from apple picking to Community Theater. The bright lights of Boston are just a short drive away, and the "T" system reaches most county towns.

In the 2000 census, the median income for a household in the county was $60,821, and the median income for a family was $74,194. Males had a median income of $49,460 and females, $36,288. Per capita income for the county was $31,199. About 4.30 percent of families and 6.50 percent of the population were below the poverty line.

Middlesex County offers a selection of Massachusetts real estate ranging from condos to family homes to farmhouses that were standing when the colonists stood for freedom. A Prudential Verani Realtor® can help you find your place in this cradle of American liberty.