Ayer, Massachusetts
Ayer, Massachusetts | |
|---|---|
Main Street | |
Location in Middlesex County in Massachusetts | |
| Coordinates: 42°33′40″N 71°35′25″W / 42.56111°N 71.59028°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Middlesex |
| Settled | 1668 |
| Incorporated | February 14, 1871 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Open town meeting |
| Area | |
• Total | 9.6 sq mi (24.8 km2) |
| • Land | 9.0 sq mi (23.4 km2) |
| • Water | 0.6 sq mi (1.4 km2) |
| Elevation | 226 ft (69 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 8,479 |
| • Density | 880/sq mi (340/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (Eastern) |
| ZIP Code | 01432 |
| Area codes | 351/978 |
| FIPS code | 25-03005 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0618215 |
| Website | www.ayer.ma.us |
Ayer (/ɛər/ AIR) is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. Originally part of Groton, it was incorporated February 14, 1871, and became a major commercial railroad junction. The town was home to Camp Stevens, a training camp for Massachusetts volunteers during the American Civil War. Later, Fort Devens was established by the federal government to train New England soldiers for World War I. Fort Devens is a major influence on the area, although it is considerably smaller than when it was first closed in the mid-1990s. The town's population was 8,479 at the 2020 census.