Spencer is a small town – only 45 square miles – surrounded by country and conservation areas that attract outdoor enthusiasts and remote workers alike. It’s not a town that attracts a lot of tourism, but the residents appreciate the simplicity of their neighborhood. “It has just enough of everything, but not too much of anything,” says Jim Lovett, a Realtor with Century 21 who has lived and worked in the area for 40 years. The town, which once was known primarily as the site of a shoe factory that was later merged with a steel company, includes a quaint downtown area that gives way to rural country roads, streams, and lakes on the outskirts.
Gift shops and groceries in town
Boutique stores like Appleblossoms Flowers, Gifts & More give Spencer a sense of hometown charm. The florist and gift shop has a garden-like exterior and the shelves are lined with candles, window hangings and décor. At Rapscallion Brewery and Taproom, visitors can sample from a rotating selection of micro-brews in a rustic setting that feels like an old barn. Residents can get grocery essentials at Price Chopper supermarket, or visit local farms like Royal Crest Farm for fresh meats and produce that are grown and raised right outside of the town.
Appleblossoms is a wonderful flower and gift shop that is located in the town square of Spencer.
Appleblossoms is filled with festive delights to shop form during the holiday season.
Enjoy a lovely meal at Customs Restaurant in the town of Spencer
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Library get-togethers, parades in the streets
In December, Spencer’s streets are illuminated with cars wrapped in festive lights for the annual Christmas Parade of Lights, organized by the town’s Celebrations Committee. The town’s Richard Sugden Library, located in the heart of Spencer, offers museum passes as well as books and audiobooks, and hosts book discussions and groups for Dungeons and Dragons, knitters, and Lego enthusiasts. There are no movie theaters or museums within the town limits, but Worcester, 11 miles to the east, includes an art museum, cinema, theatre and science museum. Bayberry Bowling Center, located on the eastern end of town, includes an arcade and pool tables as well as bowling.
Large Colonial styles and homes by the water
Victorian homes with intricate detailing as well as old Colonial-style homes are common. Close to the downtown area, sidewalks make the streets welcoming to pedestrians, while grassy lawns and wrap-around porches provide a vantage point for residents to watch passers-by. Power lines hang from one street corner to the next, and intermittent streetlights provide a moderate amount of light for an evening stroll. The town is surrounded by country, where some intermittent growth has happened over the last 30 years. “Because of the cost to build roads, you don’t see a lot of subdivisions,” says Lovett. Instead, individuals have bought empty lots and built homes among the natural growth and wildlife. In Spencer, a well-kept 3-bedroom home will sell for around $400,000.
In Spencer, you can find various types of home next to one another.
Many homes surround Sugden Reservoir within Spencer.
Homes in Spencer have large front lawns and backyards.
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Spencer-East Brookfield Regional School District
The Spencer-East Brookfield Regional School District’s mission statement is “Teaching and learning with purpose.” East Brookfield Elementary School serves students through grade 5 and has a B-minus rating from Niche. Knox Trail Middle School, which has a C grade from Niche, has a 14-to-1 student-teacher ratio. David Prouty High School offers specialty programs for students interested in environmental science, marketing, early childhood education and criminal justice, and has a C-minus rating.
Wire Village School is a great school in the town of Spencer for children K-5.
David Prouty High School is located near the center of the town of Spence.
Knox Trail Middle School has a large campus with a lot of room for recreation.
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Skating, fishing, and hiking around Spencer
Spencer is surrounded by outdoor spaces. At Luther Hill Park, visitors can swim in Lake Whittemore and practice their skating skills at the Spencer Skatepark. Howe State Park, located in the 965-acre Spencer State Forest south of the town, includes several miles of trails, as well as ponds where visitors can fish. The trails are open for hiking, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. The 1.5-mile-long Depot Rail Trail connects the town of Spencer to trails within the state park and is a popular destination for dog walkers and hikers. Sibley Farm, about 1.5 miles to the east of downtown Spencer, is a 360-acre conservation area with abundant trails for hiking, although residents complain that the trails aren’t always maintained.
Families can take their children to enjoy the playground at Powder Mill Park.
Residents of Spencer love to take their dogs for walks in their various parks.
A key feature of Howe State Park is the waterfall that flows out of Howe Pond.
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Interstate access to Worcester and Boston
Spencer is served by the Route 33 bus operated by the Worcester Regional Transit Authority, connecting residents from the bus stops along Main Street to downtown Worcester. The nearest highway, Interstate 90, is 10 miles south of the town in nearby Auburn and can take travelers into Boston, which is 45 miles away. Route 9, which serves as Spencer’s Main Street, stretches 11 miles east into Worcester, a trip that will take around 25 to 30 minutes depending on traffic. Worcester provides access to the UMass Memorial Medical Center, a world-renowned hospital. The Worcester Regional Airport is located 8 miles east of the town.
Born and raised in Shrewsbury, Kathy graduated from Northeastern University in 1989 in Boston. She has lived in Malden, Waltham, and Chicago and in 1997 she returned to Shrewsbury. She earned her Real Estate license in 1998 and her Brokers license in 2000. She has been selling residential real estate ever since. Kathy is very involved in both the Massachusetts Association of Realtors (MAR) and the Realtor Association of Central Massachusetts (RACM).
She has done quite a bit of committee work serving as a member and also chair of the RACM Community Action Committee, Government Affairs Committee, and Grievance Committee. Kathy currently serves on the RACM Finance & Membership Committee; she is the MAR Director and is the current RACM Vice President. Kathy was honored to be named the Realtor Association of Central Massachusetts 2019 Realtor of the Year.
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