Saugus is a town in Essex County Massachusetts, located about 10 minutes north of Boston. According to the 2010 census, Saugus had a population of 26,628. Located on major commuting routes including US Rt 1, Route 107, Interstate 95, Route 128 and minutes from Interstate 93, Saugus isn’t just a great place to call home – its an easily accessible and economically vibrant community.
First settled in 1629, Saugus is rich in culture and history, and is home to the Saugus Ironworks – aUS National Historic Site, and the very first integrated ironworks in North America. In addition to the Ironworks, Saugus is home to many culturally significant sites, including Appleton’s Pulpit, the Boardman House, Camp Nihan, Prankers Pond, the Rumney Marsh Reservation, Vinegar Hill and the Saugus River.
Due to it’s close location to Boston, and it’s bisection by US Route 1, Saugus has a rich business history, and a thriving community of large, small and micro businesses, that create opportunity and economic development for the town. The nineteenth century ice industry began in Saugus when Frederic Tudor cut ice from a pond on the family farm and shipped it to Martinique, starting and industry that would last well over 100 years. During the Industrial Revolution, many new industries moved to Saugus. Shoes and woolen goods were made in Saugus Center, and tobacco was manufactured in Cliftondale and East Saugus. Following the American Civil War, the Cliftondale section of Saugus became a major producer of tobacco as many of the southern tobacco plantations were in ruins. The Waitt & Bond tobacco house became a major producer of cigars, and Saugus was home to the largest cigar factory in the nation.
In more recent times, famous restaurants such as the Hilltop Steakhouse, Kowloon and Weylu’s all called (or still call!) Saugus their home! Route 1 is a vibrant business district, with boutique shops, local restaurants, chain stores, and big box stores all contribute to the local business community and economic prosperity of the region.
Saugus has a representative town meeting form of government, with a Board of Selectmen and Town Manager serving as the chief policy makers and administrative officers of the town.