Housing

Winchendon housing has historically been mostly one family units. Until recently there have been few multiple units constructed. Even now there are only two projects, other than public housing, that have more than four units per building. Except where larger buildings have been divided, there have been few of the two, three and four unit buildings built. The Winchendon Housing Authority, a governmental unit, has built two projects for low income elderly people, one project for low income families, a mixed project and now has acquired a number of scattered site homes.

Transportation

As motor vehicles replaced the railroad, highways have become important. The town is now served by three numbered routes, state routes 12 and 140 and United States route 202. While these are all two lane highways, they do provide convenient access to the Boston area, southern New Hampshire, central Vermont, central Massachusetts, and western Massachusetts. With the exception of route 140, which ends at route 12 a couple miles east, these routes all pass through the main village. The town also has many local roads, some of which originally served outlying farms. The town has over 100 miles of road within its 42 plus square miles.

Businesses and Trade

Retail trade was an important economic activity before the advent of the automobile. There were a number of stores in the villages. This was largely as many people had no transportation beyond their feet and probably bicycles and hand drawn carts. Convenience was important. Various stores provided most of the necessities of the populace: groceries, meat, clothing, shoes, millenary, dry goods, notions, drugs, housewares, furniture, tools, hardware, harnesses, hay, grain, seeds, mason supplies and many other items. With the advent of the automobile, the number of small stores declined in favor of larger establishments that could offer a wider selection and lower prices. It is now no longer possible to buy a number of these items in Winchendon.

Except, perhaps, in the very early days, there have been physicians in Winchendon. Two hospitals were established. The first was "The Highlands" which was essentially a mental hospital and was located in a surviving building on High Street. A little after 1900, Dr. John G. Henry established the Millers River Hospital which was located across from the Beals Memorial Library (building is now apartments.) Though Dr. Henry died earlier, this operated until the late 1940s when it was reorganized into the Winchendon Hospital. This continued until the state would no longer license small hospitals and the facility became  the Winchendon Health Center, a satellite of the Heywood Hospital in Gardner. All the Winchendon physicians are now affiliated with the health center, though at least one chiropractor practices independently.

Generally, the other professions and trades have been well represented. There have almost always been lawyers, dentists, barbers, beauticians, insurance agents, real estate agents, and accountants though the numbers have varied. Over the years there have been many persons employed in the building trades. While blacksmiths and livery stables have gone the way of draft horses, newer services such as computer repair and fitness centers have sprung up.