Uxbridge is a suburban New England town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, in the United States. First "officially" settled by Europeans in 1662, it was later incorporated in 1727 at Suffolk County, and named for England's Earl of Uxbridge. The town was split off from Mendon and located at two former Praying "Nipmuck" Indian villages, at Rice City and at Wacentug, ("walk-in-tuck"). It's part of Greater Boston, and the Worcester metropolitan statistical area, in the nation's fifth largest Combined Statistical Area. It is located 16 miles (26 km) SSE of Worcester, 20.4 miles (32.8 km) NNW of Providence, Rhode Island, 34 miles (55 km) SW of Boston, and 8.7 miles (14.0 km) WSW of Interstate 495. The 2009 estimated population is 13,247. The census of 2000 reported 11,156 people. Uxbridge spanned the colonial era, the American Revolution and the industrial revolution, having been noted for early textiles, and women's rights. Among its first settlers was the Taft family from England. Today it is the geographic center of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, the oldest industrialized region in the U.S. There are over 375 state or national historic sites here, with an excellent variety of architectural styles, and well preserved remnants of the Blackstone Canal. Cashmere woolens, and military uniforms were manufactured here for over 100 years in several large mills. The first U.S. Air Force dress uniform, dubbed "Uxbridge Blue", was made here. Notable women included: 1) America's first legal woman voter, Lydia Chapin Taft, a Revolutionary war soldier, Deborah Sampson, 3) fiery abolitionist Abby Kelley Foster, 4) Olympic Medalist, Alice Bridges, and 5) film art producer, Jeannine Oppewall. Baxter Hall, an 18 year old drummer, helped "muster" America's first battle for freedom at the Lexington Alarm. Colonel Seth Reed from Uxbridge, fought at Bunker Hill, and was apparently "instrumental", in placing E Pluribus Unum, on U.S. Coins.