Ashby was where I was raised. I came here when I was five and have never looked back. I grew up here and this small little town taught me a lot, but it also gave me a lot of fond memories, and if you know of any of these memories while reading it, it just might be a sign you're from Ashby. Here are ten signs you're from the greatest place on earth.
1. Ashby bonfire
In Ashby, we celebrate the signing of our independence on the 3rd of July instead of the 4th of July, and we do it in style. Instead of fireworks, we stack a ton of wood on top of each other, put a outhouse on top, light it on fire and watch it burn. Everybody in Ashby has some very fond memories of it and it always gives us something to look forward too.
2. Band concerts
In Ashby, there's usually not a lot to do. It's a small town with only 3,000 people in it. It's less than what most high schools have for population, but if you're looking for something to do on Wednesday nights, the town always has great music on the common and it would be great to check it out.
3. The Police Station is a double wide trailer
When I said Ashby was small, I meant it was small. That's right, our police department is a small double wide trailer. We don't have a full building for it or anything; just a double wide trailer.
4. Halloween on Main Street
Ever heard of trick or treating on Main Street Disney? Well, in Ashby, we have something similar. <ost people growing up probably just went around their suburb neighborhood to get candy. Well, in Ashby, there are no suburbs and you don't really have a neighborhood, so you just go down Main Street collecting.
5. You live in a snow belt
Do you remember snow days? Of course you do. Heck, they still happen during college sometimes. Well, in Ashby, you go to a regional school district of North Middlesex which means it's three towns that go to the high school and although I elected to go to the local voc school instead, Ashby is infamous thanks to its hilly area to always be the one hit hardest and all the other schools are thanking us for taking the blow for everybody else.
6. The worst roads
Well, if you live in a snow belt, you're gonna take the hits for it. Ashby is the place where you hear about all those Massachusetts potholes online. You can't go anywhere without flying up to the stratosphere with the bumps we have.
7. One blinking yellow light
In Ashby there's not many street signs, and there's basically no street lights. There's no reason for it -- we're just small and that's the simple truth. We do have one little street light though. Our famous one blinking light. It's as elusive as Batman and about as mythical too, but it exists.
8. In our convenience store, you can get a sandwich, a gallon of milk, and plumbing supplies.
There's really not much in Ashby. We have one diner and one market, called "The Ashby Market," established in 1884. You can get anything you want, from plumbing supplies, to shepherd's pie, to great sandwiches, a gallon of milk, to a loaf of bread.
9. Friday night football games and basketball games
In Ashby, there isn't much to do on your Friday nights, or in Townsend or Pepperell really as much as well. But if you come to town one day and you want something to do, you can go down to the football fields in the Fall or the basketball courts in the Winter and see a truly magical thing. The fan club of "the trench" is the most passionate group of fans for their sports you will ever say.
10. When somebody asks where you're from, you just have to say "You know Fitchburg? It's right near there."
If anybody from anywhere asks you "hey where do you live?" and you say "Ashby," most people will say "where?" So, you always simply have to say "you know Fitchburg? It's right near there." Everybody's face will then change.
