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Hanson, Massachusetts

Hanson is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. Part of Greater Boston, Hanson is located 20 miles (32 km) south of Boston and is one of the inland towns of the South Shore. The population was 10,639 at the 2020 census.

History
Hanson was first settled in 1632 as the western parish of Pembroke. The town was officially incorporated in 1820, and was named for Maryland publisher of the Federal Republican newspaper and U.S. Senator Alexander Contee Hanson. Hanson was a champion of free speech and freedom of the press, and he was severely beaten and his newspaper offices were attacked and destroyed by an angry mob after he published an article that was critical of the administration shortly after the outbreak of the War of 1812.

The town's early industry revolved around farming, as well as bog iron and quarrying. Mills also popped up along the rivers during the nineteenth century. Today the town is mostly residential, with some farming and cranberry farming. Ocean Spray was first started by several bogs in Hanson, and remained headquartered in Hanson before moving to Plymouth in September 1977.

Hanson was home to the Plymouth County Hospital, a tuberculosis sanatorium, located on Bonney Hill, opening in 1919 and remaining open until 1992. It was demolished in 2017.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 40.6 sqkm, of which 38.9 sqkm is land and 1.7 sqkm, or 4.21%, is water. It is the 250th largest town in the Commonwealth, over seven square miles smaller than the average. Hanson is considered one of the inland towns of Massachusetts's South Shore and is bordered by Rockland and Hanover to the north, Pembroke to the east, Halifax to the south, East Bridgewater to the west, and Whitman to the northwest. Hanson is located approximately 9 mi east of Brockton, 13 mi south of Quincy, and 18 mi south-southeast of Boston.

Mostly flatland, the highest elevation in town is Bonney Hill at 152 ft, making it one of the highest points in Plymouth County. Another hill of prominence is Almshouse Hill near the current-day center of town and named for the Josiah Cushing home (built in 1763), which was purchased in 1837 and used as an almshouse until 1902.

Hanson, like many towns in central Plymouth County, is dominated by lakes, rivers, and swamps. The largest ponds include Oldham Pond along the Pembroke town line, Indian Head Pond (the source of Indian Head Brook) just south of Oldham Pond, Maquan Pond, located east of the center of the town, and Wampatuck Pond, located in the center of the town. In addition to Indian Head Brook, the town has several other brooks and rivers, including the Shumatuscacant River and Poor Meadow Brook to the west, and White Oak Brook to the south. To the north of town lies the Little Cedar Swamp, along Indian Head Brook. There is a small town forest and two camps, Rainbow Camp and Camp Kiwanee, within the town. Burrage Pond Wildlife Management Area lies mainly in the section of town called Burrage or South Hanson. About half of the 1625 acre are in Hanson, the other half in Halifax.

Neighborhoods
Historically, the town of Hanson was home to several unique and distinct villages. From the town's early history into the 1900s, the United States Postal Service maintained offices at Hanson Center (Harding's Corner), North Hanson (North Hanson Railroad Station), Bryantville, Monponsett and South Hanson. By 1940, only the South Hanson and Monponsett Post Offices remained open, with Bryantville being moved to the Pembroke side of the road. That same year, the Post Office would change the South Hanson name to just Hanson. Today, some distinct neighborhoods still exist, while South Hanson and Monponsett tend to be the most well known.
 * South Hanson: Formerly the center of town during the industrial era. South Hanson follows Massachusetts Route 27 from the border of Pembroke to Tri-Town (where East Bridgewater, Whitman, and Hanson all intersect). South Hanson was formerly home to the Plymouth County Hospital, a tuberculosis sanatorium, as well as the original Ocean Spray Cranberry Co. facility. The historic and now abandoned South Hanson train station building sits adjacent to the modern MBTA Hanson station. Much of the main one-mile stretch of the South Hanson center suffers from urban decay and deindustrialization given its large number of run down buildings in a once prosperous area, though revival attempts have seen some small businesses open up in the historic buildings.
 * Monponsett: On the southern border with Halifax and has its own post office and zip code (02350). Monponsett is named for the Monponsett Twin Lakes which lies along much of the Hanson/Halifax border.
 * Burrage: In South Hanson and named for Albert Burrage, one of the town's most prominent industrialists. He formed the Atlantic Dyestuff Company which had its first factory where present-day Hawks Avenue is located. Litecontrol, now of Plympton, had used the historic industrial complex before relocating. The historic factory was demolished in 2016. Burrage was also previously home to a library and a hotel, both of which closed in the early 1900s. Burrage includes portions of Pleasant Street, South Street and Reed Street.
 * Brentwood: The north-eastern region of Hanson, including Brook Street, State Street, Gorwin Drive, and their side streets.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,495 people, 3,123 households, and 2,545 families residing in the town. The population density was 632.5 PD/sqmi. There were 3,178 housing units at an average density of 211.7 /sqmi.

There were 3,123 households, out of which 40.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.6% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.5% were non-families. 14.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.03 and the average family size was 3.38.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 28.2% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 31.1% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 8.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $62,687, and the median income for a family was $68,560. Males had a median income of $46,508 versus $31,337 for females. The per capita income for the town was $23,727. About 2.8% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.3% of those under age 18 and 11.6% of those age 65 or over.

Statistically, Hanson is the 180th most populous and the 154th most densely populated town in Massachusetts. It is just below the median in terms of population, and below the average but above the median in terms of density.

Government

On the national level, Hanson is a community of the Ninth congressional district, currently represented by Bill Keating. The state's senior (Class I) member of the United States Senate is Elizabeth Warren. The junior (Class II) senator is Ed Markey.

On the state level, Hanson is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives as a part of the Sixth Plymouth district, which includes the towns of Duxbury, Pembroke and portions of Halifax. The town is represented in the Massachusetts Senate as a part of the Second Plymouth and Bristol district, which includes Brockton, Halifax, Hanover, Whitman and portions of East Bridgewater and Easton. The town is patrolled by the First (Norwell) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police.

Hanson is governed by the open town meeting form of government and is led by current Town Administrator Lisa Green and a five-member Board of Selectmen. The town hall is located on the shore of Wampatuck Pond, at the town center. In the same area are the Fire Department headquarters and the Hanson Public Library, which is a member of the SAILS Library Network. The Hanson Police Department headquarters, built in 2007, is located on Main Street (Rte. 27). There is a branch firehouse along Route 27 near the train station, and the town's post office is located near the intersection of Routes 27 and 58. Town meetings are held at the Hanson Middle School Auditorium.

Education
Hanson shares a Pre-K through grade 12 school district (Whitman-Hanson Regional School District) with neighboring Whitman. The yearly operating assessments to both Towns are determined on the basis of student population. The town of Hanson owns the Hanson Middle School, and two elementary schools, Indian Head and Maquan, and leases them to the Whitman Hanson Regional School District, which is responsible for keeping the buildings in good repair. Maquan Elementary School has closed, and Indian Head Elementary serves students from kindergarten through fourth grades. Hanson Middle School serves students in grades five through eight. The town sends their students to Whitman-Hanson Regional High School, which is shared with the neighboring town of Whitman. The school was recently rebuilt through part of a $50 million project. It is located behind the previous building (which has been torn down and replaced with new athletic fields, including a synthetic turf football field) along Route 27 on the town line. Whitman-Hanson's teams are known as the Panthers, and their colors are red and black. Their chief rival is nearby Abington High, whom they play in the annual Thanksgiving Day football game.

In addition to Whitman-Hanson, students may choose to attend South Shore Vocational Technical High School in Hanover free of charge.

The nearest colleges to Hanson are Massasoit Community College in Brockton, Bridgewater State University in Bridgewater, and Quincy College in Quincy.

Transportation
There are no freeways in Hanson, which is equidistant between Routes 3 and 24. The main state routes through town are Route 14 and Route 58, which intersect and run coextensively for a short stretch in the middle of town. Route 27 also passes through the town, following a portion of the Whitman and East Bridgewater borders before crossing the southern section of town.

The town lies along the Kingston-Plymouth line of the MBTA's commuter rail service, with a stop along Route 27. There is a small airport, Cranland Airport, which serves only small aircraft. The nearest national and international air service is at Logan International Airport in Boston.

Notable people

 * John Delaney, college baseball coach at Quinnipiac
 * Albert Hall, American hammer throw champion, who competed in the Olympics four times
 * Mimi Imfurst, drag queen. Best known for competing on RuPaul's Drag Race
 * Alex Karalexis, professional fighter; competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, World Extreme Cagefighting; original cast member on The Ultimate Fighter 1
 * Rocky Marciano, the only undefeated heavyweight boxing champion; had a house at 867 Main Street in South Hanson
 * Kristen Merlin, singer/songwriter, guitarist
 * Kristie Mewis, professional soccer player currently signed with West Ham United and the United States national soccer team
 * Samantha Mewis, retired professional soccer player for the United States national soccer team
 * Maura Murray, resident of Hanson, missing person who vanished without a trace in 2004 in New Hampshire, whose case has gained international attention and media coverage
 * Albert C. Read (1887–1967), Rear Admiral; Commander/Navigator of the NC-4, the first aircraft to complete a transatlantic flight in 1919
 * Tiffany Scott, 2002 Olympic figure skater
 * Jimmy Slyde (1927–2008), tap dancer
 * Billy Sweezey, professional ice hockey player currently signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets

title: Hanson, Massachusetts


text:
Hingham (CDP), Massachusetts

Hingham is a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Hingham in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,650 at the 2010 census.

Geography
Hingham is located at 42.23722°N, -70.88694°W (42.237299, -70.887152).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 8.2 km2, of which 8.1 km2 is land and 0.1 km2 (0.95%) is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 22,157 people, 2,023 households, and 1,476 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 662.3 /km2. There were 2,071 housing units at an average density of 256.3 /km2. The racial makeup of the CDP was 98.34% White, 0.15% Black or African American, 0.02% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 0.30% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.47% of the population.

There were 2,023 households, out of which 36.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.5% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.0% were non-families. 24.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.18.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 28.0% under the age of 18, 4.3% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 26.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.5 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $86,574, and the median income for a family was $102,536. Males had a median income of $72,467 versus $47,868 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $43,980. About 2.7% of families and 5.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.0% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Hingham (CDP), Massachusetts


text:
Kingston (CDP), Massachusetts

Kingston is a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Kingston in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,591 at the 2010 census.

Geography
Kingston is located at 41.99222°N, -70.71722°W (41.992453, -70.717325).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 16.3 km2, of which 12.5 km2 is land and 3.8 km2 (23.53%) is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,380 people, 2,145 households, and 1,473 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 431.9 /km2. There were 2,350 housing units at an average density of 188.6 /km2. The racial makeup of the CDP was 96.51% White, 1.36% Black or African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.56% Asian, 0.61% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.48% of the population.

There were 2,145 households, out of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.0% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.3% were non-families. 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 24.3% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 32.2% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.0 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $48,607, and the median income for a family was $57,723. Males had a median income of $40,151 versus $26,957 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $22,425. About 4.6% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.9% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over.

title: Kingston (CDP), Massachusetts


text:
Kingston, Massachusetts

Kingston is a coastal town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 13,708 at the 2020 census.

History
Before European settlers arrived, Kingston was within the tribal homeland of the Wampanoag people. Several years before the Mayflower had landed in Plymouth, during the Native American epidemic of 1616 to 1619, the Wampanoag population was severely damaged from a rapidly spreading pandemics due to earlier contacts with Europeans. Several ancient Native American burial sites have been located within the borders of Kingston. Originally part of Plymouth, Kingston was first settled by Europeans shortly after the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock in 1620. It was settled once more in 1635. During 1675, several bloody battles during King Philip's War are believed to have occurred within Kingston's borders and the residence of Governor Bradford, which is now part of Kingston, was raided by Wampanoag warriors.

In 1685, the area was placed within the boundaries of Plymouth County and for a brief time, between 1686 and 1689, the borders of Kingston were within the Dominion of New England.

Kingston was first established as Plymouth's northern precinct in 1717 upon the creation of First Parish Kingston, now a Unitarian Universalist church in the town's center. Kingston was incorporated as a distinct town on June 16, 1726, following a tax dispute between the residents of north and south Plymouth, when the parish was known as the upper class portion of Plymouth. Kingston's borders were carved out of neighboring towns Plymouth, Duxbury, Plympton and Pembroke, all of which were incorporated before Kingston.

Kingston is home to the longest continuously run boat yard in North America, now named the Jones River Landing. The American Revolutionary War era brig, USS Independence, was built by Kingston shipbuilders on the Jones River and has emerged as a town icon, featured on the Kingston town seal.

The tenure of Independence in the Massachusetts Navy was short, however; the ship was captured in battle off the coast of Nova Scotia by HMS Hope and HMS Nancy.

In the early-to-middle 19th century, Kingston flourished as a center for shipbuilding, as well as ice harvesting. Jones River Pond, the largest body of freshwater in town, was used during the long New England winters to harvest ice. The harvested product was then shipped throughout the world. Jones River Pond was even renamed to Silver Lake for marketing purposes during the height of the ice harvesting export industry, and retains the name today. Kingston is also home to the first co-op store in North America, which was closed when the Silver Lake Post Office shuttered operations in 1954.

On April 14, 1857, Kingston annexed a small part of Duxbury. It would be the last addition to the town's borders to date.

In the 1950s Kingston was transformed from a small rural town into an extension of the Boston metropolitan area when Massachusetts Route 3 was constructed, connecting Boston to Cape Cod, with two exits in Kingston (and a third exit immediately over the town line in Duxbury).

Kingston saw its largest population growth in the 1990s when the Old Colony Railroad was reopened as a commuter rail line, connecting once-rural Kingston with Boston, making Kingston an even more viable place for commuters to live. More recently, Kingston has seen the construction of four industrial-sized wind turbines, located along Route 3.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 53.1 sqkm, of which 48.3 sqkm is land and 4.8 sqkm, or 9.02%, is water. Kingston is bordered by the town of Pembroke to the north, Duxbury to the northeast, Plymouth to the south, Carver to the southwest, and Plympton to the west. Kingston is approximately 18 mi southeast of Brockton and 35 mi south-southeast of Boston.

Kingston lies on Kingston Bay, an inlet to the larger Plymouth Bay. The Jones River runs through the town from its source, Silver Lake, to the bay. There are several brooks that branch off the river, as well as several other smaller ponds throughout the town, including Muddy Pond. There is a state forest in the town, located in the southern portion of the town which is commonly used for biking, off-roading, and hunting. Kingston is also the site of Gray's Beach, in a neighborhood called Rocky Nook, just north of the Plymouth town line.

Kingston's highest natural point, with an elevation of 313 feet, is Monk's Hill.

Transportation
Massachusetts Route 3, also known as the Pilgrims Highway, runs through the eastern portion of town. There are three exits for Kingston: at the Independence Mall, now called the Kingston Collection, in the southern portion of town, at Route 3A, and on the Kingston/Duxbury town line where Route 3A again crosses the highway. The new highway portion of U.S. Route 44 passes through the southern portion of town, along the edge of the state forest, on its way to its new intersection with Route 3. Additionally, Routes 27, 53, 80, and 106 all end in the town, with all except Route 27 (which ends at Route 106) ending at their intersections with Route 3A.

Kingston is the terminus of the Kingston line of the MBTA's Commuter Rail system. Local transit is provided by GATRA, with the SAIL link from the train station through to Duxbury, Marshfield and Pembroke, and the Freedom and Liberty links to Plymouth.

Regional air service can be reached at Plymouth Municipal Airport; the nearest national and international air service can be reached at Logan International Airport in Boston.

The Claire Saltonstall Bikeway also known as Bike Route 1 runs through the southern portion of town along Route 80. It runs for 135 miles from Boston to Cape Cod, with approximately three miles passing through Kingston.

Demographics
As of the American Community Survey of 2009, there were 12,484 people, 4,363 households, and 2,940 families residing in the town. The population density was 674.8 PD/sqmi. There were 4,707 housing units at an average density of 254.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 97.3% white, 0.1% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 2.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.7% from other races, and 0.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.6% of the population.

There were 4,363 households, out of which 35.6% had children over the age of 24 living with them, 56.6% were married couples living together, 7.9% had a female householder with 5 husbands present, and 32.6% were non-families. 25.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.36.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.3% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 65 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.08 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $79,045, and the median income for a family was $99,438. Males had a median income of $67,712 versus $48,846 for females. The per capita income for the town was $36,771. About 3.3% of families and 5.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.7% of those under age 18 and 12.5% of those age 65 or over.

Government
Kingston is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives as a part of the Twelfth Plymouth District, which includes Plympton and Halifax, plus portions of Duxbury, Middleborough and Plymouth. The town is represented in the Massachusetts Senate as a part of the Plymouth and Barnstable District, which includes Bourne, Falmouth, Pembroke, Plymouth, and Sandwich. The town is patrolled by the First (Norwell) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police.

On the national level, Kingston is a part of Massachusetts's 9th congressional district, and is currently represented by Bill Keating. The state's senior (Class II) member of the United States Senate, elected in 2012, is Elizabeth Warren. The junior (Class I) senator, elected in a special election replacing John Kerry in 2013, is Ed Markey.

Kingston operates under the open town meeting form of government, led by a town administrator and a board of selectmen. Kingston's town offices moved into a new building in 2003, closer to its animal control and highway department facilities on Evergreen Street, on the opposite side of Evergreen Cemetery from the old building. The town operates its own police and fire departments. The town's EMT service brings its patients to nearby Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital- Plymouth. The town has a single post office, located along Route 3A. The Kingston Public Library is located just across the street from the old town hall, and is a part of the Old Colony Library Network.

Education
Kingston is a member of the Silver Lake Regional School District along with Halifax and Plympton. Although the towns in the Silver Lake School District share a middle school and a high school, each operates their own elementary schools. Kingston operates the Kingston Elementary School and Kingston Intermediate School for students from kindergarten through sixth grade.

Once students reach seventh grade they are sent to Silver Lake Regional Middle School and upon reaching ninth attend Silver Lake Regional High School, both located in Kingston. Silver Lake's teams are known as the Lakers, and their colors are red and silver. Their chief rival is Pembroke High School, whom they play in the annual Thanksgiving Day football game. Pembroke was previously part of the Silver Lake Regional School District but withdrew in 2005. A new Silver Lake High School building finished construction in January 2006. Silver Lake operates its own vocational facilities; if a trade is chosen that is not supported by Silver Lake students are sent to South Shore Vocational Technical High School in Hanover. Silver Lake was recognized in 2008 by Boston Magazine as being one of the 30 smartest public high schools in Massachusetts. This is based on criteria including student achievement, college preparation, athletics programs, electives and the overall cost per community.

Kingston is home to the private Roman Catholic Sacred Heart School. It is located along Bishops Highway (Route 80) just south of Route 44. It serves students from kindergarten through eighth grade.

Television
Kingston is covered in both the Boston and Providence, Rhode Island media markets, receiving WCVB (ABC), WBZ (CBS), WBTS (NBC), and WFXT (Fox) news from Boston.

Newspapers
Over the years, Kingston has had many different newspapers. In 1912, the Kingston News had a brief stint. From 1927 to 1930, the Kingston Sun covered town. For many years, through the 1980s, the Pembroke-based Silver Lake News covered Kingston news. In the 1970s, the Kingston Voice was founded and became the Independent Voice in the 1980s. The Kingston Observer operated from 1987 to 2009. Since, the Kingston Reporter had been covering the local news since 1984, until it stopped printing in August 2022. Kingston is still currently covered in print media by the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, The Patriot Ledger, and the Brockton Enterprise.

Notable people

 * William Bradford, 2nd, 5th, 7th, 9th & 11th Governor of Plymouth Colony
 * William Bradford, son of Governor William Bradford and Deputy Governor of Plymouth County (1682–1686)
 * John Howland, Mayflower passenger
 * John Thomas, Major general in the Continental Army who acted as a leader during the siege of Boston
 * Thomas Calter, former state representative
 * Joseph Ripley Chandler, congressman
 * Chris Cooper, actor
 * Marianne Leone Cooper, actress
 * Thomas Willett, first and third Mayor of New York City
 * Neil Cicierega, internet personality and musician
 * Ezekiel Holmes, American agriculturalist (state congressman and senator of Maine)
 * Beulah Marie Dix, American screenwriter of the silent and sound film eras
 * Leo Egan, American sportscaster and news announcer
 * Rich Cronin, singer, songwriter (LFO)
 * Percy Keese Fitzhugh, author
 * Matt Hawrilenko, professional poker player
 * John Holmes, congressman and senator
 * Tim Murphy, the Thomas Stephenson Family Head Coach for Harvard Football
 * Christopher Prince, merchant, farmer and political figure
 * Marshall Strickland, basketball player
 * Peleg Wadsworth, military officer

title: Kingston, Massachusetts


text:
Marshfield (CDP), Massachusetts

Marshfield is a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Marshfield in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 4,335 at the 2010 census.

Geography
Marshfield is located at 42.09444°N, -70.70944°W (42.094577, -70.709485).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 13.4 km2, of which 13.2 km2 is land and 0.2 km2 (1.55%) is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,246 people, 1,686 households, and 1,129 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 322.1 /km2. There were 1,742 housing units at an average density of 132.1 /km2. The racial makeup of the CDP was 97.83% White, 0.52% Black or African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.45% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.21% from other races, and 0.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.68% of the population.

There were 1,686 households, out of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.4% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.14.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 24.3% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.7 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $60,037, and the median income for a family was $74,531. Males had a median income of $50,632 versus $33,802 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $25,656. About 4.1% of families and 6.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.8% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.

title: Marshfield (CDP), Massachusetts


text:
Marshfield, Massachusetts

Marshfield is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States, on Massachusetts's South Shore. The population was 25,825 at the 2020 census.

It includes the census-designated places (CDPs) of Marshfield, Marshfield Hills, Ocean Bluff-Brant Rock, and Cedar Crest, and shares the Green Harbor CDP with the town of Duxbury.

Geography
Marshfield is located on the South Shore, about where Cape Cod Bay meets Massachusetts Bay.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 31.74 square miles (82.2 km$2$), of which 28.46 square miles (73.7 km$2$) is land and 3.28 square miles (8.5 km$2$) (10.33%) is water. Marshfield is bordered by Massachusetts Bay to the east, Duxbury to the south and southeast, Pembroke to the west, Norwell to the northwest, and Scituate to the north and northeast. Marshfield is 18 mi east of Brockton and 29 mi southeast of Boston.

Marshfield is named for the many salt marshes which border the salt and brackish borders of the town. There are three rivers: the North (along the northern border of the town), South (which branches at the mouth of the North River and heads south through the town) and the Green Harbor River (which flows just west of Brant Rock and Green Harbor Point at the south of town).

The South River divides a peninsula from the rest of the town, where Rexhame village and the Humarock and Fourth Cliff neighborhoods of the town of Scituate lie. The Scituate neighborhoods can be reached by land by two bridges, by boat, or by foot along Rexhame Beach. The Rexhame-Humarock peninsula is a barrier beach with an 84 ft moraine, one of only two barrier beach moraines on the east coast of the United States.

Marshfield is the site of several small forests and conservation areas, including the Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary along the Green Harbor River and the North River Wildlife Sanctuary along Route 3A.

The town of Marshfield has six separate zip codes: Marshfield (02050), Brant Rock (02020), Ocean Bluff (02065), North Marshfield (02059), Marshfield Hills (02051), and Green Harbor (02041). There are eight villages in the town: Marshfield Center, Fieldston, Ocean Bluff, Rexhame, Brant Rock, Green Harbor, Marshfield Hills, and North Marshfield.

The following beaches comprise Marshfield's 5 mi public seashore: Rexhame, Fieldston, Sunrise, Ocean Bluff, Brant Rock, Blackman's Point, Blue Fish Cove (along Cove Street between the camp ground and the big rock), and Green Harbor (also known as "Burke's Beach"). Marshfield is a popular summer beach destination. Tourists and vacationers cause the town's population to nearly double from Memorial Day through Labor Day weekend. Only full-time residents can vote on public tax matters.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 24,324 people, 8,905 households, and 6,598 families residing in the town. The population density was 854.8 PD/sqmi. There were 9,954 housing units at an average density of 349.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 92.69% White, 3.54% Black or African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.52% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.67% of the population.

There were 8,905 households, out of which 37.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.9% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.9% were non-families. 20.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 27.4% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 26.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $142,610. and the median income for a family was $172,330. The median home value was $890,000. Males had a median income of $111,992 versus $83,773 for females. The per capita income for the town was $92,012. About 0.6% of families and 0.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.7% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.

Government
On the national level, Marshfield is a part of Massachusetts's 9th congressional district, and is currently represented by William Keating (D). The state's senior (Class I) senator, elected in 2012, is Elizabeth Warren. The junior (Class II) senator, elected in 2013, is Ed Markey.

On the state level, Marshfield is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives as a part of the Fourth Plymouth district, which also includes much of the town of Scituate. The representative for Marshfield and Scituate in the Massachusetts House of Representatives is Patrick Kearney (D). The town is represented by Patrick O'Connor (R) in the Massachusetts Senate as a part of the Plymouth and Norfolk district, which includes the towns of Cohasset, Duxbury, Hingham, Hull, Norwell, Scituate and Weymouth. The town is patrolled by the First (Norwell) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police.

Marshfield is governed on the local level by the open town meeting form of government, and is led by a town administrator and a board of selectmen. The current board of selectmen includes a direct descendant of Pilgrim Richard Warren. The modern town hall is located at the intersection of Routes 3A and 139, just south of the South River. The town has its own police and fire stations, with firehouses located in Marshfield Hills, Ocean Bluff and near the fairgrounds. The town's Ventress Memorial Library is located a short distance east of the town hall, and is a member of the Old Colony Library Network (OCLN). There is also an independent library, the Clift Rodgers Free Library, in Marshfield Hills. The town has three post offices, in the same neighborhoods as the fire stations.

Education
Marshfield operates its own school system for the town's nearly 4,700 students. There are five elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school

Elementary Schools K–5:

 * Edward Winslow Elementary School
 * Daniel Webster Elementary School
 * Martinson Elementary School
 * South River Elementary School
 * Eames Way Elementary School

Middle School 6–8:

 * Furnace Brook Middle School

High School 9–12:

 * Marshfield High School

Transportation
Massachusetts Route 3, also known as the Pilgrims Highway, skirts the town along the Pembroke town line, and can be accessed in Marshfield via the Route 139 exit. Route 139 loops through the town, with a long portion passing along the beaches of the Ocean Bluff and Fieldston neighborhoods before heading north and east into Pembroke. Route 3A also passes through the town, entering from the south in Duxbury and exiting over the North River into Scituate.

There is daily bus service connecting with the MBTA station in Braintree and another bus connecting with South Station in Boston. The nearest train station is the Greenbush station in Scituate. There is a commuter ferry to Boston available in Hingham. The nearest major airport is Logan International Airport in Boston. The area is also served by T.F. Green Airport in Rhode Island and the town's own municipal airport for general aviation. The nearest freight rail service is in Wareham.

Notable people

 * F. Lee Bailey, attorney
 * Steve Carell and his wife Nancy Carell (formerly Nancy Walls), comedians/actors
 * Joe Castiglione, baseball radio announcer, Boston Red Sox
 * Susan Cooper, writer
 * Chris Corcoran, soccer defender in MLS and international leagues
 * Jeff Corwin, naturalist, host of The Jeff Corwin Experience on Animal Planet
 * Becky DelosSantos, Playboy Playmate of the Month for April 1994
 * Reginald Fessenden 1866–1932, radio pioneer
 * Ryan Gibbons, National Football League offensive lineman (Dallas Cowboys)
 * Philip W. Johnston, former Secretary of Human Services in Massachusetts and former chair of the Massachusetts Democratic Party
 * Joseph Patrick Kennedy II, former U.S. congressman, son of Bobby Kennedy
 * Lou Merloni, former MLB player and broadcaster
 * Sean Morris, lacrosse player
 * Sean Morey, NFL wide receiver (Arizona Cardinals)
 * Lance Norris, writer and actor
 * Dave O'Brien, play-by-play announcer for the Boston Red Sox on NESN
 * Adelaide Phillipps, most famous female opera singer in America during the 19th century
 * Jeremy Roenick, former NHL player
 * Tom Scott, Oscar and Emmy-winning sound engineer.
 * Edward Rowe Snow, lighthouse historian and author
 * Mike Sullivan, National Hockey League head coach (Pittsburgh Penguins) and former player
 * John Thomas (1724–1776), general in the Continental Army during the American Revolution. He led the 2nd Massachusetts Regiment, composed of volunteers from Plymouth County during the Siege of Boston. Thomas Park, a national historical site and monument on Dorchester Heights in South Boston commemorating the Siege of Boston, was named after him. Thomaston, Maine, is also named after him
 * Zach Triner, American football long snapper in the NFL for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
 * David Warsofsky (born 1990), National Hockey League player (Boston Bruins)
 * Ryan Warsofsky (born 1987), National Hockey League Head Coach (San Jose Sharks)
 * Daniel Webster (1782–1852), statesman, orator, senator, Secretary of State to three U.S. presidents
 * Fletcher Webster, son of Daniel Webster; gave his life for the Union in the Second Battle of Bull Run
 * Peregrine White, first English child born in New England
 * Edward Winslow (1595–1655), Pilgrim Governor of the Plymouth Colony
 * John Winslow, Major-General in British Army who removed the Acadians from Nova Scotia, as described in famous Longfellow poem, "Evangeline". The town of Winslow, Maine is named after him
 * Josiah Winslow, first native-born governor of the Plymouth Colony
 * Steven Tyler, lead singer for the band Aerosmith

title: Marshfield, Massachusetts


text:
Plymouth Center, Massachusetts

Plymouth is a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Plymouth in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. It is often referred to as Downtown Plymouth or Plymouth Center. The population was 7,494 at the 2010 census.

Plymouth Center is considered to be the most prominent neighborhood of Plymouth. It is the location of Plymouth's town hall and of the town harbor. In addition, Plymouth Center is home to Plymouth Rock, the Pilgrim Hall Museum, and the Mayflower II.

The geographical locations of North, South, and West Plymouth are named in relation to Plymouth Center.

The post office located at the intersection of Main Street Extension and Leyden Street was the main post office in Plymouth until sometime in the 1970s, when the current main post office located in South Pond was built. The ZIP code for Plymouth Center (officially simply "Plymouth, MA") is 02361. Non-post office box holders in Plymouth Center use the zip code of 02360.

Geography
Plymouth Center is located at 41.95583°N, -70.66639°W (41.955841, -70.666549).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 10.1 km$2$ (3.9 mi$2$), of which 5.9 km$2$ (2.3 mi$2$) is land and 4.3 km$2$ (1.6 mi$2$) (42.20%) is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 7,658 people, 3,286 households, and 1,744 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1,308.3/km$2$ (3,390.2/mi$2$). There were 3,420 housing units at an average density of 584.3/km$2$ (1,514.0/mi$2$). The racial makeup of the CDP was 93.81% White, 2.30% Black or African American, 0.31% Native American, 0.94% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.89% from other races, and 1.72% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.20% of the population.

There were 3,286 households, out of which 25.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.8% were married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.9% were non-families. 36.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 20.4% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 32.5% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 18.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.5 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $39,759, and the median income for a family was $52,429. Males had a median income of $40,404 versus $30,431 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $21,693. About 6.6% of families and 7.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.3% of those under age 18 and 3.9% of those age 65 or over.

title: Plymouth Center, Massachusetts


text:
Plymouth, Massachusetts

Plymouth (historically also spelled as Plimouth and Plimoth) is a town and county seat of Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. Located in Greater Boston, the town holds a place of great prominence in American history, folklore, and culture, and is known as "America's Hometown". Plymouth was the site of the colony founded in 1620 by the Mayflower Pilgrims, where New England was first established. It is the oldest municipality in New England and one of the oldest in the United States. The town has served as the location of several prominent events, one of the more notable being the First Thanksgiving feast. Plymouth served as the capital of Plymouth Colony from its founding in 1620 until the colony's merger with the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1691. The English explorer John Smith named the area Plymouth (after the city in South West England) and the region 'New England' during his voyage of 1614 (the accompanying map was published in 1616). It was a later coincidence that, after an aborted attempt to make the 1620 trans-Atlantic crossing from Southampton, the Mayflower finally set sail for America from Plymouth, England.

Plymouth is located approximately 40 mi south of Boston in a region known as the South Shore. Throughout the 19th century, the town thrived as a center of rope making, fishing, and shipping, and was home to the Plymouth Cordage Company, formerly the world's largest rope making company. It continues to be an active port, but today its major industry is tourism. The town is served by Plymouth Municipal Airport and contains Pilgrim Hall Museum, the oldest continually operating museum in the United States. It is the largest municipality in Massachusetts by area, and the largest in southern New England. The population was 61,217 at the 2020 U.S. census. It is one of two seats of Plymouth County, the other being Brockton.

Pre-colonial era
Prior to the arrival of the Pilgrims, the location of Plymouth was a village of the Wampanoag tribe called Patuxet. The region was visited twice by European explorers prior to the establishment of Plymouth Colony. In 1605, French explorer Samuel de Champlain sailed to Plymouth Harbor, calling it Port St. Louis. Captain John Smith was a leader of the colony at Jamestown, Virginia, and he explored parts of Cape Cod Bay and is credited with naming the region "New Plimouth."

Two plagues afflicted coastal New England in 1614 and 1617, killing between 90% and 95% of the local Wampanoag inhabitants. The near destruction of the tribe from disease resulted in their cornfields and cleared areas being vacant for the Pilgrims to occupy.

Colonial era
Plymouth played a very important role in American colonial history. It was the final landing site of the first voyage of the Mayflower and the location of the original settlement of Plymouth Colony. Plymouth was established in December 1620 by separatist Puritans who had broken away from the Church of England, believing that the Church had not completed the work of the Protestant Reformation. Today, these settlers are better known as the "Pilgrims", a term coined by William Bradford.

The Mayflower first anchored in the harbor of Provincetown, Massachusetts on November 11, 1620. The ship was headed for the mouth of the Hudson River (which was in the notional territory of the Colony of Virginia at the time, before the establishment of New Amsterdam) but it did not go beyond Cape Cod. The Pilgrim settlers realized that they did not have a patent to settle in the region, so they signed the Mayflower Compact prior to disembarking. They explored various parts of Cape Cod and eventually sought a suitable location for a permanent settlement to the westward in Cape Cod Bay. They discovered the sheltered waters of Plymouth Harbor on December 17. From the protected bay they found a site for the new settlement after three days of surveying.

The settlers officially disembarked on December 21, 1620. It is traditionally said that the Pilgrims first set foot in America at the site of Plymouth Rock, though no historical evidence exists in support of this claim.

First winter
The Plymouth colony faced many difficulties during its first winter, the most notable being the risk of starvation and the lack of suitable shelter. From the beginning, the colonists depended on the assistance of Native Americans. One colonist's journal reports: "We marched to the place we called Cornhill, where we had found the corn before. At another place we had seen before, we dug and found some more corn, two or three baskets full, and a bag of beans. ... In all we had about ten bushels, which will be enough for seed. It is with God's help that we found this corn, for how else could we have done it, without meeting some Indians who might trouble us."

During their earlier exploration of the Cape, the Pilgrims had come upon a Native American burial site that contained corn, and they had taken the corn for future planting. On another occasion, they found an unoccupied house and had taken corn and beans, for which they made restitution with the occupants about six months later.

Even greater assistance came from Samoset and Tisquantum (known as Squanto by the Pilgrims), a Native American sent by Wampanoag Chief Massasoit as an ambassador and technical adviser. Squanto had been kidnapped in 1614 by a colonist and sold into slavery in Málaga, Spain. With the help of another colonist, he escaped slavery, and returned home in 1619. He taught the colonists how to farm corn, where and how to catch fish, and other helpful skills for the New World. He also was instrumental in the survival of the settlement for the first two years.

Squanto and Hobomok, another guide sent by Massasoit in 1621, helped the colonists set up trading posts for furs. Chief Massasoit later formed a Peace Treaty with the Pilgrims. Upon growing a plentiful harvest in the fall of 1621, the Pilgrims gathered with Squanto, Samoset, Massasoit, and ninety other Wampanoag men in a celebration of thanksgiving to God for their plentiful harvest. This celebration is known today as the First Thanksgiving. It is commemorated annually in downtown Plymouth with a parade and a reenactment. Since 1941, the United States has observed Thanksgiving as a federal holiday.

Plymouth served as the capital of Plymouth Colony (which consisted of modern-day Barnstable, Bristol, and Plymouth counties) from its founding in 1620 until 1691, when the colony was merged with the Massachusetts Bay Colony and other territories to form the Province of Massachusetts Bay. Plymouth holds the distinction of being the first permanent European settlement in New England, and one of the oldest European settlements in what is now the United States.

Revolutionary War
During the Revolutionary War, the Plymouth County militia was led by Colonel Theophilus Cotton of Plymouth. News reached Plymouth of the Battles of Concord and Lexington, and Cotton gathered his soldiers and marched on the town of Marshfield. A small British barracks had been established there on the estate of Nathaniel Ray Thomas, known today as the Daniel Webster Estate. Cotton's forces surrounded the British troops, but Cotton determined not to fire, allowing the British to escape by water down the Green Harbor River and back to the security of the British forces occupying Boston.

19th century
In the 1800s, Plymouth remained a relatively isolated seacoast town whose livelihood depended on fishing and shipping. The town eventually became a regional center of shipbuilding and fishing. Its principal industry was the Plymouth Cordage Company, founded in 1824, which became the world's largest manufacturer of rope and cordage products. At one point, the longest ropewalk in the world was found on the Cordage Company's site on the North Plymouth waterfront, a quarter-mile (0.4 km) in length. The company thrived into the 1960s, but was forced out of business in 1964 due to competition from synthetic-fiber ropes. The factory has been renovated for use as numerous offices, restaurants, and stores, and is known as Cordage Commerce Center.

Modern history
Plymouth has enjoyed rapid growth and development since the late twentieth century. It became more accessible to Boston in the early 1970s with improved railroads, highways, and bus routes, and the town's inexpensive land costs and low tax rates were factors in attracting thousands of new residents. Its population grew from 18,606 residents in 1970 to 45,608 residents in 1990, a 145% increase in 20 years. Plymouth has surpassed several Massachusetts cities in population, but it is still officially regarded as a town and continues to be governed by a board of selectmen rather than a mayor.

Plymouth spans several exits on the town's primary highway Massachusetts Route 3. Additional access is possible via an extension to U.S. Route 44.

Geography
The latitude of Plymouth is 41.95833 and its longitude is −70.66778. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 134.0 sqmi, of which 96.5 sqmi is land, and 37.5 sqmi (28%) is water.

With the largest land area of any municipality in Massachusetts, Plymouth consists of several neighborhoods and geographical sections. Larger localities in the town include Plymouth Center, North, West and South Plymouth, Manomet, Cedarville, and Saquish Neck.

Plymouth makes up the entire western shore of Cape Cod Bay. It is bordered on land by Bourne to the southeast, Wareham to the southwest, Carver to the west, and Kingston to the north. It also shares a small border with Duxbury at the land entrance of Saquish Neck. Plymouth's border with Bourne makes up most of the line between Plymouth and Barnstable counties. The town is located roughly 44 mi southeast of Boston (it is almost exactly 40 mi from Plymouth Rock to the Massachusetts State House) and equidistantly east of Providence, Rhode Island.

Located in the Plymouth Pinelands, the town of Plymouth has many distinct geographical features. The town's Atlantic coast is characterized by low plains, while its western sections are extremely hilly and forested. Plymouth contains several small ponds scattered throughout its western quadrant, the largest being the Great Herring Pond (which is partly in the town of Bourne). A major feature of the town is the Myles Standish State Forest, which is in the southwestern region. Cachalot Scout Reservation, operated by the Cachalot District of the Narragansett Council of the Boy Scouts of America, lies adjacent to the state forest lands. There is also a smaller town forest, as well as several parks, recreation areas and beaches.

Plymouth has nine public beaches, the largest being Plymouth Beach. Plymouth Beach guards Plymouth Harbor and consists mostly of a three-mile (5 km) long, ecologically significant barrier beach. Clark's Island, a small island in Plymouth Bay, is the only island in Plymouth. It is off the coast of Saquish Neck and has nine summer houses but no year-round inhabitants.

Climate
Plymouth has a humid continental climate (Dfb) which is the predominant climate for Massachusetts. Due to its location on the Atlantic Ocean, humidity levels can be very high year-round. Plymouth's coastal location causes it to experience warmer temperatures than many inland locations in New England. Summers are typically hot and humid, while winters are cold, windy and often snowy.

Plymouth's warmest month is July, with an average high temperature of 80.6 °F and an average low of 61.6 °F. The coldest month is January, with an average high temperature of 38.1 °F and an average low of 20.1 °F.

Much like the rest of the Northeastern seaboard, Plymouth receives ample amounts of precipitation year-round. On average, summer months receive slightly less precipitation than winter months. Plymouth averages about 47.4 in of rainfall a year. Plymouth, like other coastal Massachusetts towns, is very vulnerable to Nor'easter weather systems. The town is sometimes vulnerable to Atlantic hurricanes and tropical storms, which infrequently threaten the Cape Cod region during the early autumn months.

Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 56,468 people, 21,269 households, and 14,742 families residing in the town; by population it was the largest town in Massachusetts. It was also the 21st–largest municipality in the state. The population density was 536.0 PD/sqmi. There were 21,250 housing units, at an average density of 85.1 /sqkm. The racial makeup of the town was 94% White, 1.8% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.7% Asian, <0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.9% from other races, and 1.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2% of the population.

There were 21,269 households, out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.6% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.7% were non-families. 23.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.3% under the age of 20, 10.7% from 20 to 29, 28.8% from 30 to 49, 22.2% from 50 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.4 years.

The median income for a household in the town was $54,677 as of the 2000 census, and the median income for a family was $63,266. Males had a median income of $44,983 versus $31,565 for females. The per capita income for the town was $23,732. About 4.4% of families and 5.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.1% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.

Government
Plymouth is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives as a part of the First and Twelfth Plymouth Districts. The town is represented in the Massachusetts Senate as a part of the Plymouth and Barnstable district, which also includes Bourne, Falmouth, Kingston, Pembroke, and Sandwich. On the state level, primary but shared patrolling responsibility of the town's limited access highways falls upon the Seventh (Bourne) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police.

On the national level, Plymouth is a part of Massachusetts's 9th congressional district, and is currently represented by William R. Keating. The state's senior (Class I) member of the United States Senate is Elizabeth Warren. The state's current junior (Class II) Senator is Edward Markey.

On the local level, the town was governed by an open town meeting from 1622 until 1954. In 1953, citizens voted to adopt a representative town meeting form of government, led by a town manager and a board of selectmen. The current town manager of Plymouth is Derek Brindisi.

Plymouth has a centralized municipal police force, the Plymouth Police Department. The town also has a professional fire department, with seven firehouses spread around the town. There are also six post offices for the town's five ZIP codes, with one in the downtown area, one in North Plymouth, one in Manomet, one in White Horse Beach, one near the Plymouth County Jail, and one near the town forest in "The Village Green" shopping area of The Pinehills.

The town has a public library, with a branch location in Manomet. Both libraries are a part of the Old Colony Library Network, which services 28 libraries throughout the South Shore. Additionally, as a seat of Plymouth County, there are several county facilities located in Plymouth. These include a County farm, the Registry of Deeds, two jails (the Massachusetts Correctional Institution – Plymouth and the Plymouth County Correctional Facility) and the County Courthouse.

Economy

Plymouth's major industry is tourism, with healthcare, technical and scientific research, real estate, and telecommunications also being primary industries. The largest employer in the town is Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Plymouth has experienced commercial and industrial success, with the downtown area and North Plymouth each becoming commercial centers and an industrial park opening outside of the town center. Colony Place was completed in late 2007, located near the industrial park. It consists of several large retail stores and various chain restaurants, and it contains one of the largest designer outlet malls on the South Shore. Plymouth has also recently seen the development of several residential projects, among them The Pinehills, which consists of 1,000 residential units, two golf courses, a country club, an inn and spa hotel, and a shopping village, completed in 2010. It is expected to contain 2,877 homes.

Education
Plymouth operates a large school system, with an enrollment of over 8,000 students. The Plymouth School District is one of the largest in the state, operating fourteen schools. This is larger than the Massachusetts average of eight schools. The school district operates 86 school buses under contract with First Student bus company.

The schools in Plymouth include the Mount Pleasant Preschool, eight elementary schools (Cold Spring, Federal Furnace, Hedge, Indian Brook, Manomet, Nathanial Morton, South and West Elementaries) which generally serve students from kindergarten to fifth grade, two middle schools that serve grades 5–8, Plymouth Community Intermediate School (PCIS) and Plymouth South Middle School, and two high schools, Plymouth North and Plymouth South. Both high schools play in the Atlantic Coast League, and the two schools share a rivalry with each other. Students who decide to receive a technical education have the option of attending either Plymouth South Technical School or Plymouth North which now offers Technical studies in either Engineering or Facilities management. There were also 120 home educated children in Plymouth as of 2011.

There is also a charter school in the town, Rising Tide Charter Public School, which serves middle and high school-aged students. Two special education schools, the Baird School and the Radius Pediatric School, are located in the town.

The town has two institutions of higher learning. Quincy College has a campus located in Cordage Park. The Plymouth campus opened in 1991, and the college's main campus is in Quincy. Curry College has a campus at the northern edge of Plymouth Center in the Citizens Bank building. The campus opened in 1994, and the main campus is located in Milton. While the University of Massachusetts Boston does not have a campus in Plymouth, it offers some courses at another location in Cordage Park.

Healthcare

Plymouth is home to Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Plymouth (Jordan Hospital), the largest hospital in the southern region of the South Shore. It is the only major healthcare provider in the town. The hospital is a community medical center serving twelve towns in Plymouth and Barnstable counties. It consists of more than 30 departments, with 150 patient beds. The hospital also offers a rehabilitation center in The Pinehills region.

While Beth Israel Deaconess – Plymouth Hospital (Jordan Hospital) is the only hospital in Plymouth. South Shore Hospital operates several offices and physician labs in South Pond. South Shore Hospital, in South Weymouth, is the largest hospital in southeastern Massachusetts.

Highways
Plymouth lies along the "Pilgrims Highway" portion of Route 3, which is the major route between Cape Cod and Boston. The town can be accessed from six exits on the highway, which is more than any other municipality along the Pilgrims Highway. Plymouth is also the eastern terminus of U.S. Route 44. The route has changed recently, as a new divided highway section has linked it to Route 3, before heading south and exiting at its old location before terminating at Route 3A, which more closely follows the shoreline and passes through Plymouth Center. Route 80's western terminus is at its intersection with old Route 44. Route 25 goes through a remote section of the town north of Buzzards Bay, but does not have an exit. Finally, the short Plimoth Patuxet Highway allows easy access between Routes 3 and 3A, with an exit that allows direct entry to Plimoth Patuxet's parking area. The highway is north of Manomet and south of Plymouth Center.

Rail
Plymouth was one of two termini of the Kingston/Plymouth Old Colony Line of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's commuter rail, providing non-peak service to Braintree and as far north as Boston's South Station. The Plymouth MBTA station is near Cordage Park in North Plymouth, along Route 3A. (The other terminus is in Kingston, behind the Kingston Collection.) Due to budget concerns as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the station was temporarily closed and service was only accessible at the Kingston station. In 2022, it was announced that the Plymouth station would be permanently closed due to budget constraints and a lack of demand.

Ferry
There is a seasonal ferry to Provincetown and several other excursion lines that offer cruises of Plymouth Bay and Cape Cod Bay. The ferry is operated by Capt. John Boats and offers one round trip daily from June to September. The ferry leaves from the State Wharf in Plymouth Center. In addition to the ferry, Plymouth Harbor offers service for harbor excursions, whale watching tours, and deep sea fishing.

Bus
The Plymouth & Brockton Bus Company (formerly known as the Plymouth & Brockton Street Railway; commonly abbreviated as P&B) offers daily scheduled intercity coach bus service from Plymouth to Boston's Logan International Airport, South Station in Downtown Boston and the Hyannis Transportation Center on Cape Cod with several intermediate stops along the way. P&B buses can be conveniently boarded in the Park-and-Ride Lot at Exit 13 off of Massachusetts State Route 3 adjacent to the Information Center behind the McDonald's rest stop. The Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority (GATRA) provides local public transportation service on four separate bus routes within the Plymouth Area Link (PAL) service district. The Mayflower Link Route serves various points within the town and offers a direct connection with P&B bus service at the same Exit 13 Park-and-Ride facility. The Freedom Link and the Liberty Link both originate from Plymouth Center and serves several shopping destinations in Plymouth and neighboring Kingston. A deviated route is provided by GATRA along the town's coastal shoreline between the neighborhoods of Manomet and Cedarville in the southeastern section of Plymouth.

Air
The town is home to the Plymouth Municipal Airport, which lies on the border between Plymouth and Carver. Founded in 1931, it offers scheduled service to Nantucket, as well as private service. The airport features a local restaurant and gift shop, but does not have an on-site traffic control tower.

Barnstable Municipal Airport, in Hyannis, offers additional scheduled carrier service. The airport offers scheduled flight services to Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, Boston and New York City. It is approximately 30 mi from Plymouth.

The nearest national and international airport is Logan International Airport in Boston, roughly 43 mi away. Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport, a state airport located in Warwick, Rhode Island, is about 63 mi away.

Sports
Plymouth was the home of the New England Collegiate Baseball League's Plymouth Pilgrims, who played their home games at Forges Field 1.

Points of interest
Promoted as America's Hometown, Plymouth is a tourist destination noted for its heritage. The town is home to several notable sites.

Plymouth Rock
Plymouth Rock is one of Plymouth's most famous attractions. Traditionally, the rock is said to be the disembarkation site of the Pilgrims. The first identification of Plymouth Rock as the actual landing site was made in 1741 by 94-year-old Thomas Faunce, whose father had arrived in Plymouth in 1623, three years after the arrival of the Mayflower. The rock is located roughly 650 ft from where the initial settlement was thought to be built.

Plymouth Rock became very famous after its identification as the supposed landing site of the Pilgrims, and was subsequently moved to a location in Plymouth Center. During the process, the rock split in two. It was later moved to Pilgrim Hall and then to a location under a granite Victorian canopy, where it was easily accessible and subject to souvenir hunters. The rock was finally moved back to its original location along the town's waterfront in 1921.

Plymouth Rock, a large boulder, now sits under the historic Plymouth Rock Portico. The Neo-Classical Revival structure was designed by the highly influential architectural firm of McKim, Mead and White, designers of the Boston Public Library, Rhode Island State House and the former Pennsylvania Station in New York City. Built in 1921. the existing granite portico replaced an earlier Gothic Revival style monument designed by Hammatt Billings (who also designed the National Monument to the Forefathers).

In 1970 the Plymouth Rock Portico was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The rock and portico are the centerpiece of Pilgrim Memorial State Park. The park is the smallest park in the Massachusetts state forest and park system, but is also the most heavily visited.

Plimoth Patuxet
Plimoth Patuxet is a living history museum located south of Plymouth Center. It consists of a re-creation of the Plymouth settlement in 1627, as well as a replica of a 17th-century Wampanoag homesite. The museum features role playing tour guides, as well as a large crafts center. The Nye Barn, a replica of a 1627 farming homestead in Plymouth, is also part of the museum. The farm features several animals that would have been found in Plymouth Colony, but are very rare in modern times.

The museum opened in 1947 as Plimoth Plantation under the guidance of Henry Hornblower II, a wealthy Boston stockbroker who grew up in Plymouth. The museum originally consisted of the Mayflower II and a "First House" exhibit in Plymouth Center, but was expanded into a large fortified town and a Native American village by 1960.

Mayflower II
The Mayflower II is a full-size replica of the Mayflower, the ship which brought the Pilgrims to Plymouth in 1620. It is located at the State Pier in Plymouth Center. The ship is open as a museum about the Pilgrims' historic voyage from Plymouth, England, and is considered a faithful replica of the original Mayflower. It is officially a part of Plimoth Patuxet.

The ship was built in Brixham, England in 1956, and sailed to Plymouth across the Atlantic Ocean in 1957 by famous mariner Alan Villiers. The ship is still seaworthy, and routinely takes voyages around Plymouth Harbor. In the year 2007, the Mayflower II celebrated the 50th anniversary of its arrival in Plymouth.

Historic interest
In addition to the Plymouth Rock Memorial, several other monuments were constructed in celebration of Plymouth's tricentennial. These include statues of Massasoit and William Bradford, and a sarcophagus containing the bones of the 51 Pilgrims who died in the winter of 1620, which rests atop Cole's Hill.

Pilgrim Hall Museum, founded in 1824, is the oldest continually operating museum in the United States. It is located in Plymouth Center. Plymouth also features the National Monument to the Forefathers, which was dedicated in 1889. Standing at 81 ft tall, it is the tallest free-standing solid granite monument in the United States. Other notable historical sites include the Plimoth Grist Mill, a working replica of an original mill built in 1636 (also officially a part of Plimoth Patuxet), as well as the 1640 Richard Sparrow House, the oldest house still standing in Plymouth. At the edge of the town on Route 80 is Parting Ways, a 94 acre site that is notable for containing the remains of four former slaves who fought in the American Revolutionary War and their families. Other historic houses include the Mayflower House Museum.

There are 21 locations in Plymouth that appear on the National Register of Historic Places, including Plymouth Rock, Cole's Hill, and Pilgrim Hall.

Parks and recreation
Myles Standish State Forest, the Commonwealth's second largest state forest, is located in Plymouth. It is a camping and hiking destination, and contains 16 freshwater lakes and ponds. It is home to Pinewoods Dance Camp, a traditional dance and music camp listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Ellisville Harbor State Park, located in the extreme southern portion of the town, contains a natural beach inside Cape Cod Bay. Plymouth is also home to 11 public and private golf courses, which include Squirrel Run, Pinehills, Plymouth Country Club, and Southers Marsh, a course that runs through a series of actively maintained cranberry bogs.

Twin and sister cities
Since 2001, Plymouth has shared a twin-city status with: Plymouth, Devon, United Kingdom. In addition, since 1990, Plymouth has shared a sister-city status with Shichigahama, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.

title: Plymouth, Massachusetts


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Scituate (CDP), Massachusetts

Scituate is a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Scituate in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,245 at the 2010 census.

Geography
Scituate is located at 42.18917°N, -70.73361°W (42.189231, -70.733832).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 12.5 km$2$ (4.8 mi$2$), of which 10.6 km$2$ (4.1 mi$2$) is land and 1.9 km$2$ (0.7 mi$2$) (15.11%) is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,069 people, 2,055 households, and 1,383 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 478.5/km$2$ (1,238.4/mi$2$). There were 2,189 housing units at an average density of 206.6/km$2$ (534.8/mi$2$). The racial makeup of the CDP was 95.76% White, 1.03% Black or African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.53% Asian, 1.32% from other races, and 1.30% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.77% of the population.

There were 2,055 households, out of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.0% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.7% were non-families. 28.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 22.5% under the age of 18, 4.3% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 18.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.9 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $62,392, and the median income for a family was $75,848. Males had a median income of $53,125 versus $38,910 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $29,845. About 2.0% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.4% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.

title: Scituate (CDP), Massachusetts


text:
Athol (CDP), Massachusetts

Athol is a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Athol in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 8,265 at the 2010 census.

Geography
Athol is located at 42.59167°N, -72.23028°W (42.591911, -72.230355).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 22.0 km2, of which 21.5 km2 is land and 0.5 km2  (2.12%) is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 8,370 people, 3,409 households, and 2,185 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 389.4 /km2. There were 3,675 housing units at an average density of 171.0 /km2. The racial makeup of the CDP was 96.01% White, 0.76% Black or African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.42% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.70% from other races, and 1.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.19% of the population.

There were 3,409 households, out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.6% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 30.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 26.4% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $31,630, and the median income for a family was $39,556. Males had a median income of $33,222 versus $22,563 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $16,062. About 9.2% of families and 10.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.0% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.

title: Athol (CDP), Massachusetts