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Medfield, Massachusetts

Medfield is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,799 according to the 2020 United States Census. It is a community about 17 mi southwest of Boston, Massachusetts, which is a 40-minute drive to Boston's financial district. Attractions include the Hinkley Pond and the Peak House.

History
The territory that Medfield now occupies was, at the time of colonization, Neponset land. As part of the English settlement of the area, it was sold by the Neponset leader Chickatabot to William Pynchon in the late 1620s. In 1633, Chickatabot died in a smallpox epidemic that decimated nearby Neponset, Narragansett and Pequot communities. Because Chickatabot and Pynchon's deal left no written deed, the Massachusetts General Court ordered "those Indians who were present when Chickatabot sold lands to Mr. Pynchon, or who know where they were, to set out the bounds thereof". Fifty years later, Chickatabot's grandson Josias Wampatuck brought a land claim against Medfield and the other towns created within the borders of the Chickatabot purchase, for which he received payment. Of those lands, Dedham was the first town formed.

The majority of present-day Medfield had been granted to Dedham in 1636, but the lands on the western bank of the Charles River had been meted out by the General Court to individuals. Edward Alleyn, for example, had been granted 300 acres in 1642. Dedham asked the General Court for some of those lands and, on October 23, 1649, the Court granted the request so long as they established a separate village there within one year. Medfield (New Dedham) was first settled in 1649, principally by people who relocated from the former town. The first 13 house lots were laid out on June 19, 1650.

Dedham sent Eleazer Lusher, Joshua Fisher, Henry Phillips, John Dwight, and Daniel Fisher to map out an area three miles by four miles and the colony sent representatives to set the boundaries on the opposite side of the river. The land that Dedham contributed to the new village became Medfield, and the land the colony contributed eventually broke away to become Medway in 1713. Millis would later break away from Medway.

The separations were not without difficulty, however. When Medfield left there were disagreements about the responsibility for public debts and about land use. There were some residents who did not move to the new village who wanted rights to the meadows while others thought that the land should be given freely to those who would settle them. A compromise was reached where those moving to the new village would pay £100 to those who remained in lieu of rights to the meadows. It was later reduced to £60, if paid over three years, or £50 if paid in one year.

Tax records show that those who chose to move to the new village came from the middle class of Dedham residents. Among the first 20 men to make the move were Ralph Wheelock, Thomas Mason, Thomas Wight, John Samuel Morse and his son Daniel, John Frary Sr., Joseph Clark Sr., John Ellis, Thomas Ellis, Henry Smith, Robert Hinsdale, Timothy Dwight, James Allen, Henry Glover, Isaac Genere, and Samuel Bullen. By 1664, several of their sons would join them, as would Joshua Fisher and his son John, and several other Dedhamites. Those who moved there often moved with family members, and many would move on from Medfield to other inland communities. It is also possible that those who left Dedham for Medfield were those most disaffected by the political or social climate within the town.

Town Meeting voted to release Medfield on January 11, 1651, and the General Court agreed the following May. Medfield became the 43rd town in Massachusetts.

The Rev. Ralph Wheelock is credited with the founding of Medfield. He was the first schoolmaster of the town's school established in 1655, and now has an elementary school named after him.

Half the town (32 houses, two mills, many barns and other buildings) was destroyed by Native Americans during King Philip's War in 1675. One house, known as the Peak House, was burnt in the war but was rebuilt shortly thereafter near downtown Medfield.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 14.6 square miles (37.8 km$2$), of which 14.5 square miles (37.6 km$2$) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.2 km$2$) (0.62%) is water. The Charles River borders almost one-third of Medfield. Medfield is surrounded by the towns Dover, Norfolk, Walpole, Millis, and Sherborn. The Charles River marks the Millis border.

Population and housing

 * 12,024 people, 5,284 households, and 5,462 families
 * Population density = 845.8 people/sq. mi (326.6 people/km$2$)
 * 5,048 housing units

Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.90% of the population.

 * Of the 5,284 households, 50.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.8% were married couples living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.3% were non-families. 15.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older
 * Average household size = 3.02
 * Average family size = 3.41

Age distribution

 * 33.6% under the age of 18
 * 3.5% from 18 to 24
 * 28.4% from 25 to 44
 * 25.2% from 45 to 64
 * 9.3% who were 65 or older
 * The median age was 38 years.
 * For every 100 females, there were 96.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.4 males.

Income data

 * Per capita income = $62,076
 * Median household income = $133,931
 * Median family income = $144,263
 * About 0.8% of families and 1.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.1% of those under age 18 and 1.6% of those aged 65 or over.

Education
Medfield Public Schools consistently ranks among the top ten school systems in Massachusetts by the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS). As recently as 2017, Medfield was ranked by the U.S. News & World Report as the number 5 ranked school system in Massachusetts. As of 2013, Medfield High School Seniors scored an average of 591 on the SAT Critical Reading Section, 618 on the SAT Math Section, and 598 on the SAT Writing Section.

In 2005, Medfield High School and T.A. Blake Middle School switched buildings as a result of a massive construction project updating the current Medfield High School (formally Amos Clark Kingsbury High School).

Public schools:

 * Memorial School, 59 Adams Street (grades K–1)
 * Wheelock School, 17 Elm Street (grades 2–3)
 * Dale Street School, 45 Adams Street (grades 4–5)
 * Thomas A. Blake Middle School, 24 Pound Street (grades 6–8)
 * Medfield High School, 88R South Street (grades 9–12)

Private schools:

 * Montrose School, an independent school for girls, inspired by the teachings of the Catholic Church, 29 North Street (grades 6–12)

Library
Medfield's Free Public Library began in 1873. The public library is located on Main Street. In the late 18th century some of the residents of Medfield and surrounding towns formed a subscription library, called the Medfield Social Library.

Events

 * On the third Saturday of September, Medfield Employers & Merchants Organization hosts Medfield Day in Medfield Center, which is an annual celebration of the town.
 * On the first Friday of December, Medfield Employers & Merchants Organization hosts the annual tree lighting in Baxter Park in Medfield Center.
 * On the Saturday following the first Friday of December, Medfield Employers & Merchants Organization organizes the annual Winter parade which takes place on the streets near Medfield Center.
 * On the first Sunday of December, Medfield Foundation hosts the Angel Run, which is an annual 5k fundraising road race, held to raise money to support people in need in the town.

Medfield State Hospital

Medfield State Hospital, located at 45 Hospital Road, opened in 1896 and originally operated on 685 acre of pasture. At its peak in 1952, it housed 1,500 patients. By 2001, it was down to about 300 acre and employed 450 people (including four psychologists) to care for a maximum of 147 patients. The cost to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts was $21.5 million. On April 3, 2003, the doors were closed. Although the buildings are not open to the public (they have been boarded up), the grounds may be visited during daylight hours.

 * The film The Box was filmed at the hospital in December 2007.
 * The film Shutter Island started prepping February 2008 and started filming at Medfield State Hospital in March 2008.
 * The film The New Mutants started filming at the Medfield State Hospital in the summer of 2017.

Points of interest

 * Rocky Woods is a 491 acre reservation in the northeastern part of town. The property has 6.5 mi of nature trails for hiking or biking, a few ponds for fishing, and open space for picnics and barbecues, and includes Cedar Hill (435 ft).
 * Noon Hill is a hill in Medfield at 370 ft with a trail to its peak. There are a total of 4.5 mi of trails around the hill and offer views of the hills of Walpole, Norfolk, and Gillette Stadium.
 * Peak House. Burnt during the Native-American attack on the town during King Philip's War in 1676, the Peak House was rebuilt in 1680. It was turned over to the Medfield Historical Society in 1924 and restored to its original Colonial look. It is open every Sunday from 2 PM–5 PM from June to September and by appointment at other times. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and the steep roof has the highest pitch on record in Massachusetts for a 17th-century house.
 * Medfield Historical Society on Pleasant Street. The Society museum contains historic artifacts and documents. The Society also owns the Peak House.
 * The Dwight-Derby House: Constructed in 1697. It was long thought that the house was built in 1651, but irrefutable scientific evidence has established that this house was not built until 1697. Still, it is one of only several dozen documented 17th-century houses still standing. Numerous additions have been made to the home over the years as the property changed owners.
 * Hinkley Pond, named after Vietnam fatality Stephen Hinkley, a native of Medfield, located on Green Street, is a site for public swimming and has a playground and sand area. Swimming lessons are taught on-site.
 * Lowell Mason Museum and Music Center. Birthplace of Lowell Mason and a rare example of First Period American architecture and construction. Portions of the house date to 1651 according to a dendrochronology survey. A community effort saved the home from demolition and relocated it to Green Street in April 2011. The Lowell Mason Foundation maintains the house, which will house the Lowell Mason Museum, community space, and a music center.
 * Kingsbury Pond, named after Amos Clark Kingsbury (a Medfield native and graduate of Medfield's High School Class of 1916) who served in the United States Marines, American Expeditionary Force, and fought in almost every major battle in France during World War I. Kingsbury Pond is located on Route 27, across the street from St. Edward's Catholic Church. It is a site for public fishing and ice skating. Fishermen have caught very small Largemouth Bass in this pond.
 * Metacomet Park, named after King Philip (who was also known as Metacomet or Metacom), the chief of the Wampanoag Indians and their leader in the King Philip War. Metacomet Park is an athletic complex and activities area located at 145 Pleasant Street. It offers four tennis courts, a little league baseball diamond, a multi-use field (used for lacrosse, field hockey, and soccer), and a small playground.
 * Charles River Reservation maintained by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation is home to the Bill Martin Flying Field maintained by two clubs, the Millis Model Aircraft Club and the Charles River Radio Controllers.

Medfield Rail Trail- Opened October 1, 2022, is 1.7 miles long and runs through most of the town of Medfield.

Notable people

 * Hannah Adams (1755–1831), Medfield native and Christian author; the first female professional writer in America
 * Uzo Aduba, actress, best known as "Crazy Eyes" on Netflix's Orange Is the New Black, grew up in Medfield, and was a member of the Medfield High School Theater Society
 * Matthew Aucoin, pianist, conductor/composer with the Metropolitan Opera, Lincoln Center Theater and Chicago Symphony orchestras, opera composer and lyricist
 * Jerry Bergonzi, tenor saxophonist and jazz educator; currently holds a full-time professorship at New England Conservatory
 * Raymond Berry, Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver for the Baltimore Colts, and former head coach of the New England Patriots
 * Steve Berthiaume, former ESPN anchor and current play-by-play broadcast announcer for the Arizona Diamondbacks
 * Drew Bledsoe, retired NFL quarterback, former quarterback of the New England Patriots
 * Donald E. Booth, American Diplomat and current US Ambassador to Ethiopia
 * Pete Carroll, coach of the Seattle Seahawks, and former coach of the University of Southern California and the New England Patriots, also lived in Medfield.
 * Ron Erhardt, former head coach of the New England Patriots lived in Medfield.
 * Rich Gotham, president of the Boston Celtics
 * John Hannah, former New England Patriots guard and Hall of Famer
 * George Inness (1825–1894), artist, some of whose paintings are of Medfield in the nineteenth century.
 * Ted Johnson, former linebacker of the New England Patriots lived in Medfield. Ted played for the Patriots from 1995 to 2004
 * Matt Klentak, special assistant, Milwaukee Brewers
 * Charles Martin Loeffler (1861–1935), a German-born American composer.
 * Rick Lyle, former defensive end for the New England Patriots, lived in Medfield. Rick played for the Patriots from 2002 to 2003
 * Eric Mangini, former assistant coach for the New England Patriots, lived in Medfield. Eric also coached the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns
 * Lowell Mason (1792–1872), a composer of hymns and pioneer of music education in American public schools.
 * Peter McNeeley, boxer.
 * Tom McNeeley, boxer.
 * Jason Nash, American actor and YouTube personality
 * John Preston (1945–1994), author of gay erotica and editor of gay non-fiction anthologies
 * Darrelle Revis, former cornerback for the New England Patriots
 * Curt Schilling, former pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. His family formerly lived on Woodridge Road in a 26 acre estate formerly occupied by another athlete, Drew Bledsoe. Schilling bought the home in 2003 for $4,500,001.

title: Medfield, Massachusetts


text:
Sharon (CDP), Massachusetts

Sharon is a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Sharon in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 6,184 at the 2020 census.

Geography
Sharon is located at 42.11528°N, -71.18306°W (42.115301, -71.18324).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 7.8 km$2$ (3.0 mi$2$), of which 7.7 km$2$ (3.0 mi$2$) is land and 0.1 km$2$ (0.04 mi$2$)  (0.99%) is water.

Demographics
According to the 2000 census, there were 5,941 people, 2,052 households, and 1,678 families in the CDP. The population density was 767.2/km$2$ (1,987.3/mi$2$). There were 2,084 housing units at an average density of 269.1/km$2$ (697.1/mi$2$). The racial makeup of the CDP was 92.41% White, 2.46% Black or African American, 0.24% Native American, 3.10% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.49% from other races, and 1.30% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.13%.

Of the 2,052 households 44.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.8% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.2% were non-families. 15.6% of households were one person and 7.3% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.89 and the average family size was 3.25.

The age distribution was 30.8% under the age of 18, 3.8% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 26.6% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% 65 or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.6 males.

The median household income was $74,648 and the median family income was $84,747. Males had a median income of $66,289 versus $45,800 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $34,453. About 2.5% of families and 2.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.0% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over.

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

title: Sharon (CDP), Massachusetts


text:
Sharon, Massachusetts

Sharon is a New England town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 18,575 at the 2020 census. Sharon is part of Greater Boston, about 17 mi southwest of downtown Boston, and is connected to both Boston and Providence by the Providence/Stoughton Line.

History
The Town of Sharon was first settled as part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1637 and was deemed the 2nd precinct of Stoughton in 1740. It was established as the district of Stoughtonham on June 21, 1765, incorporated as the Town of Stoughtonham on August 23, 1775, and was named Sharon on February 25, 1783, after Israel's Sharon plain, due to its high level of forestation. Several towns in New England were given this name. Part of Stoughtonham went to the new town of Foxborough on June 10, 1776. During the American Revolution, the townspeople of Sharon made cannonballs and cannons for the Continental Army at a local foundry.

In front of the Sharon Public Library stands a statue of Deborah Sampson, Sharon's town heroine. Sampson disguised herself as a man to fight in the Revolutionary War. After the war, she married Benjamin Gannett, a farmer, and lived in Sharon until the end of her life. Sampson began a campaign in 1790 to secure a pension from her time in the Revolutionary War, which earned the support of well known public figures, including Paul Revere. In 1804, Revere visited Sampson (then Sampson Gannett) at her farm in Sharon and wrote to the congressman of her district, William Eustis, that he found her "much more deserving than hundreds to whom Congress have been generous." Sampson was placed on the United States pension list a year later, and awarded an annual payment. She is buried in the local Rock Ridge Cemetery. A street in Sharon is named Deborah Sampson Street in her honor. In 1983, the Massachusetts General Court designated Sampson as the official State Heroine of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

The Unitarian and Congregational churches in the center of Sharon both have church bells manufactured by Paul Revere.

The recipient of letters from across the United States in Stanley Milgram's small-world experiment lived in Sharon.

Sharon is the former home of the Kendall Whaling Museum, founded by Henry P. Kendall in 1955. In 2001, the museum was merged with the New Bedford Whaling Museum, and its collection is now part of that museum, though the archives of the museum are still held in Sharon.

In Sharon there are six historical properties or districts that are registered with the state. Of the six, five are listed on the National Register and three are certified local historic districts:

In 1970, Sharon's First Historic District becomes an LHD. This is the area on North Main Street from Post Office Square to School Street and includes the Library and the Unitarian and Congregational Churches. It becomes a National Register District in 1975. In 1974 Cobb's Tavern becomes a National Historic Landmark. Located at 41 Bay Road, it becomes Sharon's Second Historic District in 1991. In 1980, Stoneholm, located at 188 Ames Street, becomes a National Historic Landmark. In 1984, the Stoughtonham Furnace Site (partially in Foxborough) becomes a National Historic Landmark. In 1997, Borderland State Park (partially in Easton) becomes a National Register District. In 2004, Sharon's Third Historic District was approved by Town Meeting and accepted by the Commonwealth. This includes the Charles R. Wilber School, the Pleasant Street School, and the Kate Morrell Park.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 24.2 square miles (62.6 km$2$), of which 23.3 square miles (60.4 km$2$) is land and 0.9 square mile (2.2 km$2$) (3.56%) is water. This includes Lake Massapoag, which is one of the town's most prominent features and a popular recreational site for swimming and boating. It was largely responsible for the town's early development as a summer resort location. Sharon is drained by the Canoe River to the south, and Massapoag Brook to the north.

Climate
Sharon is located in a continental climate, like most of New England and most of the Northeastern and Midwestern United States. It is cooler than coastal New England locations because it is inland. The town has warm to hot summers and cold winters. It is often humid in the summer. Sharon receives about 50 inches of precipitation every year on average. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Sharon has a humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.

Adjacent towns
Sharon is located in eastern Massachusetts, bordered by the following towns:
 * Canton to the northeast
 * Norwood to the north
 * Walpole to the northwest
 * Foxborough to the west
 * Stoughton to the east
 * Easton to the southeast
 * Mansfield a small portion to the southeast

Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 17,612 people, 6,219 households and 5,039 families residing in the town. The population density was 747.0 PD/sqmi. There were 6,026 housing units at an average density of 258.6 /sqmi.

As of 2010, the racial makeup of the town was 82.3% White, 4.2% African American, 0.1% Native American, 10.9% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.6% from other races and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.1% of the population. According to the American Community Survey administered in 2014, the racial makeup of the town was 76.0% White, 4.2% African American, 0.1% Native American, 16.6% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 0.4% from other races and 2.7% from two or more races, with Hispanic or Latino of any race at 2.5% of the population.

22.5% of the population speaks a language other than English at home, and 19.2% of the population was born outside of the United States. Sharon has the state's highest proportion of Russian immigrants, estimated at 14.4% in 2010.

Of the 6,219 households, 42.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.7% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 19.0% were non-families. 16.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 people and the average family size was 3.17 people.

The population was spread out, with 27.3% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 20.0% from 25 to 44, 34.7% from 45 to 64 and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.6 males.

As of 2014, the median income for a household in the town was $127,413 and the median income for a family was $144,167. Males had a median income of $100,951 versus $72,917 for females. The per capita income for the town was $56,465. About 1.1% of families and 2.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.0% of those under age 18 and 3.9% of those age 65 or over.

According to the 2014 American Community Survey, 97.6% of adults in Sharon are high school graduates, and 72.8% have a bachelor's degree or higher. Of those 25 and older, 11.3% have completed some college but do not have a degree, 4.7% have an associate degree, 34.7% have a bachelor's degree, and 37.7% have a graduate or professional degree.

Sharon is home to seven synagogues, nine churches, and one of the largest mosques in New England, the Islamic Center of New England.

Parks and recreation
Sharon has a large number of scenic trails due to the high percentage of conservation land within the town's borders. Trails found in Sharon include the Massapoag Trail, the Warner Trail, the Bay Circuit Trail (known as the Beaver Brook Trail in Sharon ), and the King Philip's Rock Trail. There are a number of trails at Borderland State Park and at Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary.

Government
Sharon currently has an Open Town Meeting form of government, with three Selectmen. In 2008, a commission was elected to prepare a charter document specifying the executive, legislative, and administrative structure of town government. It considered whether the town should retain its current government form or change to a representative form. There was a debate, whether the town has outgrown Open Town Meeting, where decisions are made only by those attending (who must be present to vote) or whether direct-vote government works well because residents who choose to attend are particularly interested in and informed on the issues. In November 2009, the charter commission recommended a "hybrid" legislative branch consisting of a Legislative Committee (Representative Town Meeting of 17 members) and an Open Town Meeting (which could be called to review the Legislative Committee's decisions if 3% of voters signed a "review petition"). At a town election on May 18, 2010, the charter proposal was rejected by a vote of 1123 yes, 2305 no.

As of February 2016, there are 12,383 registered voters in Sharon. 4,050 (32.7%) are enrolled as Democrats, 968 (7.8%) are enrolled as Republicans, 7,330 (59.2%) do not belong to a party, and 12 belong to other parties.

Sharon has continued to trend Democratic. In the 2012 presidential election, Barack Obama carried Sharon with 63% of the vote, while Mitt Romney received 35%. The same year, Democrat Elizabeth Warren won Sharon with 57% of the vote, defeating incumbent Republican senator Scott Brown, who received 43% of the vote in the town. In the 2016 presidential election, Hillary Clinton won 68.6% of the vote, and Donald Trump won 23.2%. In the 2020 presidential election, Joe Biden won 75.1% and Donald Trump won 22.3%.

Sharon is in Massachusetts' 4th congressional district, and is currently represented in the U.S. House of Representatives by Jake Auchincloss and in the U.S. Senate by Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey.

Education
The Sharon Public Schools system has five schools. Grades K–5 attend one of the three elementary schools: Cottage Street School, East Elementary School, or Heights Elementary School. Grades 6–8 attend Sharon Middle School, and grades 9–12 attend Sharon High School. The middle school and high school sports teams are known as the Eagles. The school system is noted for its outstanding academic performance and learning curriculum. Sharon Public Schools GPA is on a 6.33 scale. Sharon Middle School (SMS) and Sharon High School (SHS) both have athletic fields including baseball, football, soccer fields, tennis courts, as well as a track. In 2011, Sharon High School was awarded the National Blue Ribbon Schools award by the U.S. Department of Education. It was one of two schools in Massachusetts to receive the award. In the 2013–2014 school year, the AP participation rate at Sharon High School was 87%, and the participant passing rate was 99%.

The Charles R. Wilber School served as Sharon's high school until 1957, after which it became an intermediate school. In 2009 a new wing was added to the building, and it was converted to residential use.

In 2020, construction of a new high school building commenced and was completed before the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year. The old building, which was well over sixty years old, was demolished during the 2022-2023 school year. The new Sharon High School opened at the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year.

Transportation
Commuter rail service from Boston's South Station is provided by the MBTA with a stop in Sharon on its Providence/Stoughton Line. There are no public bus or subway lines in Sharon.

Exit 17 of Interstate 95 is on the Sharon/Foxborough border, with access to both the northbound and southbound directions of the highway. Exit 21 of Interstate 95 is on the Sharon/Walpole line, with access to the northbound direction of the highway and from the southbound direction. Exit 19 of Interstate 95 is also in Sharon, located on Route 1. This exit allows North or Southbound access to I95.

In addition, Massachusetts Route 27 runs through the center of the town and leads to Route 1.

Notable people

 * Mildred Allen, physicist
 * Tully Banta-Cain, NFL player
 * Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990), composer (summer resident)
 * John Brebbia (born 1990), MLB pitcher for Chicago White Sox
 * Etan Cohen, Israeli-American screenwriter
 * Sarah Palfrey Cooke, US tennis champion
 * Joseph A. Cushman, micropaleontologist, foraminiferologist
 * Arthur Vining Davis, industrialist and philanthropist
 * Jake Fishman (born 1995), American-Israeli MLB and Team Israel baseball player
 * Tommy Harper, baseball player
 * Amasa Hewins, portrait, genre and landscape painter
 * Roland James, football defensive back
 * Myron Kaufmann, novelist
 * Bill Keating, congressman
 * Henry Way Kendall, physicist, Nobel laureate
 * Aryeh Klapper, rabbi
 * Ty Law, football cornerback and three-time Super Bowl winner
 * Jack Levin, sociologist
 * Evan Marshall, literary agent, novelist
 * John McLaughlin, artist
 * Bruce Pearl (born 1960), basketball coach
 * Ted Philips, Massachusetts politician
 * Frank Salemme, Italian/Irish mobster and former boss of Patriarca crime family
 * Deborah Sampson, Revolutionary era heroine
 * Stephen Schneider, actor
 * Pete Seibert, ski resort founder
 * Scott A. Shikora, surgeon
 * Solomon Talbot, historian
 * Andre Tippett (born 1959), NFL football linebacker (Hall of Fame)
 * Charles Q. Tirrell, congressman
 * Terrence Wheatley, football cornerback
 * Nick Zinner, guitarist

title: Sharon, Massachusetts


text:
Walpole (CDP), Massachusetts

Walpole is not a small census-designated place (CDP) located within the much larger town (21 square miles in size) of Walpole in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Walpole Town as it is called by the US Census Bureau, is fully incorporated. There is no Census Designated Place within the town of Walpole.

Geography
Walpole is located at 42.14028°N, -71.24639°W (42.140417, -71.246421).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 7.5 km$2$ (2.9 mi$2$), of which 7.4 km$2$ (2.9 mi$2$) is land and 0.2 km$2$ (0.1 mi$2$)  (2.06%) is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,867 people, 2,478 households, and 1,615 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 792.0/km$2$ (2,054.7/mi$2$). There were 2,537 housing units at an average density of 342.5/km$2$ (888.5/mi$2$). The racial makeup of the CDP was 96.71% White, 0.78% Black or African American, 0.07% Native American, 1.53% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.15% from other races, and 0.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.94% of the population.

There were 2,478 households, out of which 26.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.1% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.8% were non-families. 31.2% 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 2.37 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 22.7% under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 18.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.1 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $59,744, and the median income for a family was $74,535. Males had a median income of $53,110 versus $35,833 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $29,669. About 1.8% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.5% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.

title: Walpole (CDP), Massachusetts


text:
Walpole, Massachusetts

Walpole is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Walpole Town, as the Census refers to it, is located approximately 18 mi south of downtown Boston, Massachusetts, and 30 mi north of Providence, Rhode Island. The population of Walpole was 26,383 at the 2020 census. Walpole was first settled in 1659 and was considered a part of Dedham until officially incorporated in 1724. The town was named after Sir Robert Walpole, de facto first Prime Minister of Great Britain. It also encompasses the entirely distinct entity of Walpole (CDP), with its much smaller area of 2.9 square miles.

History

It started out as a territory that was claimed by the Neponset band of the Massachusett Native American tribe. The Neponset tribe officially claimed the area that is now Walpole, and some of its surrounding territory, in 1635. The town of Dedham was not included in this claim, so they began to negotiate with the Neponset tribe to gain land. In 1636, a deal was made between the town of Dedham and the Neponsets to grant Dedham lands that now comprise the towns of Walpole, Norwood, Westwood, Medfield, Norfolk and Dover as well as Dedham. The land given to Dedham in this deal currently includes parts of 16 different towns.

After the territory was bought from Dedham, the saw mill industry began to rise in the area. The first saw mill in Walpole was built near what is now School Meadow Brook and the Neponset River. It was located in the area that is now the Walpole Town Forest. The mill was built and later owned by Joshua Fisher and Major Eleazer Lusher, two wealthy men of Dedham.

On May 13, 1717, Dedham's Town Meeting voted to allow those in outlying areas to stop paying for the central village's minister and to move the school around town seasonally. When residents of the sawmill village asked to establish their own church, however, the Town voted not to allow it on March 7, 1721. Two months later, on May 15, 1721, the same residents presented a petition asking to be set off as their own town. Town Meeting once again rejected their request.

Soon residents of the other outlying areas began joining forces with them. Finally, with the urging of the Great and General Court, the new town of Walpole was created in May 1724. The town was named after Sir Robert Walpole.

After its incorporation, Walpole had a role in the events leading up to the American Revolutionary War. The citizens opposed taxes imposed by the British government. They sent a representative, Joshua Clapp, to the state meetings at Faneuil Hall in Boston. These meetings were to discuss how Massachusetts was going to keep its residents safe and peaceful during the events of the American Revolutionary War. In 1775, Walpole sent 157 men to the Battle of Lexington and Concord. These men were led by Captain Seth Bullard. In December 1777, a British fleet of ships came into Narragansett Bay and anchored in Newport Harbor in Rhode Island. Walpole sent two groups of minutemen, consisting of 65 men in total, to help with the situation. These men were led by Joshua Clapp, and Oliver Clapp. They stayed in Rhode Island to defend the port for three weeks.

Walpole began to grow after the Revolutionary War. By 1860, the town had 1,935 residents. Starting around this time, several mills began to be built, largely on the Neponset River in order to harness the power of falls. Over the years, these mills grew and mainly manufactured products such as cotton, lumber, and paper in its many mills. The most notable of these was the Bird Company, which comprised a large complex on the river in East Walpole. After the company ceased operations at the site in 1980, most of the buildings were razed over the years; a housing development now occupies a large portion of the old mill site and only a few remnants of the area's former use are still evident. The Neponset River was also used for transport between the close towns of Sharon, Foxborough and Medfield. It was also used as a water supply and for water power. The Norfolk County railroad also connected the town. It was also part of a railroad network that connected Walpole to Boston and New York City. Many churches were formed in Walpole at this time, including Trinitarian, Unitarian and Methodist ones: Union Congregational Church est. 1877, etc.

Walpole's first public library was founded in 1872. It was founded by Walpole resident Miss Mary R. Bird. The first library in Walpole was actually founded in 1816 by a group known as "The Ladies' Literary, Moral Society". It was not public, and was built to provide books to Walpole that may, in the words of the society, "afford useful information to the mind and improvement to the heart."

The town grew considerably throughout the 1900s, with an increase of over 3,000 by the 1920s. At a town meeting in 1922, local resident Maude R. Greeves said:

Upon the town seal of Walpole is depicted an old watermill, presumably the old saw mill of Eleazer Lusher and Joshua Fisher on the Neponset River, with a forest of trees in the background, and in the margin are the words, 'Walpole, Mass., incorporated 1724.' Quite a change has come to the town since the conditions represented by the Corporate Seal existed. Walpole of the present day is one of the thriving towns of the Old Bay State with a population of 5,446.

The town seal was adopted by a committee of the Walpole Board of Selectmen on March 2, 1914. The seal was designed by Edna Buck, a junior at Walpole High School. Her prize for having her design selected was $25. She based the design on the ruins of a saw mill located on Brook Street at the time.

In 1929, Harriet Nevins donated $50,000 for the erection of a public building as a memorial for her parents George Blackburn and Nancy H. Blackburn. Her father, a merchant from Bradford, England, had once lived and done business in Walpole. Blackburn Memorial Building (more commonly known as "Blackburn Hall") was designed by the architectural firm of Putnam & Cox Company of Boston, built by the F.J. Tetreault Company of Walpole, and dedicated in 1932. The red brick building, which features a neo-classical façade with whitewashed pillars, is still owned by the Town of Walpole and is used for a variety of activities throughout the year including children's theater production. To the Families of Boston and Eastern Massachusetts, Harriet Nevins also left $2500 to fund the construction of a fountain for horses and dogs. The fountain is now dry yet still stands on School Street in Walpole opposite the Town Hall.

Demographics
At the census of 2010, there were 24,070 people, 8,060 households, and 5,972 families residing in the town. The population density was 429.0/km$2$ (1077.3/sq mi). There were 8,229 housing units at an average density of 400.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 95.41% White, 1.59% Black or African American, 0.11% Native American, 1.13% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.12% from other races, and 0.64% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.02% of the population. The Census of 2010 shows very little variance in these figures. Only the Asian population has seen somewhat of a change.

There were 8730 households, out of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.2% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.9% were non-families. 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.23.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.8% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $74,757, and the median income for a family was $84,458. Males had a median income of $54,243 versus $39,516 for females. The per capita income for the town was $32,117. About 1.5% of families and 2.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.8% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over.

Weather and climate
Under the Köppen climate classification, Walpole has a humid continental climate (Dfa), which is the predominant climate for Massachusetts and New England. Walpole's inland location causes it to experience cooler winter temperatures than many coastal locations in New England. Summers are typically hot and humid, while winters are cold, windy, and often snowy.

Walpole's warmest month is July, with an average high temperature of 83.4 °F and an average low of 63.3 °F. The coldest month is January, with an average high temperature of 36.8 °F and an average low of 19.7 °F.

Much like the rest of the Northeastern seaboard, Walpole receives ample amounts of precipitation year-round. On average, summer months receive slightly less precipitation than winter months. Walpole averages 49.59 in of rainfall a year. Walpole, like other 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 New England region during the early autumn months.

Education

Walpole's school system, the Walpole Public Schools, is run by a school committee made up of seven members. The committee appoints a superintendent, who then appoints individual principals in each of Walpole's public schools. The current school superintendent is Bridget Gough. Walpole has seven public schools, which include four elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school.

The four elementary schools in Walpole include Old Post Road School, Elm Street School, Boyden School, and Fisher School. Old Post Road school is located in East Walpole. It has about 500 students attending and serves students in from kindergarten through grade five. Currently, there are three modular classrooms for the fourth grade to accommodate the growing student population. Fisher School was the first to be established, on North Street, in 1790. It was a one-room schoolhouse until 1914, when a modern building was built on Main Street. In 2007, the school was attended by about 470 students. Boyden Elementary School was founded in 1854 by Jeremiah Boyden. It was first named South Primary School until 1902, when the town decided to name it after Boyden. It was closed between 1981 and 1988 and was used as a school for troubled boys. It reopened in 1990 and in 2010 had about 460 students and 30 teachers. Elm Street school is Walpole's newest school, which was opened in 1999, and renovated in 2004. It has about 520 students.

 * Middle schools in Walpole include Johnson Middle School and Bird Middle School.
 * The Blessed Sacrament is a private Catholic School in Walpole.
 * Shishu Bharati School of Languages and Culture of India, a private, non-profit institution, has a branch in Walpole.
 * The town is also home to the Norfolk County Agricultural High School and the Longview Farm School.

Law and government
Walpole, like most New England towns, has a Select Board style of government. The town has a five member selectboard. The current members, Mark Gallivan, Benjamin Barrett, James O'Neil, Glenn Maffei, and Allyson Hamilton, were each elected to three year terms. It also uses a Representative Town Meeting, with about 150 representatives. Walpole is divided into eight precincts, and each precinct elects 18–20 representatives to the town meeting. Representatives serve a three-year term.

The town also elects a moderator, and members to the board of assessors, housing authority, library board of trustees, planning board, school committee, and sewer and water commission.

Jake Auchincloss and Stephen F. Lynch represent different areas of the town in the United States House of Representatives, and Elizabeth Warren and Edward Markey represent Walpole in the United States Senate.

State Prison Closure
It is only partially accurate to say that Walpole is the location of Massachusetts Correctional Institution – Cedar Junction, a maximum security prison for males that was originally named "MCI—Walpole" until town residents successfully lobbied in the mid-1980s for the change. In reality, only part of the facility actually lies in Walpole. The southwest part of it lies in the neighboring town of Norfolk, but as Norfolk already has a prison (MCI Norfolk), Cedar Junction was originally known as MCI Walpole.

As of April 2022, Cedar Junction is planned to be shut down within the next two years due to reduced incarceration rates (currently the lowest in 35 years) and the high costs of maintenance.

Recreation

Francis William Bird Park is an 89 acre landscaped park, owned and maintained by The Trustees of Reservations. Over three miles (5 km) of walking and biking paths wind through the park, traversing streams across old granite bridges and passing through rolling, grassy meadows punctuated with mature shade trees, tree groves, and ponds.

Facilities at the park include bike racks, public restroom (open seasonally), a "tot lot" with children's play equipment, four tennis courts, a basketball backboard, and an outdoor stage.

Bird Park was created and endowed in 1925 by local industrialist Charles Sumner Bird, Sr. and his wife Anna in memory of their eldest son, Francis William Bird who had died seven years earlier in the influenza epidemic of 1918. Landscape architect and town planner John Nolen designed the park. A social reformer, Nolen believed that parks were critical to the health of urban residents and should be designed to provide a place of respite and relaxation in nature. In his original design plan, Nolen wrote that this park should be: ...a sequestered breathing place in the heart of East Walpole...a combination of broad, sun-swept meadow lands, speckled with shadowed glades, higher tree-screened knolls for the lover of shade, the whole set to the music of a babbling stream.

For most of its history, the park was owned and maintained by the Francis William Park Trust. By the later decades of the 20th century, parts of the park suffered badly from vandalism and neglect. The Trustees of Reservations gained possession of this property in 2002. Today the park is in excellent condition and several young ornamental trees such as cherry and Japanese maple have been added to the landscape, as have flower beds.

Walpole High School athletics

 * The Walpole High School football team has made USA Today's Top 25 list twice, in 1986 (#24), and 1989 (#15).
 * The Walpole High School boys lacrosse team won the 2009 Division 2 State Championship.
 * In 2004, the Walpole boys and girls high school basketball teams captured the Massachusetts State Titles on the same day in the Fleet Center in Boston.
 * The boys cross country team won Massachusetts Sectional Championships in 1971, 1985, 1986, 1991, 1992, 2014, 2018, and 2023.
 * The boys hockey team made the Massachusetts High School Super 8 for the first time in school history in 2017. Then won the Division 1 state championship in 2020 being named Co-State Champions with Belmont High School.

Timberwolves and Porkers
All Walpole High School teams are nicknamed Timberwolves, except for the girls field hockey team, which is nicknamed Porkers. In 2023, the Porkers won their 13th State Championship in a 1–0 win over Andover. This win set the record for number of overall Championship titles for Massachusetts field hockey.

Youth sports

 * Walpole Little League has won the state championship twice: 1991, and 2007. They went to the Little League World Series in 2007 with a record of 19–1. They defeated Shelton, CT 14–4 in five inning mercy rule to advance to the LLWS. In round robin play, Walpole was eliminated with a 1–2 record, after losing to Oregon and Georgia, 1–0 and 8–1 respectively, and finished 21–3.
 * There are youth sports leagues in Walpole providing youth athletes with a number of options throughout the year, many of which are run through the Walpole Recreation Department and their affiliates.
 * The Walpole Express is a junior, youth, and girls hockey organization based in Walpole, Massachusetts.

Controversy
From the 1960s until the 2000s, Walpole high school teams were called the Rebels. For many years, up until 1994, the song "Dixie" was commonly sung at football games, and even incorporated into the cheerleaders' cheers. During the height of the Confederate identity, the football coach, Coach Lee, was known as General Lee, and, in 1971, the face of the school yearbook was decorated with the confederate flag. Since 1994, the school has condemned the Confederate identity.

In June 2020, following the murder of George Floyd in Minnesota, which brought light to the national problem of racism and police brutality, Walpole residents started a petition to change the athletic team name due to its connection to the Confederacy and racist roots. Other Walpole residents started a petition to keep the name. The two petitions got over 5,000 signatures each, from current students, alumni, parents, residents, and residents of surrounding towns. The petitions were made to the Walpole Public Schools. In August 2020, the school committee unanimously voted to drop the name Rebels. The students voted on the new name, Timberwolves.

Media
Walpole Community Television, established in 1984, airs programming of local interest to all Walpole cable subscribers.

Transportation and geography
Walpole is bordered by Dover to the north; Westwood, Canton, and Norwood to the northeast; Sharon to the east; Foxboro to the south; and Norfolk and Medfield to the west.

Walpole is served by Walpole station on the MBTA Commuter Rail Franklin/Foxboro Line. (Plimptonville station, located in northern Walpole, was closed in 2020.) MBTA bus route terminates in downtown Walpole.

Notable people

 * Andrew Bacevich, professor of international relations at Boston University, former director of its Center for International Relations (from 1998 to 2005), and author of several books
 * Todd Collins, professional American football quarterback
 * Mary Duffy, Eaton Vance executive
 * Gene Lavanchy, TV news anchor for FOX channel 25 in Boston
 * Mary Lavin, Award-winning short story writer. Born in Walpole, moved to Ireland at the age of 10.
 * Mike Milbury, former Boston Bruins ice hockey defenseman and head coach
 * Joe Morgan, professional baseball manager for a variety of teams including the Boston Red Sox.
 * George Arthur Plimpton (1855–1936), American publisher and philanthropist
 * Butch Songin, quarterback for the Boston College Eagles, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Rugby Union, and for the American Football League's Boston Patriots and New York Titans. He also was an All-American defenseman for the BC Eagles ice hockey team
 * Roger Turner, Olympic Figure Skater
 * Chris Wagner, ice hockey player for the Boston Bruins, previously played for the Anaheim Ducks, New York Islanders and Colorado Avalanche
 * Joseph N. Welch, special counsel to the United States Army during the Army–McCarthy Hearings; later played Judge Weaver in Anatomy of a Murder with Jimmy Stewart and Lee Remick

title: Walpole, Massachusetts


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Bridgewater (CDP), Massachusetts

Bridgewater was a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Bridgewater in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The CDP ceased to exist when Bridgewater was given de facto city status in 2010. The population was 7,841 at the 2010 census.

Geography
Bridgewater is located at 41.99°N, -70.97306°W (41.9901, -70.973241).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 5.7 km2, of which 5.7 km2 is land and 0.1 km2 (0.90%) is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 25,185 people, 2,505 households, and 1,265 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1,169.5 /km2. There were 2,574 housing units at an average density of 451.7 /km2. The racial makeup of the CDP was 80.46% White, 1.97% Black or African American, 0.12% Native American, 1.85% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 14.12% from other races, and 1.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.26% of the population.

There were 2,505 households, out of which 23.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.4% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 49.5% were non-families. 37.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 16.4% under the age of 18, 28.0% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 15.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.1 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $46,237, and the median income for a family was $55,511. Males had a median income of $41,834 versus $27,096 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $20,301. About 3.2% of families and 7.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.7% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those age 65 or over.

title: Bridgewater (CDP), Massachusetts


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Bridgewater, Massachusetts

Bridgewater is a town located in Plymouth County, in the state of Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the town's population was 28,633. Bridgewater is located approximately 25 mi south of Boston and approximately 35 miles east of Providence, Rhode Island.

History
This area was established as a part of Duxbury in 1645 by purchase from the Native Americans by 54 proprietors—most who did not settle there. Bridgewater was established as a Township on June 3, 1656 from Duxbury in Plymouth Colony. The town was placed in Plymouth County when counties were formed in 1685. For a brief time, the town was part of the Dominion of New England from 1686 to 1689. The township expanded by annexation between 1662 and 1798, and the town proper was bounded in 1846. The town is still in Plymouth County, though was in limbo, until the "Colony" was merged with Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1691 that became the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 28.2 mi2, of which 27.5 mi2 is land and 0.7 mi2 (2.62%) is water. Bridgewater is 99th out of the 351 communities in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and eighth out of the twenty-seven municipalities in Plymouth County in terms of land area. The town is bordered by West Bridgewater to the northwest, East Bridgewater to the northeast, Halifax to the east, Middleborough to the south, and Raynham to the west. Bridgewater is approximately five miles south of Brockton, 10 miles northeast of Taunton, and 25 miles south of Boston, of which it is a suburb.

Neighborhoods in Bridgewater include Stanley, Scotland Park, Pratt Town, Paper Mill Village, and South Bridgewater.

Bridgewater lies along the Taunton River, which has several other rivers and brooks which branch off the main waterway. There are also several ponds, the largest of which is Lake Nippenicket along the western edge of the town. There is a state forest, a town forest, several conservation areas and a large portion of the Hockomock Swamp Wildlife Management Area, in the western part of town. Parts of this swamp give rise to the so-called Bridgewater Triangle, a small area of concentrated reports of strange Fortean phenomena, colonial "dark days", Bigfoot and mysterious black panthers, UFO sightings, and other weird encounters, a phrase coined by Loren Coleman, author of Mysterious America, often compared to the Bermuda Triangle.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 25,185 people, 7,526 households, and 5,584 families residing in the town. The population density was 916.2 PD/sqmi. There were 7,652 housing units at an average density of 278.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 87.28% White, 17.47% People of Color.

There were 7,526 households, out of which 38.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.5% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.8% were non-families. 19.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.27.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.9% under the age of 18, 14.7% from 18 to 24, 32.9% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 8.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 110.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 111.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $65,318, and the median income for a family was $73,953. Males had a median income of $48,438 versus $32,383 for females. The per capita income for the town was $23,105. About 1.9% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.6% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over.

Bridgewater is the 71st largest municipality in the Commonwealth by population, and 110th by population density. In the county, Bridgewater ranks third in population and seventh in density.

Early demographics
Populations from 1765 through 1840, and 1855 are from a non-government source. From 1820 forward, the population excludes North, West and East Bridgewater.

Economy
In the late 1960s, the economy of Bridgewater was dependent upon the Old Colony Correctional Center and other Massachusetts Correctional Institutions of the MCD in Bridgewater, Bridgewater State Hospital and the Bridgewater Teacher's College (now the Bridgewater State University). Donald Cabana, who served as a prison guard at the Bridgewater prison and later became the superintendent of the Mississippi State Penitentiary, said that "the community promoted the fact that it was home to the United States's first "normal school" (teachers' college), while the prison was "often mentioned in less glowing terms".

For most of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Bridgewater's economy was largely dependent on the factories located within the town. Bridgewater is renowned and known for its iron works factories, one of which is appropriately named Bridgewater Iron Works and is a registered historical site in Massachusetts. The majority of the Iron Works factory was torn down in 1994 and turned into Ironworks Park. Bridgewater has numerous iron works companies still in business. The town also had multiple paper mills, sawmills, and a boot and shoe factory. The boot and shoe factory still stands today off Broad Street, adjacent to the MBTA Commuter Train rail tracks. Although the factory no longer manufactures shoes, it still houses numerous businesses and storage units.

Local government
Bridgewater was formerly governed on the local level by the open town meeting form of government, led by a Board of Selectmen until January 2011. Bridgewater is now led by seven Precinct Councilors, 1 per precinct, and two "at-large councilors", with an appointed Town Manager, Assessor, Tax Collector, for a total of nine Councilors. Bridgewater is one of fourteen Massachusetts municipalities that have applied for, and been granted, city forms of government but wish to retain "The town of" in their official names. This is from the majority 'Yes' vote on Question #1 at the April 24, 2010 annual town election, to change from a five-person, elected Board of Selectmen to a nine-person, elected Town Council, and thus abolishing the Annual Town Meeting, which was held in 2010 after generations. Town facilities are located at the center of town, with the Police Department headquarters being just west of the Square along Mass. Route 104. There are two fire stations located in town, with one station located next to the college and the other station in the eastern part of town, directly behind the Town Hall. There is one U.S. Post Office branch, located just north of the town center along Mass. Route 18. The Bridgewater Public Library is just north of the town center, and is a part of the SAILS Library Network.

State representation
On the Commonwealth level, Bridgewater is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives of the General Court of Massachusetts as a portion of the Eighth Plymouth District, which includes Raynham and a small portion of Easton. In the Massachusetts Senate, the Town is a part of the First Plymouth and Bristol District, which also includes Berkley, Carver, Dighton, Marion, Middleborough, Raynham, Taunton and Wareham. The Town is also patrolled by the Fourth (Middleborough) Barracks of Troop 'D' of the Massachusetts State Police.

The Massachusetts Department of Correction operates several correctional facilities in the Bridgewater Correctional Complex in Bridgewater. The prisons in the complex include Bridgewater State Hospital, Massachusetts Alcohol and Substance Abuse Center, Massachusetts Treatment Center, and Old Colony Correctional Center.

Federal representation
On the national level, Bridgewater is a part of Massachusetts's 8th congressional district, which has been represented in the United States House of Representatives since 2001 by Stephen Lynch, a Democrat. The Commonwealth's senior member of the United States Senate, elected in 2012, is Elizabeth Warren. Warren defeated incumbent Republican Senator Scott Brown, who had won a special election in 2010 to win the seat after the death of Ted Kennedy. Ed Markey became the commonwealth's junior Senator after he won a special election to the U.S. Senate to succeed John Kerry after the latter's confirmation as Secretary of State. The Town also has a Massachusetts National Guard armory along Mass. Route 18.

Education
Bridgewater shares its school district with neighboring Raynham, with both towns operating their own elementary and middle schools, and sending their students to a common high school. Bridgewater has one elementary school, George H. Mitchell Elementary School (south and west of the town center - formerly known as Bridgewater Elementary), which serves students from kindergarten through grade two. All the third, fourth, and fifth, graders attend M.G. Williams Intermediate School, while sixth, seventh and eighth graders attend Bridgewater Middle School. The Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School is located in Bridgewater, west of the town center. B-R's athletics teams are nicknamed the "Trojans", and their colors are red and white. The athletic teams of the Bridgewater Middle School use the "Spartans" nickname.

In 2015 during February vacation, the roof of the Mitchell Elementary school collapsed due to heavy snow. The students at the elementary school were moved to Bridgewater Middle School, and the students at the middle school were split between the Williams Intermediate School and Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School.

There are private schools in nearby Taunton and Brockton. Bridgewater was formerly the site of the well-known, influential Bridgewater Academy, a private high school formerly located on the "Town Common" (park). It was attended by many young men of the area in the early and mid 19th century, including a Massachusetts-born merchant/philanthropist Enoch Pratt (1808–1896), in the late 1830s, who endowed the Public Library in his hometown of North Middleborough and also set up the Enoch Pratt Free Library, one of the first free public library systems in America.

The town is also home to Bridgewater State University, a public liberal arts university that was founded as a "normal school" (now teachers' school) in 1840. It is the largest of the state's nine state universities outside of the University of Massachusetts system itself. As of 2022, approximately 8,000 undergraduate students and 1,500 postgraduate students were enrolled at the university.

Transportation
Bridgewater is the site of the intersection of Interstate 495 and Mass. Route 24, with only a one-mile stretch of the interstate highway running through the southwestern corner of the town. Just north of this intersection along Mass. Route 24 are two large service areas, both of which have restaurants and a gas station. They are the only two such full service areas along Mass. Route 24, or, for that matter, anywhere along the highways of Southeastern Massachusetts (aside from a stop along U.S. Route 6 in Barnstable; that stop, however, is considered to be off the highway). At the center of town, Mass. Route 18, Mass. Route 28 and Mass. Route 104 meet at the Town Common. Mass. Routes 18 and 28, both north–south routes, are coextensive from this point south to the road's intersection with U.S. Route 44 in Middleborough. Mass. Route 104 passes from east to west, with ramp access to Mass. Route 24 in the west. A short portion of Mass. Route 106 passes along the town line in the northeast of town; Mass. Route 104 's eastern terminus is at that route, just along the East Bridgewater line.

The Middleborough-Lakeville line of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) commuter rail passes through the town, with a stop at the southern end of Bridgewater State University's campus. The stop is just south of the university's main parking lots at the Southern Campus. There is a small air strip in nearby Taunton, and the nearest national air service can be found at T. F. Green Airport outside Providence and at Logan International Airport in Boston.

Notable people

 * Nathaniel Ames (1708–1764), born in Bridgewater, publisher of first annual almanac
 * George Leonard Andrews (1828–1899), born in Bridgewater, noted United States Army officer, engineer, and educator
 * Drew Bledsoe, NFL quarterback for New England Patriots, resided in Bridgewater during his time with team
 * Love Brewster, passenger on Mayflower and a founder of Bridgewater
 * Mickey Cochrane (1903–1962), Baseball Hall of Fame catcher, born in Bridgewater
 * Marc Colombo, former NFL player for Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins, resided on Highview Terrace
 * Bruce Gray, sculptor and artist
 * Elijah Hayward (1786-1864), politician and judge who was born and raised in Bridgewater.
 * Steven Laffoley (born 1965), author of creative-nonfiction and fiction books, including the award-winning Shadowboxing: the Rise and Fall of George Dixon (2012)
 * Enoch Pratt (1808–1896), merchant, businessman, philanthropist in Baltimore, Maryland (see above)
 * Louise Dickinson Rich (1903–1991), author of books for children and adults, wrote of her childhood in Bridgewater in Innocence Under the Elms
 * Neil Cicierega (born 1986), American filmmaker, YouTuber, animator, and musician

Media

 * The Enterprise
 * The Bridgewater Independent, published every Wednesday
 * The Comment, Bridgewater State University student newspaper
 * WBIM-FM 91.5, Bridgewater State University radio station

title: Bridgewater, Massachusetts


text:
Duxbury (CDP), Massachusetts

Duxbury is a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Duxbury in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,802 at the 2010 census.

Geography
Duxbury is located at 42.04278°N, -70.67278°W (42.042891, -70.672928).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 6.8 km2, of which 5.6 km2 is land and 1.2 km2 (17.18%) is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,426 people, 499 households, and 415 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 253.7 /km2. There were 567 housing units at an average density of 100.9 /km2. The racial makeup of the CDP was 98.18% White, 0.07% Black or African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.84% Asian, 0.35% from other races, and 0.42% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.70% of the population.

There were 499 households, out of which 40.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 78.4% were married couples living together, 4.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.8% were non-families. 14.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.19.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 29.4% under the age of 18, 3.9% from 18 to 24, 20.9% from 25 to 44, 33.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.4 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $105,683, and the median income for a family was $125,346. Males had a median income of $85,783 versus $45,417 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $44,589. About 1.6% of families and 2.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.7% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.

title: Duxbury (CDP), Massachusetts


text:
Duxbury, Massachusetts

Duxbury (alternative older spelling: "Duxborough") is a historic seaside town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. A suburb located on the South Shore approximately 35 mi to the southeast of Boston, the population was 16,090 at the 2020 census.

Geographic and demographic information on the specific parts of the town of Duxbury is available in the articles Duxbury (CDP), Green Harbor, and South Duxbury.

History
The area now known as Duxbury was inhabited by people as early as 12,000 to 9,000 BCE. By the time European settlers arrived here, the region was inhabited by the Wampanoags, who called this place Mattakeesett, meaning "place of many fish."

17th century
In 1620, English settlers known as the Pilgrims established their colony in nearby Plymouth. Per the terms of their contract with financial backers in London, they were required to live together in a tight community for seven years. At the end of that term in 1627, land along the coast was allotted to settlers for farming. Thus, the coastline from Plymouth to Marshfield, including Duxbury, likely named after Myles Standish's ancestral home of Duxbury Hall in Chorley, was parceled out, and many settlers began moving away from Plymouth.

At first, those who settled in Duxbury came to work their new farms just in the warmer months and returned to Plymouth during the winter. It was not long, however, before they began to build homes on their land, and soon requested permission from the colony to be set off as a separate community with their own church. Duxbury, which originally included land that is now Pembroke, was incorporated in 1637.

Some of the most influential men in the colony received grants in Duxbury and became its first leaders. Captain Myles Standish, the military leader of the colony, lived in "the Nook," an area now known as Standish Shore. Elder William Brewster was for many years the religious leader of the colony, in which he led services to the colony until it received its own minister in 1637. John Alden was another important settler. His house, now a museum on Alden Street, was the site of many important meetings of the colony's leaders.

The graves of some of Duxbury's first settlers can be found in the Old Burying Ground on Chestnut Street, next to the site of original meetinghouse.

Theory has it that the town was named by Myles Standish after the family estate of his childhood in Lancashire. The ancient Standish family in northern England owned much land and large estates, including the two main family headquarters of Standish Hall and Duxbury Manor, in Lancashire, since before the Middle Ages. Myles Standish's will delineates his inheritance rights to very particular lands near and around Standish and mostly Duxbury Manor, stating his descent from both lines of the Standish family; and so it has been suggested that he named the new town in Massachusetts after the estate where he grew up.

Duxbury was primarily a farming community throughout the 17th and 18th centuries.

18th century
Its quiet history in the 18th century was interrupted only by the Revolutionary War. In the years leading up to the Revolutionary War, opposition to the British was quite fierce in Duxbury, with crowds meeting regularly at Captain's Hill to burn effigies of British officials in protest of the Stamp Act.

In 1775, General Thomas Gage dispatched a company of regulars to the town in response to pleas from the loyalists at Marshfield.

When the Minuteman alarm sounded on April 19, 1775, with news of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, many volunteers mustered to the regiment of Colonel Theophilus Cotton from Plymouth, Kingston, and Duxbury, and headed for Marshfield to engage the British. The colonial officers held a council of war at the home of Lt. Col. Briggs Alden in Duxbury.

Duxbury's shipbuilding era began immediately after the end of the Revolutionary War with the Treaty of Paris. The new nation was granted fishing rights on the Grand Banks, and several families took advantage of the new opportunity and began to build large fishing schooners. The schooners built in the 1790s gave way to larger brigs and eventually three-masted ships. As several merchant families began to amass large fleets, shipyards and other ancillary industries flourished and Duxbury prospered. By the 1840s, Duxbury boasted about 20 shipyards and produced an average of ten large sailing vessels per year.

The largest industry in Duxbury was owned by Ezra Weston, who came to be known as "King Caesar" due to his success and influence. Weston began building small vessels in 1764 and soon became famous for his successful merchant fleet. His son, Ezra Weston II, who inherited his father's kingly sobriquet, would bring the industry to its height.

19th century
Lloyd's of London recognized Weston as the owner of the largest fleet in America, and this judgment was confirmed by Daniel Webster in a speech in 1841. His empire, a fore-runner of vertical integration, dominated the town. The King Caesar House is now a museum owned by the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society. By 1837 there were nearly 40 shipyards along the west shore of Duxbury Bay between Captains Hill and the mouth of the Bluefish River. These shipyards were supported by a foundry, a sail loft, a ropewalk, and a spar soak where masts were stored in a pool of salt water to prevent warping before they were stepped as ships' masts. Inland farmers provided food for the ships' crews; and a bank handled the shipbuilders' money.

Demand for shallow-draft ships declined by the 1850s. Duxbury Bay was too shallow to build the deep-draft clippers and steamships dominating oceanic trade and railroads were competing for the coastal trade. While other Massachusetts towns grew, Duxbury went into a long economic decline.

There was, however, a silver lining. By the 1870s, Duxbury's rural character and unspoiled bay began to attract summer visitors. Duxbury soon gained a reputation as an idyllic summer resort. With the 1871 completion of the Duxbury & Cohasset Railroad, large numbers of city-folk from Boston could pay $1.50 for a round-trip ticket and enjoy Duxbury's refreshing environment. Boarding houses sprang up everywhere. The Miles Standish Hotel on the Nook soon became enormously popular. The Myles Standish monument, completed in 1898, was a result of this tourist influx.

20th century
This pattern continued in Duxbury well into the 20th century. It was not until the construction of Route 3 that transportation to Boston became expedient and the town's population rose further with the arrival of thousands of year-round residents.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 37.6 mi2, of which 23.8 mi2 is land and 13.9 mi2 (36.87%) is water. Duxbury is bordered by Cape Cod Bay to the east, Duxbury Bay, Kingston Bay, and Plymouth to the southeast, Kingston to the southwest, Pembroke to the west and northwest, and Marshfield to the north. The town's border with Plymouth is due to the town's having the only land access to Saquish Neck, a thin, hook-shaped strip of land along Duxbury Bay, at the tip of which is Saquish Head in Plymouth.

Duxbury is the sixth largest cranberry producer in Massachusetts and has oyster beds and other shellfish.

The town has many ponds and bogs throughout. The Back River lies along the western edge of Saquish Neck, and has many tributaries from the local rivers, brooks, and marshes. There are several sanctuaries, a conservation area and other forests within the town, especially in the western half.

Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 15,059 people, 5,344 households, and 4,162 families residing in the town. The population density was 632.7 PD/sqmi. There were 5,875 housing units at an average density of 246.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 98.0% White, 0.60% Black or African American, 0.30% Native American, 1.40% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 0.50% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.20% of the population.

There were 5,344 households, of which 38.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.1% were married couples living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.1% were non-families. 19.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.23.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.6% under the age of 15; 7.6% from 15 to 19; 5.3% from 20 to 29; 7.0% from 30 to 39; 17.5% from 40 to 49; 23.7% from 50 to 64 and 16.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $117,124; and the median income for a family was $136,245. Males had a median income of $77,228 versus $41,730 for females. The per capita income for the town was $50,242. About 1.2% of families and 2.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.1% of those under age 18 and 3.1% of those age 65 or over.

Government
On the national level, Duxbury 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 is Ed Markey.

On the state level, Duxbury is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives as a part of the Sixth Plymouth district; the Sixth includes the Town of Duxbury, and portions of the Towns of Hanson, Halifax, Marshfield, and Pembroke. The town is represented in the Massachusetts Senate as a part of the Plymouth and Norfolk district, which includes the towns of Cohasset, Duxbury, Hingham, Hull, Marshfield, Norwell, Scituate and Weymouth. The town is patrolled by the First (Norwell) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police.

Duxbury is governed by the open town meeting form of government, and is led by a town manager and a board of selectmen. The town operates its own police and fire departments, with the police station and central fire station located in the southeast and additional fire station in the northwest parts of town. There are two post offices in town; one is at Hall's Corner (near Goose Point) and the other is at Snug Harbor, along Duxbury Bay just south of Powder Point.

The Duxbury Free Library is located in the heart of town, next to the John Alden House, and is a member of the Old Colony Library Network. The town also has a highway department, located behind the Town Hall, and a harbormaster, whose office is located next to the Duxbury Yacht Club near Snug Harbor. Duxbury is located within 10 mi of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station, and as such has a well-organized emergency management agency. The nearest hospitals are Jordan Hospital in Plymouth, South Shore Hospital in Weymouth, and Brockton Hospital.

Public schools
Over $26 million of Duxbury's annual budget is devoted to the town's nationally recognized public school system. According to Newsweek magazine's 2005, 2006, and 2007 rankings of the Nation's Top 1200 Public High Schools (the top 5% of public school systems), Duxbury was ranked at 246, 185, and 142 respectively. By 2013, it had fallen off of the Newsweek national rankings and locally, Boston Magazine ' s yearly town/school rankings, dropped it out of a top 40 spot.

Duxbury operates its own school system for the town's approximately 3,400 students, serving preschool through 12th grade. Chandler School is located near Tree of Knowledge Corner in the west of town and serves students from pre-kindergarten through second grade. The Alden Elementary School, near the John Alden House, serves grades 3–5.

Duxbury Middle/High School is located on Alden Street and serves grades 6–12. Duxbury High School was rebuilt into a combined building along with Duxbury Middle School, called the 21st Learning experience. Duxbury's athletic teams are known as the Dragons, and their colors are green and white. Their chief rival is Marshfield High School, team mascot the Rams, and they play against them in the Thanksgiving Day Tournament. It is a local event whose rivalry goes back 30 years.

The parents of a former Duxbury Middle School student filed a $1 million lawsuit in March 2021 against the Duxbury Public Schools and a former gym teacher and hockey coach, accusing him of repeatedly raping their son in his eighth grade gym class. The school district received a request for information from the United States Center for SafeSport.

In March 2021, the High School's Football Coach David Maimaron was fired, despite an exceptionally strong football record, when it was exposed that the football team was using anti-Semitic language (including terms like "Auschwitz") as "audibles" during game time. As audibles must be known and agreed to by players and coaches, it was assumed that there was staff approval of seriously racially inappropriate language, and the Coach was fired and the team was disciplined.

Private schools
There are two private schools located in Duxbury. Bay Farm Montessori Academy is a private, independent school located in the southern corner of town and serves Toddlers through grade 8. Good Shepherd Christian Academy is a private, Christian school which serves students from kindergarten through eighth grade. The nearest private high school is Sacred Heart in Kingston [now closed]. The town has no vocational schools.

Bus
For buses in Duxbury, the local Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority (GATRA) bus passes through the town on the SAIL line (Seaside Area Inter-town Link) and it stops at Halls Corner shopping district (South Duxbury), Island Creek, Millbrook Motors (Cox Corner), and the Duxbury Free Library (Millbrook). Another Bus Line that goes through Duxbury is the P&B Line (Plymouth & Brockton) which stops at Millbrook Motors (Cox Corner). The last bus line that goes through Duxbury is the Greyhound Bus Line which runs national service and into Canada, which stops at Millbrook Motors (Cox Corner).

Road
Route 3, a two-lane freeway also known as the Pilgrims Highway, passes through the town, with exits 20 and 22 granting access to the town from it. Routes 3A, 14, 53 and 139 also pass through the town. Routes 14 and 139 both end in the town, and Route 53 ends less than 1/2 mile south of the town line, at its intersection with Route 3A in Kingston.

Other
There is no rail or air service in town. There are no bicycle paths or bicycle lanes. A few of the roads in the town have sidewalks.

Notable people

 * Ichabod Alden, American Revolutionary War officer
 * John Alden, Mayflower immigrant and one of Duxbury's founders
 * John Alden, Jr, son of John Alden who was convicted of witchcraft in the Salem Witch Trials and survived by breaking out of prison and later writing a book about the trials
 * Charlotte Bradford, American Civil War nurse
 * Love Brewster, a founder of Duxbury
 * Elder William Brewster (c. 1567–1644), the Pilgrim leader, spiritual elder of the Plymouth Colony, passenger on the Mayflower, and a founder of Duxbury
 * John Malcolm Brinnin, Canadian-born poet and literary critic
 * Bill Curley, former professional basketball player, San Antonio Spurs
 * Captain Amasa Delano, captain of the 19th century merchant ship Bachelors Delight
 * Edmund Freeman, Plymouth Colony's deputy governor under William Bradford and Edward Winslow
 * Juliana Hatfield, indie rock singer
 * Scott Woodruff, frontman of Reggae band Stick Figure
 * George Partridge, Continental Congress delegate and representative to the 1st United States Congress
 * Joe Perry, lead guitarist, Aerosmith
 * George Soule, a Mayflower Pilgrim, signer of the Mayflower Compact, and one of Duxbury's founders
 * Myles Standish, deputy governor, Mayflower settler, and a Duxbury founder
 * Ezra Weston II, 19th century shipbuilding merchant

Points of interest

 * Alexander Standish House, built in 1666
 * Art Complex Museum: the Carl A. Weyerhaeuser collection
 * Captain Daniel Bradford House
 * Capt. Gamaliel Bradford House
 * Duxbury Beach
 * Duxbury Free Library
 * Duxbury Yacht Club near Snug Harbor was founded in 1875 and incorporated in 1895. As part of the club's 120th anniversary celebrations, David A. Mittell wrote "The Duxbury Yacht Club Story."
 * First Parish Church, Unitarian Universalist: Founded in 1632 by the Pilgrims, it was the second religious body of the Plymouth Colony.
 * Capt. Gershom Bradford House: This early 19th-century house remains virtually untouched from when it was built and furnished by the seafaring captain. It remained in the family for four generations until donated to the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society.
 * John Alden House, built in 1653, home to Pilgrim John Alden
 * King Caesar House
 * Myles Standish Burial Ground, cemetery and Pilgrim burial site
 * Myles Standish Monument State Reservation
 * North Hill Marsh Pond: The Massachusetts Audubon Society's 129 acre sanctuary on Mayflower Street includes a forest, bike trails, and a 90 acre pond.
 * Old Shipbuilder's Historic District
 * Pillsbury Summer House
 * Mill Pond, Island Creek Pond, Island Creek
 * Camp Wing: Located in Duxbury's northeast tip, it is a summer camp with many year-round events.
 * Wright Memorial Library, home of the Duxbury Student Union and the Drew Archival Library of the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society
 * Nathaniel Winsor Jr. House, headquarters of the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society
 * Powder Point Bridge: A wooden bridge built from Powder Point to Gurnet in 1892. The bridge was in the Guinness World Records as the longest and oldest wooden bridge in the world until it sustained some damage from a fire in 1985. The fire proved that the bridge in its whole was unstable and in 1986 it was rebuilt in its original style and is still standing today. The bridge was also shown in the 2013 The Way, Wack Back. The bridge features prominently in the Film The Equalizer 2.
 * Tree of Knowledge Corner: A tri-point intersection between Elm Street, Summer Street, and South Street, where mail carriers used to drop off their mail inboxes nailed to a tree. The tree is no longer standing as it was hit by lightning but in its place is an engraved stone.

Newspapers

 * The Duxbury Clipper
 * The Duxbury Reporter (online only as Wicked Local Duxbury, published by GateHouse Media of Perinton, New York)

Television

 * Duxbury Community Television (Comcast; Channel 14-Verizon; Channel 38)
 * Duxbury Government (Comcast; Channel 15-Verizon; Channel 39)
 * Dragon TV (Comcast; Channel 14-Verizon; Channel 38)

Radio

 * WDSU, internet radio

title: Duxbury, Massachusetts


text:
Hanson (CDP), Massachusetts

Hanson is a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Hanson in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 2,118 at the 2010 census.

Geography
Hanson is located at 42.06722°N, -70.85028°W (42.067413, -70.850524).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 5.5 km$2$ (2.1 mi2), of which 4.8 km$2$ (1.9 mi2) is land and 0.6 km$2$ (0.2 mi2) (11.79%) is water.

Demographics
At the 2000 census, there were 2,044 people, 652 households and 560 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 422.0/km$2$ (1,092.8/mi2). There were 661 housing units at an average density of 136.5/km$2$ (353.4/mi2). The racial makeup was 97.99% White, 0.44% Black or African American, 0.29% Asian, 0.24% from other races, and 1.03% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.68% of the population.

There were 652 households, of which 40.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.2% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.1% were non-families. 11.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.13 and the average family size was 3.40.

27.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 31.1% from 25 to 44, 27.2% from 45 to 64, and 6.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.8 males.

The median household income was $64,896 and the median family incomewas $71,250. Males had a median income of $47,760 and females $28,098. The per capita income was $23,433. About 1.1% of families and 1.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 4.4% of those age 65 or over.

title: Hanson (CDP), Massachusetts