text:
Needham, Massachusetts

Needham is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. A suburb of Boston, its population was 32,091 at the 2020 U.S. Census. It is the home of Olin College.

Early settlement
Needham was first settled in 1680 with the purchase of a tract of land measuring 4 mi by 5 mi from Chief Nehoiden for the sum of 10 pounds, 40 acre of land, and 40 shillings worth of corn. It was officially incorporated in 1711. Originally part of the Dedham Grant, Needham split from Dedham and was named after the town of Needham Market in Suffolk, England.

Just 15 months after asking for their own church, 40 men living on the north side of the Charles River suddenly asked the General Court to separate them from Dedham. Their petition cited the inadequate services provided, namely schools and churches. They also said that, if they were simply to be made a precinct instead of a separate town, that they would suffer political reprisals.

Dedham agreed that the services were inadequate and did not oppose the separation, but did try to reduce the amount of land the separatists were seeking. Dedham also asked for a delay of one year. The General Court agreed with the petitioners, however, and created the new town of Needham with the original boundaries requested.

Those who remained in Dedham still held rights to the unallotted lands in Needham, however, and any decrease in taxes would be offset by a decrease in expenditures. There may have also been some satisfaction in separating themselves from those on the other side of the 1704 power struggle.

By the 1770s settlers in the western part of the town who had to travel a long distance to the meeting house on what is now Central Avenue sought to form a second parish in the town. Opposition to this desire created conflict, and in 1774 a mysterious fire destroyed the existent meeting house. Some time afterwards the West Parish was formed.

Growth and industry
In 1857 the City of Boston began a project to fill in the Back Bay with landfill by filling the tidewater flats of the Charles River. The fill to reclaim the bay from the water was obtained from Needham, Massachusetts from the area of present-day Route 128. The firm of Goss and Munson, railroad contractors, built 6 mi of railroad from Needham and their 35-car trains made 16 trips a day to Back Bay. The filling of present-day Back Bay was completed by 1882; filling reached Kenmore Square in 1890, and finished in the Fens in 1900. The project was the largest of a number of land reclamation projects, beginning in 1820, which, over the course of time, more than doubled the size of the original Boston peninsula.

In 1865, William Carter established a knitting mill company in Needham Heights that would eventually become a major manufacturer and leading brand of children's apparel in the United States. The site of Mill #1 currently houses the Avery Manor assisted living center, while Mill #2 stood along the shores of Rosemary Lake. By the 1960s, the company owned seven mills in Massachusetts and the south. The Carter family sold the business in 1990, after which Carter's, Inc. moved its headquarters to Atlanta, Georgia.

In the late 1860s William Emerson Baker moved to Needham. A notably wealthy man due to his having improved the mechanical sewing machine, Baker assembled a parcel of land exceeding 800 acre and named it Ridge Hill Farm. He built two man made lakes on his property, including Sabrina lake near present-day Locust Lane. Baker turned part of his property into an amusement park with exotic animals, tunnels, trick floors and mirrors. In 1888 he built a sizable hotel, near the intersection of present-day Whitman Road and Charles River Street, called the Hotel Wellesley which had a capacity of over 300 guests. The hotel burned to the ground on December 19, 1891.

In 1891, George Walker, Boston owner of a lithograph company, and Gustavos Gordon, scientist, formed Walker-Gordon Laboratories to develop processes for the prevention of contamination of milk and to answer the call by enlightened physicians for better babies' milk formulas. This plant was located in the Charles River Village section of Needham with another large facility in New Jersey. The scientific dairy production facilities of the Walker-Gordon Dairy Farm were widely advertised and utilized modern advancements in the handling of milk products.

Incorporation of Wellesley
In 1881 the West Parish was separately incorporated as the town of Wellesley. The following year, Needham and Wellesley high schools began playing an annual football game on Thanksgiving, now the second-longest running high school football rivalry in the United States (and longest such contest on Thanksgiving). Also the longest running public high school rivalry. In 2013 Wellesley broke a three-year Thanksgiving game losing streak to the Needham Rockets, defeating them 22–6. The Wellesley Raiders now hold a 60–57–9 advantage in the historic rivalry.

With the loss of the West Parish to Wellesley, the town lost its town hall and plans to build a new one began in 1902 with the selection of a building committee. The cornerstone was laid by the Grand Lodge of Masons on September 2, 1902, and the building was dedicated on December 22, 1903. The total cost for the hall was $57,500 including furnishings. Because it was located on the town common, the cost did not include land as none was purchased. In 2011, the town hall was extensively refurbished and expanded. In the process, the second-floor meeting hall was restored to its original function and beauty.

Recent history
Needham's population grew by over 50 percent during the 1930s.

In 2005, Needham became the first jurisdiction in the world to raise the age to legally buy tobacco products to 21.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 12.7 square miles (32.9 km2), of which 12.6 square miles (32.7 km2) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.2 km2) is water.

Needham's area is roughly in the shape of an acute, northward-pointing triangle. The Charles River forms nearly all of the southern and northeastern boundaries, the town line with Wellesley forming the third, northwestern one. In addition to Wellesley on the northwest, Needham borders Newton and the West Roxbury section of Boston on the northeast, and Dover, Westwood, and Dedham on the south. The majority of Cutler Park is in Needham and is located along the Charles River and the border with Newton and West Roxbury. Elevations in Needham range from 85 feet above sea level at Rosemary Meadows to 180 feet at Needham Square and 300 feet at Bird's Hill.

Climate
Needham has a warm-summer humid continental climate (Dfb under the Köppen climate classification system), with high humidity and precipitation year-round.

Demographics
As of the census of 2020, there were 32,091 people, 10,801 households, and 8,480 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,546.9 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 82.6% White, 2.9% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 8.9% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 2.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.2% of the population.

There were 10,801 households, out of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.1% were married couples living together, 5.2% had a female householder with no husband present and 21.5% were non-families. Of all households 23.4% were made up of individuals, and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.23.

In the town, the population was laid out with 26.2% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.3 males.

According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the town was $116,867, and the median income for a family was $144,042. Males had a median income of $76,459 versus $47,092 for females. The per capita income for the town was $56,776. About 1.6% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.2% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.

Government
Needham uses the old style town government, with a representative town meeting. Also, the populace of Needham elects a Select Board, which is essentially the executive branch of the town government. The town is part of the Massachusetts Senate's Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex district.

Economy
Needham is primarily a bedroom community and commuter suburban district located outside of Boston.

The northern side of town beyond the I-95/Route 128 beltway, however, was developed for light industry shortly after World War II. Many restaurants and food companies are based in Needham. More recently, Needham has begun to attract high technology and internet firms, such as PTC and TripAdvisor, to this part of town.

Education
The Town of Needham operates one high school, Needham High School, which underwent a $62-million renovation that was completed in 2009; two middle schools: William F. Pollard Middle School, for seventh and eighth grade, and High Rock School, for sixth grade only; and five elementary schools for grades K–5: John Eliot Elementary School, Sunita L. Williams Elementary School, William Mitchell Elementary School, Newman Elementary School, and Broadmeadow Elementary School. Needham recently finished building the newest elementary school, Sunita L. Williams Elementary School, to replace the aging Hillside Elementary School. The newest school opened in the fall of 2019.

Needham is also home to Catholic schools such as St. Joseph's Elementary School, and Monsignor Haddad Middle School, as well as St. Sebastian's School, a Catholic school for boys in grades 7–12. St. Sebastian's is part of the rigorous Independent School League.

Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering is also located in Needham.

Transportation
The I-95/Route 128 circumferential highway that circles Boston passes through Needham, with three exits providing access to the town. Massachusetts Route 135 also passes through the town.

Commuter rail service from Boston's South Station is provided by the MBTA with four stops in Needham on its Needham Line: Needham Heights, Needham Center, Needham Junction and Hersey.

Media
Needham is part of the Greater Boston media market and acts as an antenna farm that houses many of the transmitters for local media

In addition to The Boston Globe (and its Your Town Needham website ) and Boston Herald newspapers, there are two local weekly newspapers, the Needham Times (published by Gatehouse Media, Inc. ) and Needham Hometown Weekly (published by Hometown Publications, LLC), and a website owned by AOL called Needham Patch.

The studios of television stations WCVB-TV (5 Boston, ABC), WBTS-CD (15 Nashua, New Hampshire, NBC), WUTF-TV (27 Worcester, UniMás), WNEU (60 Merrimack, New Hampshire, Telemundo), and WUNI (66 Marlborough, Univision) are located in Needham, as are the transmitters of WCVB-TV, WBZ-TV (4 Boston, CBS), WGBH-TV (2 Boston, PBS), WGBX-TV (44 Boston, PBS), WBTS-CD (15 Nashua, New Hampshire, NBC), WFXT (25 Boston, Fox), WSBK-TV (38 Boston, MyNetworkTV), WUTF-TV, WNEU (60 Merrimack, New Hampshire, Telemundo), and WFXZ-CD (24 Boston, Biz TV). The television towers are also the sites of FM radio stations WBUR-FM, WKLB-FM, and several backup facilities for other stations. NBC also opened up 160,000 square foot studio facility and operations center in Needham, in 2020. In addition to the stations listed above, the facility is also home to New England Cable News and NBC Sports Boston.

The Needham Channel provides public-access television to cable TV subscribers in Needham. PEG Public, educational, and government access programming is produced and delivered through three channels—a community channel, a municipal channel and an educational channel. The three channels are available on the channel lineups of each of the three franchised cable TV providers provided—Comcast, RCN, and Verizon. Selected content is also available for streaming through The Needham Channel's web site.

Programming on The Needham Channel includes:

 * Municipal meetings – Board of Selectmen, School Committee, Zoning Board of Appeals, Town Meeting
 * News, Public Affairs and Education – The Needham Channel News (a weekly live local news program), Needham Schools Spotlight
 * Sports – High school sporting events
 * Locally produced programs – Inside Talk, Clelia's Cucina Italiana, The Language of Business, What's My House Worth, services from Needham houses of worship
 * Programs from other Public Access Stations
 * Community Bulletin Board
 * Men of Constant Sorrow

Boston radio station WEEI (850 AM) transmits from a three-tower site south of the town recycling transfer station. Needham has two radio station studio locations, that of Concord-licensed WBNW (1120 AM) located at 144 Gould Street, and Cambridge licensed WNTN (1550 AM) located at 31 Fremont Street, across I-95 from WCVB-TV.

Needham High School also released several forms of media to its students and members of the town, including its student newspaper The Hilltopper, the students news video broadcast NHSN, and "NHS News from the Hill", which is released by members of the administration.

Academics

 * Ananda Coomaraswamy, art historian, philosopher, and Indologist
 * Nelson Goodman, philosopher
 * Thomas Huckle Weller, a Nobel Prize-winning virologist

Actors

 * Edwin McDonough, actor
 * Harold Russell, actor
 * Sarah Saltzberg, actress/singer and star of Broadway's The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
 * Arnold Stang, actor
 * Tom Virtue, actor

Artists

 * Edmund H. Garrett, prolific 19th- and 20th-century book illustrator
 * Pietro Pezzati, portrait artist
 * Michael John Straub, artist
 * Walter E. Ware, architect
 * N.C. Wyeth, artist

Business

 * Jeff Taylor, founder of Monster.com

Music

 * Niia Bertino, Columbia recording artist featured on Wyclef Jean's "Sweetest Girl" single
 * John Boecklin, drummer/guitarist/songwriter for the metal band DevilDriver
 * Robert Freeman, pianist, musicologist, and longtime director of the Eastman School of Music
 * Mia Matsumiya, violinist of the avant-rock band Kayo Dot
 * Joey McIntyre, singer-songwriter and actor
 * Marissa Nadler, singer
 * Tiger Okoshi, jazz trumpet player
 * Richard Patrick, founder of industrial band Filter and former member of Nine Inch Nails

Politics

 * Charlie Baker, former governor of Massachusetts
 * Gary L. Daniels, member of the New Hampshire General Court
 * Peter DeFazio, United States congressman from Oregon
 * Cheryl Jacques, first openly-lesbian member of the Massachusetts Senate and later president of the Human Rights Campaign
 * Phil Murphy, governor of New Jersey

Sports

 * Edward T. Barry, ice hockey player and coach
 * Dave Cadigan, offensive lineman in the NFL
 * Mike Condon, goaltender in the NHL, was born in Needham
 * Robbie Ftorek, NHL coach and star player in both the NHL and WHA
 * Pete Gaudet (born 1942), college basketball coach
 * Mike Grier, retired player of the NHL
 * Noah Hanifin, defenseman with the Calgary Flames and NHL All-Star
 * Steven Hauschka, Buffalo Bills kicker
 * Eric Johnson, New Orleans Saints tight end
 * Mike Lalor, former defenseman and Stanley Cup winner with the Montreal Canadiens
 * Kristine Lilly, former US women's soccer player
 * Frank Malzone, former third baseman for the Boston Red Sox
 * Rachel Mayer, US Olympic figure skater
 * Mike Milbury, sportscaster and former member of the Boston Bruins
 * Tom O'Regan, former forward for the Boston University Terriers and the Pittsburgh Penguins
 * Aly Raisman, US women's artistic gymnast and six-time Olympic medalist
 * Karl Ravech, ESPN Baseball Tonight anchor
 * Derek Sanderson, former Boston Bruins player
 * Milt Schmidt, ice hockey player and manager for the Boston Bruins
 * Mac Steeves (born 1994), soccer player
 * Harry Swartz (born 1996), soccer player

Television

 * Marsha Bemko, executive producer of Antiques Roadshow
 * Lee Eisenberg, writer for The Office
 * Steve Hely, writer of American Dad!
 * Allison Jones, who cast The Office and The Good Place
 * Ben Karlin, executive producer of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report
 * Scott Rosenberg, screenwriter

Literature

 * Janet Tashjian, the author of The Gospel According to Larry and the My Life as a Book series

Other

 * Khassan Baiev, a Chechen surgeon who treated Russian soldiers and Chechen rebels, most notably Shamil Basayev and Salman Raduyev
 * Jared Freid, comedian
 * James S. Gracey, commandant of the Coast Guard
 * Fatemeh Haghighatjoo, a reformist member of the Iranian Parliament who teaches women's studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston
 * Jen Kirkman, stand-up comedian, television writer, and actress
 * Chester Nimitz, Jr., a retired United States Navy rear admiral and World War II submarine hero
 * Sunita Williams, NASA astronaut
 * William G. Young, United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts judge

title: Needham, Massachusetts


text:
Norwood, Massachusetts

Norwood is a town and census-designated place in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Norwood is part of the Greater Boston area. As of the 2020 census, the population was 31,611. The town was named after Norwood, England. Norwood is on the Neponset River, which runs all the way to Boston Harbor from Foxborough.

History
The Town of Norwood, officially formed in 1872, was until that time part of Dedham, known as the "mother of towns", as fourteen of the present communities of eastern Massachusetts lay within its original borders. Long used as a hunting ground by Native Americans, Norwood was first settled by Ezra Morse in 1678. He set up a sawmill in what is now South Norwood, the part of town to which the first concentration of families, almost all of whom were farmers, migrated over the next half-century.

During the American Revolution, there was a Minuteman company organized in the area. Its captain, Aaron Guild, on learning of the British marching on Lexington and Concord to seize the munitions stored there, rode to join the fight and arrived in time to fire on the British at Concord Bridge and participate in the running battle that chased the Redcoats back to Boston.

Abraham Lincoln passed through the town during his pre-inaugural tour of New England.

The Oak View Mansion, located in Norwood, was built by Francis Olney Winslow. Construction began in 1868 and was completed in 1870. Oak View was the scene of almost constant socializing. Some of the most prominent figures hosted in Oak View were President and future Supreme Court Justice William Howard Taft and President Calvin Coolidge.

The town shares its name with a town in the borough of Croydon, South London, England. When Norwood separated from Dedham, they considered naming the new community Balch, after the Rev. Thomas Balch.

Geography
Norwood is located at 42.18583°N, -71.20139°W (42.185974, −71.201661).

The Town of Norwood is located 13 miles southwest of Boston, placing it in the Boston Metropolitan Area.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 10.6 square miles (27.3 km$2$), of which 10.5 square mile (27.1 km$2$) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.2 km$2$) (0.66%) is water.

Demographics
As of 2023 Norwood’s racial demographics are

 * White: 80.09%
 * Black or African American: 7.89%
 * Asian: 5.17%
 * Two or more races: 3.91%
 * Other race: 2.94%
 * Native American: 0.01%
 * Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0

As of the census of 2010, there were 30,602 people. The racial makeup of the town was 80.92% White, 8.01% Black or African American, 0.09% Native American, 9.57% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.77% from other races, and 1.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.58% of the population. 27.3% were of Irish descent.

As of the census of 2000, there were 28,587 people, 11,623 households, and 7,380 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,727.0 PD/sqmi. There were 11,945 housing units at an average density of 1,139.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 90.51% White, 2.31% Black or African American, 0.09% Native American, 5.06% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.77% from other races, and 1.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.65% of the population. 34.7% were of Irish, 14.8% Italian, 5.4% American and 5.0% English ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 11,623 households, out of which 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.9% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.5% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 20.8% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 33.2% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $58,421, and the median income for a family was $70,164 (these figures had risen to $66,743 and $80,292 respectively as of a 2007 estimate ). Males had a median income of $50,597 versus $34,312 for females. The per capita income for the town was $27,720. About 2.7% of families and 4.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and 3.9% of those age 65 or over.

Education
The Norwood Public Schools operates seven schools, and an additional two school institutions, Little Mustangs Preschool Academy and The Willett Early Childhood Center (serving kindergarten children). The public elementary schools located in Norwood include: Balch, Callahan, Cleveland, Oldham, and Prescott.

Norwood has one public middle school, the Dr. Philip O. Coakley Middle School (serving 6th through 8th graders) (formerly Norwood Junior High South), where all five elementary schools combine. Norwood also has a public high school, Norwood High School (NHS), (serves grades 9–12).

Higher education
The Fine Mortuary College in Norwood includes a one-room museum featuring antique embalming tables and centuries-old wooden coffins.

Business
Businesses in Norwood have access to the most educated workforce in the nation, ample venture capital, and several other advantages that help lay the foundation for regional clusters and Norwood's target industries, like advanced manufacturing and life sciences.

Norwood's top employers include Moderna, FM Global, Home Market Foods, MS Walker, and many other manufacturers and businesses engaged in research and development.

Moderna opened its state-of-the-art clinical development site in 2018, employing over 1,400. Moderna's Norwood facilities serve as its primary manufacturing facility and is responsible for producing its COVID-19 vaccine. The facility in Norwood has been expanded to increase the production capacity of Moderna's vaccine and to support the company's research and development efforts. Additionally, Moderna has established partnerships with local organizations in Norwood to support the community, including funding for education and workforce development initiatives.

A large cluster of automobile dealerships on Route 1 is known as the Norwood "Automile." The concept of having competing dealerships join together to publicize the "Automile" as an automobile shopping center was largely the work of Ernie Boch, famous in the Boston area for his ads urging people to "Come on down!"

The Skating Club of Boston moved to Norwood in 2020. The facility, located on University Avenue in Norwood, is a state-of-the-art skating rink home to the Skating Club of Boston's training and development programs for figure skating, ice dancing, and synchronized skating. The Norwood High School hockey teams play at the facility. In addition to the rink, the facility features a fitness center, a pro shop, and a cafe. The Skating Club of Boston has a rich history in figure skating and has produced many world champions and Olympic medalists.

Architecture

 * Norwood's town square is dominated by its town hall, the Norwood Memorial Municipal Building (Town Hall). It includes a 50-bell   carillon tower housing the Walter F. Tilton Memorial Carillon, one of nine carillons in Massachusetts.  On the National Register of Historic Places.
 * Morrill Memorial Library (1898–1899), Joseph Ladd Neal, architect.

Art
Norwood was the long-time home of photographer and publisher Fred Holland Day. As a photographer, Day at one point rivalled Alfred Stieglitz in influence. The publishing firm of Copeland and Day was the American publisher of Oscar Wilde's Salome with illustrations by Aubrey Beardsley. The Day House is now a museum and the headquarters of the Norwood Historical Society. F. Holland Day Historic House Museum is located at 93 Day St.

Transportation

 * U.S. 1 is a major artery through Norwood, and a regional hub for commercial activity, dominated by strip malls and chain stores and restaurants for a 35-mile stretch between West Roxbury to Pawtucket, RI.) Interstate 95 has one exit in town that also serves neighboring Canton. This is the main highway running between the Boston metro area and points south.
 * Three MBTA Commuter Rail stations served by the Franklin/Foxboro Line – Norwood Depot, Norwood Central, and Windsor Gardens – are located in Norwood. MBTA bus route runs through Norwood on Washington Street.
 * Norwood Memorial Airport is a general aviation airport with limited passenger service.

Notable people

 * Frank G. Allen, Governor of Massachusetts, 1929–1931
 * Dicky Barrett, lead singer of The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
 * Harry Bigelow, lawyer
 * Ernie Boch, Jr., CEO, president, and spokesman of Boch Enterprises, a $1 billion business consisting primarily of automobile dealerships in Norwood
 * Peter Boghossian, American philosopher and author
 * Michael D. Cohen, actor and comedian, starred in Nickelodeon TV series Henry Danger
 * F. Holland Day, photographer
 * William Cameron Forbes, Governor General of the Philippines, 1909–1913
 * Zhenya Gay, writers and children's book illustrator
 * Joseph Gould, "Professor Seagull" and the author of the unpublished "Oral History of our Time"
 * Jon Purnell, United States Ambassador to Uzbekistan
 * Brendan Emmett Quigley, crossword constructor
 * Ann Ritonia, U.S. marine and Episcopal priest
 * John H. Rogers, former Massachusetts House Majority Leader
 * Tony Rombola, guitar player for hard rock band Godsmack
 * Tom Shillue, stand-up comedian, barbershop quartet singer, host of Fox News Channel's overnight program Red Eye with Tom Shillue
 * Robert Sullivan, former associate principal trumpet with the New York Philharmonic and The Cleveland Orchestra; Principal Trumpet of the Cincinnati Symphony and Pops Orchestras, and Professor of Trumpet at the University of Michigan and faculty at the Brevard Music Festival

 * Sports Figures
 * Keith Adams, former pro football player
 * Charlie Bowles, former major league baseball player
 * Marty Callaghan, former major league baseball player
 * Allen Doyle, former pro golfer
 * Joe Dugan, former major league baseball player and member of the New York Yankees first World Series title in 1923
 * Alfred Fincher, former pro football player for Washington Redskins
 * Noah Hanifin, current pro hockey player for the Calgary Flames
 * Richie Hebner, former major league baseball player
 * Joe Hulbig, former pro hockey player, Boston and Edmonton
 * Peter Laviolette, professional and Olympic hockey coach
 * Rhoda Leonard, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player, teacher in Norwood public schools system
 * Skip Lockwood, former major league baseball player
 * Ray Martin, former major league baseball player
 * Bob Quinn, general manager pro football's Detroit Lions
 * Allen Ripley, former major league baseball player
 * Mike Sherman, former head football coach for Green Bay Packers and Texas A&M Aggies
 * Mike Smith, former major league baseball player
 * George Sullivan, former Notre Dame football champion, former pro football player for the Boston Yanks, Massachusetts Senator and Judge
 * Bill Travers, former major league baseball player

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

title: Norwood, Massachusetts


text:
Randolph, Massachusetts

The Town of Randolph is a suburban city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. At the 2020 census, the city population was 34,984. Randolph adopted a charter effective January 2010 providing for a council-manager form of government instead of the traditional town meeting. Randolph is one of thirteen Massachusetts municipalities that have applied for, and been granted, city forms of government but wish to retain "The town of" in their official names.

History
Before European colonization the area that is now Randolph was occupied by the Massachusett, Wampanoag, and Pokanoket tribes. It was called Cochaticquom by the local Cochato and Ponkapoag tribes. The town was incorporated in 1793 from what was formerly the south precinct of the town of Braintree. According to the centennial address delivered by John V. Beal, the town was named after Peyton Randolph, first president of the Continental Congress.

Randolph was formerly the home of several large shoe companies. Many popular styles were made exclusively in Randolph, including the "Randies". At the time of Randolph's incorporation in 1793, local farmers were making shoes and boots to augment household incomes from subsistence farming. In the next half century, this sideline had become the town's major industry, attracting workers from across New England, Canada and Ireland and later from Italy and Eastern Europe, each adding to the quality of life in the town. By 1850, Randolph had become one of the nation's leading boot producers, shipping boots as far away as California and Australia.

The decline of the shoe industry at the beginning of the twentieth century led to Randolph's evolution as a suburban residential community. Boot and shoe making has been supplanted by light manufacturing and service industries. The town's proximity to major transportation networks has resulted in an influx of families from Boston and other localities who live in Randolph but work throughout the metropolitan area.

Starting in the 1950s, Randolph saw significant growth in its Jewish community with the exodus of Jews from Boston's Dorchester and Mattapan neighborhoods. In 1950, fifteen or twenty Jewish families lived in the town; by 1970, Randolph had about 7,000 Jewish residents, and about 9,000 in 1980, the largest such community south of Boston. At its peak, Randolph had a kosher butcher, Judaica shop, kosher bakery, and two synagogues. By the early 1990s, the population shrank to about 6,000.

The inspiration for the nationally observed Great American Smokeout came from a Randolph High School guidance councilor, who observed in a 1969 discussion with students that he could send all of them to college if he had a nickel for every cigarette butt he found on the ground. This touched off an effort by the Randolph High School class of 1970, supported by the Randolph Rotary Club, to have local smokers give it up for a day and put the savings toward a college scholarship fund. The event went national in 1977.

Registered historic places
Randolph is home to four Nationally Registered Historic Places:

Home of Jonathan Belcher (1767–1839), built in 1806, home to the Randolph Womens [sic] Club (formerly Ladies Library Association) since 1911. Former Town Hall, built in 1842.
 * Jonathan Belcher House, 360 N. Main St. (Listed April 30, 1976)
 * Stetson Hall, 6 S. Main St. (Listed December 7, 2011)
 * Ponkapoag Camp of Appalachian Mountain Club (Listed September 25, 1980)
 * Gills Farm Archaeological District (Listed October 4, 1983)

Geography
Randolph is located at 42.15667°N, -71.04889°W (42.173417, −71.049124). Located fifteen miles south of Boston, at the intersection of Routes 128 and 24, Randolph's location has been an important factor in its economic and social history. Randolph is located in eastern Massachusetts, bordered by Milton and Quincy on the north, Braintree and Holbrook on the east, Canton on the west, and Avon and Stoughton on the south and southwest. Randolph is 15 miles south of Boston and 211 miles from New York City.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 10.5 square miles (27.2 km2), of which 10.1 square miles (26.1 km2) is land and 0.4 square mile (1.1 km2) (4.10%) is water. It is drained by the Cochato River and Blue Hill River, which flow into the Neponset River.

Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 32,158 people, 11,564 households, and 8,038 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,184 PD/sqmi. There were 11,564 housing units at an average density of 1,145.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 41.6% White, 38.3% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 12.4% Asian (6.3% Vietnamese, 3.3% Chinese, 0.9% Filipino, 0.8% Asian Indian) 0.0% Pacific Islander, 3.7% from other races, and 3.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.4% of the population.

Randolph is one of the fastest growing minority cities in America. 60% of all elementary school students are black, 21% Hispanic (predominately Dominican), 11% White, and 8% Asian.

There were 11,564 households, out of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples living together, 17.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.5% were non-families. 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.31.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 21.7% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 29.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $55,255, and the median income for a family was $61,942. Males had a median income of $41,719 versus $32,500 for females. The per capita income for the town was $23,413. About 5.5% of families and 6.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.5% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation
Randolph is situated in the Greater Boston Area, which has excellent rail, air, and highway facilities. State Route 128 and Interstate Route 495 divide the region into inner and outer zones, which are connected by numerous "spokes" providing direct access to the airport, port, and intermodal facilities of Boston.

Major highways
The principal highways are the concurrent Interstate 93 and U.S. Route 1, which clips the northern edge of the town; parallel north–south State Massachusetts Route 24 (the Fall River Expressway) and Massachusetts Route 28. Massachusetts Route 139 runs east–west through the town.

Rail
Commuter rail service to South Station, Boston, is available on the Middleboro line from the Holbrook/Randolph Rail Station located on the Holbrook/Randolph Town line and Union Street (Route 139). The MBTA Red Line is accessible in Braintree and Quincy.

Bus
Randolph is a member of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) which provides fixed route service to Quincy Adams, Quincy Center and Ashmont Stations. Randolph is served by Bus 240 from Ashmont Station and the 238 Bus from Quincy Center Station. The MBTA also provides THE RIDE, a paratransit service for the elderly and disabled.

The Brockton Area Transit Authority (BAT) provides bus service to Brockton from Ashmont and vice versa.

Airport
Most area residents use Logan International Airport for air transportation. Locally, Norwood Memorial Airport is easily accessible; it has two runways, each approximately 4000 ft in length.

Government
Randolph was originally governed by an open town meeting form of government. In an annual town meeting held on March 11, 1947, attendees voted unanimously to adopt a representative town meeting form of government. Under the representative town meeting, the town would be divided into four precincts that would elect 60 town meeting members each. The new form of government went into effect March 7, 1949.

In a special election on April 7, 2009, the town adopted a new charter that became effective in January 2010, changing the town's form of government to a council-manager system. The current town manager is Brian P. Howard.

Other Boards & Commissions

 * Board of Assessors (3 members)
 * Board of Health (3 members)
 * Planning Board (5 members)
 * School Committee (7 members)

School Committee

 * Lisa Millwood, chair
 * Jaime E. Ackles, Vice Chair
 * Cheryl Frazier
 * Ida Gordon
 * Andrea Nixon
 * Beverly Roby
 * James Burgess, Town Council Rep.

Education
Randolph has a high school serving grades 9–12 (Randolph High School), a middle school serving grades 6, 7, and 8 (Randolph Community Middle School), and four elementary schools serving grades K–5:
 * John F. Kennedy Elementary School
 * Margaret L. Donovan Elementary School
 * Martin E. Young Elementary School
 * Elizabeth G. Lyons Elementary School

Pre-elementary education (kindergarten) is provided at the respective home schools, the Charles G. Devine Early Childhood Center having been closed in 2007. As part of the Blue Hills Regional School District, Randolph students entering the ninth grade may opt to attend the Blue Hills Regional Technical School, commonly referred to as "Blue Hills" or the Norfolk County Agricultural High School, known as "Aggie", instead of Randolph High School. The school system is run by the School Committee.

Notable people

 * Ebenezer Alden, physician, biographer, bibliophile
 * Rich Amiri, rapper
 * Audie Cornish, journalist
 * Danny Davis, bandleader and producer
 * Mary E. Wilkins Freeman, author
 * Bill Kenney, football coach
 * Rod Langway, Hall of Fame hockey player
 * Robert C. Long, National League Baseball Umpire.
 * Gene McAuliffe, baseball player
 * Shabazz Napier, NBA player for the Washington Wizards
 * Liam O'Donnell, director and film producer
 * Jordan Rich, radio talk show host
 * William Rimmer, painter & sculptor
 * Sergeant Dennis "DJ" Simmonds, Boston Police officer killed at the Boston Marathon bombing
 * Mark Snyder, radio host, newspaper columnist & social media new site publisher
 * Clinton Sparks, Grammy nominated music producer & hip hop DJ
 * Scott D. Tingle, NASA astronaut
 * Touré (né Touré Neblett), writer, music journalist, cultural critic, and television personality

title: Randolph, Massachusetts


text:
Wellesley, Massachusetts

Wellesley is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Wellesley is part of Greater Boston. The population was 29,550 at the time of the 2020 census. Wellesley College, Babson College, and a campus of Massachusetts Bay Community College are located in the town.

History
Wellesley was settled in the 1600s as part of Dedham, Massachusetts. It was subsequently a part of Needham, Massachusetts called West Needham, Massachusetts. On October 23, 1880, West Needham residents voted to secede from Needham, and the town of Wellesley was later christened by the Massachusetts legislature on April 6, 1881. The town was named after the estate of local benefactor Horatio Hollis Hunnewell.

Wellesley's population grew by over 80 percent around the 1920s.

Geography
Wellesley is located in eastern Massachusetts. It is bordered on the east by Newton, on the north by Weston, on the south by Needham and Dover and on the west by Natick. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 10.49 mi2, of which 10.18 mi2 is land and 0.32 mi2 is water.

Neighborhoods

 * Wellesley Farms
 * The Fells
 * Wellesley Hills (02481)
 * Wellesley Square (02482)
 * Poets' Corner
 * Babson Park (02457)
 * Peirce Estates
 * College Heights
 * Wellesley Lower Falls

Climate
Wellesley has a warm-summer humid continental climate (Dfb under the Köppen climate classification system), with high humidity and precipitation year-round.

Demographics
The Census Bureau has also defined the town as a census-designated place with an area exactly equivalent to the town.

As of the census of 2000, there were 26,613 people, 8,594 households, and 6,540 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,614.1 PD/sqmi. There were 8,861 housing units at an average density of 870.4 /sqmi. According to a 2007 Census Bureau estimate, the racial makeup of the town was 84.6% White, 10.0% Asian, 2.2% Black, 0.01% Native American, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.4% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.4% of the population.

There were 8,594 households, out of which 39.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.2% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.9% were non-families. 20.7% 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 2.70 and the average family size was 3.14.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.1% under the age of 18, 13.9% from 18 to 24, 22.9% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 77.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 71.1 males.

The median income for a household was $159,167, and the median income for a family was $186,518. The per capita income in the town was $72,046. About 2.4% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.0% of those under age 18 and 2.1% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
Wellesley is home to the headquarters of many local, national and global businesses including Benchmark Senior Living, Blank Label Apparel, Eagle Investment Systems, EPG Incorporated, GrandBanks Capital, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Livingston and Haynes PC, and Sun Life Financial U.S.

Top employers
According to Wellesley's 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Wellesley's Wonderful Weekend
Each year the weekend before Memorial Day, the town sponsors the annual Wellesley's Wonderful Weekend, which includes the annual veterans' parade and fireworks. On May 18, 2008, The Beach Boys performed in a concert on the Wellesley High School athletic fields in front of an estimated 10,000 town residents and fans. The funds for the performance, an estimated $250,000, were made as a gift by an anonymous donor and lifelong fan of the band.

Wellesley Symphony Orchestra
The Wellesley Symphony Orchestra presents classical, pops, and family concerts at Mass Bay Community College at its Wellesley campus.

Religious institutions
The town of Wellesley is home to several religious institutions. Wellesley contains two Jewish institutions including Temple Beth Elohim and the Wellesley Chabad Center. Predominantly Christian Wellesley contains many churches, including Wellesley Congregational Church, St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, St. Paul's Catholic Church, Christ Church United Methodist, Wellesley Hills Congregational Church (also known as The Hills Church), First Church of Christ, Scientist, St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, the Metrowest Baptist Church, Milestone Wellesley, and Unitarian Universalist Society of Wellesley Hills, and Wellesley Friends Meeting (Quakers).

Horticulture
The Wellesley College campus includes greenhouses and the H. H. Hunnewell Arboretum. This is not to be confused with the neighboring private H. H. Hunnewell estate. The Elm Bank Horticulture Center is home to the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. Although the entrance is in Wellesley, access is over a small private bridge over the Charles River, so Elm Bank is therefore in the neighboring town of Dover.

Historic district
The town designated Cottage Street and its nearby alleys as the historic district in its zoning plan. Most houses in this district were built around the 1860s and qualify as protected buildings certified by the town's historic commission.

Recent construction
The town's historic 19th-century inn was demolished to make way for condominiums and mixed-use development in 2006. The Wellesley Country Club clubhouse, which is the building where the town was founded, was demolished in 2008, and a new clubhouse was built. The town's pre-World War II high school building was torn down and replaced with a brand new high school finished in 2012. The entire 1960s-style Linden Street strip-mall has been replaced by "Linden Square"—a shopping district that includes a flagship Roche Bros. supermarket, restaurants, cafes, clothing stores, along with a mixture of national chains and local shops.

Library
Wellesley opened its new Free Library building in 2003, which is part of the Minuteman Library Network. Due to the structure of budget override votes and perhaps the size of the new main branch of the library, the two branch libraries—one in Wellesley Hills, which was purpose-built to be a branch library in the 1920s, another in Wellesley Fells—closed in the summer of 2006. The branch libraries reopened in September 2008. The main library branch near Wellesley Square underwent a major interior renovation in 2021.

Government
The town was governed through an open town meeting after it was incorporated. In 1933, citizens approved a ballot question to adopt a representative town meeting government, dividing the town into four precincts with 60 representatives each. The new form of government came into effect in 1934. In 2016, citizens rejected a ballot question to adopt a Selectmen-Manager government.

Since Proposition 2½ limited property tax increases to 2.5% per year in 1980, the town has had to ask residents for a number of overrides to maintain funding for certain programs. Although the main 2005 override passed, a simultaneous supplemental override to preserve certain specific programs and services failed by 17 votes. The 2006 override passed with a large majority. Wellesley also receives funding from the state government. Local roads have been repaved several times in the 1990s and 2000s.

The town is part of the Massachusetts Senate's Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex district.

On December 18, 2014, Wellesley College and the Town of Wellesley announced that the College's Board of Trustees had chosen the town's $35-million bid for the purchase of 46 acres of land adjacent to its campus. Under this agreement, at least 50% of the North 40 property will be preserved in perpetuity as open space. A special town meeting in January 2015 resulted in a near-unanimous vote in favor of the purchase, and in March 2015, 80 percent of residents that cast votes at the Town election, voted to approve the purchase.

Reducing carbon footprint
In 2009 the town established the Municipal Energy Efficiency Committee (MEEC) made up of representatives from various town departments, to develop and evaluate municipal policies to reduce energy use.

In 2010 Wellesley's Sustainable Energy Committee (SEC) was formed by Town Meeting. The committee's primary objective was a 10% town-wide reduction in Wellesley's carbon footprint and 20% reduction in carbon footprint for all municipal departments by the end of 2013. In 2014 Town Meeting voted to support a new goal of 25% reduction by 2020 using 2007 as the base year. The committee is responsible for Wellesley's adoption of the Massachusetts Stretch Building Code approved by Town Meeting effective January 2012.

In 2013, the committee organized Wellesley's Green Collaborative, a group of organizations that are concerned about environmental issues in Wellesley and beyond. Dozens of like-minded organizations are represented including the Natural Resources Commission, a five-member elected board of town residents; Wellesley Conservation Council, a private, non-profit, land trust and conservation education organization incorporated in 1958; and Sustainable Wellesley, a group of volunteers who encourage sustainability in Wellesley and the surrounding area through events, education, and action.

In 2014 the Sustainable Energy Committee served to double participation in the town's POWER TO CHOOSE program and organized the "More POWER TO CHOOSE" solar program.

Natural resources protection
Wellesley is the longest running Tree City USA community of any city or town in Massachusetts. Wellesley's Tree Bylaw became effective July 1, 2011, requiring property owners to protect certain trees and critical root zones during construction projects, and replace trees that are cut down or donate money to a special tree fund. The town's Natural Resource Protection (NRP) Development bylaw, approved by Town Meeting in 2013, applies to any subdivision generating five or more lots. This bylaw requires a minimum of 50% of the property be preserved as open space in exchange for reduced lot sizes without increasing density.

Established in 1979, Wellesley has a unique elected Natural Resources Commission (NRC) bearing the statutory authority and responsibility of Park Commissions, Conservation Commissions, Tree Wardens, Town Forest Committees, and Forestry and Pest Control Officers. The commission maintains Wellesley's two Community Gardens and maintains a trail network that includes 26 miles of marked trails interconnecting open spaces and conservation lands for walking, dog walking, jogging, bicycling, cross-country skiing, and more.

In 2001 the commission, in collaboration with the Health, Public Works and School department, developed a pesticide awareness program resulting in an Organic Pest Management Policy governing pesticide use on all town-owned property.

In 2003 the commission created the Preservation Master Plan for Fuller Brook Park in collaboration with Wellesley's Department of Public Works. This major restoration project was completed in 2017. In 2009, the commission launched the Green Wellesley Campaign advocating for sustainability by raising awareness and promoting increased environmental action. That campaign has been renamed the Grow Green Wellesley initiative, which promotes earth-friendly lawn and landscaping practices.

Education

On the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System test, the district regularly scores higher than the state average. The school system also contains a middle school and seven elementary schools (Bates, Upham, Schofield, Fiske, Hardy, Hunnewell, and Sprague). Wellesley includes a primary and secondary school which are Wellesley Middle School (also known as Wellesley Junior High) and Wellesley High School, respectively; and are the home of the Raiders.

The town contains a private elementary school, Tenacre Country Day School, one private Catholic elementary school (St. John the Evangelist) and a preparatory school for girls, Dana Hall School. Also, the Wellesley A Better Chance outfit started in the early 1970s brings promising young women from underserved areas into town to attend Wellesley High School and live nearby.

Wellesley also contains the main campus of three colleges: Wellesley College, a women's liberal arts college, Massachusetts Bay Community College, a two-year public college, and Babson, a business college.

Green Schools
Wellesley Green Schools was established in 2006. The No Idling Campaign received an Excellence in Energy and Environmental Education Award from the state of Massachusetts in 2014.

The town's new high school opened in February 2012 and includes such elements as green vegetated roof, geothermal heat pump and Solar thermal cooling, Solar Photovoltaic system, and rainwater recovery systems.

Media
Events of significance to members of the Wellesley community are recorded in two local news publications: The Wellesley Townsman has been published since 1906, and The Swellesley Report since 2005. Both are available online and digitized copies of the paper-based Townsman are available from the Wellesley Free Library.

Transportation

Wellesley has had rail service to Boston since 1833. Rail service is currently provided through Wellesley's participation in the MBTA, which offers a total of 17 weekdays Commuter Rail trains inbound towards Boston and outbound towards Framingham and Worcester. Wellesley's stations are (east to west) Wellesley Farms, Wellesley Hills, and Wellesley Square. The Wellesley Farms station is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. MWRTA bus service also runs along Walnut Street, Cedar Street, and Route 9.

The highways Interstate 95/Massachusetts Route 128, Massachusetts Route 9, Massachusetts route 16 (as Washington Street) and Massachusetts route 135 run through Wellesley.

For elders and people with disabilities there is a specific MBTA-based service, The Ride, which offers free or low-cost door-to-door service by appointment.

Wellesley's Council on Aging contracts out a daily low-cost minibus service offering elderly access to several local medical facilities and the Woodland MBTA station. Further afield is the Springwell Senior Medical Escort Program / Busy Bee Transportation Service for rides to medical & non-medical services in the area. There is also a monthly minibus to the Natick Mall.

Municipal light plant
Wellesley is serviced by the Wellesley Municipal Light Plant. the three colleges voluntarily pay a premium to purchase electricity generated by wind power.

In 2012, Wellesley was designated a Green Power Community by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

Notable people

 * Danny Ainge, executive director of basketball operations and general manager of the Boston Celtics
 * Ray Allen, former player for the Boston Celtics
 * Emily Greene Balch, Nobel Peace Prize winner
 * Roger Nash Baldwin, co-founder of American Civil Liberties Union
 * Arthur Batcheller, U.S. radio inspector
 * Katharine Lee Bates, author of "America the Beautiful"
 * Gamaliel Bradford, poet, biographer
 * Dee Brown, former basketball player for the Boston Celtics and NBA executive
 * Laurence E. Bunker, United States Army colonel, aide to Gen. Douglas MacArthur, leader within the John Birch Society
 * R. Nicholas Burns, former U.S. Under Secretary of State, Ambassador to NATO and to Greece, and State Department spokesman
 * Karl E. Case, developer of the Case–Shiller index
 * Dan Chiasson, poet and New Yorker critic
 * Gene Clapp, Olympic silver medalist men's eight
 * Katharine Coman, historian, professor of economics and sociology, author
 * Greg Comella, former professional football player with the New York Giants, Titans, Texans and Buccaneers
 * Jane Curtin, comedian, original cast member of Saturday Night Live
 * Richard Darman, economist, former head of the Office of Management and Budget
 * Erik Davis, former pitcher for the Washington Nationals
 * Blake Dietrick, WNBA basketball player with the Seattle Storm and former standout with the Princeton Tigers
 * Dennis Eckersley, former pitcher for the Oakland A's
 * Carl Everett, former center fielder for the Boston Red Sox
 * Nicole Freedman (born 1972), Olympic cyclist
 * Nate Freiman (born 1986), first baseman for the Oakland Athletics
 * Wendell Arthur Garrity Jr., U.S. District Court judge
 * Curt Gowdy, sports commentator
 * Michael S. Greco, president of American, Massachusetts, and New England bar associations
 * Lester Grinspoon, psychiatrist, professor, and drug policy reform advocate
 * Ariulf Eric Hampe, German electrical and aeronautical engineer
 * Gordon Hayward, small forward for the Boston Celtics
 * H. H. Hunnewell (1810-1902), railroad financier and horticulturist
 * Andrea Jung, CEO of Avon Products
 * Phil Laak, professional poker player, winner of 2004 World Poker Tour
 * Christopher Leggett, film producer
 * Xihong Lin, Department of Biostatistics chair at the Harvard School of Public Health
 * Gregory Mankiw, Harvard economics professor
 * Daisuke Matsuzaka, former pitcher for the Boston Red Sox
 * Fred McLafferty, professor, analytical chemist, author, inventor, leading developer of mass spectrometry
 * Drew Meekins, figure skater
 * Ossian Everett Mills, founder of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia fraternity
 * Brian Moynihan, CEO of Bank of America
 * Bill Mueller, former third baseman for the Boston Red Sox
 * Joseph E. Murray, surgeon, winner of the Nobel Prize in Medicine, 1990
 * Vladimir Nabokov, Russian-American author
 * Joe Nash, retired NFL player for the Seattle Seahawks
 * Sylvia Plath, poet and author, The Bell Jar
 * Richard Preston and Douglas Preston, best-selling authors
 * Aneesh Raman, former presidential speechwriter at the White House and CNN Middle East Correspondent
 * Edward Thomas Ryan, president, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene; professor, Harvard University
 * James St. Clair, defense lawyer for Richard Nixon during Watergate
 * Jack Sanford, former MLB pitcher, 1957 MLB Rookie of the Year Award recipient
 * Billy Squier, rock musician
 * Brad Stevens, head coach of the Boston Celtics
 * Biz Stone, Twitter co-founder
 * Steven Tyler, rock musician, lived in Wellesley during the late 1990s and early 2000s
 * Michael von Clemm, banker, anthropologist and founder of Canary Wharf
 * Rasheed Wallace, retired professional basketball player
 * Greg Yaitanes, Emmy Award-winning film director, writer, actor
 * Eddie Yost, baseball player and coach

title: Wellesley, Massachusetts


text:
Weymouth, Massachusetts

Weymouth is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. It is one of 13 municipalities in the state to have city forms of government while retaining "town of" in their official names. It is named after Weymouth, Dorset, a coastal town in England, and is the second-oldest settlement in Massachusetts, second only to Plymouth. It is one of the South Shore's more affordable towns and offers a short commute into Boston, MBTA bus and rail service, and a town beach.

At the 2020 census, Weymouth had a total population of 57,437. It also had a crime rate of 12.42 per 1,000 residents.

Demographics
As of the 2010 census, there were 53,743 people, 22,435 households, and 13,595 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,174.2 PD/sqmi. There were 22,573 housing units at an average density of 1,327.1 /sqmi. 64% housing units were owner-occupied and 35% of housing units were renter-occupied. The racial makeup of the city was 82.7% White, 5.2% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 5.7% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 0.6% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.1% of the population.

There were 22,028 households, out of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.8% were non-families, 37% of which were non-family households with residents over 65 years of age. 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.0% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 32.7% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $68,665, and the median income for a family was $52,083. Males had a median income of $42,497 versus $35,963 for females. The per capita income for was $24,976. About 9.1% of families and 9.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.3% of those under age 18 and 9.4% of those age 65 or over.

Weymouth has the 10th highest Irish population in the United States, at 33%. As "white flight" occurred in inner-city Boston exacerbated by the start of the cross-district busing program, in the 1960s and 70s thousands of white (predominantly of Irish descent) Bostonians moved to middle/working class suburbs such as Weymouth and Quincy. The blue collar city culture (example: The Boston accent) of places like South Boston and Dorchester is prevalent in the neighborhoods of Weymouth. Weymouth has colloquially been referred to as "Suburban Southie" and "Southie on the South Shore" due to the high influx of South Boston residents and Irish Catholic culture in the town. This trend continues in a different way again today as some longtime South Boston residents are now being priced out due to gentrification. Many are moving out to the more affordable towns on the South Shore.

Income
Data is from the 2009–2013 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.

Geography and Environment
Weymouth is located at 42.20639°N, -70.94583°W (42.206458, −70.945919).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 21.6 mi2, of which 17 mi2 is land and 4.6 mi2 (comprising 21.29%) is water.

Weymouth contains the Weymouth Back River and the Weymouth Fore River; its surroundings, formerly industrial, are now set aside as parks and natural areas, including Webb Memorial State Park. There are many streets named after people and trees.

Weymouth residents often designate which of four "districts" they live in:
 * North Weymouth is considered anything north of the intersection of Church Street, North Street and Green Street. Some of the sites around North Weymouth are Great Esker Park, George Lane Beach, Webb State Park, the Wessagusset Yacht Club, Boston skyline views, and the Abigail Adams Historical Society. Historically North Weymouth was a blue collar area, However, recently it has started to include up-and-coming waterfront property that rivals similar in pricier towns. Many small cottages are being bought up and redone on the waterfront. This is notable on streets such as Regatta Road. North Weymouth is the most densely populated area of the town.
 * South Weymouth is mostly south of Route 3. South Weymouth is home to the former Naval Air base that is being redeveloped into residential and commercial properties and is one of the areas biggest development projects. South Shore Hospital and Weymouth High School are in South Weymouth. South Weymouth has its own town square called Columbian Square.
 * East Weymouth is somewhat in the center of Weymouth, including Whitman's Pond, Jackson Square, and Town Hall. East Weymouth has several fine examples of Victorian homes, including Queen Anne, shingle, and colonial revival homes. Some particularly fine examples of these homes are being restored on Hillcrest Road. East Weymouth has many longtime working class residents who take pride in their hometown.
 * Weymouth Landing spans a mile around Weston Park. After recent years of blight in the main commercial area it is being redeveloped. Weymouth Landing is the border between Weymouth and Braintree and is where the Fore River splits into tributaries.

Weymouth is bordered on the north by Hingham Bay and Boston Harbor. Weymouth's territory includes Grape Island, Slate Island, and Sheep Island, all part of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area. Weymouth is bordered on the west by Quincy, Braintree, and Holbrook. It is bordered on the south by Abington and Rockland. Weymouth is bordered on the east by Hingham.

Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Weymouth has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Wildlife
Weymouth is home to many species of wildlife that have adapted to the town's suburban environment and parks.

Small mammals such as Red and Gray foxes, Striped Skunks, Raccoons, Virginia Opossums, Eastern Cottontail Rabbits, Groundhogs, and Eastern Gray Squirrels can be commonly found in Weymouth. Some Larger mammals, such as Coyotes and White-tailed Deer live in the more forested areas such as Great Esker Park, and occasionally wander into the suburbs.

Weymouth is also home to many species of birds. Some common backyard species are Wild Turkeys, American Robins, Blue Jays, Mourning Doves, Black-capped Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, Common Grackles, and Northern Cardinals to name a few. There are many other species of birds that inhabit the diverse habitats that are located in Weymouth, such as Red-tailed Hawks, Ospreys, Red-winged Blackbirds, Great Egrets, Turkey Vultures, Great Blue Herons, along with various species of waterfowl, seagulls, and shorebirds. There are also two invasive bird species, those being the House Sparrow and European Starling.

The Herring Run runs through Weymouth, connecting the Back River to Whitman's Pond. Every spring, hundreds of thousands of Alewife Herring travel up the brook to spawn. The Herring Run was also a crucial resource for the early colonists of the area and the Native Massachusett People.

Transportation
Weymouth is served by several MBTA bus routes as well as three MBTA Commuter Rail stations: two on the Greenbush Line, at Weymouth Landing and East Weymouth, and one on the Kingston Line at South Weymouth. Numbered routes that pass through Weymouth include Massachusetts Routes 3, 3A, 18, 53, 58 and 139.

Government
Weymouth was founded in 1635, from the territory known as Wessagusett which was described in 1622—just two years after the Pilgrims landed in Plymouth. Weymouth held the distinction of having the oldest continuous town meeting form of government, for 365 years. In 1999, Weymouth residents voted to change to a city form of government. David M. Madden was elected as the city's first mayor and took office in 2000.

On July 10, 2007, Mayor David M. Madden announced he would not seek reelection. In 2008, Susan Kay was elected as the new mayor of Weymouth.

On November 3, 2015, Republican state senator Bob Hedlund was elected as the new mayor of Weymouth, succeeding long-incumbent mayor Susan M. Kay. Hedlund assumed office on January 4, 2016.

Weymouth is part of the Massachusetts Senate's Plymouth and Norfolk district.

Weymouth is one of the few places in the United States where self-service gas stations are illegal. The ban was introduced in 1977.

Education
Weymouth High School is the only public high school in Weymouth. Prior to 2005, grades eight and nine were housed in Weymouth Junior High while grades ten, eleven, and twelve comprised the High School. This changed with the construction of a new wing on the Junior High building in South Weymouth, which subsequently became the new Weymouth High School housing grades nine through twelve. More than 2,000 students attend the high school. A brand new athletic surface was completed in 2005, giving Weymouth High School an artificial turf field and a track surface.

There are two middle schools but only one is currently in use. They are named after local women: abolitionist Maria Weston Chapman and First Lady Abigail Adams.

The Maria Weston Chapman Middle School, locally known as "The New Chapman, " replaced a previous building that had housed an identically named middle school and the town High School. It opened to students in September 2022.

The previous middle school, Abigail Adams Middle School, is currently undergoing renovations with school and town officials undecided about its future uses.

There are eight primary schools and one early childhood center, five of which are named after Weymouth's Congressional Medal of Honor recipients.
 * Academy Avenue Primary School
 * Frederick C. Murphy Primary School
 * Thomas V. Nash Jr. Primary School
 * Lawrence W. Pingree Primary School
 * William Seach Primary School
 * Ralph Talbot Primary School
 * Thomas W. Hamilton School
 * Wessagusset Primary School
 * Elden H. Johnson Early Childhood Center

In June 2021, Weymouth High School was placed into a state program for schools or districts that disproportionately suspend nonwhite students or students with disabilities. Along with this, the New Maria Weston Chapman Middle School made local news on two separate occasions due to the violent behavior of students.

There is one Public Charter School which Weymouth is associated to
 * South Shore Charter Public School (located in Norwell Massachusetts)

In addition, there are four private schools in Weymouth.
 * South Shore Christian Academy, an independent, Christian, college preparatory day school for students in grades K–12. SSCA also operates a pre-school program.
 * Sacred Heart Elementary School, a Catholic elementary school under the direction of the Archdiocese of Boston for grades Pre-K–4. This school is associated with St. Francis Xavier.
 * First Baptist Christian, an elementary school for grades Pre-K–8, under the direction of the First Baptist Church of Weymouth.
 * St. Francis Xavier, a Catholic elementary school under the direction of St. Francis Parish. This school is for grades 5–8 and is associated with Sacred Heart Elementary School

A failed colony
Weymouth was settled in 1622 as Wessagusset Colony founded by Thomas Weston, who had been the main financial backer of Plymouth Colony. It is thought to have been named after English explorer George Weymouth. The settlement was a failure, as the 60 men from London were ill-prepared for the hardships required for survival. They also may have lacked the motivation of the Pilgrims, as this colony was purely economic in motivation and the men had not brought their families. By winter, poor planning and bad management led to supplies running out, and the Plymouth colonists had little to share. The situation grew desperate and Weymouth men began to sell their clothes, hire themselves out as laborers, and even steal from the local Massachusett Indians. The Indians were soon taunting the Weymouth men and robbing them of what little food they gathered clamming and foraging in the woods. By now, many in the colony were starving or ill, and law and order had broken down. The lowest point came when a settler was accused of stealing supplies from the Massachusetts, and the Massachusett leaders demanded the thief's execution; the Weymouth men complied, but legend has it that they may have executed a dying, sick settler instead.

By April 1623, word came of conflict between American Indians and the Virginia colonists, and tension increased between the Wessagusset colonists and the Indians. Massachusetts and other tribes began plotting to attack and destroy what was left of the floundering colony and the more successful Plymouth Colony. Wampanoag Chief Massasoit heard about the plot but soon fell ill and nearly died. A party from the Plymouth Colony came to his village and nursed him back to health, and he warned them of the plot. Governor William Bradford decided to preempt the planned attack, and sent Myles Standish to Weymouth with the Plymouth militia and their Indian guide Hobbamock to end the threat. Using the promise of a meal of pork, Standish lured five of the more bellicose Massachusett Indians inside the stockade, including Wituwamat, a large man who had belittled Standish because he was short and had bragged about murdering a number of French shipwreck survivors. Once inside, there was a brief struggle and the Indian leaders were killed.

Ten of the original 60 colonists starved to death and two others were killed in conflicts with the Indians. Forty-five colonists joined Plymouth or went north to Maine, and from there most returned to England. Three men who had left the colony to live among the Indians as laborers could not be warned in time and were subsequently killed by them after Standish had released the women and children.

Robert Gorges attempted to form a colony at the site later that year as the center of a more royalist and Anglican system of government for New England. He brought William Morrell as religious leader and expected Governor Bradford to acknowledge his supremacy and act as his agent. Within weeks, the New England winter caused Gorges to leave with most of the settlers. Those who remained formed the nucleus of the permanent settlement. and the oldest in what would become Massachusetts Bay Colony. In 1630, it was officially incorporated into the Massachusetts Bay Colony; the name was changed to Weymouth in 1635 with the addition of 100 families under the leadership of Joseph Hull. These groups experienced some difficulty integrating together, especially due to conflicting pressures from the Puritans of Boston and the Pilgrims of Plymouth, but Weymouth was a stable and prominent town with its current boundaries by 1635. It was included as part of Suffolk County when it was formed on May 10, 1643. The oldest surviving house in Weymouth is the Bickman House (c. 1650) located at 84 Sea Street.

Post-colonization
Weymouth was heavily involved in the shoemaking industry from the first years of the 18th century right through to 1973, when the Stetson Shoe Company closed its doors. The building is currently being used for medical offices.

The original town hall was destroyed by fire in 1914 and was replaced in 1928 with a town hall that is a replica of the old Massachusetts State House in Boston. In May 2018, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker designated a tract of land near Lakeview Manor and the eastern and northern borders of Whitman's Pond as an "opportunity zone" under the Congressional Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.

Points of interest

 * The house where Abigail Adams, wife of President John Adams and mother to President John Quincy Adams, was born is in Weymouth.
 * A portion of the former South Weymouth Naval Air Station, which was closed in 1996 under the Base Realignment and Closure Act, was located in Weymouth. The property has been slated for development, which will be called Union Point. Plans include a parkway, residences, a sports facility, and a movie studio. Films such as Don't Look Up, Free Guy, Patriots Day, Madame Web and Ghostbusters (2016 film) were shot in part at the latter.
 * Union Point Sports Complex, a 25 acre sports complex.

Parks
Weymouth has 700 acres of parks and conservation land spread over 46 playgrounds, nature preserves, conservation land, memorials and recreation areas.

Notable people

 * Abigail Adams, wife of President John Adams
 * Chris Bagley, soccer player
 * James L. Bates, colonel in the Union Army during the American Civil War
 * Tobin Bell, actor, most known for his role as Jigsaw in the movie Saw
 * Rodney Butcher, professional golfer
 * Scott Caldwell (born 1991), professional soccer player
 * Jim Carey, NHL goaltender from 1994 to 1999, 1996 Vezina Trophy winner
 * Paul Carey, ice hockey coach for Boston College and former player
 * Marcy Carsey, television writer/producer
 * Maria Weston Chapman, abolitionist, executive committee member of the American Anti-Slavery Society in 1839, organizer of the Boston Female Anti-Slavery Society, and editor of The Liberator and The Liberty Bell
 * Michael J. Connor, Vice Admiral in the United States Navy, Commander, US Submarine Forces (COMNAVSUBFOR) 2012–2015
 * Rob and Nate Corddry, correspondents for The Daily Show
 * Charlie Coyle, professional hockey player for the Minnesota Wild (2012–2019) and Boston Bruins (2019–present)
 * William Cranch, judge and the second reporter of decisions of the US Supreme Court
 * Brittany Curran (born 1990), actress, most known for her role as Lucy Tranelli in the television show Men of a Certain Age
 * Beatrice Farnham, 20th-century artist and entrepreneur
 * Flip Gordon (Travis Gordon Lopes Jr.), professional wrestler
 * Mike Hazen, Major League Baseball executive, Arizona Diamondbacks vice president
 * Hal Holbrook, Academy Award-nominated actor
 * Mark Holden, professional hockey goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens and Winnipeg Jets
 * Newland H. Holmes, politician who served as President of the Massachusetts Senate from 1957 to 1958
 * Dan Howley, Major League Baseball manager with the St. Louis Browns and the Cincinnati Reds
 * Paul K. Hurley, 24th Chief of Chaplains of the United States Army
 * Elden H. Johnson, US Army soldier and a recipient of the US military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II
 * George Jung, a.k.a. "Boston George", subject of the 2001 film Blow, member of the Medellín Drug Cartel
 * Tim Karalexis, professional soccer player
 * Margaret D. Klein, Rear Admiral, in the United States Navy, Commander, US Expeditionary Strike Group Five (ESG-5), 82nd Commandant of Midshipmen at the United States Naval Academy (first woman to serve as commandant)
 * Gilbert N. Lewis, physical chemist
 * Dave Lindstrom, former professional football player for Kansas City Chiefs
 * George Little, US Naval Officer, two destroyers have been named USS Little in his honor
 * Charles G. Long, second Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps, recipient of the Marine Corps Brevet Medal
 * Elias Mann, composer
 * Allan R. McKinnon, former politician who served as a member of the Massachusetts State Senate from 1970 to 1984, Deputy Secretary of Transportation from 1985 to 1988, and Chairman of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority from 1988 to 1996
 * Patrick V. McNamara, Democratic Senator (1955–1966) from Michigan
 * Kristie Mewis, soccer player for NJ/NY Gotham FC and the United States national team
 * Joe Mulligan, Major League Baseball pitcher who played briefly for the Boston Red Sox during the 1934 season
 * Bob Neumeier, sportscaster for NBC Sports
 * James Peckham, 1956 was a participant for the US Olympic Greco Roman Wrestling team; Head Coach Greco Roman Olympic Wrestling team 1976
 * Warren G. Phillips, inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame in 2010
 * Richard Robbins, Academy Award-nominated film score composer
 * Abby Rosmarin, model and writer
 * Frank Salemme, mobster
 * Gary Lee Sampson, spree killer
 * Bobby Sheehan, former professional hockey player from 1969 to 1983
 * Mark Shields, political pundit and liberal commentator
 * Ralph Talbot, first US Marine Corps aviator awarded the Medal of Honor for "exceptionally meritorious service and extraordinary heroism" while attached to Squadron C, US 1st Marine Aviation Force, in France during World War I
 * Jared Terrell (born 1995), basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League, played at URI
 * Albert Tirrell, first person acquitted of murder in the US using the sleepwalking defense
 * Kurt Walker, NHL player
 * Booker T. Washington, African-American educator, author, and civic leader, owned a vacation home at 825 Main Street, 1902–1903
 * Frank Lloyd Wright, architect, lived in Weymouth briefly as a child when his father was a minister at the Weymouth Unitarian Universalist Church
 * David Wyman, author of several books on the responses of the US to Nazi Germany's persecution of and programs to exterminate Jews
 * Paul Zukauskas, professional football player, Cleveland Browns

title: Weymouth, Massachusetts


text:
Abington, Massachusetts

Abington is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States, 20 mi southeast of Boston. The population was 17,062 at the 2020 census.

History
Before the Europeans made their claim to the area, the local Native Americans referred to the area as Manamooskeagin, meaning "great green place of shaking grass". Two streams in the area were named for the large beaver population: Schumacastacut or "upper beaver brook" and Schumacastuscacant or "lower beaver brook".

Abington was first settled by European settlers in 1668. The lands included the current towns of Bridgewater, Rockland, Whitman, and parts of Hanover. The town was officially incorporated in 1712, having been named six years earlier by Governor Joseph Dudley as a tribute to Anne Venables-Bertie, Countess of Abingdon, wife of the second Earl of Abingdon, who helped him secure the governorship of the colony from Queen Anne. The Earl of Abingdon is named from Abingdon-on-Thames in Oxfordshire (then Berkshire), UK. Indeed, the original petition from Governor Dudley ordered that "the Town be named Abingdon". A marginal note on the document gave the spelling as "Abington" as it has been known ever since.

In 1769, an iron foundry was established within the town. In 1815, Jesse Reed invented a machine that mass-produced tacks, which in turn led to the shoe industry becoming established in the town. During the nineteenth and early twentieth century, the manufacture of boots and shoes was its primary industry, with nearly half of the footwear provided for the Union Army during the Civil War being provided by Abington factories. From 1846 to 1865, Abington was a center of the abolitionist movement. In 1874 and 1875, the towns of Rockland and Whitman, respectively, separated and incorporated as towns.

In 1893, the town was the site of a riot between town constables and workers from the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad, over the town's rights to build a streetcar line that crossed the railroad's tracks. The town eventually built the line, and as a "peace offering", the railroad built the North Abington Depot building, which was built in the style of H. H. Richardson.

Economy
Abington has evolved into a predominantly residential community with some light manufacturing.

Geography
Abington is located at 42.11944°N, -70.94778°W (42.119534, –70.947876).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 25.6 sqkm, of which 25.0 sqkm is land and 0.6 sqkm, or 2.41%, is water.

Abington ranks 308th of 351 communities in the Commonwealth, and is the fourth-smallest town (behind Hull, Whitman and Rockland) in Plymouth County. Abington is bordered by Holbrook to the northwest, Weymouth to the northeast, Rockland to the east, Whitman to the south, and Brockton to the west. Abington is considered to be an inland town of the South Shore, and is located approximately 20 mi south of Boston.

Abington has two major waterways; the Shumatuscacant River to the west provides the town's border with Brockton, and Beaver Brook runs through the eastern part of town; it was the source of much of the water power used by the shoe factories. In the northwestern corner of town lies Ames Nowell State Park, a large forested area around Cleveland Pond. Island Grove Pond was created in the 1700s, when a dam was built on the Shumatuscacant River. Much of the town's population is centered on the eastern side of town, closer to the former town geographic center. The northeast corner of town is also the site of portions of the runways of the South Weymouth Naval Air Station, which was closed in 1997 as a part of the fourth round of BRAC base closures.

Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Abington has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 15,985 people, 6,080 households, and 4,111 families residing in the town with 6,377 total housing units. The racial makeup of the town was 92.5% White, 2.1% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.8% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, 1.9% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.9% of the population.

There were 6,080 households, out of which 33.6% had individuals under the age of 18 living with them, 51.8% were married couples living together, 4.5% had a male householder with no wife present, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.4% were non-families. Of all households 25.1% consisted of someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.18.

In the town, the age distribution of the population shows 25.2% under the age of 19, 5.6% from 20 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 29.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.5 years. Males made up 48.9% of the population, while females made up 51.1%.

The median income for a household in the town, based on a 2006–2010 projection, was $74,589. In 2000, the median income for a family was $68,826. Males had a median income of $44,151 versus $30,923 for females. The per capita income for the town was $23,380. About 2.1% of families and 3.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.1% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.

Statistically speaking, Abington is the 125th largest community by population in the Commonwealth, and ranks 71st by population density. Its population is lower than the population average but above the median; the population density is above the average.

Government
On the national level, Abington is a part of Massachusetts's 8th congressional district, and is represented by Stephen Lynch. 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 2013, is Ed Markey.

On the state level, Abington is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives as a part of the Seventh Plymouth district, which includes the towns of East Bridgewater and Whitman. The Seventh Plymouth district is represented by Republican Alyson Sullivan. The town is represented in the Massachusetts Senate by John Keenan, as a part of the Norfolk and Plymouth District, which includes Holbrook, Quincy, Rockland and part of Braintree. The town is patrolled by the First (Norwell) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police.

Abington 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 department, with firehouses located in the north and south of town along Route 18. There are two post offices in town, on Route 123 east of Route 18 and on Route 58 north of Route Route 139. The Abington Public Library, a member of the Old Colony Library Network, is located adjacent to the town hall, both of which opened in 1997 across from the high school. The town operates a park, Island Grove Park, located in the southeast of town. The current Board of Selectmen as of January 2024 includes Kevin Donovan; Chair, Timothy Chapin; Vice-Chair, Kevin DiMarzio, and Suzanne Djusberg.

Education
The Abington School district consists of two elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. Beaver Brook Elementary serves grades K–2, and Woodsdale Elementary serves grades 3–4. Abington Middle school serves grades 5–8, and Abington High School serves grades 9–12. Outside of the Abington school district is Saint Bridget School; it school serves students from years K-8.

Transportation
There are two main north–south routes through town, Route 18 and Route 58, the latter terminating at the former just a 0.5 mi north of the town line. Route 123 and Route 139 run east to west through the town, with Route 139 being the more northern route. There is no freeway access to town; the town is located between Route 24 and Route 3.

The former Old Colony Railroad line runs through the eastern part of town, and is currently used as a part of the Plymouth-Kingston route of the MBTA's commuter rail line. There is a stop in Abington, just southwest of the intersection of Routes 123 and 58. A spur off the line formerly went into the town of Rockland; that spur is now abandoned. There is no air service in the town; the nearest national and international air service can be found at Logan International Airport in Boston.

Events
On June 10, 2012, Abington celebrated the 300th anniversary of its incorporation.

The town annually holds festivals celebrating Founders Day (the first weekend in June), Halloween, and Christmas.

The town hosts a Saint Patrick's Day parade each year throughout the town. It is one of three towns to do this including Boston and Scituate.

Notable people

 * Lucia H. Faxon Additon (1847-1919), writer, teacher, social reformer
 * Sarah Louise Arnold (1859-1943), first dean of Simmons College; national president, Girl Scouts of the USA
 * "Big Brother" Bob Emery (1897–1982), TV pioneer and local children's TV host
 * Mike Hazen (born 1976), General Manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks
 * Jim Hickey (1920–1997), pitcher for the Boston Braves during the 1942 and 1944 seasons
 * Aaron Hobart (1787–1858), United States Congressman from Massachusetts
 * Charles Francis Meserve (1850–1936) American academic administrator, president of Shaw University; born in Abington
 * Jared C. Monti (1975–2006), Medal of Honor
 * Bruce Allen Murphy, a native son who became a professor and noted judicial biographer
 * Larry Murphy (born 1972), comedian and actor
 * Gary Lee Sampson (1959–2021), carjacker and serial killer
 * John L. Sullivan (1858–1918), bare-knuckle boxer and first modern world heavyweight champion
 * Michael Sullivan (born 1954), former United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts
 * Martha Ware (1917–2009), first female selectman and first female judge of Plymouth County

title: Abington, Massachusetts