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Anglo-Normans

The Anglo-Normans (Anglo-Normaunds, Engel-Norðmandisca) were the medieval ruling class in the Kingdom of England following the Norman Conquest. They were primarily a combination of Normans and Frenchmen, some of whom later intermarried with the indigenous Anglo-Saxons and Celtic Britons. A small number of Normans had earlier befriended future Anglo-Saxon king of England, Edward the Confessor, during his exile in his mother's homeland of Normandy in northern France. When he returned to England, some of them went with him; as such, there were Normans already settled in England before the conquest. Edward's successor, Harold Godwinson, was defeated by Duke William the Conqueror of Normandy at the Battle of Hastings, leading to William's accession to the English throne.

The victorious Normans formed a ruling class in England, distinct from (although intermarrying with) the native Anglo-Saxon and Celtic populations. Over time, their language evolved from the continental Old Norman to the distinct Anglo-Norman language. Anglo-Normans quickly established control over all of England, as well as parts of Wales (the Cambro-Normans). After 1130, parts of southern and eastern Scotland came under Anglo-Norman rule (the Scots-Normans), in return for their support of David I's conquest. The Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland from 1169 saw Anglo-Normans and Cambro-Normans conquer swaths of Ireland, becoming the Hiberno-Normans.

The composite expression regno Norman-Anglorum for the Anglo-Norman kingdom that comprises Normandy and England appears contemporaneously only in the Hyde Chronicle.

Norman conquest
After the Norman Conquest of 1066, many of the Anglo-Saxon nobles lost lands and titles; the lesser thegns and others found themselves dispossessed of lands and titles. A number of free geburs had their rights and court access much decreased, becoming unfree villeins, despite the fact that this status did not exist in Normandy itself (compared to other "French" regions). At the same time, many of the new Norman and Northern-France magnates were distributed lands by the King that had been taken from the English nobles. Some of these magnates used their original French-derived names, with the prefix 'de,' meaning they were lords of the old fiefs in France, and some instead dropped their original names and took their names from new English holdings.

The Norman conquest of England brought Britain and Ireland into the orbit of the European continent, especially what remained of Roman-influenced language and culture. The England emerging from the Conquest owed a debt to the Romance languages and the culture of ancient Rome. It transmitted itself in the emerging feudal world that took its place. That heritage can be discerned in language, incorporating the French language and the Roman past, and in the emerging Romanesque (Norman) architecture.

Military influence
The Norman conquest of England also signalled a revolution in military styles and methods. A lot of the old Anglo-Saxon military elite began to emigrate, especially the generation next younger to that defeated at Hastings, who had no particular future in a country controlled by the conquerors. William (and his son, William Rufus), encouraged them to leave, as a security measure. The first to leave went mostly to Denmark and many of these moved on to join the Varangian Guard in Constantinople. The Anglo-Saxons as a whole, for practical reason, however were not demilitarised. Instead, William arranged for the Saxon infantry to be trained up by Norman cavalry in anti-cavalry tactics. This led quickly to the establishment of an Anglo-Norman army made up of Norman horsemen of noble blood, Saxon infantrymen often of equally noble blood, assimilated English freemen as rank-and-file, and foreign mercenaries and adventurers from other parts of the Continent. The younger Norman aristocracy showed a tendency towards Anglicisation, adopting such Saxon styles as long hair and moustaches, upsetting the older generation. (The Anglo-Saxon cniht did not take the sense of the French chevalier before the latest period of Middle English. John Wycliffe (1380s) uses the term knyytis generically for men-at-arms, and only in the 15th century did the word acquire the overtones of a noble cavalryman corresponding to the meaning of chevalier). The Anglo-Norman conquest in the 12th century brought Norman customs and culture to Ireland.

Norman-Saxon conflict
The degree of subsequent Norman-Saxon conflict (as a matter of conflicting social identities) is a question disputed by historians. The 19th-century view was of intense mutual resentment, reflected in the popular legends of Robin Hood and the novel Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott. Some residual ill-feeling is suggested by contemporary historian Orderic Vitalis, who in Ecclesiastical Historii (1125) wrote in praise of native English resistance to "William the Bastard" (William I of England). In addition, a fine called the "murdrum", originally introduced to English law by the Danes under Canute, was revived, imposing on villages a high (46 mark/~£31) fine for the secret killing of a Norman (or an unknown person who was, under the murdrum laws, presumed to be Norman unless proven otherwise).

In order to secure Norman loyalty during his conquest, William I rewarded his loyal followers by taking English land and redistributing it to his knights, officials, and the Norman aristocracy. In turn, the English hated him, but the king retaliated ruthlessly with his military force to subdue the rebellions and discontentment. Mike Ashley writes on this subject; "he [William I] may have conquered them [the English], but he never ruled them". Not all of the Anglo-Saxons immediately accepted him as their legitimate king.

Whatever the level of dispute, over time, the two populations intermarried and merged. This began soon after the conquest. Tenants-in-chief following the conquest who married English women included Geofrey de la Guerche, Walter of Dounai and Robert d'Oilly. Other Norman aristocrats with English wives following the conquest include William Pece, Richard Juvenis and Odo, a Norman knight. Eventually, even this distinction largely disappeared in the course of the Hundred Years War (1337–1453), and by the 14th century Normans identified themselves as English, having been fully assimilated into the emerging English population.

Wales
The Normans also led excursions into Wales from England and built multiple fortifications as it was one of William's ambitions to subdue the Welsh as well as the English, however, he was not entirely successful. Afterward, however, the border area known as the Marches was set up and Norman influence increased steadily. Encouraged by the invasion, monks (usually from France or Normandy) such as the Cistercian Order also set up monasteries throughout Wales. By the 15th century a large number of Welsh gentry, including Owain Glyndŵr, had some Norman ancestry. The majority of knights who invaded Ireland were also from or based in Wales (see below).

Ireland
Anglo-Norman barons also settled in Ireland from the 12th century, initially to support Irish regional kings such as Diarmuid Mac Murchadha whose name has arrived in modern English as Dermot MacMurrough. Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke, known as "Strongbow", was the leader of the Anglo-Norman Knights whom MacMurrough had requested of Henry II of England to help him to re-establish himself as King of Leinster. Strongbow died a very short time after invading Ireland but the men he brought with him remained to support Henry II of England and his son John as Lord of Ireland. Chief among the early Anglo-Norman settlers was Theobald Walter (surname Butler) appointed hereditary chief Butler of Ireland in 1177 by King Henry II and founder of one of the oldest remaining British dignities. Most of these Normans came from Wales, not England, and thus the epithet 'Cambro-Normans' is used to describe them by leading late medievalists such as Seán Duffy. They increasingly integrated with the local Celtic nobility through intermarriage and some accepted aspects of Celtic culture, especially outside the Pale around Dublin. They are known as Old English, but this term came into use to describe them only in 1580, i.e., over four centuries after the first Normans arrived in Ireland.

The Carol was a popular Norman dance in which the leader sang and was surrounded by a circle of dancers who replied with the same song. This Norman dance was performed in conquered Irish towns.

Scotland
David I, who had spent most of his life as an English baron, became king of Scotland in 1124. His reign saw what has been characterised as a "Davidian Revolution", by which native institutions and personnel were replaced by English and French ones. Members of the Anglo-Norman nobility took up places in the Scottish aristocracy and he introduced a system of feudal land tenure, which produced knight service, castles and an available body of heavily armed cavalry. He created an Anglo-Norman style of court, introduced the office of justiciar to oversee justice, and local offices of sheriffs to administer localities. He established the first royal burghs in Scotland, granting rights to particular settlements, which led to the development of the first true Scottish towns and helped facilitate economic development as did the introduction of the first recorded Scottish coinage. He continued a process begun by his mother and brothers, of helping to establish foundations that brought the reformed monasticism based on that at Cluny. He also played a part in the organisation of diocese on lines closer to those in the rest of Western Europe. These reforms were pursued under his successors and grandchildren Malcolm IV of Scotland and William I, with the crown now passing down the main line of descent through primogeniture, leading to the first of a series of minorities.

Anglo-Norman families
• House of Arcy

• House of Amondville/Amond

• House of Anvers

• House of Aubigny (or Albini)

• House of Bailleul (or Balliol)

• House of Baskerville

• House of Beaugency (or de La Flèche)

• House of Beauchamp

• House of Beaumont

• House of Bellêmeo

• House of Bigod

• House of Bohun

• House of Bowes Lyon (or Bowley)

• House of Braose (or Brewes)

• House of Bruce

• House of Burgh

• House of Carteret

• House of Chandos

• House of Clare

• House of Colville (or Colvin)

• House of Corbet

• House of Courcy (or Courci)

• House of Crépon

• House of Curzon

• House of Dene

• House of Dévereux

• House of Melun/Carpenter

• House of Marisco/Morris

• House of Ferrières

• House of Fagan

• House of FitzGibbon

• House of FitzGerald

• House of FitzHugh

• House of FitzJoly

• House of FitzOsbern

• House of FitzWilliam/Hall

• House of FitzAlan

• House of FitzUrse

• House of Giffard

• House of Giroie

• House of Glanville

• House of Gorges

• House of Goz

• House of Grandmesnil

• House of Graham

• House of Grosvenor

• House of Harcourt

• House of Harris

• House of Hunter

• House of Hyde

• House of Ivry

• House of Lacy

• House of Limesy (or Limesi)

• House of Longe

• House of Longvillers

• House of Lucy (or Luci)

• House of Levett

• House of Longchamp

• House of de la Mare

• House of Malet

• House of Mandeville

• House of Marren

• House of Martin

• House of Mauger/Mayor

• House of Mayeux

• House of Melville

• House of Meschin

• House of Molyneux

• House of Mondaye

• House of Montfort

• House of De Montcitchet

• House of Montaigu

• House of Mortimer

• House of Montbray

• House of Montgomery

• House of Neville

• House of Normandy

• House of Osmondville/Osment

• House of Paganel

• House of Percy

• House of Peverel

• House of Piggot (or Piggott)

• House of Pople (Pepall or Populus, People)

• House of Reviers

• House of Roper

• House of Seymour

• House of Saint-Clair

• House of Spring

• House of Strode

• House of Stuart

• House of Talbot

• House of Tosny

• House of Tritton

• House of Umfraville

• House of Verney

• House of Vincent

• House of Warren

• House of Washington

title: Anglo-Normans


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Old Orchard Beach, Maine

Old Orchard Beach is a resort town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 8,960 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Portland−South Portland−Biddeford, Maine Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Located on the inner side of Saco Bay on the Atlantic Ocean, the town is a popular seaside resort. The downtown contains many tourist-oriented businesses, including clam shacks and T-shirt shops. A wooden pier on the beach contains many other tourist businesses, including a variety of souvenir shops. The town’s seven mile (11 km) long beach extends into the towns of Scarborough and Saco, and is lined with many beach residential properties, condominiums, motels and bed and breakfasts.

Early history
People of the Abenaki nation have inhabited the area since before contact. The first European visitor to the area around the mouth of the Saco and Goosefare rivers was British explorer Martin Pring in 1603.

The Old Orchard Beach area began appearing in historical records around 1653. The area was first officially settled in 1657 by Thomas Rogers who had arrived in the Goosefare Brook area in 1636,  and who dubbed it "The Garden By The Sea". The town takes its name from Rogers' abandoned apple orchard. Rogers' family left the area and relocated in Kittery, Maine after an Indian attack destroyed the Rogers' homestead. The namesake orchard survived for approximately 150 years as a beacon of land to sailors in the Atlantic Ocean. The historic Free Will Baptist revival camp at Ocean Park, Maine, just down the beach from central Old Orchard, was built in 1881 by Bates College President Oren B. Cheney. The mission of the Association, as declared to the State of Maine on January 24, 1881, was "to establish a place of summer resort for holding religious, educational and other meetings at Old Orchard, in Saco, Maine, in the County of York.". The community still thrives today.

Tourist resort
In 1829 the first Public House opened. In 1837 tourists were paying a small amount to stay at a local farm while they visited the area. In 1942, trains could be taken from Boston to Portland. Over the years Old Orchard developed into a major resort. At one point, planes were able to take off from the beach, as well as, some automobiles racing on the sand. Most of the large hotels were destroyed in the fire of 1907. The oldest hotel still standing on the beachfront in Old Orchard at this time is The Ocean House Hotel & Motel, circa 1895, located at 71 West Grand Avenue. It retains its original parlors and character. In 1923, when discrimination in lodging was rampant and Black musicians were denied rooms in other local hotels, the Cummings' Guest House opened at 110 Portland Avenue to offer lodging to Black visitors. It was operated by Rose and Edward Cummings Jr. and prominent guests included Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Count Basie, and Lionel Hampton. The guest house operated until 1993.

Attractions
The seaside amusement park Palace Playland is located in Old Orchard Beach. The amusement park dates back to 1902 and sits on four acres of beachfront property. Palace Playland is one of the last old-timey oceanside amusement parks in New England.

Old Orchard Beach was home to the first carousel in the United States, and in the past there were two carousels with hand-carved horses and other animals. Noah's Ark, a kid-friendly, boat-shaped funhouse with hand-carved figures of Noah and his family, was designed to provide an exciting but not frightening experience for a 5-year-old. The entire structure would rock back and forth while guests meandered through dark passages. Colored lights would flash, loud klaxons would sound, and compressed air would shoot from the floor. On the Jack and Jill slide, two people would be placed on a large hemp mat in a wooden bucket, which would take them to the top of a 50 ft tall tower and dump them onto a metal slide for a quick ride down.

The current 2019 version of Palace Playland consists of a newly built Ferris wheel, a 24000 sqft arcade, and 25 rides for both children and adults. The new Ferris wheel replaces the 70 ft tall, decades old Sunwheel with one that is environmentally sound and technologically superior. and a brand new roller coaster opening in 2018 known as the “sea viper”

Every Thursday the beach has a firework show at the pier at night. This occurs in the summer from Memorial Day until Labor Day.

The Pier
Three versions of the Pier were constructed by people and modified by nature. The first, 1770 ft long, was built of steel in 1898. When the ribbon was cut on July 2, 1898, it was a “global cultural icon,” at 1,825 feet the longest steel pier in the world, created by Berlin Iron Bridge Co. at a cost of $38,000. At its end was the Pier Casino, a ballroom with room for 5,000 dancers. Shortly after its completion a storm reduced its length by 150 ft. It was rebuilt, but 10 years later, after another storm, the pier was shortened to 700 ft and the Casino was moved. In the interwar period, the Casino hosted such acts as Guy Lombardo, Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Xavier Cugat and Frank Sinatra. After the war Old Orchard became somewhat downscale, becoming known as a destination for blue-collar partygoers. A fire in 1969 destroyed Noah's Ark, the two carousels, the Whale's Mouth, the Mine Ride, and the Jack and Jill slide. The Casino was demolished in 1970. The current incarnation of the pier was built in 1980 after being destroyed by a blizzard in 1978. The current structure stretches 500 ft into the Atlantic Ocean. The wooden walk way is lined with souvenir shops, carnival-style foods, and a night club at the end of the pier.

Sports
Old Orchard Beach was home to several minor league and collegiate level baseball teams. The Maine Guides played at The Ballpark from 1984 to 1988 and were the AAA affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. The Guides relocated in 1989 after finishing last in attendance and in wins in the International League during their final season in Old Orchard Beach. The Ballpark opened in 1984 and was renovated in 2009. Approximately $240,000 worth of volunteer labor and goods went into the project. Old Orchard Beach Surge, a baseball team which played in the independent Empire Professional Baseball League. The Surge relocated to Saranac Lake, New York in 2019 and continued to play as the Saranac Lake Surge. From 2012-2014, the Old Orchard Beach Raging Tide in the New England Collegiate Baseball League played at the ballpark. in 2014 Owners John and Pam Gallo sold the Raging Tide franchise, which became the Bristol Blues.

Geography and transportation
Old Orchard Beach is located on the Southern Maine Coast. It is bounded by Saco Bay to the east, Scarborough to the northeast, and Saco on all other sides.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 22.53 sqmi, of which 7.43 sqmi is land and 15.10 sqmi is water.

During summer months, Amtrak's Downeaster train stops at Old Orchard Beach station with service to the Portland Transportation Center and Boston's North Station.

Twin cities
Old Orchard Beach is the twin city of the French seaside resort of Mimizan, as a reminder of Oiseau Canari, the pioneer aircraft crossing of the Atlantic by Assollant, Lefèvre and Lotti in 1929 to Oyambre (Cantabria, Spain).

Immigration and foreign affairs
Old Orchard Beach, during the high tourist season, sees an influx of Lithuanian, Latvian, Turkish, Serbian, Bulgarian and Russian foreign exchange students looking for summer work. Many French Canadians, especially from the province of Quebec, come for summer vacations, and it is common to hear conversations in French.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 8,624 people, 4,454 households, and 2,106 families residing in the town. The population density was 1160.7 PD/sqmi. There were 6,886 housing units at an average density of 926.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 98.2% White, 0.0% African American, 0.8% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 0.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.7% of the population.

There were 4,454 households, of which 17.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.6% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 52.7% were non-families. 41.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.93 and the average family size was 2.61.

The median age in the town was 47.8 years. 14.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.1% were from 25 to 44; 35.7% were from 45 to 64; and 18.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 47.9% male and 52.1% female.

Old Orchard Beach is in House District 13 and represented in Augusta by Lori Gramlich.

In popular culture

 * The Magnetic Fields have a song entitled "Old Orchard Beach" on their 1992 album The Wayward Bus.
 * Maine author Josh Pahigian has a mystery novel entitled "Strangers on the Beach" set in Old Orchard Beach.
 * Part of Stephen King's novel Thinner is set at Old Orchard Beach.
 * The Archers Beach series by Sharon Lee (writer) has a setting inspired by Old Orchard Beach and Palace Playland.
 * The town (including the pier) is represented in the map of the 2014 open world racing video game The Crew and its 2018 sequel.
 * The town was the fabled home of Sidd Finch, a fake baseball player created  by George Plimpton in one of the most famous sports-related hoaxes of all time.

Notable people

 * Laura Creavalle, Guyanese-born Canadian/American professional bodybuilder
 * David Lemoine, state legislator
 * Leatrice Morin, state legislator (1973–1976)
 * Jerome Plante, state legislator and town manager
 * Charles Scontras, labor historian

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

title: Old Orchard Beach, Maine


text:
Somerset, Massachusetts

Somerset is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 18,303 at the 2020 census. It is the birthplace and hometown of Clifford Milburn Holland (1883–1924), the chief engineer and namesake of the Holland Tunnel in New York City.

Somerset is a part of the South Coast region of Massachusetts which encompasses the communities that surround Buzzards Bay (excluding the Elizabeth Islands, Bourne and Falmouth), Mount Hope Bay and the Sakonnet River.

History

Somerset was first settled in 1677 on the Shawomet lands, and was officially incorporated in 1790. It was named for Somerset Square in Boston, which was, in turn, named for the county of Somerset in England. It was once a vital shipping point, and after the War of 1812 it was one of America's chief distribution points. In 1872, it became the site of a major coal port, and in the early 20th century a large cannery existed in the town. However, as neighboring Fall River's industry grew, it absorbed much of Somerset's, and the town took on more of a suburban character. In fact, the town's population grew during the Great Depression, as many people from Fall River and other localities moved to the suburb. Today, the town's major industry (other than suburban services) is power generation, with the Montaup Electric Company plant upriver (founded in 1923) and the Brayton Point Power Station at the town's southern tip (founded in 1963). Brayton Point has been the target of much criticism for its pollution problems from burning coal. It closed May 31, 2017.

Historically, the town has had a connective relationship with Fall River. Originally, Slade's Ferry ran across the Taunton River to connect the two towns since the late 18th century. In the late 19th century, the Slade's Ferry Bridge connected the two towns, from the current southern terminus of Brayton Avenue in Somerset to Brownell Street in Fall River, and was double-decked, with a railroad section on the top level. The bridge was dismantled after closing in 1970 due to its rapid deterioration and its low height. (The path of the old bridge is still somewhat visible; two large sets of power lines cross the river at the same point.) The Brightman Street Bridge just to the north was opened in 1908. A new bridge, named the Veterans Memorial Bridge, was partially completed prior to a dedication ceremony held on September 11, 2011. At first, only the westbound side of the bridge was open to traffic. Since then, both lanes of the bridge have been opened for traffic.

Geography

Somerset is located at 41.74833°N, -71.15306°W (41.748502, −71.153188). According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 12.0 sqmi, of which 8.1 sqmi is land and 3.9 sqmi, or 32.30%, is water. It borders on Mount Hope Bay and Narragansett Bay, and its east border is formed by the Taunton River, an arm of that bay.

Somerset is bordered by Swansea on the west, Dighton on the north, Fall River on the east (across the Taunton River), and Bristol, Rhode Island, to the south. The border with Bristol is located in the middle of the bay. Cities close to Somerset include Fall River, New Bedford, Attleboro, and Providence, and the town is one hour's drive south of Boston.

The town is accessed via Interstate 195, which enters the town via the Braga Bridge from Fall River and has an exit at Route 103. It is also connected via the Veterans Memorial Bridge, the fourth bridge to cross the Taunton River between the town and city. The Veterans Memorial Bridge carries U.S. Route 6 and Route 138 across the river. Route 6 heads east-west towards Swansea, with several shopping plazas along the route. Route 138 travels north from the bridge along County Street, the town's main north-south thoroughfare, towards Dighton. Route 103's eastern terminus lies at the former intersection of Routes 6 and 138 just south of the new bridge. It heads south-southeast for three-quarters of a mile before turning west-northwest towards Swansea, crossing into that town at a bridge over Lee's River. Due to the controversy in Fall River over the proposed building of an LNG terminal, town officials have consider keeping the old Brightman Street Bridge open, as the tankers would not fit through it, and the terminal's proposed site is upriver of the bridges. However, as of the opening of the new bridge, the bridge is closed, as the old roads leading to it on the Fall River side have been removed to make way for the new bridge's ramp system.

Somerset has bus service along Route 6 provided by the Southeastern Regional Transit Authority (SRTA). The nearest regional bus service is in Fall River, and the nearest rail service is in Providence. There are plans in the works to bring commuter rail service to Fall River by 2023, which would give the town rail access to Boston. The town's nearest regional airport is in New Bedford, 18 mi away. Until the late 1990s, the nearest airport was in Fall River; however, the airport closed due to various issues. The nearest national airport is T. F. Green Airport in Rhode Island, 27 mi away. The nearest international airport is Logan International Airport, 55 mi away in Boston.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 18,234 people, 6,987 households, and 5,261 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,248.6 PD/sqmi. There were 7,143 housing units at an average density of 880.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 98.22% White, 0.16% Black or African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.53% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.15% from other races, and 0.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.49% of the population.

There were 6,987 households, out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.4% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.7% were non-families. Of all households, 21.5% were made up of individuals, and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 20.4% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 26.2% from 45 to 64, and 21.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $51,770, and the median income for a family was $60,067. Males had a median income of $42,036 versus $29,851 for females. The per capita income for the town was $22,420. About 3.2% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.8% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.

Government

On the state level, Somerset is represented as part of the Fifth Bristol state representative district, which includes Dighton and parts of Swansea and Taunton. In the state senate, Somerset is part of the First Bristol and Plymouth district, which includes Fall River, Freetown, Lakeville, Rochester, Swansea and Westport. Representative Patricia Haddad (D-Somerset) represents Somerset in the State House of Representatives. Senator Michael Rodrigues (D-Westport) represents Somerset in the state senate. On the national level, the town is part of Massachusetts's 4th congressional district, which is represented by Jake Auchincloss. The state's senior Senator is Elizabeth Warren. The state's junior Senator is Ed Markey.

The town's library is located north of the town hall in the center of town, and was expanded for more resource and meeting areas in 2000. The town's historical society is located in the north end of town, and also operates a museum in that location (in the former Village School building). The old Town Hall, to the north of the library, is still in use for various public gatherings. The town is served by one centralized police and fire headquarters, along with a smaller branch fire station in the Brayton Point area which is also trained to handle emergencies at the Brayton Point Power Plant. The town's zip codes are 02725 and 02726, although both are now located in the central post office in the heart of town. The town maintains five parks (Buffington Park, Ashton Field, Waterfront Park, Rock Park, and South Complex Baseball/softball fields), as well as a town beach, Pierce Beach, located next to Pierce Playground along the Taunton River in the north end of town. A sixth park, Slade's Ferry Park, was closed by eminent domain for the right-of-way of the new Brightman Street Bridge being built.

Education
Somerset is served by its own public school system. It has three elementary schools, from north to south they are the North Elementary School, the Chace Street School, and the South Elementary School. A fourth elementary school, Wilbur Elementary School, closed in June 2014 following a majority vote by the school board. Somerset Middle School (formerly known as Somerset Junior High School) is located adjacent to South Elementary along Brayton Avenue, and handles grades 6 through 8. Somerset Berkley Regional High School is located along County Street (Route 138). The school's mascot is the "Blue Raider", and its colors are dark blue and white. The school is known locally for having two former baseball players play professionally, Greg Gagne and Jerry Remy. The town is a member of the Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School system in Fall River, and high school students may also attend Bristol County Agricultural High School in Dighton.

Many students of all grades attend private schools in Fall River, including Bishop Connolly High School. There are no private schools in the town.

The new (and renamed) regional school opened in late August 2014. Projected costs for the new Somerset-Berkley Regional High School are now at $81.5 million to $83.8 million, notably higher than earlier estimates after planners found that more costs than they had believed wouldn't be reimbursed by the state. The school was built just behind the old high school, atop the former location of the soccer fields and tennis courts. The football field and running track were completely refurbished and completed before the start of the school year. The first graduating class will be the class of 2015. The original high school building was set to be demolished in late 2014, and on its former site will be a new series of fields for student use.

Notable people

 * Beatrice Arbour, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
 * Pamela Bustin, 1996 Olympic field hockey player
 * Alan Chebot, Television producer and director
 * Alice DeCambra, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
 * Lillian DeCambra, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
 * Shirley May France, attempted to swim the English Channel in 1949 and 1950
 * Greg Gagne, Major League Baseball shortstop for two Minnesota Twins world championship teams
 * Leslie Marshall, journalist
 * Clifford Milburn Holland, chief engineer and namesake of the Holland Tunnel in New York City
 * Rhoda Leonard, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
 * Nancy Pimental, actress, and screenwriter, who wrote the script for the film The Sweetest Thing
 * Stephen Rebello, writer and screenwriter known for such books as Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho and for the screenplay of Hitchcock, based on that book
 * Jerry Remy, Major League Baseball second baseman for the California Angels and Boston Red Sox; longtime Red Sox color commentator for NESN
 * Janet L. Robinson, former president and CEO of The New York Times

title: Somerset, Massachusetts


text:
James Fallows

James Mackenzie Fallows (born August 2, 1949) is an American writer and journalist. He is a former national correspondent for The Atlantic. His work has also appeared in Slate, The New York Times Magazine, The New York Review of Books, The New Yorker and The American Prospect, among others. He is a former editor of U.S. News & World Report, and as President Jimmy Carter's chief speechwriter for two years was the youngest person ever to hold that job.

Fallows has been a visiting professor at a number of universities in the U.S. and China, and has held the Chair in U.S. Media at the United States Studies Centre at University of Sydney. He is the author of eleven books, including National Defense (1981), for which he received the 1983 National Book Award, Looking at the Sun (1994), Breaking the News (1996), Blind into Baghdad (2006), Postcards from Tomorrow Square (2009), China Airborne (2012), and the national best-seller Our Towns (2018), which was co-written with his wife, Deborah Fallows, and made into an HBO documentary of the same name in 2021.

Biography

Fallows was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Jean (née Mackenzie) and James Albert Fallows, a physician. He was raised in Redlands, California, and graduated from Redlands High School. He studied American history and literature at Harvard College, where he was the editor of the daily newspaper, The Harvard Crimson. From 1970 to 1972, Fallows studied economics at The Queen's College, Oxford, as a Rhodes scholar. He subsequently worked as an editor and writer for The Washington Monthly and Texas Monthly magazines.

For the first two years of the Carter administration he was Carter's chief speechwriter. At age 27, he became the youngest person in history to hold that position. From 1979 through 1996, he was the Washington Editor for The Atlantic Monthly (now The Atlantic). For two years of that time he was based in Texas, and for four years in Asia. He wrote for the magazine about immigration, defense policy, politics, economics, computer technology, and other subjects. He has been a finalist for the National Magazine Awards five times and won in 2003, for "The Fifty-First State?" (The Atlantic, November 2002), which was published six months before the invasion of Iraq and laid out the difficulties of occupying the country. He won the National Book Award for National Defense and won a NY Emmy in 2010 for his role as host of a documentary series, Doing Business in China.

Fallows's most influential articles have concerned military policy and military procurement, the college admissions process, technology, China and Japan, and the American war in Iraq. Early in his career, he wrote an article called "What Did You Do in the Class War, Daddy?" (Washington Monthly, October 1975). It described the "draft physical" day at the Boston Navy Yard in 1970, in which Fallows and his Harvard and MIT classmates overwhelmingly produced reasons for medical exemptions, while the white working-class men of Chelsea, Massachusetts were approved for service. He argued that the class bias of the Vietnam draft, which made it easy for him and for others from influential and affluent families to avoid service, prolonged the war and that this was a truth many opponents of the war found convenient to overlook.

In the 1980s and 1990s Fallows was a frequent contributor of commentaries to National Public Radio's Morning Edition, and since 2009 he has been the regular news analyst for NPR's Weekend All Things Considered. From 1996 to 1998, he was the editor of US News & World Report. He was the founding chairman of the New America Foundation, a nonprofit group based in Washington D.C. During the 2000–2001 academic year, Fallows taught at the graduate school of journalism at the University of California, Berkeley, and in 2010 he was the Vare Writer in Residence at the University of Chicago. Starting in the 2010 academic year, he is a visiting Professor in U.S. Media at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney.

Fallows is an instrument-rated pilot. In Free Flight, published in 2001, he described the new generation of "personal jets" and other advanced aircraft coming onto the market from Eclipse Aviation and Cirrus Design, as well as the story of Cirrus founders brothers Alan and Dale Klapmeier and how they became involved in aviation. Fallows has received numerous honorary degrees, including from the University of Utah, the University of Maryland, the University of Redlands, Northwestern University, Ursinus College, and in 2017 the University of Vermont.

Fallows has had a long interest in technology, both writing about and helping to develop it. He's taken a special interest in personal information management software, going back to Lotus Agenda which he glowingly reviewed for The Atlantic in 1992 ("Of all the computer programs I have tried, Agenda is far and away the most interesting, and is one of the two or three most valuable"). During the operating system wars of the early and mid-nineties, Fallows used and wrote about IBM's Operating System/2 (OS/2) and its battles with MS Windows, often frequenting the Canopus forum and online community on CompuServe. In 1999, he spent six months at Microsoft designing software for writers. More recently, he has written about the design of the Open Source Applications Foundation's information manager, code-named Chandler. He was the on-stage host for the IDG Corporation's "Agenda" conference (no relation to Agenda software) in the early years of the 2000s (decade) and of Google's "Zeitgeist" conference starting in 2005. He has written regular technology columns for The New York Times and The Atlantic.

In September 2021, Fallows launched a Substack site called Breaking the News, whose title was based on his 1996 book of the same name.

Politics
Fallows, a former speechwriter for Democratic President Jimmy Carter, has identified himself as a Democrat and has been described by Politico and The Hill, among other publications, as a liberal. According to journalist Howard Fineman, Fallows also wrote policy memos to Democratic President Bill Clinton. An article in The Futurist, a publication of the World Future Society, identifies Fallows as a radical centrist.

Awards
For the first paperback edition of National Defense, Fallows received a 1983 National Book Award for Nonfiction. He was a finalist at the National Magazine Award in the years 1988, 2006 (twice), 2007 and had won the award in 2003 for his article The Fifty-First State?. The documentary series On The Frontlines: Doing Business in China in which he participated as an editorial supervisor and co-host (together with Emily Chang) was awarded the 2010 Emmy Award.

He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2019.

Genetic ancestry
In 2012, Fallows gained notice for the results of the testing of his genetic makeup. In addition to the fact that the lineage shown on the mitochondrial DNA of his mother's side did not resemble any other samples found in a large-scale study, it was shown that Fallows had an abnormally high percentage of Neanderthal ancestry, at 5% of his genes being of Neanderthal origin. This drew attention from numerous scientists.

Personal life
Fallows is married to writer and researcher Deborah Fallows, with whom he has two sons. The book Our Towns (2018) was co-authored and researched by the couple, which became the basis for an HBO documentary film in 2021.

Books

 * National Defense (1981). Random House. ISBN 0-394-51824-1
 * One of three excerpts from National Defense published in The Atlantic.
 * More Like Us: Making America Great Again (1989). Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0-395-49857-0
 * Looking at the Sun: The Rise of the New East Asian Economic and Political System (1994). Vintage Paperback (reprint ed., 1995) ISBN 0-679-76162-4
 * Breaking the News: How the Media Undermine American Democracy (1996). Pantheon Books. ISBN 0-679-44209-X. Vintage Paperback (1997) ISBN 0-679-75856-9
 * Free Flight: Inventing the Future of Travel (2001). PublicAffairs Paperback (2002) ISBN 1-58648-140-1
 * Blind into Baghdad: America's War in Iraq (2006). Vintage. ISBN 978-0-307-27796-1
 * Postcards from Tomorrow Square: Reports from China (2009) Knopf. ISBN 978-0-307-47262-5
 * China Airborne (2012) Random House. ISBN 978-0-375-42211-9
 * Postcards from Tomorrow Square: Reports from China (2009) Knopf. ISBN 978-0-307-47262-5
 * China Airborne (2012) Random House. ISBN 978-0-375-42211-9

title: James Fallows


text:
Lynnfield, Massachusetts

Lynnfield is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. At the 2020 census, the town population was 13,000.

Lynnfield initially consisted of two distinct villages with a single governing body. Lynnfield Center had a mostly agricultural population, while South Lynnfield had a mixed culture. Together, the two towns evolved into one of the most prosperous suburbs in the North Shore region of Massachusetts.

History
The town of Lynnfield was first settled in 1638 and was made a district separate from Lynn in 1782. It was later officially incorporated in 1814. Historically, Lynnfield functioned as two separate villages connected by one governing body: in Lynnfield Center resided a mostly agricultural population, while South Lynnfield was a crossroad situated amongst neighboring larger towns. During this time, the town had two inns, a granite rock quarry, a small carbonated beverage bottler, and various eating institutions.

The stagecoach line north from Boston to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, known locally as the "Newburyport Turnpike", ran through South Lynnfield. Later this roadway became U.S. Route 1, the route which brought many people north to the small town during the post-World War II population surge. Lynnfield had attractions such as horse shows and ballroom dancing. Lynnfield has since become a modern, chiefly residential suburb of Boston.

Along with the communities of Chelsea, Lynn, Salem, Marblehead, Danvers, Middleton, Andover, Methuen, Haverhill, Amesbury and Salisbury, Lynnfield was a part of "The Gerry-mander" so described by the Boston Gazette on March 26, 1812.

Lynnfield Center retained limited commuter rail service, via the Boston & Maine Railroad, into the late 1950s/early 1960s with a small railroad boarding platform located not far from the current Town Hall offices.

When, in the 1960s, the United States Post Office implemented the Zone Improvement Program with five-digit numerical codes, Lynnfield was assigned two ZIP codes, 01940 and 01944, for the Lynnfield Center and the South Lynnfield post offices, respectively. Later, 01944 was reassigned to Manchester (now Manchester-by-the-Sea); South Lynnfield currently shares Zip Code 01940 with Lynnfield Center.

Geography and transportation
Lynnfield is located at 42.52778°N, -71.02833°W (42.527895, −71.028348). According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 27.1 sqkm, of which 25.6 sqkm is land and 1.5 sqkm, or 5.58%, is water. The Ipswich River forms the northern border of the town, and several brooks cross through town. Several lakes and ponds dot the town, including Suntaug Lake, Reedy Meadow, Pillings Pond, and Walden Pond (a less famous cousin of the one in Concord). A portion of the Lynn Woods Reservation is located in the southeastern corner of town, and in the northwestern part of town lies part of Camp Curtis Guild, a Massachusetts National Guard base which also contains lands in the neighboring towns. The highest part of town lies on Middleton Hill in the northern part of town.

Lynnfield lies along the western border of Essex County, and is bordered by the Middlesex County towns of Wakefield to the southwest, Reading to the west, and North Reading to the north and northwest. Within Essex County, the town is bordered by Middleton to the north, Peabody to the northeast, Lynn to the southeast, and Saugus to the south. The town common lies 9 mi west of Salem, 14 mi north of Boston, and 15 mi south of Lawrence.

Interstate 95 and Massachusetts State Route 128 pass concurrently through town twice, becoming separate just over the Peabody line. U.S. Highway Route 1 and Massachusetts State Route 129 also enter the town concurrently, separating in the southeast corner of town at the Lynnfield Tunnel, a local traffic landmark. No other state routes pass through the town. The Springfield Terminal Railroad passes through town, but is no longer in service. There is no MBTA Commuter Rail service within Lynnfield; the nearest train station is off to the west in the neighboring town of Wakefield, which serves the Haverhill Commuter Rail Line. MBTA Bus Route 436 clips the extreme southeastern corner of Lynnfield with a bus stop available at the intersection of Lynnfield Street and Lookout Terrace; the stop is located just two blocks southeast of Condon Circle (sometimes referred to as Goodwin Circle). Inbound service on MBTA Bus Route 436 travels to Central Square, Lynn to connect with the Newburyport/Rockport Commuter Rail Line; outbound buses provide service to the Northshore Mall in Peabody and the Liberty Tree Mall in Danvers. The nearest general aviation airport is Beverly Municipal Airport to the east; the nearest commercial airport for domestic and international service can be found at Boston's Logan International Airport.

Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 11,596 people, 4,179 households, and 3,267 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,143 PD/sqmi. There were 4,354 housing units at an average density of 429.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 94.7% White, 0.5% Black or African American, 3.3% Asian, 0% Pacific Islander, 0.4% from other races, and 1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.7% of the population.

There were 4,179 households, out of which 35.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.5% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.5% a male householder with no wife present, and 21.8% were non-families. 18.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.3% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 19.6% from 25 to 44, 31.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $136,101, and the median income for a family was $95,804, which are both well over the national averages. Males had a median income of $82,386 versus $50,589 for females. The per capita income for the town was $50,916. The average household net worth is $966,273.

Government
The town is more conservative than much of the rest of Massachusetts. In the 2008 Presidential election, John McCain received 55% of the town's vote, up slightly from the George W. Bush's 53% in 2004. In the 2012 Presidential election, former Governor Mitt Romney received 60.9% of the town's vote. However, in a reflection of Donald Trump's weakness in suburban communities across the state and nationally, the Republican presidential vote share in the town dropped to 51.5% in 2016. The Republican vote share under Donald Trump dipped further in 2020 and allowed Joe Biden to win the town with 50.5% of the vote, becoming the first Democratic presidential nominee to win the town since 1996.

Local government
Lynnfield uses the open town meeting model common in New England with a Board of Selectmen overseeing the operation of the town.

State and federal representation
Lynnfield is part of Massachusetts's 6th congressional district, represented by Seth Moulton, effective January 2015. In the Massachusetts Senate, Lynnfield lies within the Third Essex district and is currently represented by Democrat Brendan Crighton. In the Massachusetts House of Representatives, the town is located within the 20th Middlesex district, represented by Republican Bradley Jones, Jr.

Education
Lynnfield Public Schools operates area public schools. Lynnfield High School is the district's public high school. The area is also served by Lynnfield Middle School, Huckleberry Hill Elementary School and Summer Street Elementary School. Our Lady of the Assumption is a private Catholic school located in the town.

The public school system consistently has one of the highest standardized test scores in the state. In 2020, Lynnfield High School was ranked 11th overall and seventh in math and reading proficiency in Massachusetts by U.S. News & World Report. Lynnfield High receives an overall A grade on Niche.com

Economy
The dairy company HP Hood is based in Lynnfield.

Market Street is based in Lynnfield and opened in 2013. The outdoor shopping plaza has over 80 stores, including restaurants and shops. An ice rink is operated during the winter.

Notable people

 * Eddie Andelman, former sports talk show host, TV personality and founder of the Hot Dog Safari
 * Garnet "Ace" Bailey, former Boston Bruins player, killed on 9/11
 * E. Florence Barker (1840–1897), first president of the National Woman's Relief Corps
 * Johnny Bucyk, former Boston Bruin
 * Anson Carter, former Bruins player who lived in town while with the team
 * Jon Casey, former Boston Bruins goaltender
 * Theodore Conrad, bank robber and fugitive who became a car dealer under the name Thomas Randele; his identity remained a secret for 52 years
 * John Connolly, former FBI agent, depicted in the movie The Departed
 * Billy Costa, host of Boston radio station Kiss 108's morning show Matty in the Morning, also host of New England Cable News TV Diner and of the annual Federal Reserve Cup of Boston
 * Byron Dafoe, former Bruins goaltender
 * Phil Esposito, Bruins center 1967–1976
 * Dwight Evans, Boston Red Sox outfielder 1972–1990
 * Hank Finkel, former Boston Celtics center
 * Brian Flynn, Montreal Canadiens forward
 * Chris Ford, former Celtics coach and player
 * Kevin Gamble, former Boston Celtic and director of player development at Providence College
 * Ted Green, Boston Bruins defenseman
 * Ken Harrelson, former Boston Red Sox outfielder and sportscaster
 * Sib Hashian, drummer, formerly of the band Boston
 * David Hewes, (born in Lynnfield, Essex County, Massachusetts May 16, 1822, born into one of the "old families" of the state that trace back seven generations to the patriot Joshua Hewes. - provided the golden spike marking completion of the rail and he also planned connecting the railroad company's wires to Western Union so the taps of the silver hammer driving the golden spike in Promontory Point, Utah could be heard in San Francisco.
 * Ken Hodge, Bruins' right winger 1967–1976
 * Doug Houda, current New York Islanders assistant coach; longtime NHL player
 * Dwayne Johnson, former WWE wrestler and actor.
 * Alexei Kasatonov, former Bruins defenseman
 * Steve Kasper, former Bruins player and coach
 * Dennis Kenney, stage performer, and singer
 * Nancy Kerrigan, Olympic figure skater
 * Reggie Lemelin, former Bruins goaltender
 * Pedro Martínez, former Red Sox player who lived in town during playing career
 * John "Pie" McKenzie, former Boston Bruins player
 * Mike Milbury, former Bruins player and coach, former GM of NY Islanders, current commentator for NHL on NBC
 * Andy Moog, Boston Bruins goalie
 * Philip Nel, scholar and author
 * Brad Park, former New York Rangers and Bruins defenseman
 * Rico Petrocelli, former Red Sox player
 * Dana Quigley, professional golfer, born in Lynnfield Center
 * Jean Ratelle, former New York Rangers and Boston Bruins center and NHL scout
 * Dave Reid, former Bruins forward
 * George Schussel, founder and former chairman of Digital Consulting Institute, founder of Jellicle Investments, Inc.
 * Don Sweeney, former Boston Bruins defenseman and current general manager of the Boston Bruins
 * Tim Thomas, former Bruins goaltender, once winner of the Vezina Trophy
 * Richard R. Tisei, former State Senate minority leader and 2012 congressional candidate
 * Bob Tufts (1955–2019), San Francisco Giants and Kansas City Royals pitcher
 * Rogie Vachon, former Bruins goaltender
 * Thomas Wellman, early Puritan settler during the great migration
 * Carl Yastrzemski, Red Sox outfielder; Major League Baseball's Triple Crown winner in 1967
 * Glen Featherstone, Former NHL Defenseman

title: Lynnfield, Massachusetts


text:
Nahant, Massachusetts

Nahant is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,334 at the 2020 census, which makes it the smallest municipality by population in Essex County. With just 2.7 km2 of land area, it is also the smallest municipality by area in the state and is primarily a residential community. The town is situated on a peninsula consisting of two near-islands (known as "Little Nahant" and "Big Nahant" respectively) connected to the mainland by a narrow sandy isthmus traversed by a single causeway known as "Nahant Road". Numerous tourist beaches line the shores, with the most popular being the so-called "Long Beach" and "Short Beach" along the eastern side of the causeway.

History
The area around Nahant was inhabited for thousands of years prior to European colonization of the Americas, but little is known of this period until European records began to document the area in the early 1600s.

In 1605, Samuel de Champlain interacted briefly with native people in Nahant and remarked that "all along this coast there is much cleared land sewn with Indian corn."

By the 1630s at the time of English colonization, the seat of "Sagamore James" of the Naumkeag, known in his own tongue as Montowampate, was at the outlet of the Saugus River overlooking Nahant, though the island itself may have been controlled by a sachem Poquanum, known to English settlers as Blacke William or Duke William, who around 1632 gave permission to Thomas Dexter to use the island in exchange for an English suit. The word Nahant may mean "at the point," or "twin islands," or it may refer to an important local person named Nahantum.

The peninsula was first settled by English colonists in 1630, in the second year of the Puritan coming: the servants of Isaac Johnson grazed his cattle on the land, and it was also often used by citizens of Lynn for grazing cattle, sheep and goats. Although not a separate town until 1853, Nahant was listed as one of thirty "noted Habitations" in New England by William Wood in 1633, and Nahant Poynt appears labeled on a map of the Massachusetts coastline from 1639.

Before 1800 there were only three homes on the island: those built by the Breeds and the Hoods, and the Johnson home built by Jeremiah Gray. The first hotel was built by one of the Johnsons 1802, and in 1817 a steamboat ran daily between Boston and Nahant. The town was originally part of Lynn; when the temperance movement threatened the summer resort trade in 1853, Nahant incorporated as a separate town. In the late 19th century, it was home to some of the country's first amusement parks, as well as a popular summer retreat for the wealthy, including the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The geologist Louis Agassiz was a resident and the artist William Stanley Haseltine produced many versions of his oil painting 'The Rocks at Nahant'. During World War II, East Point was the site of a coastal artillery battery. It is now a town park, and location of the Marine Science Center for Northeastern University.

Development
The old Nahant Life-Saving Station (NLSS) on Nahant Road and the new War Memorial erected across the street from the NLSS were renovated in 2004.

In 2003, the dilapidated Valley Road School was refurbished and re-commissioned as the Nahant Community Center, which is now home to many local activities and banquets, including the local Boy Scout Troop 50.

On September 25, 2005, the Town of Nahant officially commemorated the completely rebuilt Bailey's Hill Gazebo as the Calantha Sears Gazebo. The original was built for the bicentennial in 1976, and over the years had fallen into disrepair. With funding from the Woman's Club of Nahant and collaboration with the town of Nahant, local residents contributed to its reconstruction. Besides the cement base, the only remaining piece of the original is the wooden cylinder in the center of the roof, which still bears the "1976" emblem—repainted by Nahant resident Octavia Randolph.

Geography and transportation
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 40.1 km2, of which 2.7 km2 is land and 37.4 km2, or 93.24%, is water. Nahant is a tied island connected to the mainland by a natural tombolo, effectively a peninsula though often referred to as an "island". Nahant is connected by a causeway to the city of Lynn. The town is surrounded by Nahant Bay to the east, Nahant Harbor to the south, and Lynn Harbor to the west, all of which lead directly into Broad Sound and Massachusetts Bay. The town is essentially divided into a main portion and Little Nahant, just north of the main portion of town along the eastern side of the causeway. The area along the west side of town, between Black Rock Point and Bass Point, is the most densely settled part of town. There are ten beaches along the coastline, the largest being Nahant Beach and Long Beach, both of which line the eastern side of the causeway road north of Little Nahant. Included in these ten beaches is Short beach, one of the most popular sites in the town during the summer, only accessible through a Nahant beach sticker. The town also has a few small parks and the Kelly Greens Golf Course.

Nahant is just one of four towns out of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts (along with Rockport, Provincetown and Aquinnah) that only touches one other town by land (Gosnold and Nantucket do not touch any). Only touching a 400-yard portion of Lynn by land, the water rights of the town also touch those of Revere, Winthrop and Boston, in Suffolk County. Both by land and by sea, Nahant is the southernmost town in Essex County. The town is centered 14 mi by land northeast of Boston, 9 mi south of Salem, and 25 mi southwest of Cape Ann.

The nearest state route is Route 129, within Lynn. The nearest highways are a highway portion of U.S. Route 1 in Saugus and Interstate 95 and Route 128 in Peabody. The only mass transit within town is route 439 of the MBTA bus system, which loops within town before passing back into Lynn, providing access to Central Square, home to a stop along the Newburyport/Rockport Line of the MBTA Commuter Rail, providing service between the North Shore and Boston's North Station. Some 439 buses extend their service to Wonderland, providing a connection to the MBTA Blue Line. The nearest airport to town is Boston's Logan International Airport.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 3,632 people, 1,629 households, and 970 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,918.7 PD/sqmi. There were 1,704 housing units at an average density of 1,369.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 97.11% White, 0.39% Black or African American, 0.08% Native American, 1.07% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.47% from other races, and 0.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.07% of the population.

There were 1,629 households, out of which 22.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.4% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.4% were non-families. 33.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.85.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 18.6% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 29.9% from 45 to 64, and 19.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $64,052, and the median income for a family was $76,926. Males had a median income of $52,045 versus $46,522 for females. The per capita income for the town was $41,807. About 1.4% of families and 2.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.7% of those under age 18 and 2.0% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Students attend grades preschool through sixth at Johnson Elementary School in Nahant. For grades seven through twelve, students attend schools in nearby Swampscott. Circa 2016, there were 136 students at the Swampscott schools, including Swampscott High School.

Arts and culture

 * The peninsular is the subject of Lydia Sigourney's poem Nahant published in Scenes in my Native Land, 1845, together with illustrative text.
 * The Henry Cabot Lodge House, a National Historic Landmark at 5 Cliff Street in Nahant
 * Greenlawn Cemetery, a historic cemetery
 * Nahant Historical Society Museum, located in the Nahant Community Center
 * Northeastern University Marine Science Center, located at East Point, also home to Nahant's observatory. Martin Scorsese filmed the lighthouse scenes for the movie Shutter Island here in the summer of 2008.
 * The World War II Bunkers. Located inside Trimountain and East Point, they were initially designed to defend Boston Harbor and the surrounding waters from a possible attack during the war. During the Cold War, the installation at East Point housed Nike missiles intended to stop a nuclear attack on Boston.

Annual events

 * The annual Fourth of July fireworks
 * Started in 1996, the annual Nahant Christmas Parade is one of the biggest celebrations the town of Nahant puts on.
 * The Memorial Day Parade is a day of homecoming for former Nahant residents who gather each year to watch the festivities, which includes the playing of Taps at the cemetery, and cannon fire at Tudor Wharf.

In popular culture

 * Nahant appears in the 2015 post-apocalyptic RPG Fallout 4.
 * Nahant was the basis for the fictional town of Lovecraft, Massachusetts, featured in the Eisner comic series Locke & Key by Joe Hill, son of Stephen King. Some fictional locations in the book were based on landmarks in Nahant.
 * The narrator of Sarah's Key, a novel by Tatiana de Rosnay, was Miss Nahant in her youth.
 * Nahant is the main setting in the novel An Ocean Full of Angels: The Autobiography of 'Isa Ben Adam by Peter Kreeft.
 * Nahant, and Nahant Beach, are mentioned several times in Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story, "The Village Uncle."

Notable people

 * Cleveland Amory (1917–1998), author and animal rights activist
 * Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. (1902–1985), politician, born in Nahant
 * Barbra Fuller (1921–2024), actress, born in Nahant
 * Jason Mantzoukas (born 1972), actor, born in Lynn and raised in Nahant
 * Glenn Sherlock (born 1960), baseball player and coach
 * Frederic Tudor (1783–1864) and family - their summer home is now the Nahant Country Club

title: Nahant, Massachusetts


text:
Saugus, Massachusetts

Saugus is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. The population was 28,619 at the 2020 census. Saugus is known as the site of the first integrated iron works in North America.

History
Native Americans inhabited the area around Saugus for thousands of years before the arrival of European settlers in the 1620s. At the time of European arrival, the Naumkeag, also known as Pawtucket, under the leadership of Montowampate were based near present-day Saugus and controlled land extending from what is now Boston to the Merrimack River. English settlers took the name Sagus or Saugus from the Pawtucket word for "outlet", and used the term to refer to the Saugus River and the region that includes the present day cities and towns of Swampscott, Nahant, Lynn, Lynnfield, Reading, North Reading and Wakefield) which were later renamed Lin or Lynn in 1637, after King's Lynn in Norfolk, England.

In 1646, the Saugus Iron Works, then called Hammersmith, began operations. It was the first integrated iron works in North America as well as one of the most technologically advanced in the world. The Iron Works produced over one ton of iron a day but was not financially successful. It closed around 1670.

In September 1687, Major Samuel Appleton was said to have given a speech from a rocky cliff near the Iron Works denouncing the tyranny of Colonial Governor Sir Edmund Andros. The place where he is said to have delivered the speech became known as Appleton's Pulpit.

Nearly 100 men from Saugus fought in the American Revolutionary War. Saugus' preacher, Parson Joseph Roby, worked to strengthen the spirit of independence in Saugus and was instrumental in seeing that Saugus sent a large contingent to fight in the war.

The nineteenth century ice industry began in Saugus when in 1804 Frederic Tudor cut ice from a pond on the family farm and shipped it to Martinique.

In 1805 the Newburyport Turnpike (now U.S. 1) was built. About four miles of this road were built in Saugus. At first, the turnpike was considered a mistake, as it was built over hills and swamps and grass soon grew over the roadbed. From 1840 to 1846, the tolls were discontinued and it became a public highway. The invention of the automobile resulted in an increase in traffic on the Turnpike. In 1933 the road was widened and an overpass was added to separate the traffic on Route 1 and Main Street. In the 1950s, new businesses started relocating to Route 1. Today, the businesses along Route 1 generate millions of dollars for Saugus.

The Lynn territory was shortened beginning in 1814 with the incorporation of Lynnfield. On February 17, 1815, present-day Saugus was officially incorporated as a town. The first town meeting was held on March 13, 1815, in the parish church. At the time of its incorporation, Saugus' population was 784. Its main industry was agriculture.

During the Industrial Revolution, many new industries moved to Saugus. Shoes and woolen goods were made in Saugus Center, and tobacco was manufactured in Cliftondale and East Saugus.

Saugus' first post office was established in 1832 in East Saugus. In 1858 two more were established—one in Saugus Center and one in Cliftondale. Now only the Cliftondale post office remains in Saugus.

The first town hall was built in 1837. It was built with $2,000 of the United States revenue surplus distributed by President Andrew Jackson. It is currently an American Legion hall. In 1875, the town built its second and current town hall on Central Street. The construction of the town hall put Saugus in a $50,000 debt. For this and other reasons, the neighborhood of East Saugus sought to be set off from Saugus and annexed to the city of Lynn. East Saugus was unable to get a bill in both houses of the state legislature, and the issue was dropped after the town appropriated $5,000 for the laying of water pipes through East Saugus.

Passenger trains ran through Saugus from 1853 to 1958 on the Saugus Branch Railroad. There were three Saugus Branch stations in Saugus (Saugus Center, Cliftondale, and Pleasant Hills) and two just outside the town's borders in Lynn (East Saugus) and Revere (Franklin Park).

During the American Civil War, 155 Saugonians enlisted in the Union Army, and eight others enlisted in the Union Navy. Saugus native Gustavus Fox served as the United States Assistant Secretary of the Navy during the war. The USS Saugus (1863), a Union Navy monitor named after the town, was launched in December 1863. Following the war, Henry E. Hone donated a large granite monument to the town of Saugus. The monument, which was designed by Melzar Hunt Mosman and cost $10,000 to build, contains the names of all of the men from Saugus who served during the Civil War on bronze tablets. Above the tablets are two bronze statues, one of a soldier and one of a sailor. It is topped by a granite statue of a woman wearing a helmet with an eagle on the top and holding a shield in her right hand, which serves as an allegorical representation of the United States. The monument was erected in the rotary at Saugus Center in 1875.

Following the Civil War, the Cliftondale section of Saugus became a major producer of tobacco, as many of the southern tobacco plantations had been destroyed. Waitt & Bond became a major producer of cigars and the snuff factory in East Saugus was the nation's largest producer of that product.

From 1859 to 1905, Saugus was home to the Franklin Park harness racing track. also known as the Old Saugus Race Track or Saugus Race Course. It closed in 1905 after local citizens complained about the questionable patrons that the racetrack attracted. In 1911 the racetrack became an airfield. In 1912, the property was purchased by the General Aviation Corporation who named it Atwood Park in honor of their most famous pilot, Harry Atwood. The airfield saw the first airmail delivery in New England on May 30, 1912. Pioneer aviators Ruth Bancroft Law and Lincoln J. Beachey flew at Saugus. The airport closed in the 1920s.

On October 8, 1900, George E. Bailey was murdered at Breakheart Hill Farm in Saugus. His legs and torso would be found nine days later in Floating Bridge Pond in Lynn. His head and arms were found there the next day. After a highly publicized investigation and trial, John C. Best was found guilty of murder. He was executed on September 9, 1902.

In 1934, Breakheart Hill Forest, a private hunting retreat located in North Saugus, was purchased by the Metropolitan District Commission for use as a state park. Shortly after purchasing Breakheart, the MDC turned the land over to the Civilian Conservation Corps, which built roads and trails, planted trees, and restored two dams on the property. In 1936, Breakheart Reservation was opened to the public.

Following a June 2, 1947, referendum, the town adopted a Plan E form of government. Saugus became the first town in Massachusetts to accept this form of government. On February 16, 1948, James Shurtleff was unanimously chosen by the Board of Selectmen to become the first Town Manager of Saugus.

In 1948, archaeologist Roland W. Robbins began excavating the site of the Saugus Iron Works, which had become hidden by underbrush since its closure. Based on the archeological evidence gathered by Robbins as well as historical documents and conjecture, the First Iron Works Association, with funding from the American Iron and Steel Institute, reconstructed the Saugus Iron Works. The Saugus Iron Works was opened on September 18, 1954, and operated as a private museum from 1954 until April 5, 1968, when it was renamed the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site and became part of the National Park Service system.

Saugus is home to the oldest barber shop in the United States. The 112-year-old George's Barber Shop is located in the Cliftondale section of Saugus.

In the 1970s, the town, led by Town Manager Francis Moorehouse, attempted to transform the area around Route 107 by having an oil refinery and a garbage incineration plant built. Although the refinery plans fell through in October 1975, the incineration plant was completed. It would become the first commercially successful incineration plant in the U.S. and is still in operation today.

In 1989, the attempted murder of Frank Salemme (infamous criminal associate of Whitey Bulger and Stephen Flemmi) by Angelo Mercurio took place in Saugus.

During the 1990s and 2000s, the town's Capital Improvement Plan, designed by Edward J. Collins, Jr., resulted in the construction of the new public safety building, senior center, library and public works facility. The Saugus Town Hall and the Stackpole Field clubhouse were renovated. In 2001, Town Manager Steven Angelo was able to secure federal funds to dredge the Saugus River, a project that had lingered since the 1960s.

The Saugus American Little League team represented New England in the 2003 Little League World Series. The team finished the tournament in 4th place. Its come-from-behind victory over Richmond, Texas in the tournament's quarterfinals was nominated for the Best Game ESPY Award.

Geography and transportation
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 30.6 sqkm, of which 28.0 sqkm is land and 2.6 sqkm, or 8.53%, is water. The town lies just inland from Massachusetts Bay, divided from the ocean by the Point of Pines neighborhood of Revere. The southern end of town is dominated by Rumney Marsh, which lies along the Pines River, a tributary of the Saugus River. The Saugus River flows through town and is fed by several brooks. There are several ponds within town, including parts of Birch Pond, Hawkes Pond and Walden Pond. Part of the Lynn Woods Reservation, and most of the Breakheart Reservation and Rumney Marsh Reservation lie within town.

Saugus is divided into several neighborhood villages, including Saugus Center, East Saugus, North Saugus, Pleasant Hills, Lynnhurst, Oaklandvale, Hammersmith Village, Golden Hills, Blacksmith Village, Bristow and Cliftondale. Of these, the majority of the town's population resides in Lynnhurst, Pleasant Hills, Cliftondale, East Saugus and Saugus Center; Oaklandvale and North Saugus are much less densely populated. The town lies at the southern end of Essex County (though it is not the southernmost town in the county; Nahant extends just south of the town). The town is also bordered by Lynnfield to the north, Lynn to the east, Revere (in Suffolk County) to the south, and Melrose and Wakefield (both in Middlesex County) to the west. The town also shares a common point with the city of Malden, where it also meets Melrose and Revere. Saugus lies 8 mi southwest of Salem, 9 mi northeast of Boston, 24 mi southwest of Cape Ann and 20 mi south of the New Hampshire state line.

U.S. Route 1 passes through town as a high-speed divided six-lane highway, with five exits throughout town. This stretch of Route 1, though not a full controlled access highway (it is lined with a major shopping district, including the Square One Mall), is the main commuter route out of Boston for the North Shore region, heading towards the interchange of Interstate 95 and Massachusetts Route 128 in Lynnfield, effectively serving as a practical extension of I-95 into Boston. Route 1 through Saugus was once known for its abundance of kitschy roadside commercial architecture, including the 68-foot neon cactus of the Hilltop Steak House, though since the 2000s some of these landmarks have been demolished or fallen into disrepair. The route is also shared by a 3/4-mile long concurrency with Route 129, which passes through North Saugus before joining Route 1 to head northward into Lynnfield. Route 99 terminates at Route 1 as well, in the southern end of town. Route 107 passes through the town as the Salem Turnpike through the Rumney Marsh, crossing the Saugus River into Lynn over the Fox Hill Bridge.

The Newburyport/Rockport Line of the MBTA Commuter Rail passes through the southeastern corner of Saugus but does not have a station in Saugus. The town is served by several MBTA bus routes. The nearest airport is Boston's Logan International Airport.

Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 26,628 people, 10,318 households, and 7,144 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,373.7 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 91.9% White, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 2.7% Asian, 2.1% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 1.6% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races.

There were 10,318 households, out of which 17.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.0% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 30.8% were non-families. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 4.5% under the age of 5, 5.2% from 5 to 9, 5.7% from 10 to 14, 5.9% from 15 to 19, 5.6% from 20 to 24, 5.6% from 25 to 29, 5.5% from 30 to 34, 6.4% from 35 to 39, 7.3% from 40 to 44, 8.1% from 45 to 49, 8.4% from 50 to 54, 7.5% from 55 to 59, 6.9% from 60 to 64, 4.9% from 65 to 69, 3.8% from 70 to 74, 3.6% from 75 to 79, 2.9% from 80 to 84, and 2.3% who were 85 years of age or older. The median age was 43.9 years.

The median income for a household in the town was $85,301, and the median income for a family was $95,782. Males had a median income of $53,219 versus $42,783 for females. The per capita income for the town was $25,524. About 3.1% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.5% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Since 1947 Saugus has had a Plan E form of government, which is a combination of representative town meeting and Town Manager. Saugus was the first town in Massachusetts to accept this form of government. This plan included a Single transferable vote voting system, but this was abandoned in 1950.

Elections for all seats on the Board of Selectmen, School Committee, Town Meeting, and Housing Authority are held biennially in odd-numbered years.

Town manager
The Town Manager serves as the chief administrative manager and chief fiscal officer of Saugus, Massachusetts. He or she is appointed by the Board of Selectmen.

Board of Selectmen
The Board of Selectmen consists of five at-large members. The Board serves as the chief policy makers of the Town. Selectmen are ineligible to hold any other town office.

School committee
The School Committee consists of five at-large members. School Committee members are ineligible to hold any other town office.

Town meeting
Saugus representative town meeting consists of 50 members; five for each of the town's ten precincts. The annual town meeting is held on the first Monday in May. At the first town meeting after each election of town meeting members, a moderator of all town meetings shall be elected by the body. The moderator must be a town meeting member.

Education
It is served by the Saugus Public Schools, which operates Saugus Middle-High School.

Media
Saugus Community Television or SCTV is a Public-access television station that provides local television programing to the community.

SCTV broadcasts to Saugus Comcast cable subscribers on channel 8 (public-access), channel 9 (government), and channel 22 (educational).

Saugus is home to one newspaper, the Saugus Advocate, and is also covered by The Daily Item of Lynn.

Since 1950, the transmitter for WROL has been located off of the Salem Turnpike in Saugus. It was previously used by WHDH from 1934 to 1948.

Points of interest

 * Appleton's Pulpit
 * Belden Bly Bridge
 * Boardman House
 * Breakheart Reservation
 * Camp Nihan
 * Kowloon Restaurant
 * Prankers Pond
 * Rumney Marsh Reservation
 * Saugus Middle-High School
 * Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site
 * Saugus River
 * Saugus Town Hall
 * Square One Mall

Movies and television shows filmed in Saugus

 * American Playhouse episode "Three Sovereigns for Sarah" (1985)
 * The Joneses (2009)
 * Food Paradise episodes "Steak Paradise" (2008) and "Donut Paradise" (2008)
 * Furry Vengeance (2010)
 * Mark of the Dog Rose (2012)
 * Grown Ups 2 (2013) filmed at Stackpole Field

title: Saugus, Massachusetts


text:
Swampscott, Massachusetts

Swampscott is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, located 15 mi up the coast from Boston in an area known as the North Shore. The population was 15,111 as of the 2020 United States Census. A former summer resort on Massachusetts Bay, Swampscott is today a fairly affluent residential community and includes the village of Beach Bluff, as well as part of the neighborhood of Clifton.

History
The area in and around Swampscott, Massachusetts has been inhabited by indigenous people for 12,000 years. Prior to European colonization, the town was inhabited by members of the Naumkeag, Pennacook, and Pawtucket groups and Massachusett tribe. They spoke an Eastern Algonquin language, and the Pawtucket migrated seasonally throughout the eastern coasts of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. It's estimated that 50-100 indigenous individuals resided in the Swampscott area at the time of European colonization. A series of epidemics following European settlement, including smallpox, killed many of the indigenous people living in the area, and it's estimated that fewer than 50 individuals remained by the late 17th century.

Wood's New England Prospect lists "Swampscott" as a noted habitation in 1633 before extensive European settlement. According to an early twentieth century source, the name "Swampscott" is variously said to mean "at the red rock", "broken waters", or "pleasant water place".

Indigenous people in the Swampscott area subsisted on seasonally determined activities, including hunting, fishing, collecting wild plants and shellfish, and horticulture. They hunted deer, marine mammals, upland game birds, and ducks, and cultivated crops like corn, beans, pumpkin, squash, and tobacco.

Swampscott was first colonized by Europeans in 1629 when Francis Ingalls settled there and built the first Massachusetts Bay Colony tannery. Ingalls observed that the town's indigenous population lived in wigwams extending from Black Will's Cliff along the entire north shore. The town was first settled as the eastern part (Ward One) of Lynn, and was set off and officially incorporated in 1852.

In 1857, a piece of the far western end of Salem, then known as the "Salem Finger", became part of Swampscott. A beach town north of Boston, measuring 3 sqmi and abutting Salem, Marblehead and Lynn, Swampscott was an important destination for the wealthy at the beginning of the 20th century. While Revere Beach, which lies just several miles down the road, has the honor of technically being America's first public beach, Swampscott was the de facto first resort town. Lynn was the divider between the poor beach and the rich resort town.

Education
The community lies within the Swampscott School District.

Swampscott's public school system includes three elementary schools: Hadley School, Clarke School, and Stanley School (demolished as of 2022); one middle school, Swampscott Middle School; and one high school, Swampscott High School. The Machon elementary school was shut down in 2007, and is now a mixed-income senior community. A new building was completed in 2007 for Swampscott High School. In 2011, Swampscott considered installing a wind turbine, with the approximate height of a 30-story building, on the property of the Swampscott Middle School, but ultimately rejected the project. In a special election on October 19, 2021, voters approved a new $98 million elementary school to be built on the site of the Stanley School. This new school will replace all three former schools and is set to be opened to students in September 2024.

Geography and transportation
Swampscott is located at 42.47417°N, -70.90583°W (42.474409, −70.905883). According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 6.7 square miles (17.4 km2), of which 3.0 square miles (7.9 km2) is land and 3.7 square miles (9.6 km2), or 54.83%, is water. Located beside Massachusetts Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, Swampscott lies along a mostly rocky shoreline, though there is enough clear shore for five beaches; Phillips which stretches into Preston and is by far the largest beach in town, Eisman's and Whales, Fisherman's, and a part of King's Beach, which extends into Lynn. There are several small parks, along with the small Harold King Forest in the northwest corner of town and the Tedesco Country Club which bisects part of the town. The town also has two small ponds, Foster Pond and Palmer Pond. Swampscott is mostly suburban, with most of the clear land in the northwest corner of town. There are three villages within town, Beach Bluff to the east, Phillips Point to the south, and Phillips Beach inland between the two. The town is centered around Monument Square, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted; which is 4 mi south of Salem, 12 mi northeast of Boston, and 20 mi southwest of Cape Ann. The town is 23 mi to the nearest point in New Hampshire, in the town of Salem. Swampscott is bordered by Marblehead to the northeast, Salem to the northwest, and Lynn to the southwest. The water rights of the town extend into Massachusetts Bay, bordered by those of Marblehead and Lynn.

Demographics
As of the census of 2020, there were 15,111 people, with 6,093 households and 2.45 persons per household, residing in the town. The population density was 5,000.3 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 91.5% White, 1.2% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian or Alaska Native, 2.6% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, and 3.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.6% of the population.

There were a total of 6,093 households, out of which 30% had children under the age of 18 living with them. 57% of households were married couples living together, 26.6% were a female householder with no spouse, and 10.3% were a male householder with no spouse. Of all households, 18.2% were made up of individuals, and 10.9% were individuals over the age of 65 living alone.

In town, the population was spread out, with 5.4% under 5 years, 20.5% under 18, 55.5% between the ages of 18 and 64, and 18.6% 65 years and over. The median age of residents was 45 years. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.2 males.

The median household income was $114,086, and the median income for a family was $143,320. Married-couple families had a median income of $156,341 and non-family households had a median income of $60,880. The per capita income for the town was $63,585. The town is ranked 54th on the List of Massachusetts locations by per capita income. About 5% of Swampscott residents were below the poverty line, including 4% of those under 18 years, 4.2% of those 18-64, and 9.1% 65 years and older. The homeownership rate was 73.4%, and the median value of owner-occupied housing units was $560,500.

The median home sale price for the town in 2007 was $565,894. Home values typically range from around $400,000 to upwards of $5 million for ocean front homes. These prices are comparable to other wealthy North Shore towns such as Marblehead and Manchester-by-the-Sea which are located nearby. In upper class oceanfront neighborhoods and neighborhoods with ocean views or views of the Boston skyline, average home prices increase to as much as $1,038,569 and average household incomes can range upwards of $150,000. Larger oceanfront properties have recently been assessed at values greater than $5 million and in some cases upwards of $10 million.

Historic buildings and sites

 * Elihu Thomson House: 1889 built home, now serves as Swampscott Town Hall
 * John Humphreys House: 1700s house, one of the oldest in town, now home to Swampscott Historical Society
 * Mary Baker Eddy Historic House: house where Mary Baker Eddy lived in the 1860s, one of considered birthplaces of Christian Science.
 * Swampscott Fish House: 1896 built structure, the oldest active fish house in the country.
 * General Glover Farm: 1700s built house and farm, home to Revolutionary war hero General John Glover.
 * Swampscott Railway Depot: 1868 built railroad depot for the Eastern Railroad.
 * Olmsted Subdivision Historic District, located on Monument Avenue

Swampscott was home to White Court, Calvin Coolidge's Summer White House, and later Marian Court College until the college's closure in 2015, and demolition in 2018-2019.

Transportation
The MBTA provides passenger rail service from Boston's North Station with the Swampscott station on its Newburyport/Rockport Line, as well as several bus lines. An abandoned 4-mile branch of the Boston & Maine Railroad originating in Swampscott serves as the Marblehead Rail Trail.

Swampscott is located along Massachusetts Route 1A and Route 129. Both routes enter from Lynn, with Route 1A passing north of the town center towards Salem, and Route 129 following the coast for a half mile before going inland north of Phillips Point and returning to the coast before heading into Marblehead. There is no highway within town, which lies well south of Massachusetts Route 128 and Interstate 95. The town is served by numerous MBTA bus routes which lead into the surrounding towns.

The nearest air service can be reached at Beverly Municipal Airport, and the nearest national and international air service can be found at Boston's Logan International Airport.

Notable people

 * Bill Adams, retired NFL player
 * Harold Alfond, founder of Dexter Shoe
 * Osborne Anderson, ice hockey player who competed in the 1932 Winter Olympics
 * Anthony Athanas, restaurateur and philanthropist
 * Charlie Baker, C.E.O. of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Inc., Governor of Massachusetts
 * Charles Henry Bond, president and general manager of Waitt & Bond, one of Boston's largest real estate holders, and a patron of the arts
 * Carol Brady, fictional TV mom
 * Walter Brennan, multiple Academy Award-winning actor
 * Freddy Cannon, rock singer who had hits with "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans" and "Palisades Park"
 * Spencer Charnas, lead singer of American Metalcore band Ice Nine Kills
 * Peggy Stuart Coolidge, composer and conductor
 * Kyle Cooper, film director, title designer
 * Mabel Wheeler Daniels, composer, conductor, and teacher
 * Jamie Denbo, actress and comedian
 * Mary Baker Eddy, founder of the Christian Science religion
 * Larry Eigner, poet
 * Jefferson Friedman, composer
 * General John Glover, Revolutionary war veteran and hero in who helped row Washington's troops across Delaware and at Battle of Long Island
 * Mel Goldstein, chief meteorologist for WTNH television in New Haven, Connecticut
 * Nan Goldin, artist, photographer, activist
 * Barry Goralnick, founder of Barry Goralnick Architects; theatrical producer of Eve-olution, Scituate, The Irish Curse, Saint Heaven
 * Barry Goudreau, original guitarist of the rock group Boston and the Lisa Guyer Band
 * Sarah P. Harkness, architect
 * Jim Hegan, professional baseball catcher and coach
 * Mary-Louise Hooper, civil rights activist
 * Dick Jauron, professional football player and head coach of the NFL's Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, and Buffalo Bills
 * Harvey Jewell, Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1868 to 1871
 * Theodora J. Kalikow, American academic and university president
 * Jackson Katz, anti-domestic violence advocate
 * Piper Kerman, author of Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison
 * Ken Linseman, former professional hockey player (Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers)
 * Bradley Lord, 1961 US men’s figure skating champion who died in the Sabena Flight 548 crash
 * Todd McShay, ESPN NFL draft prospect analyst
 * Gerhard Neumann, German-born aviation engineer and innovator; former vice president of General Electric
 * Chris Paine, documentary director
 * Michael Palmer, author of The First Patient
 * Barry Pederson, former NHL and Bruins all star; current NESN hockey analyst
 * Johnny Pesky, pro baseball coach, former Red Sox shortstop
 * Antonio Pierro, recognized as the oldest living man in the U.S. (January 9 to February 8, 2007) and the world's oldest living World War I veteran (January 24 to February 8, 2007)
 * David Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports
 * David Lee Roth, lead singer of the rock group Van Halen
 * Blondy Ryan, World Series Champion, Major League Baseball shortstop for the New York Giants.
 * George P. Sanger, lawyer, editor, judge, and businessman
 * Mark Shasha, artist, author of Night of the Moonjellies
 * Fran Sheehan, original bass player of the rock group Boston
 * Jim Smith, State Representative, MA House of Representatives.
 * Lesley Stahl, 60 Minutes correspondent
 * Thomas Stephens, Retired player for the NFL's Patriots
 * G. Joseph Tauro, Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court from 1970 to 1976
 * Elihu Thomson, founder of General Electric
 * Ilario Zannino, member of the Patriarca crime family

title: Swampscott, Massachusetts