Bridgewater, Massachusetts

Coordinates: 41°59′25″N 70°58′32″W / 41.99028°N 70.97556°W / 41.99028; -70.97556
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For the census-designated place of the same name, see Bridgewater (CDP), Massachusetts.

Bridgewater, Massachusetts
City
Town of Bridgewater
Bridgewater Central Square
Bridgewater Central Square
FIPS code
25-08085
GNIS feature ID0619466
Websitewww.bridgewaterma.org

Bridgewater is a town located in

2020 U.S. Census, the town's population was 28,633.[2] Bridgewater is located approximately 25 miles (40 km) south of Boston and approximately 35 miles east of Providence, Rhode Island.[3]

History

This area was established as a part of Duxbury in 1645 by purchase from the Native Americans by 54 proprietors—most who did not settle there. Bridgewater was established as a Township on June 3, 1656 from Duxbury in Plymouth Colony.[4] The town was placed in Plymouth County when counties were formed in 1685. For a brief time, the town was part of the Dominion of New England from 1686 to 1689. The township expanded by annexation between 1662 and 1798, and the town proper was bounded in 1846.[4] The town is still in Plymouth County, though was in limbo, until the "Colony" was merged with Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1691 that became the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Geography

According to the

Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and eighth out of the twenty-seven municipalities in Plymouth County in terms of land area. The town is bordered by West Bridgewater to the northwest, East Bridgewater to the northeast, Halifax to the east, Middleborough to the south, and Raynham to the west. Bridgewater is approximately five miles south of Brockton, 10 miles northeast of Taunton, and 25 miles south of Boston
, of which it is a suburb.

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

Bridgewater lies along the

UFO sightings, and other weird encounters, a phrase coined by Loren Coleman, author of Mysterious America, often compared to the Bermuda Triangle.[5]

Demographics

See also: List of Massachusetts locations by per capita income
Historical population
YearPop.±%
17653,942—    
17764,364+10.7%
17904,975+14.0%
18005,200+4.5%
18105,157−0.8%
18201,700−67.0%
18301,855+9.1%
18402,131+14.9%
18502,790+30.9%
18553,363+20.5%
18603,761+11.8%
18703,660−2.7%
18803,620−1.1%
18904,249+17.4%
19005,806+36.6%
19107,688+32.4%
19208,438+9.8%
19309,055+7.3%
19408,902−1.7%
19509,512+6.9%
196010,276+8.0%
197012,911+25.6%
198017,202+33.2%
199021,249+23.5%
200025,185+18.5%
201026,563+5.5%
202028,633+7.8%
2022*28,780+0.5%
* = population estimate.
Source: United States census records and Population Estimates Program data.[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]

As of the

People of Color
.

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

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

The median income for a household in the town was $65,318, and the median income for a family was $73,953. Males had a median income of $48,438 versus $32,383 for females. The

poverty line
, including 2.6% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over.

Bridgewater is the 71st largest municipality in the Commonwealth by population, and 110th by population density. In the county, Bridgewater ranks third in population and seventh in density.[18]

Early demographics

Populations from 1765 through 1840, and 1855 are from a non-government source.[4] From 1820 forward, the population excludes North, West and East Bridgewater.[4]

Economy

In the late 1960s, the economy of Bridgewater was dependent upon the

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

For most of the 1800s and beginning of the 1900s, Bridgewater's economy was largely dependent on the factories located within the town. Bridgewater is renowned and known for its iron works factories, one of which is appropriately named Bridgewater Iron Works and is a registered historical site in Massachusetts. The majority of the Iron Works factory was torn down in 1994 and turned into Ironworks Park. Bridgewater has numerous iron works companies still in business. The town also had multiple paper mills, saw mills, and a boot and shoe factory. The boot and shoe factory still stands today off Broad St. adjacent to the MBTA Commuter Train rail tracks. Although the factory no longer manufactures shoes, it still houses numerous businesses and storage units.[19]

Government

Local government

Bridgewater Town Hall

Bridgewater was formerly governed on the local level by the

Board of Selectmen until January 2011. Bridgewater is now led by seven Precinct Councilors, 1 per precinct, and two "at-large councilors", with an appointed Town Manager, Assessor, Tax Collector, for a total of nine Councilors.[20] Bridgewater is one of fourteen Massachusetts municipalities that have applied for, and been granted, city forms of government but wish to retain "The town of" in their official names.[21] This is from the majority 'Yes' vote on Question #1 at the April 24, 2010 annual town election, to change from a five-person, elected Board of Selectmen to a nine-person, elected Town Council, and thus abolishing the Annual Town Meeting, which was held in 2010 after generations.[20][22]
Town facilities are located at the center of town, with the Police Department headquarters being just west of the Square along Mass. Route 104. There are two fire stations located in town, with one station located next to the college and the other station in the eastern part of town, directly behind the Town Hall. There is one U.S. Post Office branch, located just north of the town center along Mass. Route 18.

Bridgewater public library

The Bridgewater Public Library is just north of the town center, and is a part of the SAILS Library Network.[23][24]

State representation

On the Commonwealth level, Bridgewater is represented in the

General Court of Massachusetts as a portion of the Eighth Plymouth District, which includes Raynham and a small portion of Easton. In the Massachusetts Senate, the Town is a part of the First Plymouth and Bristol District, which also includes Berkley, Carver, Dighton, Marion, Middleborough, Raynham, Taunton and Wareham.[25] The Town is also patrolled by the Fourth (Middleborough) Barracks of Troop 'D' of the Massachusetts State Police.[26]

The Massachusetts Department of Correction operates several correctional facilities in the Bridgewater Correctional Complex in Bridgewater.[27] The prisons in the complex include Bridgewater State Hospital,[28] Massachusetts Alcohol and Substance Abuse Center,[29] Massachusetts Treatment Center,[30] and Old Colony Correctional Center.[27]

Federal representation

On the national level, Bridgewater is a part of

Massachusetts National Guard
armory along Mass. Route 18.

Education

Boyden Hall, on the Bridgewater State University campus

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

In 2015 during February vacation, the roof of the Mitchell Elementary school collapsed due to heavy snow.[32] The students at the elementary school were moved to Bridgewater Middle School, and the students at the middle school were split between the Williams Intermediate School and Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School.[33]

There are private schools in nearby Taunton and Brockton.

Bridgewater Academy building. Built 1868.

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

The town is also home to

postgraduate students were enrolled at the college.[34]

Transportation

Bridgewater is the site of the intersection of

Mass. Route 106
passes along the town line in the northeast of town; Mass. Route 104 's eastern terminus is at that route, just along the East Bridgewater line.

The Middleborough-Lakeville line of the

T. F. Green Airport outside Providence and at Logan International Airport
in Boston.

Notable people

Media

  • The Enterprise
  • The Bridgewater Independent, published every Wednesday[39]
  • The Comment, Bridgewater State University student newspaper[40]
  • WBIM-FM 91.5, Bridgewater State University radio station

See also

References

  1. ^ "CIS: A Listing of Counties and the Cities and Towns Within". www.sec.state.ma.us. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  2. ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Bridgewater Town city, Plymouth County, Massachusetts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
  3. ^ "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Bridgewater town, Massachusetts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 15, 2012.
  4. ^ a b c d Scott, Henry Edwards, ed. (1916). Vital Records of Bridgewater, Massachusetts to the year 1850. Vol. 1 - Births. Boston, Massachusetts: New England Historic Genealogical Society. p. 3. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  5. ^ Mysterious America by Loren Coleman (NY: Simon and Schuster, 2007)
  6. ^ "Total Population (P1), 2010 Census Summary File 1". American FactFinder, All County Subdivisions within Massachusetts. United States Census Bureau. 2010.
  7. ^ "Massachusetts by Place and County Subdivision - GCT-T1. Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  8. ^ "1990 Census of Population, General Population Characteristics: Massachusetts" (PDF). US Census Bureau. December 1990. Table 76: General Characteristics of Persons, Households, and Families: 1990. 1990 CP-1-23. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  9. ^ "1980 Census of the Population, Number of Inhabitants: Massachusetts" (PDF). US Census Bureau. December 1981. Table 4. Populations of County Subdivisions: 1960 to 1980. PC80-1-A23. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  10. ^ "1950 Census of Population" (PDF). Bureau of the Census. 1952. Section 6, Pages 21-10 and 21-11, Massachusetts Table 6. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1930 to 1950. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  11. ^ "1920 Census of Population" (PDF). Bureau of the Census. Number of Inhabitants, by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions. Pages 21-5 through 21-7. Massachusetts Table 2. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1920, 1910, and 1920. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  12. ^ "1890 Census of the Population" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. Pages 179 through 182. Massachusetts Table 5. Population of States and Territories by Minor Civil Divisions: 1880 and 1890. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  13. ^ "1870 Census of the Population" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1872. Pages 217 through 220. Table IX. Population of Minor Civil Divisions, &c. Massachusetts. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  14. ^ "1860 Census" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1864. Pages 220 through 226. State of Massachusetts Table No. 3. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  15. ^ "1850 Census" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1854. Pages 338 through 393. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  16. ^ "City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2022". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  17. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  18. ^ "Massachusetts Cities by Population". www.massachusetts-demographics.com. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
  19. ISBN 978-1-55553-356-4
    .
  20. ^ a b "Chapter 52 of the Acts of 2010". Boston: Massachusetts General Court. Retrieved November 14, 2010.
  21. ^ "CIS: Massachusetts City and Town Incorporation and Settlement Dates".
  22. ^ Legere, Christine (November 14, 2010). "Bridgewater holds its last Town Meeting with a nod to its first". Boston Sunday Globe. Retrieved November 14, 2010.
  23. ^ "Bridgewater Public Library". SAILS Library Network. Retrieved November 14, 2010.
  24. ^ "Member Libraries". SAILS Library Network. Archived from the original on November 28, 2010. Retrieved November 14, 2010.
  25. ^ "Index of Legislative Representation by City and Town, from Mass.gov". Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved March 14, 2007.
  26. ^ Station D-4, SP Middleborough
  27. ^ a b "Old Colony Correctional Center." Massachusetts Department of Correction. Retrieved on August 16, 2010.
  28. ^ "Bridgewater State Hospital." Massachusetts Department of Correction. Retrieved on August 16, 2010.
  29. ^ "Massachusetts Alcohol and Substance Abuse Center." Massachusetts Department of Correction. Retrieved on August 16, 2010.
  30. ^ "Massachusetts Treatment Center." Massachusetts Department of Correction. Retrieved on August 16, 2010.
  31. ^ "U.S. Senate: Contacting U.S. Senators".
  32. ^ "Snow collapses Bridgewater elementary school roof - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  33. ^ "One year after school roof collapse, no resolution for Bridgewater". Wicked Local. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  34. ^ "BSC Fast Facts: Office of Institutional Research and Assessment" (page), bridgew.edu, webpage: "Archived Document". Archived from the original on October 11, 2007. Retrieved September 30, 2007.
  35. ^ a b Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896. Marquis Who's Who. 1967.
  36. ^ "Mickey Cochrane Statistics". The Baseball Cube. Retrieved December 27, 2007.
  37. ^ "Marc Colombo Bio/Statistics". NFL.com. Retrieved December 27, 2007.
  38. ^ "Archived Document". Archived from the original on July 28, 2012. Retrieved April 19, 2011.
  39. ^ The Bridgewater Independent
  40. ^ The Comment

External links

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