Topsfield, Massachusetts
Topsfield, Massachusetts | ||
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FIPS code 25-70150 | | |
GNIS feature ID | 0618312 | |
Website | Topsfield, Massachusetts, Official Web Site |
Topsfield is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 6,569 at the 2020 census.[1] Topsfield is located in the North Shore region of Massachusetts. Part of the town comprises the census-designated place of Topsfield.
History
Colonial period
The
Chief Masconomet, for whom Masconomet Regional High School is named, was the sagamore or chief of the Agawam at this time. He welcomed Massachusetts Bay Colony Governor John Winthrop on his arrival in Salem Harbor in 1630. Masconomet deeded all the Agawams' land to Winthrop in 1638 in exchange for twenty pounds sterling. The English had settled within the bounds of modern-day Topsfield by 1643. They originally named their settlement New Meadows.[3] Tradition has long held that the Agawam called the place Shenewemedy, meaning "the pleasant place by the flowing waters." More recent historians believe that Shenewemedy was how the Agawam pronounced New Meadows, rather than a word in their own language.[4]
The
The
The witchcraft delusion is an extreme example of how religion is alloyed in Topsfield history, but other examples abound. Indeed, Topsfield was founded in part based on "alarming" 1633 news that the
No minister in those early days may have left a deeper impression on Topsfield religious history, but it was a contemporary of Reverend Capen whose family has best connected Topsfield to the religious history of the world. Robert Smith settled in Topsfield in 1638. His descendants extended through five generations in Topsfield. They were respected townspeople and members of Capen's Congregational Church. Joseph Smith Sr. was born in Topsfield in 1771, and his son, Joseph Smith Jr., founded the Latter Day Saint movement. The younger Joseph Smith was born in Sharon, Vermont, in 1805, not long after his family moved from Topsfield. Mormons point out Topsfield in their church history books and continue to visit the Smith ancestral hometown today.[14]
Revolution and New Republic: Minutemen, turnpike, gerrymander and the fair
The population of Topsfield grew slowly in the eighteenth century, reaching only 773 by the year 1776. Topsfield was much smaller and more agrarian than other Essex County towns by the time of the Revolution and perhaps for these reasons the town seemed a bit more conservative and less ardent for independence than its Essex County neighbors.
Advances in communication, transportation and commerce in the nineteenth century wove Topsfield ever more tightly into the fabric of the new republic. In 1803, Governor Caleb Strong chartered the Newburyport Turnpike Corporation, a profit-making venture that proposed building a toll road straight from
In contrast to the straightness of the turnpike, Topsfield was one of the towns surrounded by the original "
Nineteenth and early twentieth century: railroad, Civil War, shoes and immigration
In the middle of the nineteenth century, entrepreneurs in New England started small railroad companies. John Wright and Asa Pingree were among the Topsfield men who chartered the
The news of the firing on Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861, reached Topsfield about five o'clock that afternoon. Topsfield sent 113 soldiers to the American Civil War and appropriated funds for recruiting and supporting them. Dow adds, "The ladies of Topsfield worked heartily in the cause of the soldiers during the war, and forwarded to the army, money, clothing and hospital stores".[23] The Topsfield soldiers—many of whom may never before have "travelled with a steam horse" or left town at all—fought and died in places far from home: Bull Run, Virginia; Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; and Port Hudson, Louisiana, to name just a few. Several men of Topsfield died as prisoners in the Confederates' notorious Andersonville Prison in Georgia. In 1860, Topsfield had a population of 1,292, but in 1865 that number had fallen to 1,212. In his will, Dr. Justin Allen left money to the town to erect a monument to honor Topsfield soldiers of the Civil War. Alphonso T. Merrill's design, called "The wounded color Sergeant", is a prominent landmark on the Topsfield Common, dedicated in 1914.[24]
Up to and through the 19th century, Topsfield was principally an agrarian town, but one industry—the manufacture of shoes—flourished for a while in Topsfield, as it did at this time across New England. The town records mention the first shoe maker in 1838. The industry picked up in Topsfield during the Civil War, as sewn shoes were beginning to supersede pegged ones, and many Essex County firms supplied shoes to the Union troops. In 1867, four shoe manufacturing firms were located in town. The two principal manufacturers were those of Charles Herrick (the larger, founded 1837) and John Bailey.[25] Topsfield shoes found customers across the United States, and it was said that, at its highest point of production, Topsfield shipped 200,000 pairs annually. The shoe business in Topsfield declined after the Civil War. The Herrick family, the last manufacturer in town, ceased operations in the early 20th century.[26]
During the time of the
Modern period: technological advances, automobiles, Route 128 and suburbia
The turnpike and railroad were important technological advances affecting Topsfield history in the early and middle 19th century, but the pace of technological change picked up dramatically as that century came to a close. The 1870s and 1880s saw the invention of three technologies that we take for granted today, but were revolutionary in their day: the electric
The
For its first three hundred years, Topsfield was a small farm town. But each year from its colonial period Topsfield has grown more closely connected to the larger world. More than anything else, affordable automobiles and modern road systems changed Topsfield and made the town what it is today—a suburban bedroom community within the greater Boston metropolitan area.
Geography and transportation
According to the United States Census Bureau, Topsfield has a total area of 12.8 square miles (33.2 km2), of which 11.9 square miles (30.9 km2) are land and 0.89 square miles (2.3 km2), or 7.00%, is water.[32] Topsfield lies in the geographic center of Essex County, Massachusetts. Like its namesake in Essex, England, Topsfield has within its bounds some of the higher land in the county. The highest point in town is found on Great Hill, with an elevation of at least 245 feet (75 m), according to the most recent (2011-2012) USGS 7.5-minute topographical map.[33] Hood's Pond, covering an area of 68 acres (28 ha) in the northern part of town, is the largest body of water in Topsfield, though most of it lies in Ipswich. Topsfield also includes parts of the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary, Bradley Palmer State Park, Willowdale State Forest and the entirety of the Topsfield Town Forest.
Clockwise from the north, Topsfield is bounded by
Demographics
Year | Pop. | ±% |
---|---|---|
1850 | 1,170 | — |
1860 | 1,292 | +10.4% |
1870 | 1,213 | −6.1% |
1880 | 1,165 | −4.0% |
1890 | 1,022 | −12.3% |
1900 | 1,030 | +0.8% |
1910 | 1,174 | +14.0% |
1920 | 900 | −23.3% |
1930 | 986 | +9.6% |
1940 | 1,150 | +16.6% |
1950 | 1,412 | +22.8% |
1960 | 3,351 | +137.3% |
1970 | 5,225 | +55.9% |
1980 | 5,709 | +9.3% |
1990 | 5,754 | +0.8% |
2000 | 6,141 | +6.7% |
2010 | 6,085 | −0.9% |
2020 | 6,569 | +8.0% |
2022* | 6,504 | −1.0% |
* = population estimate. Source: United States census records and Population Estimates Program data.[34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44] |
At the 2000
There were 2,099 households, of which 40.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.7% were married couples living together, 6.1% have a woman whose husband does not live with her, and 18.4% were non-families. 16.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.87 and the average family size was 3.22.
Age distribution was 28.2% under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 27.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.3 males.
The
Government
Topsfield town government
Topsfield is governed by an Open Town Meeting and an elected five-member Select Board who appoint the Town Administrator Kevin Harutunian. One or two members of the Select Board are elected each year to serve for three years. The current members are Lynne Bermudez, Chair, Marshall Hook, Clerk, Boyd Jackson, Cameron Brown and A. Richard Gandt.
The Select Board has evolved through more than three hundred years of tradition and custom. In addition to those duties determined by Massachusetts General Law and established by custom, the Select Board Members' powers and duties are determined by state law and the Town’s bylaws.
Since 2009, following a vote of Town Meeting to update the Town’s General By-Laws, the Select Board have appointed a Town Administrator as serve as an agent of the Board and to oversee day to day operations and the delivery of Town Services provided under the legal authority of the Board of Selectmen. The first Town Administrator was Virginia Wilder (2009–2013). The second Town Administrator, Kellie A. Hebert was appointed in September 2013. The Board provides general supervision over Town matters not specifically delegated by law or voted to another officer or board.
The Select Board generally meet every other Monday night in the Town Hall. All meetings are posted and are open to the public. Regular business meetings are televised and may be viewed on Channel 10/47, the Community Channel. Select Board meetings, like those of all public boards and committees, must be posted at least 48 hours in advance. The meetings are open to the public and subject to the requirements of the state’s Open Meeting Law: Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 39, Section 23B. The Board may retire to executive session only to discuss those matters permitted by law. The Board must state which of the eight provisions is being invoked at that time. All minutes are a matter of public record except when they need to remain secret long enough to protect the legal purposes of the session.
State government
Topsfield is part of the Second Essex state senate district (seat held in 2015 by Senator Joan Lovely (D) and the Fourth Essex state congressional district (seat held in 2012 by Representative Bradford Hill (R)).
Federal government
Topsfield is part of the Sixth Congressional District of Massachusetts. The seat is currently held by Representative Seth Moulton (D- Salem).
Education
Topsfield has two public elementary schools: Steward School located on Perkins Row, serving preschool through third grade; and Proctor Elementary School located in downtown Topsfield, serving fourth through sixth grade. In the 1970s, each of these schools had all the elementary grades and students attended from different parts of town. Masconomet Regional Middle School and Masconomet Regional High School, situated together in Boxford (although they sport Topsfield mailing addresses), serve seventh through eighth grade and ninth through twelfth grade, respectively. Both the high school and middle school enroll students from Boxford and Middleton. In athletics, Masconomet is part of the Cape Ann League.
Tourism
Topsfield Fair
Topsfield is home of the Topsfield Fair, which attracted almost 500,000 visitors in 2008.[45] The fair, one of the oldest of its type in the US, was started in 1818 by the recently formed Essex Agricultural Society.[46][47] The first annual fair was a cattle show held by the society on October 5, 1818. The president of the society, Timothy Pickering, was awarded a first-place prize for the "superior performance of his plow." The Topsfield Fair ran every year following that first show, with the exception of three years during the Civil War, three years during World War II, and in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The fair today features carnival rides, games and concert events in addition to the more traditional attractions, such as exhibitions of livestock, rabbits and cavies, crafts, horses and produce. The fair also hosts the All New England Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off. The current record-holding pumpkin was entered in 2016 and weighed 2,075.5 pounds.[48] The fairgrounds are used for various activities during the year including horse shows, mineral shows, indoor soccer, indoor lacrosse, concerts, and other forms of recreation. The grounds are located along Boston Street, adjacent to the Ipswich River. Five separate lots surrounding the grounds provide parking, and are lettered A-E during fair time. These lots are also regularly used for recreation during non-fair times. Satellite parking during peak hours of the fair can be found at Masconomet Regional High School, with busses regularly bringing people back and forth from the lot. The Topsfield Fair always runs for 11 days, between the last weekend in September and Columbus Day. The Fair is held in October and the weather is normally clear and it is a family fun time for kids of all ages.
Smith Family Homestead
Located approximately 2 miles from downtown Topsfield, the Smith Family Homestead was home to five generations of the Smith family who are ascendants of the Prophet Joseph Smith, an important figure in the Latter-day Saint movement. Four members of the prophet's family lived in the house, dating as far back as 1693. Robert Smith, the first in the family to live in Topsfield, came to America and purchased 208 acres of land located in both Topsfield and the nearby township of Boxford. Samuel Smith (I) built what would become known as the Smith Family Homestead following his father's passing, while becoming a prominent figure in the area. His son, Samuel Smith (II) also influenced local politics and was heavily involved in the First Provincial Congress in Concord in both 1774 and 1775. Following the death of Samuel Smith (II) in 1785, Asael Smith, grandfather of Prophet Joseph Smith, took control of the homestead. In 1771, Asael Smith’s wife Mary gave birth to Joseph Smith Sr, the father of prophet Joseph Smith. In 1875, the house originally built on the property was replaced by a more modern estate. In October 2005, a marker was placed in front of the house by the Mormon Historic Sites Foundation and the Topsfield Historical Society commemorating the lives of the Smith family and the presence they previously had on the property. The house is privately owned and not open for tours, but large groups are regularly seen visiting the property and commemorating the prominent figures of the Latter-day Saint society.
Annual events
Topsfield residents have traditionally celebrated Memorial Day with a parade through the center of town to honor Topsfield's living veterans and those who have died in service of the county. Topsfield residents served in the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, the Spanish–American War and all of the wars of the twentieth century. A memorial to Topsfield's veterans is on the common.
Summer begins in Topsfield with the Topsfield Historical Society's Strawberry Festival in early June. Bowls of fresh strawberries, whipped cream and piles of shortcakes are served by volunteer members to the attendees. This can be the first introduction to small-town life for Topsfield newcomers—all the local groups such as the Garden Clubs, the Friends of the Library, and the Newcomers Club, among many others, are available to explain their activities and invite new members. Old-timers look forward to live music, displays of arts and crafts, and the latest donations to the Friends of the Library book sale.
Notable people
- Abbey D'Agostino, Olympic athlete
- Donna Murphy, stage and film actress
- Bradley Palmer, lawyer and businessman
- Ryan Serhant, realtor and actor
- Ollie Silva, racing driver
- Joseph Smith Sr., father of LDS Church founder Joseph Smith
Points of interest
Notes
- ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Topsfield town, Essex County, Massachusetts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
- ISBN 9780874512557.
- ^ Dow 1940, p. 1.
- ^ Dinan & Dinan 1999, p. 7.
- ^ Dow 1940, pp. 12–17.
- ^ Dow 1940, pp. 3–7
- ^ Dow 1940, pp. 7–8.
- ^ Dow 1940, p. 140.
- ^ Dow 1940, p. 8.
- ^ Topsfield and the Witchcraft Tragedy. (Topsfield: Topsfield Historical Society 1992) 1-12.
- ^ Dow 1940, p. 2.
- ^ Dow 1940, p. 271.
- ^ Dow 1940, p. 273.
- ^ Dow 1940, p. 355; Arrington, L.; Bitton, D. (1979). The Mormon Experience. New York: Random House. pp. 3–5.
- ^ Tagney 1989, pp. 36, 48, 71, 79, 107.
- ^ Tagney 1989, p. 71.
- ^ Tagney 1989, p. 489.
- ^ Dow 1940, p. 171.
- ^ Dow 1940, pp. 167–97.
- ^ Dow 1940, pp. 399–406.
- ^ Dow 1940, p. 414.
- ^ Dow 1940, pp. 407–17.
- ^ Dow 1940, p. 208.
- ^ Dow 1940, pp. 206–30.
- ^ Dow, George Francis, ed. (1928). The Historical Collections of the Topsfield Historical Society (PDF). Vol. 29. Topsfield, Massachusetts: Topsfield Historical Society. p. 160.
- ^ Dow 1940, pp. 360–61.
- ^ Dow 1940, pp. 410–11.
- ^ Dow 1940, p. 294.
- ^ Garland, J. The North Shore: A History of Summers Among the Noteworthy, Fashionable, Rich, Eccentric and Ordinary of Boston's Gold Coast, 1823-1929. (Beverly: Commonwealth Editions 1998). 309-10.
- ^ Dinan & Dinan 1999, pp. 85, 110.
- ^ Interviews with Joseph C. Iarocci, long-time Topsfield resident, member of the Topsfield Historical Society and former town Selectman.
- ^ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Topsfield town, Essex County, Massachusetts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 5, 2012.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-01-14. Retrieved 2014-04-06.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Total Population (P1), 2010 Census Summary File 1". American FactFinder, All County Subdivisions within Massachusetts. United States Census Bureau. 2010.
- ^ "Massachusetts by Place and County Subdivision - GCT-T1. Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "1850 Census" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1854. Pages 338 through 393. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^ "City and Town Population Totals: 2020−2022". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
- ^ "2009 Topsfield Fair Sponsorship Opportunities" (PDF). Retrieved 2011-02-15.
- ^ "Topsfield Fair History". Retrieved 2011-02-15.
- ^ Fletcher, David (2003). Topsfield Fair: America's Oldest. Charleston: Arcadia Publishing. p. 7.
- ^ "Topsfield Fair". Retrieved 2017-04-30.
Bibliography
- Dow, George Francis (1940). History of Topsfield, Massachusetts (First ed.). The Topsfield Historical Society.
- Dinan, E.; Dinan, J. (1999). Images of America: Topsfield. Charleston: Arcadia Publishing.
- Tagney, R. (1989). The World Turned Upside Down: Essex County During America's Turbulent Years, 1763–1790. West Newbury: Essex County History.
Further reading
- "Topsfield". Internet Archive. Retrieved 2014-04-20.