East Bridgewater, Massachusetts

Infobox Settlement
official_name = East Bridgewater, Massachusetts
nickname =
motto =


imagesize =
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mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location in Plymouth County in Massachusetts


mapsize1 =
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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Massachusetts
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Plymouth
established_title = Settled
established_date = 1649
established_title2 = Incorporated
established_date2 = 1823
established_title3 =
established_date3 =
government_type = Open town meeting
leader_title =
leader_name =
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 45.3
area_total_sq_mi = 17.5
area_land_km2 = 44.7
area_land_sq_mi = 17.2
area_water_km2 = 0.7
area_water_sq_mi = 0.3
population_as_of = 2000
settlement_type = Town
population_total = 12974
population_density_km2 = 290.6
population_density_sq_mi = 752.6
elevation_m = 26
elevation_ft = 84
timezone = Eastern
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = Eastern
utc_offset_DST = -4
latd = 42 |latm = 02 |lats = 00 |latNS = N
longd = 70 |longm = 57 |longs = 35 |longEW = W
website = http://www.eastbridgewaterma.org/
postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 02333
area_code = 508 / 774
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 25-18455
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0618339
footnotes =

East Bridgewater is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,974 at the 2000 census.

History

The lands that would become East Bridgewater were first settled by Europeans in 1630 as an outgrowth of the Plymouth and Duxbury plantations. It was a part of Olde Bridgewater, as the "East Parish" founded in 1723, until it officially separated from Bridgewater and incorporated on June 14th 1823.

The town was located on the northern portion of the Taunton River system, and had an economy primarily based on agriculture, though industrial development followed. Iron works in the town provided muskets and cannon for the Colonial armies during the American Revolution. There was more residential development in the late 19th and early 20th centuries along the community's rail and trolley lines. The famous bank robber Jack Turner had a brother who owned a home in East Bridgewater during the mid 1800s. It is widely believed that Turner had left his fortune there before he was mistakenly shot by Union agents outside of Richmond, Virginia in 1864. Today, East Bridgewater is mostly known as a residential community. [ [http://www.eastbridgewaterma.org/Public_Documents/EBridgewaterMA_WebDocs/about A History of East Bridgewater] ]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 17.5 square miles (45.3 km²), of which, 17.2 square miles (44.7 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square miles (0.7 km²) of it (1.49%) is water. East Bridgewater ranks 214th of 351 communities in the Commonwealth in terms of land area, and fifteenth of the twenty-seven communities of Plymouth County. The town is bordered by Whitman to the north, Hanson to the east, Halifax to the southeast, Bridgewater to the south, West Bridgewater to the west, and Brockton to the northwest. East Bridgewater's town center is approximately nine miles from downtown Kinners Mills, and the town is located twenty-seven miles south-east of Boston.

East Bridgewater is a typical community of Southeastern Massachusetts, with ponds, woods and rivers around the town. The Matfield River enters the town through Bridgewater, branching off to the Satucket River and Poor Meadow Brook. Robbins Pond, the largest body of water in the town, is located in the southeastern corner of town. The Beaver Brook Beagle Club, a large woodlands area, is located in the northwest corner of town.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2] } of 2000, there were 12,974 people, 4,344 households, and 3,392 families residing in the town. The population density was 752.6 people per square mile (290.6/km²). There were 4,427 housing units at an average density of 256.8/sq mi (99.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.91% White, 0.99% African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.48% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.33% from other races, and 1.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.75% of the population.

There were 4,344 households out of which 39.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.7% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.9% were non-families. 17.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.95 and the average family size was 3.35.

In the town the population was spread out with 27.8% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 32.2% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $60,311, and the median income for a family was $67,307. Males had a median income of $47,370 versus $30,602 for females. The per capita income for the town was $23,532. About 2.4% of families and 4.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.0% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over. An average house in East Bridgewater has 6.2 rooms and is 36 years old with a value of $172,200. 82% of the population owns its residence, 18% rents. 1% of housing space is vacant.

Statistically, East Bridgewater ranks 144th out of 351 communities in the Commonwealth in terms of population, and 134th in terms of population density. The population lies between the average and the median, and the density is just below average. Within Plymouth County, the town ranks fifteenth of 27 towns by population, and twelfth by population density.

Government

On the national level, East Bridgewater is a part of Massachusetts's 9th congressional district, and has been represented since 2001 by Stephen Lynch. The state's senior (Class I) member of the United States Senate, re-elected in 2006, is Ted Kennedy. The junior (Class II) Senator, up for re-election in 2008, is John Kerry.

On the state level, East Bridgewater is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives as a part of the Seventh Plymouth district, which includes the towns of Abington and Whitman. The town is represented in the Massachusetts Senate as a part of two districts: the Second Plymouth and Bristol district, which includes Brockton, Halifax, Hanover, Hanson, Whitman and portions of Easton; and the Norfolk, Bristol and Plymouth district, which includes all or parts of Avon, Braintree, Canton, Easton, Milton, Randolph, Sharon, Stoughton, and West Bridgewater. [ [http://www.mass.gov/legis/citytown.htm Index of Legislative Representation by City and Town, from Mass.gov] ] The town is patrolled by the Fourth (Middleborough) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police. [ [http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=eopsterminal&L=5&L0=Home&L1=Law+Enforcement+%26+Criminal+Justice&L2=Law+Enforcement&L3=State+Police+Troops&L4=Troop+D&sid=Eeops&b=terminalcontent&f=msp_divisions_field_services_troops_troop_d_msp_field_troop_d_station_d4&csid=Eeops Station D-4, SP Middleborough] ]

East Bridgewater is governed on the local level by the open town meeting form of government, led by a town administrator and a board of selectmen. The town operates its own police and fire departments; the police department is headquartered adjacent to the town hall, at the center of town, and the fire headquarters are just south on Route 18. The fire department has an ambulance service which brings patients to nearby Signature Health Care Brockton Hospital, Caritas Christi Good Samaritan Hospital and South Shore Hospital. The town's post office is located west of the town center, and handles the entire town. East Bridgewater Public Library is located in a historic building along Route 18 at the center of town; it is a part of the Southeastern Area Internet Library Services (SAILS) network. The town also operates two parks near the town center, and has its own department of public works.

Education

East Bridgewater has its own school system for the town's approximately 2,500 students. The Central School (which, as its name suggests, is just west of the town hall at the town center) serves students from pre-kindergarten through third grade. The Gordon W. Mitchell Middle School, located to the east of the town center, serves fourth through eighth grade students. East Bridgewater High School is located just east of the town hall, and serves ninth through twelfth grade students. EB's athletics teams are known as the Vikings, using the Minnesota Vikings logo, and their school colors are blue and gold. East Bridgewater has established a new Thanksgiving Day football rivalry with Bridgewater-Raynham High School. In recent years, the cross country and track teams have done exceptionally well. In the 2008 spring track season, the shuttle hurdle team of Myles Tyrer-Vasell, Nathan Illsley, Pete Norment, and Tim Judge set a new record in class D. The previous record was over 20 years old. Despite this success, nobody seems to give the due credit to these fine young athletes. The high school also was known in recent years for its small but successful music program, having won several New England Scholastic Band Association (NESBA) championships in Division I (Small Schools).

In addition to public schools, high school students may attend Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School in South Easton free of charge. There are also private schools in the neighboring communities to the north and south, and the town is the site of the Metro South Academy School, a special needs middle and high school. The town is located near both Massasoit Community College in Brockton and Bridgewater State College.

Transportation

Route 18 is the major north-south route through town, passing through the town center. Route 106 also passes from east to west through the southern part of town, and Route 104 clips the southern corner of the town before ending at Route 106 near the Halifax line. Route 27 also clips the northeastern corner of town, and Route 14 passes through this part of town as well. There is no freeway in the town; Route 24 passes through the neighboring towns to the west.

A short stretch of the Middleborough-Lakeville line of the MBTA's commuter rail passes through the western section of town. There are stops in neighboring Bridgewater and Brockton, as well as stops along the Kingston-Route 3 line in Hanson and Halifax. There is no airport in town; the nearest national air service is Logan International Airport in Boston.

Notable residents

*Manny Delcarmen, Red Sox pitcher.
*Tom Everett Scott, actor.
*Victoria Snelgrove, Red Sox fan killed accidentally in post-game celebration.

References