- Norwell, Massachusetts
-
Norwell, Massachusetts — Town — Jacobs Farmhouse, Norwell Historical Society
Location in Plymouth County in Massachusetts
Coordinates: 42°09′42″N 70°47′40″W / 42.16167°N 70.79444°WCoordinates: 42°09′42″N 70°47′40″W / 42.16167°N 70.79444°W Country United States State Massachusetts County Plymouth Settled 1634 Incorporated 1849 Government – Type Open town meeting – Town
AdministratorJames M. Boudreau – Board of
SelectmenJohn Mariano, Chair; Thomas Bigger; Ellen Allen Area – Total 21.2 sq mi (54.8 km2) – Land 20.9 sq mi (54.1 km2) – Water 0.3 sq mi (0.8 km2) Elevation 81 ft (25 m) Population (2010) – Total 10,506 – Density 502.7/sq mi (194.2/km2) Time zone Eastern (UTC-5) – Summer (DST) Eastern (UTC-4) ZIP code 02061 Area code(s) 339 / 781 FIPS code 25-50145 GNIS feature ID 0618347 Website http://norwellma.virtualtownhall.net/ Norwell is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population is currently 10,506 at the 2010 Census. Norwell was first settled in 1634 as a part of the settlement of Satuit (later Scituate), which encompasses present day Scituate and Norwell. It was officially created, in 1849 and soon became known as South Scituate. The town changed its name to Norwell in 1888, named after Henry Norwell, a dry goods merchant who provided funds for the maintenance of the town roads. Early settlers were attracted to Norwell for agricultural reasons, with the town later developing a major shipbuilding industry, based on the North and Northwest rivers. Shipbuilding was a major industry in the 18th through the early 19th centuries. Some of the finest frigates, schooners, whalers, and merchant vessels were produced in Norwell. Norwell Village Area Historic District is along the center of the town.
Today, Norwell is an affluent suburban community with over 9,000 residents that has modern schools, shopping, churches, libraries, health facilities, a wildlife preserve, and other support facilities as well as three large industrial parks.
Bryant-Cushing House, Norwell, built ca. 1698
Contents
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 21.2 square miles (55 km2), of which, 20.9 square miles (54 km2) of it is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) of it (1.37%) is water. Located on the South Shore, Norwell is bordered by Hanover and Rockland on the west, Pembroke on the south, Marshfield and Scituate on the east and northeast, and Hingham on the north. Norwell is about 14 miles east of Brockton, 17 miles north of Plymouth and 20 miles south of Boston.
Much of Norwell's eastern border lies along the North River, where many shipbuilding companies once stood. There are many other brooks and ponds throughout the town, including Third Herring Brook, which constitutes much of the town's border with Hanover, Accord Pond at the junction of Norwell, Rockland and Hingham, and Jacobs Pond, along Route 123. The northern half of the town is hilly, and the southern end of Wompatuck State Park juts into the town.
Demographics
Historical populations Year Pop. ±% 1880 1,820 — 1890 1,635 −10.2% 1900 1,560 −4.6% 1910 1,410 −9.6% 1920 1,348 −4.4% 1930 1,519 +12.7% 1940 1,871 +23.2% 1950 2,515 +34.4% 1960 5,207 +107.0% 1970 7,796 +49.7% 1980 9,182 +17.8% 1990 9,279 +1.1% 2000 9,765 +5.2% 2001* 10,001 +2.4% 2002* 10,102 +1.0% 2003* 10,213 +1.1% 2004* 10,268 +0.5% 2005* 10,249 −0.2% 2006* 10,239 −0.1% 2007* 10,251 +0.1% 2008* 10,292 +0.4% 2009* 10,336 +0.4% 2010 10,506 +1.6% * = population estimate. Source: United States Census records and Population Estimates Program data.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] As of the census[8] of 2000, there were 9,765 people, 3,250 households, and 2,710 families residing in the town. The population density was 467.8 inhabitants per square mile (180.6 /km2). There were 3,318 housing units at an average density of 158.9 per square mile (61.4 /km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.58% White, 0.37% African American, 0.05% Native American, 1.16% Asian, 0.16% from other races, and 0.68% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.63% of the population.
There were 3,250 households out of which 42.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.6% were married couples living together, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.6% were non-families. 14.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.94 and the average family size was 3.27.
In the town the population was spread out with 28.6% under the age of 18, 4.3% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 28.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 95.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $87,397, and the median income for a family was $96,771. Males had a median income of $66,406 versus $40,625 for females. The per capita income for the town was $37,222. About 1.4% of families and 1.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.9% of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over.
Norwell is currently ranked 52[9] wealthiest town in Massachusetts. (Plymouth County is ranked approximately the 150th wealthiest county in the United States.)
Government
On the national level, Norwell is a part of Massachusetts's 10th congressional district, and is currently represented by Bill Keating. The state's senior (Class II) member of the United States Senate, re-elected in 2008, is John Kerry. The junior (Class I) senator, elected in 2010, is Scott Brown.
On the state level, Norwell is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives as a part of the Fifth Plymouth district, which includes the neighboring towns of Hanover and Rockland. The town is represented in the Massachusetts Senate by Robert Hedlund as a part of the Plymouth and Norfolk district, which includes the towns of Cohasset, Duxbury, Hingham, Hull, Marshfield, Scituate and Weymouth.[10] The town is home to the First Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police.[11]
Norwell is governed on the local level by the open town meeting form of government, and is led by an executive secretary and a board of selectmen. The town operates its own police and fire departments, both of which are headquartered near the town center. There is also a branch firehouse between Assinippi and Accord, in the western part of town. The town has an emergency services division within the fire department; all emergency room visits are brought to South Shore Hospital. The town has its own post office, also located at the town's center.
There are three libraries throughout the town, two of which are independent. The Norwell Public Library is behind the high school near Assinippi, and belongs to the Old Colony Library Network (OCLN). The James Library and Center for the Arts is located near the town center, and is associated with the First Parish Church of Norwell. The James Library was founded by Josiah Leavitt James of Chicago, a former resident of South Scituate, who was persuaded by Rev. William Hamilton Fish, minister of First Parish Church, to fund a town library.[12] The South Shore Natural Science Center, located next to Jacobs Pond, also has a small nature library.
Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of October 15, 2008[13] Party Number of Voters Percentage Democratic 1,829 23.89% Republican 1,543 20.15% Unaffiliated 4,263 55.68% Minor Parties 21 0.27% Total 7,656 100% Education
Norwell has its own school department for its approximately 2,300 students. There are two elementary schools for students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, the Grace F. Cole Elementary School in the western part of town, and the William G. Vinal Elementary School in the eastern part. The Norwell Middle School, located near the modern Town Hall on Route 123, serves grades 6-8. The middle school has 2 teams (sets of teachers) for each grade; Orange(6th), Purple(6th), Green(7th), Gold(7th), Red(8th) and Blue(8th). Norwell High School is located near Assinippi and serves students from ninth through twelfth grade. Norwell High School is a competitive school, known for its academic excellence. Norwell High's teams are known as the Clippers, and their colors are blue and gold. The school's major rival is Hanover High School, whom the football team plays in their annual Thanksgiving Day game. At the high school, Norwell is also very well known nationwide for their FIRST robotics team 348, which consistently performs well and won second place overall at the Atlanta Nationals in 2008. Norwell is also known for its extremely successful math team, who have won their division in the last three seasons, beating out the competitive Notre Dame Academy, as well as its award-winning drama club. Norwell girls' lacrosse is very well known on the South Shore, having won three division two state championships.
Norwell is also home to the South Shore Charter Public School, a charter school which serves students from kindergarten through twelfth grade. There are no private schools in the town. High school students also have the option of attending South Shore Regional Vocational Technical High School in neighboring Hanover free of charge. The nearest college to the town is Massasoit Community College in Brockton.
Transportation
Route 3 passes through the town twice, across the southern portion of the town and another short portion near the west of the town. There are no exits in the town off this freeway, but there are exits, 13 and 14, in the interim space between the two portions and just north of the second portion. Both access routes which immediately enter the town. The major route through the town is Route 123, which passes from east to west through the town, just before its end at Route 3A in neighboring Scituate. Routes 53 and 228 also pass through the town, with Route 228 ending just over the town line in Rockland at its intersection with Route 3.
Norwell has no rail or air service within the town. The nearest rail service is the Greenbush line of the MBTA's commuter rail in neighboring Scituate, just one mile from the Norwell town line. The nearest regional airport is Marshfield Municipal Airport; the nearest national and international service can be reached at Logan International Airport in Boston.
Notable Norwellians
- Jan Brett, children's author/illustrator
- John Cheever, author of Falconer and The Wapshot Chronicle, is buried in Norwell. John Updike gave his eulogy at First Parish Church in Norwell, just across the street from Cheever's burial site.
- Jennifer Coolidge, actress
- Jeff Corwin, naturalist, television show host on Animal Planet
- Les Sampou, folk singer and songwriter
- Susan Tedeschi, blues musician
- Dan Wetzel, sportswriter
References
- ^ "TOTAL POPULATION (P1), 2010 Census Summary File 1, All County Subdivisions within Massachusetts". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/P1/0400000US25.06000. Retrieved September 13, 2011.
- ^ "Massachusetts by Place and County Subdivision - GCT-T1. Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=04000US25&-_box_head_nbr=GCT-T1&-ds_name=PEP_2009_EST&-_lang=en&-format=ST-9&-_sse=on. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^ "1990 Census of Population, General Population Characteristics: Massachusetts". US Census Bureau. December 1990. Table 76: General Characteristics of Persons, Households, and Families: 1990. 1990 CP-1-23. http://www.census.gov/prod/cen1990/cp1/cp-1-23.pdf. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^ "1980 Census of the Population, Number of Inhabitants: Massachusetts". US Census Bureau. December 1981. Table 4. Populations of County Subdivisions: 1960 to 1980. PC80-1-A23. http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1980a_maABC-01.pdf. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^ "1950 Census of Population". 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. http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/23761117v1ch06.pdf. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^ "1920 Census of Population". 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: 1900, 1910, and 1920. http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/41084506no553ch2.pdf. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^ "1890 Census of the Population". 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. http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/41084506no553ch2.pdf. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts_locations_by_per_capita_income
- ^ Index of Legislative Representation by City and Town, from Mass.gov
- ^ Station D-1, SP Norwell
- ^ First Parish Norwell History,
- ^ "Registration and Party Enrollment Statistics as of October 15, 2008" (PDF). Massachusetts Elections Division. http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/elepdf/st_county_town_enroll_breakdown_08.pdf. Retrieved 2010-05-08.
External links
- Norwell town website
- Norwell Public Schools website
- Norwell Public Library
- Answer Book/Norwell: Everything you need to know
Municipalities and communities of Plymouth County, Massachusetts Cities 
Towns Abington | Carver | Duxbury | East Bridgewater | Halifax | Hanover | Hanson | Hingham | Hull | Kingston | Lakeville | Marion | Marshfield | Mattapoisett | Middleborough | Norwell | Pembroke | Plymouth | Plympton | Rochester | Rockland | Scituate | Wareham | West Bridgewater | Whitman
CDPs Bridgewater | Duxbury | Green Harbor-Cedar Crest | Hanson | Hingham | Kingston | Marion Center | Marshfield | Marshfield Hills | Mattapoisett Center | Middleborough Center | North Lakeville | North Pembroke | North Plymouth | North Scituate | Ocean Bluff-Brant Rock | Onset | Plymouth Center | Scituate | South Duxbury | Wareham Center | West Wareham | Weweantic | White Island Shores
Other
villagesCategories:- Towns in Plymouth County, Massachusetts
- Norwell, Massachusetts
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