Weymouth, Massachusetts

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Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement

Weymouth is a city<ref>Template:Mass City-Town Note</ref> in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. It is one of 13 municipalities in the state to have city forms of government while retaining "town of" in their official names.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It is named after Weymouth, Dorset, a coastal town in England, and is the second-oldest settlement in Massachusetts, second only to Plymouth.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Weymouth is among one of the more affordable towns relative to the South Shore and offers a short commute into Boston, MBTA bus<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and rail service,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and a town beach.

At the 2020 census, Weymouth had a total population of 57,437.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It also had a crime rate of 12.42 per 1,000 residents.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Demographics

Template:Historical populations As of the 2010 census, there were 53,743 people, 22,435 households, and 13,595 families residing in the city. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 22,573 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. 64% housing units were owner-occupied and 35% of housing units were renter-occupied. The racial makeup of the city was 82.7% White, 5.2% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 5.7% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 0.6% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.1% of the population.<ref>2010 American Fact Finder</ref>

There were 22,028 households, out of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.8% were non-families, 37% of which were non-family households with residents over 65 years of age. 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.0% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 32.7% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $68,665, and the median income for a family was $52,083. Males had a median income of $42,497 versus $35,963 for females. The per capita income for was $24,976. About 9.1% of families and 9.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.3% of those under age 18 and 9.4% of those age 65 or over.

Weymouth has the 10th highest Irish population in the United States, at 33%.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> As "white flight" occurred in inner-city Boston exacerbated by the start of the cross-district busing program, in the 1960s and 70s thousands of white (predominantly of Irish descent) Bostonians moved to middle/working class suburbs such as Weymouth and Quincy. The blue collar city culture of places like South Boston and Dorchester is prevalent in the neighborhoods of Weymouth. Weymouth has colloquially been referred to as "Suburban Southie" and "Southie on the South Shore" due to the high influx of South Boston residents and Irish Catholic culture in the town. This trend continues in a different way again today as some longtime South Boston residents are now being priced out due to gentrification. Many are moving out to the more affordable towns on the South Shore.

Demographic breakdown by ZIP code

Income

Template:See also Data is from the 2009–2013 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Rank ZIP Code (ZCTA) Per capita
income 		Median
household
income 		Median
family
income 		Population Number of
households
Norfolk County $44,692 $84,916 $108,943 677,296 257,451
1 02190 (South Weymouth) $36,124 $77,329 $98,442 16,733 6,719
2 02188 (Weymouth Landing) $35,954 $68,366 $80,799 14,655 6,220
Massachusetts $35,763 $66,866 $84,900 7,001,399 2,530,147
Weymouth $32,832 $68,113 $81,987 57,410 22,526
3 02191 (North Weymouth) $31,652 $64,365 $86,588 8,369 3,558
4 02189 (East Weymouth) $29,185 $60,059 $78,079 14,609 6,029
United States $28,155 $53,046 $64,719 334,914,895 115,610,216

Geography and Environment

Population density and elevation above sea level in Greater Boston (2010). Weymouth is especially vulnerable to sea level rise.

Weymouth is located at Template:Coord (42.206458, −70.945919).<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (comprising 21.29%) is water.

Weymouth contains the Weymouth Back River and the Weymouth Fore River; its surroundings, formerly industrial, are now set aside as parks and natural areas, including Webb Memorial State Park. There are many streets named after people and trees.

Weymouth residents often designate which of four "districts" they live in:

  • North Weymouth is considered anything north of the intersection of Church Street, North Street and Green Street. Some of the sites around North Weymouth are Great Esker Park, George Lane Beach, Webb State Park, the Wessagusset Yacht Club, Boston skyline views, and the Abigail Adams Historical Society. Historically North Weymouth was a blue collar area, However, recently it has started to include up-and-coming waterfront property that rivals similar in pricier towns. Many small cottages are being bought up and redone on the waterfront. This is notable on streets such as Regatta Road. North Weymouth is the most densely populated area of the town.
  • South Weymouth is mostly south of Route 3. South Weymouth is home to the former Naval Air base that is being redeveloped into residential and commercial properties and is one of the areas biggest development projects. South Shore Hospital and Weymouth High School are in South Weymouth. South Weymouth has its own town square called Columbian Square.
  • East Weymouth is somewhat in the center of Weymouth, including Whitman's Pond, Jackson Square, and Town Hall. East Weymouth has several fine examples of Victorian homes, including Queen Anne, shingle, and colonial revival homes. Some particularly fine examples of these homes are being restored on Hillcrest Road. East Weymouth has many longtime working class residents who take pride in their hometown.
  • Weymouth Landing spans a mile around Weston Park. After recent years of blight in the main commercial area it is being redeveloped. Weymouth Landing is the border between Weymouth and Braintree and is where the Fore River splits into tributaries.

Weymouth is bordered on the north by Hingham Bay and Boston Harbor. Weymouth's territory includes Grape Island, Slate Island, and Sheep Island, all part of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area. Weymouth is bordered on the west by Quincy, Braintree, and Holbrook. It is bordered on the south by Abington and Rockland. Weymouth is bordered on the east by Hingham.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Weymouth has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Weather box

Wildlife

Weymouth is home to many species of wildlife that have adapted to the town's suburban environment and parks.

Small mammals such as Red and Gray foxes, Striped Skunks, Raccoons, Virginia Opossums, Eastern Cottontail Rabbits, Groundhogs, and Eastern Gray Squirrels can be commonly found in Weymouth. Some Larger mammals, such as Coyotes and White-tailed Deer live in the more forested areas such as Great Esker Park, and occasionally wander into the suburbs.

Weymouth is also home to many species of birds. Some common backyard species are Wild Turkeys, American Robins, Blue Jays, Mourning Doves, Black-capped Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, Common Grackles, and Northern Cardinals to name a few. There are many other species of birds that inhabit the diverse habitats that are located in Weymouth, such as Red-tailed Hawks, Ospreys, Red-winged Blackbirds, Great Egrets, Turkey Vultures, Great Blue Herons, along with various species of waterfowl, seagulls, and shorebirds. There are also two invasive bird species, those being the House Sparrow and European Starling.

The Herring Run runs through Weymouth, connecting the Back River to Whitman's Pond. Every spring, hundreds of thousands of Alewife Herring travel up the brook to spawn. The Herring Run was also a crucial resource for the early colonists of the area and the Native Massachusett People.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Transportation

Weymouth is served by several MBTA bus routes as well as three MBTA Commuter Rail stations: two on the Greenbush Line at Weymouth Landing/East Braintree and East Weymouth, and one on the Kingston Line at South Weymouth. State routes that pass through Weymouth include Route 3, Route 3A, Route 18, Route 53, Route 58 and Route 139.

Government

First Weymouth Town Hall. It was built in 1852 and destroyed by fire in 1914.

Weymouth was founded in 1635, from the territory known as Wessagusett which was described in 1622—just two years after the Pilgrims landed in Plymouth. Weymouth held the distinction of having the oldest continuous town meeting form of government, for 365 years. In 1999, Weymouth residents voted to change to a city form of government. David M. Madden was elected as the city's first mayor and took office in 2000.

On July 10, 2007, Mayor David M. Madden announced he would not seek reelection. In 2008, Susan Kay was elected as the new mayor of Weymouth.

On November 3, 2015, Republican state senator Bob Hedlund was elected as the new mayor of Weymouth, succeeding long-incumbent mayor Susan M. Kay. Hedlund assumed office on January 4, 2016.

Weymouth is part of the Massachusetts Senate's Plymouth and Norfolk district.

Weymouth is one of the few places in the United States where self-service gas stations are illegal. The ban was introduced in 1977.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of October 15, 2008<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Party Number of Voters Percentage
Template:Party color cell Democratic 12,254 35.45%
Template:Party color cell Republican 3,690 10.68%
Template:Party color cell Independent 18,497 53.52%
Template:Party color cell Libertarian 123 0.36%
Total 34,564 100%

Education

Weymouth High School is the only public high school in Weymouth. Prior to 2005, grades eight and nine were housed in Weymouth Junior High while grades ten, eleven, and twelve comprised the High School. This changed with the construction of a new wing on the Junior High building in South Weymouth, which subsequently became the new Weymouth High School housing grades nine through twelve. More than 2,000 students attend the high school. A brand new athletic surface was completed in 2005, giving Weymouth High School an artificial turf field and a track surface.

There are two middle schools but only one is currently in use. They are named after local women: abolitionist Maria Weston Chapman and First Lady Abigail Adams.

The Maria Weston Chapman Middle School,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> locally known as "The New Chapman,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>" replaced a previous building that had housed an identically named middle school and the town High School. It opened to students in September 2022.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The previous middle school, Abigail Adams Middle School, is currently undergoing renovations with school and town officials undecided about its future uses.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

There are eight primary schools and one early childhood center, five of which are named after Weymouth's Congressional Medal of Honor recipients.

In June 2021, Weymouth High School was placed into a state program for schools or districts that disproportionately suspend nonwhite students or students with disabilities.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Along with this, the New Maria Weston Chapman Middle School made local news on two separate occasions due to the violent behavior of students.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

There is one Public Charter School which Weymouth is associated to

  • South Shore Charter Public School (located in Norwell Massachusetts)

In addition, there are four private schools in Weymouth.

  • South Shore Christian Academy,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> an independent, Christian, college preparatory day school for students in grades K–12. SSCA also operates a pre-school program.
  • Sacred Heart Elementary School,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> a Catholic elementary school under the direction of the Archdiocese of Boston for grades Pre-K–4. This school is associated with St. Francis Xavier.
  • First Baptist Christian,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> an elementary school for grades Pre-K–8, under the direction of the First Baptist Church of Weymouth.
  • St. Francis Xavier,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> a Catholic elementary school under the direction of St. Francis Parish. This school is for grades 5–8 and is associated with Sacred Heart Elementary School

History

A failed colony

Weymouth was settled in 1622 as Wessagusset Colony founded by Thomas Weston, who had been the main financial backer of Plymouth Colony.<ref name="first hundred years">Template:Cite web Weymouth the First Hundred Years by Ted Clark</ref> It is thought to have been named after English explorer George Weymouth. The settlement was a failure, as the 60 men from London were ill-prepared for the hardships required for survival. They also may have lacked the motivation of the Pilgrims, as this colony was purely economic in motivation and the men had not brought their families.<ref name="sketch">Template:Cite book</ref>

Bichman House, Template:Circa, is likely the oldest surviving house in Weymouth.

By winter, poor planning and bad management led to supplies running out, and the Plymouth colonists had little to share. The situation grew desperate and Weymouth men began to sell their clothes, hire themselves out as laborers, and even steal from the local Massachusett Indians. The Indians were soon taunting the Weymouth men and robbing them of what little food they gathered clamming and foraging in the woods.<ref name="Mayflower pages 140-153">Mayflower: A story of Courage, Community, and War, Viking Press 2006 by Nathaniel Philbrick, pages 140-153</ref> By now, many in the colony were starving or ill, and law and order had broken down. The lowest point came when a settler was accused of stealing supplies from the Massachusetts, and the Massachusett leaders demanded the thief's execution; the Weymouth men complied, but legend has it that they may have executed a dying, sick settler instead.<ref name="Mayflower pages 140-153"/>

By April 1623, word came of conflict between American Indians and the Virginia colonists, and tension increased between the Wessagusset colonists and the Indians. Massachusetts and other tribes began plotting to attack and destroy what was left of the floundering colony and the more successful Plymouth Colony. Wampanoag Chief Massasoit heard about the plot but soon fell ill and nearly died. A party from the Plymouth Colony came to his village and nursed him back to health, and he warned them of the plot.<ref name="Mayflower pages 140-153"/> Governor William Bradford decided to preempt the planned attack, and sent Myles Standish to Weymouth with the Plymouth militia and their Indian guide Hobbamock to end the threat. Using the promise of a meal of pork, Standish lured five of the more bellicose Massachusett Indians inside the stockade, including Wituwamat, a large man who had belittled Standish because he was short and had bragged about murdering a number of French shipwreck survivors. Once inside, there was a brief struggle and the Indian leaders were killed.

Ten of the original 60 colonists starved to death and two others were killed in conflicts with the Indians. Forty-five colonists joined Plymouth or went north to Maine, and from there most returned to England. Three men who had left the colony to live among the Indians as laborers could not be warned in time and were subsequently killed by them after Standish had released the women and children.<ref name="Mayflower pages 140-153"/>

Robert Gorges attempted to form a colony at the site later that year as the center of a more royalist and Anglican system of government for New England.<ref name="sketch" /> He brought William Morrell as religious leader and expected Governor Bradford to acknowledge his supremacy and act as his agent.<ref name="sketch" /> Within weeks, the New England winter caused Gorges to leave with most of the settlers.<ref name="first hundred years" /> Those who remained formed the nucleus of the permanent settlement.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> and the oldest in what would become Massachusetts Bay Colony.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In 1630, it was officially incorporated into the Massachusetts Bay Colony; the name was changed to Weymouth in 1635 with the addition of 100 families under the leadership of Joseph Hull. These groups experienced some difficulty integrating together, especially due to conflicting pressures from the Puritans of Boston and the Pilgrims of Plymouth, but Weymouth was a stable and prominent town with its current boundaries by 1635.<ref name="sketch" /> It was included as part of Suffolk County when it was formed on May 10, 1643. The oldest surviving house in Weymouth is the Bickman House (Template:Circa) located at 84 Sea Street.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Post-colonization

Weymouth was heavily involved in the shoemaking industry from the first years of the 18th century right through to 1973, when the Stetson Shoe Company closed its doors. The building is currently being used for medical offices.<ref name=stetson>Template:Cite web</ref> The town is also the location of the former South Weymouth Naval Air Station, which was decommissioned in 1997 and is undergoing redevelopment into a mixed-use community known as Union Point.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The original town hall was destroyed by fire in 1914 and was replaced in 1928 with a town hall that is a replica of the old Massachusetts State House in Boston. Weymouth High School, located in South Weymouth, is one of the largest public high schools in the state, with over 1,800 enrolled students.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The town is geographically divided into four village centers: North Weymouth, East Weymouth, South Weymouth, and Weymouth Landing.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In May 2018, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker designated a tract of land near Lakeview Manor and the eastern and northern borders of Whitman's Pond as an "opportunity zone" under the Congressional Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Points of interest

Abigail Adams birthplace

Parks

Weymouth has 700 acres of parks and conservation land spread over 46 playgrounds, nature preserves, conservation land, memorials and recreation areas.<ref>Template:Citation</ref>

Notable people

Abigail Adams
Maria Weston Chapman
Jared Terrell
Booker T. Washington
Frank Lloyd Wright

See also

References

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Template:Norfolk County, Massachusetts Template:Massachusetts Template:Greater Boston

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