Taunton, Massachusetts

Taunton is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 55,976. It is the seat of Bristol County and the hub of the Greater Taunton Area.

Taunton's nicknames are derived from its history. The moniker Silver City is born of Taunton's industrial past when companies such as F. B. Rogers produced silver goods throughout the city, while Christmas City is still evidenced each December with the celebrations on the Taunton Green surrounding the Christmas holiday.

History

Taunton was founded in 1637 by Elizabeth Poole, and officially incorporated as a the town on September 3, 1639. Most of the town's settlers were from Taunton, Somerset, England, which led early settlers to name the settlement after that town. At the time of Taunton's incorporation, they explained their choice of name as being, '"'in honor and love to our dear native country... And owning it a great mercy of God to bring us to this place, and settling of us, on lands of our own bought with our money in peace, in the midst of the heathen, for a possession for ourselves and for our posterity after us."''

Prior to 1640, the Taunton area was called Cohannet. The British founders of Taunton purchased the land from the native Wampanoags. The Taunton area was the site of battles (on its soil or the surrounding area) during various conflicts, including King Philip's War and the American Revolution. Taunton was re-incorporated as a city on May 11, 1864.

Once a great industrial city, the "Silver City" was home to many silversmithing operations, including the Taunton Silversmiths and the F.B. Rogers Silver Co. Various other industries operated throughout the city into the third quarter of the 20th century.

Notable firsts

Elizabeth Pole was the first business woman, with the Iron Forge or Bloomery in 1652.Boston History & Innovation Collaborative. http://www.bostoninnovation.org/
First display of "Liberty and Union" on a flag. It occurred on the Taunton Green in 1774.Boston History & Innovation Collaborative. http://www.bostoninnovation.org/

First forge (James and Henry Leonard, Taunton, 1652) for first business woman.Boston History & Innovation Collaborative. http://www.bostoninnovation.org/

First known calico printworks in America was in the city.Old Colony Historical Society. http://www.oldcolonyhistoricalsociety.org/
The Vietnam Memorial Fountain was the first public Vietnam memorial in Massachusetts.Old Colony Historical Society. http://www.oldcolonyhistoricalsociety.org/
First stoneware pottery in Massachusetts.Old Colony Historical Society. http://www.oldcolonyhistoricalsociety.org/
First town founded by a woman (Elizabeth Pole in 1637).Boston History & Innovation Collaborative. http://www.bostoninnovation.org/
Old Colony Historical Society is one of New England's oldest historical societies.Old Colony Historical Society. http://www.oldcolonyhistoricalsociety.org/
Taunton is the largest city in terms of square mileage in Massachusetts.Old Colony Historical Society. http://www.oldcolonyhistoricalsociety.org/
At one time, Taunton was one of the busiest inland seaports on the Atlantic coast.Old Colony Historical Society. http://www.oldcolonyhistoricalsociety.org/
It was in Taunton that Babbitt metal, used in the manufacture of ball bearings, was invented.Old Colony Historical Society. http://www.oldcolonyhistoricalsociety.org/
Liberty and Union Flag is called by some "the first American flag."Old Colony Historical Society. http://www.oldcolonyhistoricalsociety.org/
Taunton River is the first Massachusetts Heritage River.Old Colony Historical Society. http://www.oldcolonyhistoricalsociety.org/

Taunton once included many surrounding towns, including Norton, Easton, Mansfield, Dighton, Raynham, and Berkley. Possession of the latter is still noted by the naming of Taunton Hill in Assonet, which is now North Main Street, a street that heads into Berkley.

Geography

Taunton is located at (41.901491, -71.093628). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 124.2 km² (48.0 mi²). 120.7 km² (46.6 mi²) of it is land and 3.5 km² (1.4 mi²) of it (2.81%) is water.

Taunton has one major river, the Taunton River, alongside with its tributaries such as Mill River. These rivers are within the Taunton River Watershed. Another river in Taunton is the Three Mile River.

In October, 2005, Taunton made national and international news when the Whittenton Pond Dam threatened to fail following a week that brought nine inches of rain to the city. It is estimated that if the dam failed, the Mill River could send up to six feet of water into the downtown area. In response, Governor Mitt Romney ordered an immediate inspection of high-risk dams throughout the Commonwealth.

There are nine designated historic districts within the city:

Bay Road Historic District, which is also known as Post Road; road from Taunton to Boston (1300 acres (5.3 km²), 1 structure, 2 objects)
Bristol County Courthouse Complex (13 acres, 3 buildings)
Church Green Historic District is also known as Meetinghouse Common (160 acres, 18 buildings, 1 object)
Hopewell Mills District (120 acres, 13 buildings)
Old Bay Road Historic District is also known as The Post Road; The King's Highway (150 acres, 1 structure, 3 objects)
Reed and Barton Historic District
Taunton Green Historic District (50 acres, 22 buildings, 3 objects)
Taunton State Hospital Historic District is also known as the Taunton Lunatic Asylum (1250 acres (5.1 km²), 38 buildings, 8 structures)

Taunton's surrounding towns are:

Norton, MA, Rehoboth, MA, Dighton, MA, Berkley, MA, Lakeville, MA, Raynham, MA and Easton, MA.

Taunton's localities are:

Clearview Estates, East Taunton, Elliot's Corner, Herring Run Estates, Linden Estates, Matthews Landing, North Taunton, Oakland, Pine Crest Estates, Pine Hill Estates, Wades Corner, Weir Village, Westville, Whittenton, Whittenton Junction, Willis Lake Village and Woodward Estates.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 55,976 people, 22,045 households, and 14,483 families residing in the city. The population density was 463.7/km² (1,201.1/mi²). There were 22,908 housing units at an average density of 189.8/km² (491.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 91.67% White, 2.74% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.60% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.59% from other races, and 2.21% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.93% of the population.

There are 22,045 households out of which 32.3% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.0% were married couples living together, 13.4% have a female householder with no husband present, and 34.3% were non-families. 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the city the population was spread out with 24.9% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 33.2% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 92.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $42,932, and the median income for a family was $52,433. Males had a median income of $36,895 versus $27,686 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,899. About 8.0% of families and 10.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.9% of those under age 18 and 11.3% of those age 65 or over.

The neighborhoods in Taunton are East Taunton, Oakland, the Weir, Westville, and Whittenton.

Government

The city has a Mayor-Council form of government. Aside from that, it also has a School Committee and many boards & commissions. As the seat of Bristol County, Taunton is home to the county's few administrative offices and several of its courthouses, including the Bristol County Superior Courthouse, at right.

Politics

Taunton has been a hotbed area of local, state, and national American politics for centuries. Many famous political or politically-controversial events occurred in Taunton's long history. This city was the first in Colonial America to have been founded by a woman (Elizabeth Pole). Robert Treat Paine was a long-time Taunton resident and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Part of King Phillip's War was fought on Taunton's limits. Former U.S. presidents, such as former President Harry S. Truman, gave campaign speeches in Taunton. The city's former Camp Myles Standish during WWII was a prisoner-of-war camp, a welcoming area for about a million U.S. & Allied soldiers; and a candidate site for the U.N. Headquarters, soon after the military camp closed. Although the city hasn't been as much of a hotbed of politics as it once was, it still continues to be a politically active region of the state of Massachusetts.

Municipal holiday

Liberty & Union Day

Economy

Taunton is famous for its long history of fine silversmithing. The city was once known for its shipbuilding. The renowned Reed & Barton produced the 1996 Summer Olympics medals and exclusively-used silverware for the White House. Also, the city produced the anchor for the USS Constitution. The nearby town of Raynham produced the anchor for the Civil War-era ironclad USS Monitor.

Today, the city has a been a semiconductor, silicon, and electronics hub in the region and is one of the most industrially diverse areas of the state. It is home to corporate headquarters of many leading corporations in various industries. Currently, the city is trying to attract bio-research companies to its industrial parks.

Media and communications

Taunton is served by several publications including the Silver City Bulletin, Taunton Call, and the Taunton Daily Gazette. Regional papers of importance such as the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, and Providence Journal, are also widely available.

Some of the major Internet providers in Taunton are Comcast, EarthLink, SBC Yahoo! Dial, and Verizon. The Taunton Municipal Lighting Plant (TMLP), Taunton's electric company, is also an Internet service provider for the city and its surrounding towns.

The two radio stations based in Taunton are WPEP 1570 AM and WSNE 93.3 FM, the latter of which primarily serves and has its studios in Providence.. Taunton has local cable television channels which include the Taunton Educational Network (channel 9), Taunton Local Access (channel 15), and Taunton Municipal Network (channel 17). Comcast's Taunton system carries all Providence and Boston stations as well and both markets are easily available off-air.

Education

Education in Taunton ranges from preschool through post-secondary education.

Primary

Taunton has ten public and three Catholic elementary schools, and four public and one Catholic middle schools.

PublicTaunton Public Schools. http://www.tauntonschools.org/

Barnum School serves students in preschool.
Summer Street School serves students in kindergarten.
Edmund Hatch Bennett School serves students in grades K-4.
Joseph C. Chamberlain Elementary School, named for the city's 36th mayor, serves students in grades K-4.
East Taunton Elementary School serves students in grades K-4.
Harold H. Galligan School, a former Catholic school now named for a past school superintendent, serves students in grades K-4.
Hopewell School serves students in grades K-4.
Edward F. Leddy School, another former Catholic school now named for a former city councilman, serves students in grades K-4.
The Lowell M. Maxham School, named for a Civil War Medal of Honor recipient, serves students in grades K-4.
Elizabeth Pole School, named for the city's founder, serves students in grades 1-4.
Benjamin A. Friedman Middle School, named for a former mayor, serves students in grades 5-8.
Joseph H. Martin Middle School serves students in grades 5-8.
Mulcahey Middle School serves students in grades 5-8.
John F. Parker Middle School serves students in grades 5-8.

CatholicRoman Catholic Diocese of Fall River. http://www.fallriverdiocese.org/

Villa Fatima Pre School
Our Lady of Lourdes School
St. Mary's Primary School
Taunton Catholic Middle School

Secondary

Taunton has two public high schools and one Catholic high school.

Public

Taunton High School
Bristol Plymouth Regional Technical School

Catholic

Coyle and Cassidy High School

College/Career

Taunton is home to a satellite campus of Bristol Community College, which meets at Taunton High School. In addition, the city houses career schools such as the RobRoy Academy beauty school and Wagner Airways' flight school.

Culture

The city is serviced by a central public library, the Taunton Public Library, which opened in 1903 and has undergone several expansions and renovations since that time. Also of note is the Old Colony Historical Society, which archives the city and region's past.

See also: Published works about Taunton

Infrastructure

Health and medicine

Taunton is home to the Morton Hospital and Medical Center.

Transportation

Taunton is the central highway hub of southeastern Massachusetts. Much of the eastern part of the state's major highways intersect and/or runs through the city, especially at its center. US 44, MA 138, and MA 140 intersect at a square at Taunton's center, which is called the Taunton Green. I-495 runs through the northern portion of Taunton, unofficially referred to as "North Taunton", and parallel to Myles Standish Industrial Park, Taunton's main industrial park, and Norton Commerce Center in nearby Norton. MA 140 is accessible from I-495 by using the "Bay Street Exit 9" exit and going through the Myles Standish Industrial Park. MA 140 is also accessible from the eastern neighborhood of the city, popularly referred to as "East Taunton."

Various smaller routes run through other parts of the city. These include a small portion of MA 104, close to the Taunton-Raynham city limits, and MA 79, close to the Taunton-Berkley-Lakeville (Plymouth County) city-town-county limits. Taunton is the western terminus of MA 104. It merges into US 44 after entering the city.

In neighboring Raynham is Route 24, which is off of US 44, MA 138, and I-495 in Raynham and MA 140 in (East) Taunton.

Outgoing Routes (from Taunton)	Neighboring destination	Neighboring destination
(by numerical/alphabetical order)	(by bordering municipality)	(by bordering municipality)
	*North-Bound*	*South-Bound*

*Route 24	Raynham	Berkley
*Route 79	Lakeville	Berkley
*Route 138	Raynham	Dighton
*Route 140	Norton	Lakeville
*I-495	Norton	Raynham

Outgoing Routes (from Taunton)	Neighboring destination	Neighboring destination
(by numerical/alphabetical order)	(by bordering municipality)	(by bordering municipality)
	*East-Bound*	*West-Bound*

*US-44	Raynham	Dighton
*Route 104	Norton	Taunton (west terminus)

Utilities

Electricity is provided to Taunton residents by the Taunton Municipal Lighting Plant. Municipal water and sewer also service the city.

References

External links

Taunton, Massachusetts | 1638 establishments

Taunton (Massachusetts) | Taunton

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