Weymouth, Massachusetts Explained

Official Name:Town of Weymouth
Settlement Type:City
Motto:Latin: Laborare Est Vincere
("To Work Is to Conquer")
Mapsize:250px
Pushpin Label Position:right
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Massachusetts
Coordinates:42.2208°N -70.9403°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Norfolk
Established Title:Settled
Established Date:1622
Established Title2:Incorporated
Established Date2:September 2, 1635
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Name:Bob Hedlund (R)
Area Total Km2:55.88
Area Total Sq Mi:21.57
Area Land Km2:43.42
Area Land Sq Mi:16.77
Area Water Km2:12.45
Area Water Sq Mi:4.81
Elevation M:27
Elevation Ft:200
Population Total:57437
Population As Of:2020
Population Density Km2:1322.79
Population Density Sq Mi:3426.01
Timezone:Eastern
Utc Offset:-5
Timezone Dst:Eastern
Utc Offset Dst:-4
Postal Code Type:ZIP Codes
Postal Code:02188–02191
Area Code:339/781
Blank Name:FIPS code
Blank Info:25-78865
Blank1 Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank1 Info:0619462
Unit Pref:Imperial
Area Footnotes:[1]

Weymouth is a city 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.[2] It is named after Weymouth, Dorset, a coastal town in England, and is the second-oldest settlement in Massachusetts, second only to Plymouth.[3] It is one of the South Shore's more affordable towns and offers a short commute into Boston, MBTA bus[4] and rail service,[5] and a town beach.

At the 2020 census, Weymouth had a total population of 57,437.[6] It also had a crime rate of 12.42 per 1,000 residents.[7]

Demographics

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 3174.2sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 22,573 housing units at an average density of 1327.1sp=usNaNsp=us. 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.[8]

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%.[9] 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 (example: The Boston accent) 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

See also: List of Massachusetts locations by per capita income. Data is from the 2009–2013 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.[10] [11] [12]

RankZIP Code (ZCTA)Per capita
income
Median
household
income
Median
family
income
PopulationNumber of
households
Norfolk County$44,692$84,916$108,943677,296257,451
102190 (South Weymouth)$36,124$77,329$98,44216,7336,719
202188 (Weymouth Landing)$35,954$68,366$80,79914,6556,220
Massachusetts$35,763$66,866$84,9007,001,3992,530,147
Weymouth$32,832$68,113$81,98757,41022,526
302191 (North Weymouth)$31,652$64,365$86,5888,3693,558
402189 (East Weymouth)$29,185$60,059$78,07914,6096,029
United States$28,155$53,046$64,719334,914,895115,610,216

Geography and Environment

Weymouth is located at 42.2064°N -70.9458°W (42.206458, −70.945919).[13]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 21.6mi2, of which 17mi2 is land and 4.6mi2 (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:

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.[14]

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.[15]

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 and East Weymouth, and one on the Kingston Line at South Weymouth. Numbered routes that pass through Weymouth include Massachusetts Routes 3, 3A, 18, 53, 58 and 139.

Government

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.[16]

Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of October 15, 2008[17]
Party Number of VotersPercentage
Democraticalign = center 12,254align = center 35.45%
Republicanalign = center 3,690align = center 10.68%
Independentalign = center 18,497align = center 53.52%
Libertarianalign = center 123align = center 0.36%
Totalalign = center 34,564align = center 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,[18] locally known as "The New Chapman,[19] " replaced a previous building that had housed an identically named middle school and the town High School. It opened to students in September 2022.[20]

The previous middle school, Abigail Adams Middle School, is currently undergoing renovations with school and town officials undecided about its future uses.[21]

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.[22] Along with this, the New Maria Weston Chapman Middle School made local news on two separate occasions due to the violent behavior of students.[23] [24]

There is one Public Charter School which Weymouth is associated to

In addition, there are four private schools in Weymouth.

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.[29] 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.[30] 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.[31] 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.[31]

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.[31] 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.[31]

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. He brought William Morrell as religious leader and expected Governor Bradford to acknowledge his supremacy and act as his agent. Within weeks, the New England winter caused Gorges to leave with most of the settlers. Those who remained formed the nucleus of the permanent settlement.[32] and the oldest in what would become Massachusetts Bay Colony.[33] 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. 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 located at 84 Sea Street.[34]

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.[35]

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. 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.[36]

Points of interest

Parks

Weymouth has 700 acres of parks and conservation land spread over 46 playgrounds, nature preserves, conservation land, memorials and recreation areas.

Notable people

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files. United States Census Bureau. May 21, 2022.
  2. Web site: CIS: Massachusetts City and Town Incorporation and Settlement Dates. www.sec.state.ma.us.
  3. Book: Wessagusset and Weymouth. 1905. 1. Charles Francis . Adams. Gilbert . Nash .
  4. Web site: 222 Bus MBTA . 2024-04-01 . www.mbta.com.
  5. Web site: Weymouth Landing/East Braintree Stations MBTA . 2024-04-01 . www.mbta.com.
  6. Web site: Census - Geography Profile: Weymouth Town city, Norfolk County, Massachusetts. United States Census Bureau. September 29, 2021.
  7. Web site: Crime Overview 2022 . 2023-05-02 . ma.beyond2020.com . en.
  8. 2010 American Fact Finder
  9. Web site: ePodunk Irish Index . https://web.archive.org/web/20191023054258/http://www.epodunk.com/top10/irish/index.html . 2019-10-23 . 2023-10-28.
  10. Web site: SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS 2009-2013 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. https://archive.today/20200212214424/http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_13_5YR_DP03&prodType=table. 2020-02-12. U.S. Census Bureau. 2015-01-12.
  11. Web site: ACS DEMOGRAPHIC AND HOUSING ESTIMATES 2009-2013 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. https://archive.today/20200212212731/http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_13_5YR_DP05&prodType=table. 2020-02-12. U.S. Census Bureau. 2015-01-12.
  12. Web site: HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES 2009-2013 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. https://archive.today/20200212210258/http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_13_5YR_S1101&prodType=table. 2020-02-12. U.S. Census Bureau. 2015-01-12.
  13. Web site: US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990. United States Census Bureau. 2011-04-23. 2011-02-12.
  14. Web site: Weymouth, Massachusetts Köppen Climate Classification (Weatherbase). Weatherbase.
  15. Web site: Herring Run Pool Park . 2024-04-01 . North and South Rivers Watershed Association . en-US.
  16. Web site: Weymouth holds tight to 41-year ban on self-service gas pumps . 2023-10-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190718183436/https://www.patriotledger.com/news/20190426/weymouth-holds-tight-to-41-year-ban-on-self-service-gas-pumps . 2019-07-18.
  17. Web site: Registration and Party Enrollment Statistics as of October 15, 2008 . Massachusetts Elections Division . 2010-05-08 .
  18. Web site: Weymouth Middle School Chapman Campus . 19 May 2024.
  19. Web site: Chapman Middle School . 19 May 2024.
  20. News: Photos: Brand new Chapman School in Weymouth welcomes first students . 19 May 2024 . The Patriot Ledger . 6 September 2022.
  21. News: 'Excited about the opportunity': Possible uses for Adams Middle School discussed . 19 May 2024 . Patriot Ledger . 21 Feb 2021.
  22. News: Trufant. Jessica. June 11, 2021. Black students disproportionately suspended at schools in Quincy, Weymouth, Plymouth. The Patriot Ledger. Gannett. June 12, 2021.
  23. News: 2023-04-03 . Recent Fighting Has Parents of Weymouth Middle Schoolers Worried . 2024-04-01 . NBC Boston . en-US.
  24. Web site: 2024-01-05 . Parents voice concerns after a brutal beating in Weymouth middle school caught on video . 2024-04-01 . Boston 25 News . en.
  25. Web site: South Shore Christian Academy .
  26. Web site: Sacred Heart School .
  27. Web site: First Baptist Christian .
  28. Web site: St. Francis Xavier .
  29. Web site: WEYMOUTH — THE FIRST HUNDRED YEARS . https://web.archive.org/web/20110504203807/http://www.weymouth.ma.us/history/index.asp?id=2598 . 2011-05-04 . Ted . Clarke. Weymouth the First Hundred Years by Ted Clark
  30. Book: Nash, Gilbert . Historical Sketch of the Town of Weymouth, Massachusetts, from 1622-1884 . 1885 . A. Mudge & Son, printers . en.
  31. Mayflower: A story of Courage, Community, and War, Viking Press 2006 by Nathaniel Philbrick, pages 140-153
  32. Book: The republic of the United States: a history, Volume 1. 48. Jeannette Paddock Nichols. Roy Franklin Nichols .
  33. Book: Moore, Jacob Bailey. Lives of the governors of New Plymouth, and Massachusetts bay. 1848. 235.
  34. Web site: 17th Century Homes . 2019-10-22 . 2019-10-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191022224607/https://www.weymouth.ma.us/sites/weymouthma/files/uploads/homes.pdf .
  35. Web site: The Stetson Shoe Company . 2006-10-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20061029125529/http://dlxs.lib.wayne.edu/d/dhhcc/retailers/stetshonshoes.html . 2006-10-29 .
  36. News: Baker. Ed. Opportunity Zone designated near Weymouth's Whitman's Pond. Weymouth News. GateHouse Media. May 2, 2018. January 1, 2019.
  37. Web site: Here comes Hollywood: 'Madame Web' spinning into Boston, South Shore for three-month shoot . 19 May 2024.
  38. Web site: HANGAR AT WEYMOUTH’S UNION POINT IS A HOLLYWOOD HANGOUT . MA Film Office . 19 May 2024.
  39. Book: Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607–1896 . Marquis Who's Who . 1967.
  40. Book: Sullivan. Debbie Sargent. Tighe. Joanne Palmieri. Images of America: Weymouth. Arcadia Publishing. Portsmouth, NH. 13. 978-0-7385-0926-6. 2001.
  41. Web site: Jim Peckham Bio, Stats, and Results. https://web.archive.org/web/20200418122021/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/pe/jim-peckham-1.html. 2020-04-18. Olympics at Sports-Reference.com.