Halifax, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Halifax is a town
in Plymouth County
, Massachusetts
, United States. The population was 7,500 at the 2000 census.
, England. The town was part of an early effort to create a canal between Buzzards Bay
and Massachusetts Bay
, when in 1795 a canal was proposed between the Taunton River
and North River
. However, the plan never succeeded, although the town's sawmills continued to grow, as did cranberry production, iron furnaces and a wool mill. The railroad came in the nineteenth century, providing access for people from the city to the shores of Silver Lake
and the Monponsett Pond
s. Today the town is mostly residential, with a small retail area growing at the center of town.
, the town has a total area of 17.3 square miles (44.8 km²), of which, 16.1 square miles (41.7 km²) of it is land and 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²) of it (6.81%) is water. Statistically, Halifax is the 235th largest town in the Commonwealth by land area, and is eighteenth out of the twenty-seven communities in Plymouth County. Halifax is bordered by Hanson
to the north, Pembroke
to the northeast, Plympton
to the southeast, Middleborough
to the southwest, and Bridgewater
and East Bridgewater
to the west. Halifax is approximately twelve miles west of Plymouth, thirteen miles (19 km) southeast of Brockton
, and thirty-three miles south-southeast of Boston.
Much of Halifax's geography is dictated by water. The town lies on the western banks of Silver Lake
, and is also the site of Robbins Pond
, Indian Trail Reservoir and Burrage Pond in the west of town, and East and West Monponsett Pond
s near the center of town. The two Monponsett Ponds are separated by a narrow strip of land, barely 150 feet (45.7 m) wide in some spots, and this strip of land also accommodates part of MA Route 58
. Part of the town's border with Bridgewater is defined by the Taunton River
, which also spawns the Winnetuxet River
and several other brooks into town. And, on either side of the Monponsett Ponds lie swamps, with Great Cedar Swamp to the west and Peterson Swamp to the east. The town also shares a small conservation area with neighboring Plympton and the larger Burrage Pond Wildlife Management Area
with Hanson.
of 2000, there were 7,500 people, 2,758 households, and 2,054 families residing in the town. The population density
was 464.5 people per square mile (179.3/km²). There were 2,841 housing units at an average density of 175.9 per square mile (67.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.13% White, 0.31% African American, 0.03% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.48% from other races
, and 0.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.55% of the population.
There were 2,758 households out of which 34.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.3% were married couples
living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.5% were non-families. 21.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.18.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.4% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 31.4% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $57,015, and the median income for a family was $65,461. Males had a median income of $47,788 versus $31,200 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $23,738. About 1.8% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.5% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.
Statistically speaking, Halifax is the 204th largest community in the Commonwealth in terms of population, and 186th in terms of population density. Both are below the state average and state median.
as a part of the Sixth and Twelfth Plymouth Districts; the Sixth includes Hanson, Pembroke and portions of Duxbury, and the Twelfth includes Kingston, Plympton and portions of Duxbury, Middleborough and Plymouth. The town is represented in the Massachusetts Senate
as a part of the Second Plymouth & Bristol district, which includes Brockton, Hanover, Hanson, Whitman and portions of East Bridgewater and Easton. The town is patrolled by the Fourth (Middleborough) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police
.
On the national level, Halifax is a part of Massachusetts's 4th congressional district
, and is currently represented by Barney Frank
. 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
.
Halifax is governed by the open town meeting
form of government, led by a board of selectmen
and a town administrator. Halifax has its own police and fire departments, both of which are headquartered near the town center. The town has its own ambulance service, with the nearest hospitals being in Plymouth and Brockton. The town's post office is also located in the town center, as is the Holmes Public Library, which is a member of the Southeastern Area Internet Library System (SAILS) network. The town also operates a beach on West Monponsett Pond, and one boat landing each on the two Monponsett Ponds.
, both of which are in Kingston. Halifax Elementary School is located between the library and fire station in the town center, and serves students from kindergarten
through sixth grade. The high school operates its own vocational division, so there is no agreement with any regional vocational schools. Halifax has no private schools; the nearest are in Kingston and Bridgewater.
and 106
, which meet just east of the town center and south of the Monponsett Ponds (Route 58, in fact, is the route which crosses the ponds). To the east of East Monponsett Pond, Route 36's
southern terminus meets Route 106. Route 105's
northern terminus is 1½ miles west of the intersection of Routes 58 and 106, at Route 106.
The Kingston-Route 3 Line of the MBTA's
commuter rail service passes through the northeastern corner of town, with a station
just west of Route 36. The route provides service between nearby Kingston and Plymouth and South Station
in Boston. There is no air service in the town, although small seaplane
s do land on East Monponsett Pond. Cranland Airport
is a small private air strip in neighboring Hanson. The nearest regional air service is at Plymouth Municipal Airport
, and the nearest national and international air service is at Logan International Airport
in Boston.
New England town
The New England town is the basic unit of local government in each of the six New England states. Without a direct counterpart in most other U.S. states, New England towns are conceptually similar to civil townships in other states, but are incorporated, possessing powers like cities in other...
in Plymouth County
Plymouth County, Massachusetts
Plymouth County is a county located in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. As of 2010, the population was 494,919. Its county seats are Plymouth and Brockton...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, United States. The population was 7,500 at the 2000 census.
History
Halifax was first settled by Europeans, most notably the Bosworth family from Bosworth Fields in England, in 1669, growing with lumbering and agriculture. It was officially separated from the town of Plympton and incorporated in 1734, and was named for Halifax, West YorkshireHalifax, West Yorkshire
Halifax is a minster town, within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, England. It has an urban area population of 82,056 in the 2001 Census. It is well-known as a centre of England's woollen manufacture from the 15th century onward, originally dealing through the Halifax Piece...
, England. The town was part of an early effort to create a canal between Buzzards Bay
Buzzards Bay (bay)
Buzzards Bay is a bay of the Atlantic Ocean adjacent to the U.S. state of Massachusetts. It is approximately 28 miles long by 8 miles wide. It is a popular destination for fishing, boating, and tourism. Since 1914, Buzzards Bay has been connected to Cape Cod Bay by the Cape Cod Canal...
and Massachusetts Bay
Massachusetts Bay
The Massachusetts Bay, also called Mass Bay, is one of the largest bays of the Atlantic Ocean which forms the distinctive shape of the coastline of the U.S. state of Massachusetts. Its waters extend 65 miles into the Atlantic Ocean. Massachusetts Bay includes the Boston Harbor, Dorchester Bay,...
, when in 1795 a canal was proposed between the Taunton River
Taunton River
The Taunton River , is a river in southeastern Massachusetts in the United States. It arises from the confluence of the Town River and Matfield River, in the town of Bridgewater...
and North River
North River (Massachusetts Bay)
The North River is a river, approximately long, in eastern Massachusetts, the United States. It is primarily a tidal river, formed by the confluence of the Indian Head River and Herring Brook. The North River forms the boundary between the towns of Norwell and Pembroke, Massachusetts, and...
. However, the plan never succeeded, although the town's sawmills continued to grow, as did cranberry production, iron furnaces and a wool mill. The railroad came in the nineteenth century, providing access for people from the city to the shores of Silver Lake
Silver Lake (Plymouth County, Massachusetts)
Silver Lake is a lake in Pembroke, Kingston, and Plympton, Massachusetts, south of Route 27 and east of Route 36. The Pembroke/Plympton town line is entirely within the lake, and a portion of the western shoreline of the lake is the town line with Halifax. The lake is the principal water supply...
and the Monponsett Pond
Monponsett Pond
Monponsett Pond, also called Monponsett Lake and the Twin Lakes, is actually a system of two ponds, West and East, mostly in Halifax, Massachusetts, with a small portion of West Monponsett Pond extending into Hanson. The western basin is , and the eastern basin is . The average depth of both ponds...
s. Today the town is mostly residential, with a small retail area growing at the center of town.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 17.3 square miles (44.8 km²), of which, 16.1 square miles (41.7 km²) of it is land and 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²) of it (6.81%) is water. Statistically, Halifax is the 235th largest town in the Commonwealth by land area, and is eighteenth out of the twenty-seven communities in Plymouth County. Halifax is bordered by Hanson
Hanson, Massachusetts
Hanson is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 9,495 at the 2000 census.-History:Hanson was first settled in 1632 as the western parish of Pembroke. The town was officially incorporated in 1820, and was named for Maryland newspaper publisher and U.S. Senator...
to the north, Pembroke
Pembroke, Massachusetts
Pembroke is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 16,927 at the 2000 census.The southwestern section of Pembroke is also known as Bryantville...
to the northeast, Plympton
Plympton, Massachusetts
Plympton is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 2,820 at the 2010 census. The United States senator William Bradford was born here.- History :Plympton was first settled in 1662 as the western parish of Plymouth...
to the southeast, Middleborough
Middleborough, Massachusetts
Middleborough is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 21,117 as of 2008.For geographic and demographic information on the village of Middleborough Center, please see the article Middleborough Center, Massachusetts....
to the southwest, and Bridgewater
Bridgewater, Massachusetts
For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Bridgewater, please see the article Bridgewater , Massachusetts.The Town of Bridgewater is a city in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States, 28 miles south of Boston. At the 2000 Census, the population was 25,185...
and East Bridgewater
East Bridgewater, Massachusetts
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 Carlos Mencia in 1630 A.D. as an outgrowth of the Plymouth and Duxbury plantations...
to the west. Halifax is approximately twelve miles west of Plymouth, thirteen miles (19 km) southeast of Brockton
Brockton, Massachusetts
Brockton is a city in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States; the population was 93,810 in the 2010 Census. Brockton, along with Plymouth, are the county seats of Plymouth County...
, and thirty-three miles south-southeast of Boston.
Much of Halifax's geography is dictated by water. The town lies on the western banks of Silver Lake
Silver Lake (Plymouth County, Massachusetts)
Silver Lake is a lake in Pembroke, Kingston, and Plympton, Massachusetts, south of Route 27 and east of Route 36. The Pembroke/Plympton town line is entirely within the lake, and a portion of the western shoreline of the lake is the town line with Halifax. The lake is the principal water supply...
, and is also the site of Robbins Pond
Robbins Pond (Massachusetts)
Robbins Pond is a warm water pond in East Bridgewater and Halifax, Massachusetts. It is part of the Taunton River Watershed. The inflow is Poor Meadow Brook, and the outflow is the Satucket River. The water is brown in color with a transparency of five feet, and the bottom is a mixture of sand and...
, Indian Trail Reservoir and Burrage Pond in the west of town, and East and West Monponsett Pond
Monponsett Pond
Monponsett Pond, also called Monponsett Lake and the Twin Lakes, is actually a system of two ponds, West and East, mostly in Halifax, Massachusetts, with a small portion of West Monponsett Pond extending into Hanson. The western basin is , and the eastern basin is . The average depth of both ponds...
s near the center of town. The two Monponsett Ponds are separated by a narrow strip of land, barely 150 feet (45.7 m) wide in some spots, and this strip of land also accommodates part of MA Route 58
Massachusetts Route 58
Route 58 is a south–north highway in southeastern Massachusetts. For all but its final , the route lies within Plymouth County.-Route description:...
. Part of the town's border with Bridgewater is defined by the Taunton River
Taunton River
The Taunton River , is a river in southeastern Massachusetts in the United States. It arises from the confluence of the Town River and Matfield River, in the town of Bridgewater...
, which also spawns the Winnetuxet River
Winnetuxet River
The Winnetuxet River is a river in southeastern Massachusetts. It flows west from an unnamed pond near Cole Mill in Carver, through Plympton and Halifax, to the Taunton River.-External links:*...
and several other brooks into town. And, on either side of the Monponsett Ponds lie swamps, with Great Cedar Swamp to the west and Peterson Swamp to the east. The town also shares a small conservation area with neighboring Plympton and the larger Burrage Pond Wildlife Management Area
Burrage Pond Wildlife Management Area
Burrage Pond Wildlife Management Area is located in the towns of Hanson, Massachusetts and Halifax, Massachusetts. The area is composed of of open land for public use. Hunting is permitted except on Sundays. BPWMA is made up mainly of swampy lands, old cranberry bogs , and cedar forest...
with Hanson.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 7,500 people, 2,758 households, and 2,054 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 464.5 people per square mile (179.3/km²). There were 2,841 housing units at an average density of 175.9 per square mile (67.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.13% White, 0.31% African American, 0.03% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.48% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.55% of the population.
There were 2,758 households out of which 34.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.5% were non-families. 21.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.18.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.4% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 31.4% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $57,015, and the median income for a family was $65,461. Males had a median income of $47,788 versus $31,200 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $23,738. About 1.8% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.5% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.
Statistically speaking, Halifax is the 204th largest community in the Commonwealth in terms of population, and 186th in terms of population density. Both are below the state average and state median.
Government
Halifax is represented in the Massachusetts House of RepresentativesMassachusetts House of Representatives
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
as a part of the Sixth and Twelfth Plymouth Districts; the Sixth includes Hanson, Pembroke and portions of Duxbury, and the Twelfth includes Kingston, Plympton and portions of Duxbury, Middleborough and Plymouth. The town is represented in the Massachusetts Senate
Massachusetts Senate
The Massachusetts Senate is the upper house of the Massachusetts General Court, the bicameral state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Senate comprises 40 elected members from 40 single-member senatorial districts in the state...
as a part of the Second Plymouth & Bristol district, which includes Brockton, Hanover, Hanson, Whitman and portions of East Bridgewater and Easton. The town is patrolled by the Fourth (Middleborough) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police
Massachusetts State Police
The Massachusetts State Police is an agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Executive Office of Public Safety and Security responsible for criminal law enforcement and traffic vehicle regulation across the state...
.
On the national level, Halifax is a part of Massachusetts's 4th congressional district
Massachusetts's 4th congressional district
Massachusetts's 4th congressional district is mostly in southern Massachusetts and includes the South Coast region. It is represented by Barney Frank, who has served the district since January 1981....
, and is currently represented by Barney Frank
Barney Frank
Barney Frank is the U.S. Representative for . A member of the Democratic Party, he is the former chairman of the House Financial Services Committee and is considered the most prominent gay politician in the United States.Born and raised in New Jersey, Frank graduated from Harvard College and...
. The state's senior (Class II) member of the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, re-elected in 2008, is John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
. The junior (Class I) senator, elected in 2010, is Scott Brown
Scott Brown
Scott Brown is a United States senator.Scott Brown may also refer to:-Sportsmen:*Scott Brown , American college football coach of Kentucky State...
.
Halifax is governed by the open town meeting
Open town meeting
An open town meeting is a form of town meeting in which all registered voters of a town may vote . This form of government is typical of smaller municipalities in the New England region of the United States....
form of government, led by a board of selectmen
Board of selectmen
The board of selectmen is commonly the executive arm of the government of New England towns in the United States. The board typically consists of three or five members, with or without staggered terms.-History:...
and a town administrator. Halifax has its own police and fire departments, both of which are headquartered near the town center. The town has its own ambulance service, with the nearest hospitals being in Plymouth and Brockton. The town's post office is also located in the town center, as is the Holmes Public Library, which is a member of the Southeastern Area Internet Library System (SAILS) network. The town also operates a beach on West Monponsett Pond, and one boat landing each on the two Monponsett Ponds.
Education
Halifax is a member of the Silver Lake Regional School District, along with Plympton and Kingston. The three towns operate their own elementary schools, with middle school students attending Silver Lake Regional Middle School and high school students attending Silver Lake Regional High SchoolSilver Lake Regional High School
Silver Lake Regional High School is a public, regional high school in Massachusetts' South Shore region. It serves as the secondary school for the Silver Lake Regional School District, comprising the towns of Kingston, Plympton and Halifax, Massachusetts...
, both of which are in Kingston. Halifax Elementary School is located between the library and fire station in the town center, and serves students from kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
through sixth grade. The high school operates its own vocational division, so there is no agreement with any regional vocational schools. Halifax has no private schools; the nearest are in Kingston and Bridgewater.
Transportation
The two major routes through town are Routes 58Massachusetts Route 58
Route 58 is a south–north highway in southeastern Massachusetts. For all but its final , the route lies within Plymouth County.-Route description:...
and 106
Massachusetts Route 106
-Route description:Route 106 begins in Plainville at Route 1A. The route heads east, intersecting U.S. Route 1 and Route 152 in quick succession, with Turnpike Lake between the three routes. As Route 106 passes south of Lake Mirimichi it enters the town of Foxborough...
, which meet just east of the town center and south of the Monponsett Ponds (Route 58, in fact, is the route which crosses the ponds). To the east of East Monponsett Pond, Route 36's
Massachusetts Route 36
-Route description:From its terminus at Route 106 in Halifax, Route 36 abuts the eastern shore of East Monponsett Pond. The highway then crosses the MBTA Commuter Rail at Halifax Station...
southern terminus meets Route 106. Route 105's
Massachusetts Route 105
-Route description:Route 105 begins at U.S. Route 6 in Marion. The highway crosses over I-195 less than a mile into its journey. The highway winds in a westerly direction through Rochester. When the highway enters Long Plain village in Acushnet, the only town in Bristol County on the route, Route...
northern terminus is 1½ miles west of the intersection of Routes 58 and 106, at Route 106.
The Kingston-Route 3 Line of the MBTA's
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, often referred to as the MBTA or simply The T, is the public operator of most bus, subway, commuter rail and ferry systems in the greater Boston, Massachusetts, area. Officially a "body politic and corporate, and a political subdivision" of the...
commuter rail service passes through the northeastern corner of town, with a station
Halifax (MBTA station)
Halifax is a passenger rail station on MBTA Commuter Rail's Plymouth/Kingston Line. It is the station where the line splits for either Plymouth or Kingston, and is the penultimate station of the entire line....
just west of Route 36. The route provides service between nearby Kingston and Plymouth and South Station
South Station (Boston)
South Station, New England's second-largest transportation center , located at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Summer Street in Dewey Square, Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest train station and intercity bus terminal in Greater Boston, a prominent train station in the northeastern...
in Boston. There is no air service in the town, although small seaplane
Seaplane
A seaplane is a fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. Seaplanes that can also take off and land on airfields are a subclass called amphibian aircraft...
s do land on East Monponsett Pond. Cranland Airport
Cranland Airport
Cranland Airport, in Hanson, Massachusetts, is a public airport owned by Cranland Inc. It has one runway, averages 102 flights per week, and has approximately 22 aircraft based on its field...
is a small private air strip in neighboring Hanson. The nearest regional air service is at Plymouth Municipal Airport
Plymouth Municipal Airport (Massachusetts)
Plymouth Municipal Airport is a town-owned, public-use airport located four nautical miles southwest of the central business district of Plymouth, a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States...
, and the nearest national and international air service is at Logan International Airport
Logan International Airport
General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport is located in the East Boston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts . It covers , has six runways, and employs an estimated 16,000 people. It is the 19th busiest airport in the United States.Boston serves as a focus city for JetBlue Airways...
in Boston.
Media
Notable residents
- Joshua CushmanJoshua CushmanJoshua Cushman was a U.S. Representative from Massachusetts and from Maine. Born in Halifax, Massachusetts, Cushman served in the Continental Army from April 1, 1777, until March 1780. He was graduated from Harvard University in 1787, studied theology, was ordained to the ministry and licensed...
, congressman - Alexander ParrisAlexander ParrisAlexander Parris was a prominent American architect-engineer. Beginning as a housewright, he evolved into an architect whose work transitioned from Federal style architecture to the later Greek Revival. Parris taught Ammi B. Young, and was among the group of architects influential in founding what...
, architect - Cyrus Morton, M.D. (1797–1873)