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Duxbury, Massachusetts

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103-591: Duxbury (alternative older spelling: "Duxborough") is a historic seaside town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts , United States. A suburb located on the South Shore approximately 35 miles (56 km) to the southeast of Boston , the population was 16,090 at the 2020 census. Geographic and demographic information on the specific parts of the town of Duxbury is available in the articles Duxbury (CDP) , Green Harbor , and South Duxbury . The area now known as Duxbury

206-411: A board of selectmen . The town operates its own police and fire departments, with the police station and central fire station located in the southeast and additional fire station in the northwest parts of town. There are two post offices in town; one is at Hall's Corner (near Goose Point) and the other is at Snug Harbor, along Duxbury Bay just south of Powder Point. The Duxbury Free Library is located in

309-426: A 145% increase in 20 years. Plymouth has surpassed several Massachusetts cities in population, but it is still officially regarded as a town and continues to be governed by a board of selectmen rather than a mayor. Plymouth spans several exits on the town's primary highway Massachusetts Route 3 . Additional access is possible via an extension to U.S. Route 44 . The latitude of Plymouth is 41.95833 and its longitude

412-665: A campus at the northern edge of Plymouth Center in the Citizens Bank building. The campus opened in 1994, and the main campus is located in Milton . While the University of Massachusetts Boston does not have a campus in Plymouth, it offers some courses at another location in Cordage Park. Plymouth is home to Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Plymouth (Jordan Hospital), the largest hospital in

515-551: A country club, an inn and spa hotel, and a shopping village, completed in 2010. It is expected to contain 2,877 homes. Plymouth operates a large school system, with an enrollment of over 8,000 students. The Plymouth School District is one of the largest in the state, operating fourteen schools. This is larger than the Massachusetts average of eight schools. The school district operates 86 school buses under contract with First Student bus company. The schools in Plymouth include

618-628: A former Duxbury Middle School student filed a $ 1 million lawsuit in March 2021 against the Duxbury Public Schools and a former gym teacher and hockey coach, accusing him of repeatedly raping their son in his eighth grade gym class. The school district received a request for information from the United States Center for SafeSport . In March 2021, the High School's Football Coach David Maimaron

721-449: A household in the town was $ 117,124; and the median income for a family was $ 136,245. Males had a median income of $ 77,228 versus $ 41,730 for females. The per capita income for the town was $ 50,242. About 1.2% of families and 2.3% of the population were below the poverty line , including 3.1% of those under age 18 and 3.1% of those age 65 or over. On the national level, Duxbury is a part of Massachusetts's 9th congressional district , and

824-448: A local restaurant and gift shop, but does not have an on-site traffic control tower . Barnstable Municipal Airport , in Hyannis , offers additional scheduled carrier service. The airport offers scheduled flight services to Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, Boston and New York City . It is approximately 30 mi (48 km) from Plymouth. The nearest national and international airport

927-510: A median income of $ 45,535 versus $ 31,389 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 24,789. About 4.90% of families and 6.60% of the population were below the poverty line , including 8.30% of those under age 18 and 7.90% of those age 65 or over. The leading ancestry group in Plymouth County is Irish, with 31%. Plymouth County, along with Norfolk County, Massachusetts , claims the highest percentage of people with Irish ancestry in

1030-790: A northern water boundary with Suffolk County . At the 2000 census there were 472,972 people, 168,361 households, and 122,398 families in the county. The population density was 716 inhabitants per square mile (276/km ). There were 181,524 housing units at an average density of 275 per square mile (106/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 88.70% White , 4.56% Black or African American , 0.21% Native American , 0.92% Asian , 0.02% Pacific Islander , 3.06% from other races, and 2.52% from two or more races. 2.44%. were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 28.0% were of Irish , 12.8% Italian , 10.6% English and 5.1% American ancestry , 90.1% spoke English , 2.5% Spanish , 2.3% Portuguese , 1.5% French Creole and 1.0% French as their first language. Of

1133-648: A public library, with a branch location in Manomet. Both libraries are a part of the Old Colony Library Network , which services 28 libraries throughout the South Shore . Additionally, as a seat of Plymouth County, there are several county facilities located in Plymouth. These include a County farm, the Registry of Deeds, two jails (the Massachusetts Correctional Institution – Plymouth and

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1236-728: A remote section of the town north of Buzzards Bay , but does not have an exit. Finally, the short Plimoth Patuxet Highway allows easy access between Routes 3 and 3A, with an exit that allows direct entry to Plimoth Patuxet 's parking area. The highway is north of Manomet and south of Plymouth Center. Plymouth was one of two termini of the Kingston/Plymouth Old Colony Line of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority 's commuter rail, providing non-peak service to Braintree and as far north as Boston's South Station . The Plymouth MBTA station

1339-568: A reputation as an idyllic summer resort . With the 1871 completion of the Duxbury & Cohasset Railroad, large numbers of city-folk from Boston could pay $ 1.50 for a round-trip ticket and enjoy Duxbury's refreshing environment. Boarding houses sprang up everywhere. The Miles Standish Hotel on the Nook soon became enormously popular. The Myles Standish monument, completed in 1898, was a result of this tourist influx. This pattern continued in Duxbury well into

1442-744: A small island in Plymouth Bay , is the only island in Plymouth. It is off the coast of Saquish Neck and has nine summer houses but no year-round inhabitants. Plymouth has a humid continental climate ( Dfb ) which is the predominant climate for Massachusetts. Due to its location on the Atlantic Ocean, humidity levels can be very high year-round. Plymouth's coastal location causes it to experience warmer temperatures than many inland locations in New England. Summers are typically hot and humid, while winters are cold, windy and often snowy. Plymouth's warmest month

1545-479: A tight community for seven years. At the end of that term in 1627, land along the coast was allotted to settlers for farming . Thus, the coastline from Plymouth to Marshfield , including Duxbury, likely named after Myles Standish's ancestral home of Duxbury Hall in Chorley , was parceled out, and many settlers began moving away from Plymouth. At first, those who settled in Duxbury came to work their new farms just in

1648-515: A top 40 spot. Duxbury operates its own school system for the town's approximately 3,400 students, serving preschool through 12th grade. Chandler School is located near Tree of Knowledge Corner in the west of town and serves students from pre-kindergarten through second grade. The Alden Elementary School, near the John Alden House, serves grades 3–5. Duxbury Middle/ High School is located on Alden Street and serves grades 6–12. Duxbury High School

1751-555: A two-lane freeway also known as the Pilgrims Highway, passes through the town, with exits 20 and 22 granting access to the town from it. Routes 3A , 14 , 53 and 139 also pass through the town. Routes 14 and 139 both end in the town, and Route 53 ends less than 1/2 mile south of the town line, at its intersection with Route 3A in Kingston . There is no rail or air service in town. There are no bicycle paths or bicycle lanes. A few of

1854-456: A year. Plymouth, like other coastal Massachusetts towns, is very vulnerable to Nor'easter weather systems. The town is sometimes vulnerable to Atlantic hurricanes and tropical storms , which infrequently threaten the Cape Cod region during the early autumn months. As of the census of 2010, there were 56,468 people, 21,269 households, and 14,742 families residing in the town; by population it

1957-430: Is Elizabeth Warren . The state's current junior (Class II) Senator is Edward Markey . On the local level, the town was governed by an open town meeting from 1622 until 1954. In 1953, citizens voted to adopt a representative town meeting form of government, led by a town manager and a board of selectmen . The current town manager of Plymouth is Derek Brindisi. Plymouth has a centralized municipal police force,

2060-583: Is July, with an average high temperature of 80.6  °F (27.0  °C ) and an average low of 61.6 °F (16.4 °C). The coldest month is January, with an average high temperature of 38.1 °F (3.4 °C) and an average low of 20.1 °F (−6.6 °C). Much like the rest of the Northeastern seaboard, Plymouth receives ample amounts of precipitation year-round. On average, summer months receive slightly less precipitation than winter months. Plymouth averages about 47.4 inches (120 cm) of rainfall

2163-512: Is a private, independent school located in the southern corner of town and serves Toddlers through grade 8. Good Shepherd Christian Academy is a private, Christian school which serves students from kindergarten through eighth grade. The nearest private high school is Sacred Heart in Kingston [now closed]. The town has no vocational schools. For buses in Duxbury, the local Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority (GATRA) bus passes through

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2266-590: Is a seasonal ferry to Provincetown and several other excursion lines that offer cruises of Plymouth Bay and Cape Cod Bay . The ferry is operated by Capt. John Boats and offers one round trip daily from June to September. The ferry leaves from the State Wharf in Plymouth Center. In addition to the ferry, Plymouth Harbor offers service for harbor excursions, whale watching tours, and deep sea fishing. The Plymouth & Brockton Bus Company (formerly known as

2369-581: Is a town and county seat of Plymouth County, Massachusetts , United States. Located in Greater Boston , the town holds a place of great prominence in American history, folklore, and culture, and is known as "America's Hometown". Plymouth was the site of the colony founded in 1620 by the Mayflower Pilgrims , where New England was first established. It is the oldest municipality in New England and one of

2472-533: Is characterized by low plains, while its western sections are extremely hilly and forested. Plymouth contains several small ponds scattered throughout its western quadrant, the largest being the Great Herring Pond (which is partly in the town of Bourne). A major feature of the town is the Myles Standish State Forest , which is in the southwestern region. Cachalot Scout Reservation , operated by

2575-779: Is currently represented by Bill Keating . The state's senior ( Class II ) member of the United States Senate , elected in 2012, is Elizabeth Warren . The junior ( Class I ) senator is Ed Markey . On the state level, Duxbury is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives as a part of the Sixth Plymouth district; the Sixth includes the Town of Duxbury, and portions of the Towns of Hanson, Halifax, Marshfield, and Pembroke. The town

2678-515: Is devoted to the town's nationally recognized public school system. According to Newsweek magazine's 2005, 2006, and 2007 rankings of the Nation's Top 1200 Public High Schools (the top 5% of public school systems), Duxbury was ranked at 246, 185, and 142 respectively. By 2013, it had fallen off of the Newsweek national rankings and locally, Boston Magazine 's yearly town/school rankings, dropped it out of

2781-421: Is known as Cordage Commerce Center. Plymouth has enjoyed rapid growth and development since the late twentieth century. It became more accessible to Boston in the early 1970s with improved railroads, highways, and bus routes, and the town's inexpensive land costs and low tax rates were factors in attracting thousands of new residents. Its population grew from 18,606 residents in 1970 to 45,608 residents in 1990,

2884-588: Is near Cordage Park in North Plymouth , along Route 3A. (The other terminus is in Kingston , behind the Kingston Collection .) Due to budget concerns as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the station was temporarily closed and service was only accessible at the Kingston station. In 2022, it was announced that the Plymouth station would be permanently closed due to budget constraints and a lack of demand. There

2987-668: Is now the United States . During the Revolutionary War , the Plymouth County militia was led by Colonel Theophilus Cotton of Plymouth. News reached Plymouth of the Battles of Concord and Lexington , and Cotton gathered his soldiers and marched on the town of Marshfield . A small British barracks had been established there on the estate of Nathaniel Ray Thomas, known today as the Daniel Webster Estate . Cotton's forces surrounded

3090-634: Is represented in the Massachusetts Senate as a part of the Plymouth and Norfolk district , which includes the towns of Cohasset, Duxbury, Hingham, Hull, Marshfield, Norwell, Scituate and Weymouth. The town is patrolled by the First (Norwell) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police . Duxbury is governed by the open town meeting form of government, and is led by a town manager and

3193-506: Is the largest municipality in Massachusetts by area, and the largest in southern New England. The population was 61,217 at the 2020 U.S. census. It is one of two seats of Plymouth County, the other being Brockton . Prior to the arrival of the Pilgrims, the location of Plymouth was a village of the Wampanoag tribe called Patuxet . The region was visited twice by European explorers prior to

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3296-547: Is the only hospital in Plymouth. South Shore Hospital operates several offices and physician labs in South Pond . South Shore Hospital, in South Weymouth , is the largest hospital in southeastern Massachusetts. Plymouth lies along the "Pilgrims Highway" portion of Route 3 , which is the major route between Cape Cod and Boston. The town can be accessed from six exits on the highway, which is more than any other municipality along

3399-462: Is the sixth largest cranberry producer in Massachusetts and has oyster beds and other shellfish . The town has many ponds and bogs throughout. The Back River lies along the western edge of Saquish Neck, and has many tributaries from the local rivers, brooks, and marshes. There are several sanctuaries, a conservation area and other forests within the town, especially in the western half. As of

3502-432: Is water. Duxbury is bordered by Cape Cod Bay to the east, Duxbury Bay , Kingston Bay, and Plymouth to the southeast, Kingston to the southwest, Pembroke to the west and northwest, and Marshfield to the north. The town's border with Plymouth is due to the town's having the only land access to Saquish Neck, a thin, hook-shaped strip of land along Duxbury Bay, at the tip of which is Saquish Head in Plymouth. Duxbury

3605-470: Is with God's help that we found this corn, for how else could we have done it, without meeting some Indians who might trouble us. During their earlier exploration of the Cape, the Pilgrims had come upon a Native American burial site that contained corn, and they had taken the corn for future planting. On another occasion, they found an unoccupied house and had taken corn and beans, for which they made restitution with

3708-470: Is −70.66778. According to the United States Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 134.0 sq mi (347 km ), of which 96.5 sq mi (250 km ) is land, and 37.5 sq mi (97 km ) (28%) is water. With the largest land area of any municipality in Massachusetts , Plymouth consists of several neighborhoods and geographical sections . Larger localities in

3811-621: The Church of England , believing that the Church had not completed the work of the Protestant Reformation . Today, these settlers are better known as the " Pilgrims ", a term coined by William Bradford . The Mayflower first anchored in the harbor of Provincetown, Massachusetts on November 11, 1620. The ship was headed for the mouth of the Hudson River (which was in the notional territory of

3914-591: The Colony of Virginia at the time, before the establishment of New Amsterdam ) but it did not go beyond Cape Cod . The Pilgrim settlers realized that they did not have a patent to settle in the region, so they signed the Mayflower Compact prior to disembarking. They explored various parts of Cape Cod and eventually sought a suitable location for a permanent settlement to the westward in Cape Cod Bay . They discovered

4017-666: The Massachusetts Bay Colony . Plymouth County is part of the Boston–Cambridge–Newton, MA–NH Metropolitan Statistical Area . According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 1,093 square miles (2,830 km ), of which 659 square miles (1,710 km ) is land and 434 square miles (1,120 km ) (40%) is water. It is the third-largest county in Massachusetts by total area. The towns of Hingham and Hull in Plymouth County extend north of Norfolk County and face onto Massachusetts Bay , sharing

4120-511: The Minuteman alarm sounded on April 19, 1775, with news of the Battles of Lexington and Concord , many volunteers mustered to the regiment of Colonel Theophilus Cotton from Plymouth , Kingston , and Duxbury, and headed for Marshfield to engage the British. The colonial officers held a council of war at the home of Lt. Col. Briggs Alden in Duxbury. Duxbury's shipbuilding era began immediately after

4223-570: The Old Burying Ground on Chestnut Street, next to the site of the original meetinghouse . Theory has it that the town was named by Myles Standish after the family estate of his childhood in Lancashire . The ancient Standish family in northern England owned much land and large estates, including the two main family headquarters of Standish Hall and Duxbury Manor , in Lancashire, since before

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4326-640: The Plymouth & Brockton Street Railway ; commonly abbreviated as P&B ) offers daily scheduled intercity coach bus service from Plymouth to Boston's Logan International Airport , South Station in Downtown Boston and the Hyannis Transportation Center on Cape Cod with several intermediate stops along the way. P&B buses can be conveniently boarded in the Park-and-Ride Lot at Exit 13 off of Massachusetts State Route 3 adjacent to

4429-627: The Plymouth County Correctional Facility ) and the County Courthouse. Plymouth's major industry is tourism, with healthcare, technical and scientific research, real estate, and telecommunications also being primary industries. The largest employer in the town is Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center . Plymouth has experienced commercial and industrial success, with the downtown area and North Plymouth each becoming commercial centers and an industrial park opening outside of

4532-529: The census of 2010, there were 15,059 people, 5,344 households, and 4,162 families residing in the town. The population density was 632.7 inhabitants per square mile (244.3/km). There were 5,875 housing units at an average density of 246.7 per square mile (95.3/km). The racial makeup of the town was 98.0% White , 0.60% Black or African American , 0.30% Native American , 1.40% Asian , 0.10% Pacific Islander , 0.50% from other races , and 0.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.20% of

4635-407: The 168,361 households 36.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.00% were married couples living together, 11.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.30% were non-families. 22.20% of households were one person and 9.00% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.23. The age distribution was 26.80% under

4738-426: The 1840s, Duxbury boasted about 20 shipyards and produced an average of ten large sailing vessels per year. The largest industry in Duxbury was owned by Ezra Weston, who came to be known as "King Caesar" due to his success and influence. Weston began building small vessels in 1764 and soon became famous for his successful merchant fleet. His son, Ezra Weston II , who inherited his father's kingly sobriquet, would bring

4841-405: The 1850s. Duxbury Bay was too shallow to build the deep-draft clippers and steamships dominating oceanic trade and railroads were competing for the coastal trade. While other Massachusetts towns grew, Duxbury went into a long economic decline. There was, however, a silver lining. By the 1870s, Duxbury's rural character and unspoiled bay began to attract summer visitors. Duxbury soon gained

4944-591: The 18th century was interrupted only by the Revolutionary War . In the years leading up to the Revolutionary War, opposition to the British was quite fierce in Duxbury, with crowds meeting regularly at Captain's Hill to burn effigies of British officials in protest of the Stamp Act . In 1775, General Thomas Gage dispatched a company of regulars to the town in response to pleas from the loyalists at Marshfield . When

5047-478: The 19th century, the town thrived as a center of rope making, fishing, and shipping, and was home to the Plymouth Cordage Company , formerly the world's largest rope making company. It continues to be an active port, but today its major industry is tourism. The town is served by Plymouth Municipal Airport and contains Pilgrim Hall Museum , the oldest continually operating museum in the United States. It

5150-408: The 20th century. It was not until the construction of Route 3 that transportation to Boston became expedient and the town's population rose further with the arrival of thousands of year-round residents. According to the United States Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 37.6 square miles (97 km), of which 23.8 square miles (62 km) is land and 13.9 square miles (36 km) (36.87%)

5253-474: The Atlantic Coast League, and the two schools share a rivalry with each other. Students who decide to receive a technical education have the option of attending either Plymouth South Technical School or Plymouth North which now offers Technical studies in either Engineering or Facilities management . There were also 120 home educated children in Plymouth as of 2011. There is also a charter school in

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5356-470: The British troops, but Cotton determined not to fire, allowing the British to escape by water down the Green Harbor River and back to the security of the British forces occupying Boston . In the 1800s, Plymouth remained a relatively isolated seacoast town whose livelihood depended on fishing and shipping. The town eventually became a regional center of shipbuilding and fishing. Its principal industry

5459-616: The Cachalot District of the Narragansett Council of the Boy Scouts of America , lies adjacent to the state forest lands. There is also a smaller town forest, as well as several parks, recreation areas and beaches. Plymouth has nine public beaches, the largest being Plymouth Beach . Plymouth Beach guards Plymouth Harbor and consists mostly of a three-mile (5 km) long, ecologically significant barrier beach . Clark's Island ,

5562-608: The Information Center behind the McDonald's rest stop. The Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority (GATRA) provides local public transportation service on four separate bus routes within the Plymouth Area Link (PAL) service district. The Mayflower Link Route serves various points within the town and offers a direct connection with P&B bus service at the same Exit 13 Park-and-Ride facility. The Freedom Link and

5665-647: The Liberty Link both originate from Plymouth Center and serves several shopping destinations in Plymouth and neighboring Kingston. A deviated route is provided by GATRA along the town's coastal shoreline between the neighborhoods of Manomet and Cedarville in the southeastern section of Plymouth. The town is home to the Plymouth Municipal Airport , which lies on the border between Plymouth and Carver . Founded in 1931, it offers scheduled service to Nantucket , as well as private service. The airport features

5768-528: The Middle Ages. Myles Standish's will delineates his inheritance rights to very particular lands near and around Standish and mostly Duxbury Manor, stating his descent from both lines of the Standish family; and so it has been suggested that he named the new town in Massachusetts after the estate where he grew up. Duxbury was primarily a farming community throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. Its quiet history in

5871-443: The Mount Pleasant Preschool, eight elementary schools (Cold Spring, Federal Furnace, Hedge, Indian Brook, Manomet, Nathanial Morton, South and West Elementaries) which generally serve students from kindergarten to fifth grade, two middle schools that serve grades 5–8, Plymouth Community Intermediate School (PCIS) and Plymouth South Middle School, and two high schools , Plymouth North and Plymouth South . Both high schools play in

5974-430: The Pilgrims Highway. Plymouth is also the eastern terminus of U.S. Route 44 . The route has changed recently, as a new divided highway section has linked it to Route 3, before heading south and exiting at its old location before terminating at Route 3A , which more closely follows the shoreline and passes through Plymouth Center. Route 80 's western terminus is at its intersection with old Route 44. Route 25 goes through

6077-434: The Plymouth Police Department. The town also has a professional fire department, with seven firehouses spread around the town. There are also six post offices for the town's five ZIP codes , with one in the downtown area, one in North Plymouth , one in Manomet , one in White Horse Beach , one near the Plymouth County Jail, and one near the town forest in "The Village Green" shopping area of The Pinehills . The town has

6180-534: The United States. At the 2010 census , there were 494,919 people, 181,126 households, and 127,925 families in the county. The population density was 750.9 inhabitants per square mile (289.9/km ). There were 200,161 housing units at an average density of 303.7 per square mile (117.3/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 85.5% white, 7.2% black or African American, 1.2% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 3.2% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 3.2% of

6283-421: The age of 18, 7.20% from 18 to 24, 30.40% from 25 to 44, 23.90% from 45 to 64, and 11.80% 65 or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.30 males. The median household income was $ 55,615 and the median family income was $ 65,554 (these figures had risen to $ 70,335 and $ 82,560 respectively as of a 2007 estimate ). Males had

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6386-475: The average family size was 3.04. In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.3% under the age of 20, 10.7% from 20 to 29, 28.8% from 30 to 49, 22.2% from 50 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.4 years. The median income for a household in the town was $ 54,677 as of the 2000 census, and the median income for a family was $ 63,266. Males had a median income of $ 44,983 versus $ 31,565 for females. The per capita income for

6489-420: The average family size was 3.23. In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.6% under the age of 15; 7.6% from 15 to 19; 5.3% from 20 to 29; 7.0% from 30 to 39; 17.5% from 40 to 49; 23.7% from 50 to 64 and 16.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.5 males. The median income for

6592-432: The capital of Plymouth Colony (which consisted of modern-day Barnstable , Bristol , and Plymouth counties) from its founding in 1620 until 1691, when the colony was merged with the Massachusetts Bay Colony and other territories to form the Province of Massachusetts Bay . Plymouth holds the distinction of being the first permanent European settlement in New England, and one of the oldest European settlements in what

6695-432: The chain was sold to GateHouse Media in 2006. The flagship of the group was the Old Colony Memorial , the oldest continually published weekly newspaper in New England, first published in 1822. 41°59′N 70°44′W  /  41.99°N 70.74°W  / 41.99; -70.74 Plymouth, Massachusetts Plymouth ( / ˈ p l ɪ m ə θ / ; historically also spelled as Plimouth and Plimoth )

6798-400: The closest a Republican has come to winning a county in Massachusetts since 1988. However, it has become more Democratic afterwards, and in 2020 , Joe Biden carried the county by 17 points, the largest margin of victory for a Democrat since 1996 . The seal was adopted by the Plymouth County Commissioners on March 31, 1931, under the authority of the General Laws, Chapter 34, Section 14, and

6901-407: The colonists how to farm corn, where and how to catch fish, and other helpful skills for the New World. He also was instrumental in the survival of the settlement for the first two years. Squanto and Hobomok , another guide sent by Massasoit in 1621, helped the colonists set up trading posts for furs. Chief Massasoit later formed a Peace Treaty with the Pilgrims. Upon growing a plentiful harvest in

7004-470: The end of the Revolutionary War with the Treaty of Paris . The new nation was granted fishing rights on the Grand Banks , and several families took advantage of the new opportunity and began to build large fishing schooners . The schooners built in the 1790s gave way to larger brigs and eventually three-masted ships . As several merchant families began to amass large fleets, shipyards and other ancillary industries flourished and Duxbury prospered. By

7107-401: The establishment of Plymouth Colony. In 1605, French explorer Samuel de Champlain sailed to Plymouth Harbor , calling it Port St. Louis. Captain John Smith was a leader of the colony at Jamestown, Virginia , and he explored parts of Cape Cod Bay and is credited with naming the region "New Plimouth." Two plagues afflicted coastal New England in 1614 and 1617, killing between 90% and 95% of

7210-421: The fall of 1621, the Pilgrims gathered with Squanto, Samoset, Massasoit, and ninety other Wampanoag men in a celebration of thanksgiving to God for their plentiful harvest. This celebration is known today as the First Thanksgiving . It is commemorated annually in downtown Plymouth with a parade and a reenactment. Since 1941, the United States has observed Thanksgiving as a federal holiday . Plymouth served as

7313-579: The heart of town, next to the John Alden House , and is a member of the Old Colony Library Network. The town also has a highway department, located behind the Town Hall, and a harbormaster, whose office is located next to the Duxbury Yacht Club near Snug Harbor. Duxbury is located within ten miles (16 km) of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station , and as such has a well-organized emergency management agency. The nearest hospitals are Jordan Hospital in Plymouth , South Shore Hospital in Weymouth , and Brockton Hospital. Over $ 26 million of Duxbury's annual budget

7416-506: The industry to its height. Lloyd's of London recognized Weston as the owner of the largest fleet in America , and this judgment was confirmed by Daniel Webster in a speech in 1841. His empire, a fore-runner of vertical integration , dominated the town. The King Caesar House is now a museum owned by the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society . By 1837 there were nearly 40 shipyards along

7519-401: The late 19th to the mid 20th centuries, Plymouth County was a Republican Party stronghold in presidential elections. From 1876 to 1988, only three Democrats carried the county: Lyndon Johnson , Hubert Humphrey , and Jimmy Carter . Since 1992, however, it has become solidly Democratic, though less so relative to other counties in the state. In 2012 , Mitt Romney lost the county by 4.2 points,

7622-538: The line between Plymouth and Barnstable counties. The town is located roughly 44 miles (71 km) southeast of Boston (it is almost exactly 40 miles (64 km) from Plymouth Rock to the Massachusetts State House ) and equidistantly east of Providence , Rhode Island . Located in the Plymouth Pinelands , the town of Plymouth has many distinct geographical features. The town's Atlantic coast

7725-759: The list are reflective if the census designated locations and villages were included as cities or towns. Data is from the 2007–2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Plymouth County is governed by three County Commissioners: Chairman Jared L. Valanzola ( R - Plymouth ) , Commissioner Sandra M. Wright ( R - Bridgewater ), and Commissioner Gregory M. Hanley ( D - Abington ) Other county elected officials include Sheriff Joseph D. McDonald, jr. ( R - Kingston ), District Attorney Timothy Cruz ( R - Marshfield ), Treasurer Thomas J. O'Brien ( D - Plymouth ), Register of Deeds John R. Buckley, jr. ( D - Scituate ), Register of Probate Matthew McDonough ( D - Marshfield ), and Clerk of Courts Robert Creedon ( D - Brockton ) From

7828-571: The local Wampanoag inhabitants. The near destruction of the tribe from disease resulted in their cornfields and cleared areas being vacant for the Pilgrims to occupy. Plymouth played a very important role in American colonial history. It was the final landing site of the first voyage of the Mayflower and the location of the original settlement of Plymouth Colony . Plymouth was established in December 1620 by separatist Puritans who had broken away from

7931-470: The military leader of the colony, lived in "the Nook," an area now known as Standish Shore. Elder William Brewster was for many years the religious leader of the colony, in which he led services to the colony until it received its own minister in 1637. John Alden was another important settler. His house, now a museum on Alden Street, was the site of many important meetings of the colony's leaders. The graves of some of Duxbury's first settlers can be found in

8034-464: The most notable being the risk of starvation and the lack of suitable shelter. From the beginning, the colonists depended on the assistance of Native Americans. One colonist's journal reports: We marched to the place we called Cornhill, where we had found the corn before. At another place we had seen before, we dug and found some more corn, two or three baskets full, and a bag of beans. ... In all we had about ten bushels, which will be enough for seed. It

8137-517: The occupants about six months later. Even greater assistance came from Samoset and Tisquantum (known as Squanto by the Pilgrims), a Native American sent by Wampanoag Chief Massasoit as an ambassador and technical adviser. Squanto had been kidnapped in 1614 by a colonist and sold into slavery in Málaga , Spain . With the help of another colonist, he escaped slavery, and returned home in 1619. He taught

8240-531: The oldest in the United States. The town has served as the location of several prominent events, one of the more notable being the First Thanksgiving feast . Plymouth served as the capital of Plymouth Colony from its founding in 1620 until the colony's merger with the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1691. The English explorer John Smith named the area Plymouth (after the city in South West England) and

8343-411: The population. There were 21,269 households, out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.6% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.7% were non-families. 23.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and

8446-404: The population. There were 5,344 households, of which 38.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.1% were married couples living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.1% were non-families. 19.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and

8549-445: The population. In terms of ancestry, 33.7% were Irish , 15.8% were Italian , 15.3% were English , 7.3% were German , and 3.7% were American . Of the 181,126 households, 35.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.6% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.4% were non-families, and 23.8% of households were made up of individuals. The average household size

8652-464: The region 'New England' during his voyage of 1614 (the accompanying map was published in 1616). It was a later coincidence that, after an aborted attempt to make the 1620 trans-Atlantic crossing from Southampton, the Mayflower finally set sail for America from Plymouth , England. Plymouth is located approximately 40 miles (64 km) south of Boston in a region known as the South Shore . Throughout

8755-475: The roads in the town have sidewalks. Plymouth County, Massachusetts Plymouth County is a county in the U.S. state of Massachusetts , south of Boston . As of the 2020 census , the population was 530,819. Its county seats are Plymouth and Brockton . In 1685, the county was created by the Plymouth General Court , the legislature of Plymouth Colony , predating its annexation by

8858-498: The sheltered waters of Plymouth Harbor on December 17. From the protected bay they found a site for the new settlement after three days of surveying. The settlers officially disembarked on December 21, 1620. It is traditionally said that the Pilgrims first set foot in America at the site of Plymouth Rock , though no historical evidence exists in support of this claim. The Plymouth colony faced many difficulties during its first winter,

8961-512: The southern region of the South Shore. It is the only major healthcare provider in the town. The hospital is a community medical center serving twelve towns in Plymouth and Barnstable counties. It consists of more than 30 departments, with 150 patient beds. The hospital also offers a rehabilitation center in The Pinehills region. While Beth Israel Deaconess – Plymouth Hospital (Jordan Hospital)

9064-451: The state level, primary but shared patrolling responsibility of the town's limited access highways falls upon the Seventh (Bourne) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police . On the national level, Plymouth is a part of Massachusetts's 9th congressional district , and is currently represented by William R. Keating . The state's senior (Class I) member of the United States Senate

9167-415: The town center. Colony Place was completed in late 2007, located near the industrial park. It consists of several large retail stores and various chain restaurants, and it contains one of the largest designer outlet malls on the South Shore. Plymouth has also recently seen the development of several residential projects, among them The Pinehills , which consists of 1,000 residential units, two golf courses,

9270-445: The town include Plymouth Center , North , West and South Plymouth , Manomet , Cedarville , and Saquish Neck . Plymouth makes up the entire western shore of Cape Cod Bay . It is bordered on land by Bourne to the southeast, Wareham to the southwest, Carver to the west, and Kingston to the north. It also shares a small border with Duxbury at the land entrance of Saquish Neck. Plymouth's border with Bourne makes up most of

9373-527: The town of Marshfield . The Brockton Enterprise is the only daily newspaper published in the county, although the Quincy Patriot Ledger has extensive coverage of the South Shore of Massachusetts generally and Plymouth County in particular. There are numerous weekly newspapers published in the county, including: Many were operated by the Memorial Press Group , based in Plymouth, until

9476-740: The town on the SAIL line (Seaside Area Inter-town Link) and it stops at Halls Corner shopping district ( South Duxbury ), Island Creek, Millbrook Motors (Cox Corner), and the Duxbury Free Library (Millbrook). Another Bus Line that goes through Duxbury is the P&;B Line (Plymouth & Brockton) which stops at Millbrook Motors (Cox Corner). The last bus line that goes through Duxbury is the Greyhound Bus Line which runs national service and into Canada , which stops at Millbrook Motors (Cox Corner). Route 3 ,

9579-493: The town was $ 23,732. About 4.4% of families and 5.4% of the population were below the poverty line , including 7.1% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over. Plymouth is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives as a part of the First and Twelfth Plymouth Districts. The town is represented in the Massachusetts Senate as a part of the Plymouth and Barnstable district, which also includes Bourne , Falmouth , Kingston , Pembroke , and Sandwich . On

9682-583: The town, Rising Tide Charter Public School , which serves middle and high school-aged students. Two special education schools, the Baird School and the Radius Pediatric School, are located in the town. The town has two institutions of higher learning. Quincy College has a campus located in Cordage Park. The Plymouth campus opened in 1991, and the college's main campus is in Quincy . Curry College has

9785-520: The warmer months and returned to Plymouth during the winter. It was not long, however, before they began to build homes on their land, and soon requested permission from the colony to be set off as a separate community with their own church. Duxbury, which originally included land that is now Pembroke , was incorporated in 1637. Some of the most influential men in the colony received grants in Duxbury and became its first leaders. Captain Myles Standish ,

9888-499: The west shore of Duxbury Bay between Captains Hill and the mouth of the Bluefish River . These shipyards were supported by a foundry , a sail loft , a ropewalk , and a spar soak where masts were stored in a pool of salt water to prevent warping before they were stepped as ships' masts. Inland farmers provided food for the ships' crews; and a bank handled the shipbuilders' money. Demand for shallow- draft ships declined by

9991-495: Was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.18. The median age was 41.1 years. The median household income was $ 73,131 and the median family income was $ 86,251. Males had a median income of $ 60,303 versus $ 43,837 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 33,333. About 5.0% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line , including 8.3% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over. The ranking of unincorporated communities that are included on

10094-520: Was designed by Frederic T. Bailey of North Scituate who was, at that time and for many years, chairman of the county commissioners. For television, the city is served by the Boston and Providence media markets; no television stations are located within the county. Radio stations located in Plymouth County include: The first radio broadcast in history was made in 1906, from the Brant Rock neighborhood in

10197-540: Was fired, despite an exceptionally strong football record, when it was exposed that the football team was using anti-Semitic language (including terms like "Auschwitz") as "audibles" during game time. As audibles must be known and agreed to by players and coaches, it was assumed that there was staff approval of seriously racially inappropriate language, and the Coach was fired and the team was disciplined. There are two private schools located in Duxbury. Bay Farm Montessori Academy

10300-572: Was inhabited by people as early as 12,000 to 9,000 BCE. By the time European settlers arrived here, the region was inhabited by the Wampanoags , who called this place Mattakeesett, meaning "place of many fish." In 1620, English settlers known as the Pilgrims established their colony in nearby Plymouth . Per the terms of their contract with financial backers in London , they were required to live together in

10403-566: Was rebuilt into a combined building along with Duxbury Middle School, called the 21st Learning experience. Duxbury's athletic teams are known as the Dragons, and their colors are green and white. Their chief rival is Marshfield High School , team mascot the Rams, and they play against them in the Thanksgiving Day Tournament. It is a local event whose rivalry goes back 30 years. The parents of

10506-564: Was the Plymouth Cordage Company , founded in 1824, which became the world's largest manufacturer of rope and cordage products. At one point, the longest ropewalk in the world was found on the Cordage Company's site on the North Plymouth waterfront, a quarter-mile (0.4 km) in length. The company thrived into the 1960s, but was forced out of business in 1964 due to competition from synthetic-fiber ropes. The factory has been renovated for use as numerous offices, restaurants, and stores, and

10609-513: Was the largest town in Massachusetts. It was also the 21st–largest municipality in the state. The population density was 536.0 inhabitants per square mile (207.0/km ). There were 21,250 housing units, at an average density of 85.1/km (220/sq mi). The racial makeup of the town was 94% White , 1.8% Black or African American , 0.3% Native American , 0.7% Asian , <0.1% Pacific Islander , 0.9% from other races , and 1.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2% of

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