Ponkapoag / ˈ p ɒ ŋ k ə p ɔː ɡ / , also Punkapaug , Punkapoag , Ponkhapoag or Punkapog , is the name of a Native American " praying town " settled in the late 17th century western Blue Hills area of eastern Massachusetts by persons who had accepted Christianity. It was established in 1657, during the colonization of the Atlantic seaboard of the United States by settlers from Britain . This was the name given to the winter residence (and subsequently to the tribe) of the group of Massachusett who lived at the mouth of the Neponset River near Dorchester in the summer, in what colonists called Neponset Mill .
47-397: Ponkapoag is now contained almost entirely by the town of Canton, Massachusetts . The name is derived from a nearby pond 1 mile (1.6 km) south of Great Blue Hill ; Ponkapoag means "shallow pond" or "a spring that bubbles from red soil". Ponkapoag Plantation was established in 1657 as a 6,000-acre (2,400 ha) town parcel formed from Dorchester , Massachusetts Bay Colony . It was
94-866: A European-American fraternal order , had a "Ponkapaug tribe" active in West Roxbury , Boston, Massachusetts , into the early 20th century. Several unrecognized tribes claim descent from the Ponkaoag, including the Praying Indians of Natick and Ponkapoag in Stoughton, the Massachusett Tribe at Ponkapoag in Bridgewater and Holliston, and the Ponkapoag Tribal Council in Brockton. This article relating to
141-541: A beltway that skirts Boston to the west, continues circling Boston until it is north of the city, then goes north through New Hampshire and ends in Maine. South of Canton, it leads to Providence, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York City, Washington, D.C. and ultimately to Miami, Florida. Route 138 has a cloverleaf interchange with Route 93 in Canton near Great Blue Hill . From Canton, it goes north into Milton, then enters Boston in
188-465: A campus in Canton. Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech , formerly Clarke School for the Deaf, operates a satellite school, "Clarke Boston", in Canton for children who are diagnosed with deafness at an early age and then are mainstreamed to a public school. Clarke is the oldest school for the deaf in the country that teaches children to lip-read and speak orally, rather than use sign language; its main campus
235-473: A female householder with no husband present, and 30.2% were non-families. Of all households, 25.4% were made up of individuals, and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.12. In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.6% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age
282-574: A naval facility on Deer Island, but nothing regarding prisoners or pardoning of sentences. Two separate entities existed on Deer Island for naval facilities and correctional facilities: Fort Dawes and the House of Correction. Goldberger's final report mentions two experiments on Deer Island at different times (November to December 1918 and February to March 1919), as well as a third in San Francisco (November to December 1918). The first sewage-treatment plant
329-653: A precursor to modern day Indian reservations . The modern town of Canton was the site of Ponkapoag , the second Praying Town in the Massachusetts Bay Colony , which was set off from Dorchester in 1657, three years after English colonists resettled a group of Nemasket there from Cohannet, modern day Taunton . The so-called Praying Indians that settled in Ponkapoag are known today as the Massachusett Tribe at Ponkapoag . In 1674, King Philip's War led to significant depopulation of Ponkapoag, which found itself on
376-783: A runaway box car crashed into a MBTA train at Canton Junction station injuring 150 people on board. Another line branches into Stoughton , stopping at Canton Center . Bus service is available to Mattapan Station in the MBTA system. Canton once had an airfield, but it closed down in 1970. Norwood Memorial Airport is the closest airport to Canton. For scheduled air service, residents go to Boston's Logan International Airport or to T. F. Green Airport in Rhode Island. A German American Partnership high school exchange program has been operated between Canton and Bocholt, Germany since 1977. Deer Island (Massachusetts) Deer Island
423-406: A set of tests. None of the volunteers fell sick, but the ward doctor contracted the disease and died. The prisoners possibly became immunized due to exposure to the virus during the weeks preceding the trial, experiencing few symptoms or none at all. The doctor in charge of the experiment, Joseph Goldberger , published a report on the experiment in 1921. His report mentions the volunteers coming from
470-530: A wealthy merchant and creator of the pot-belly stove. Canton is the headquarters of Dunkin' Donuts and is the headquarters of Computershare (North American HQ), Organogenesis, Inc. , Boston Mutual Life Insurance Company, Interpolymer Corporation , Casual Male Retail Group , and formerly, Tweeter . It is also home to the Massachusetts Division headquarters of the Salvation Army . According to
517-519: Is a peninsula in Boston , Massachusetts . Since 1996, it has been part of the Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park . Although still an island by name, Deer Island has been connected to the mainland since the former Shirley Gut channel, which once separated the island from the town of Winthrop , was filled in by the 1938 New England hurricane . Today, Deer Island is the location of
SECTION 10
#1732848959792564-502: Is located 80 miles to the west in Northampton . The Judge Rotenberg Educational Center is housed in Canton as well. Canton has the open town meeting form of government. Annually each spring, and as necessary, the voters gather to discuss matters such as zoning, schools, public works, recreational facilities, the budget, taxes and bond issues. Property taxes on residential and other land, buildings and improvements, and transfers from
611-615: Is located within the bounds of modern day Canton at Signal Hill . At the time of the Puritan migration to New England in the early 1600s, Canton was seasonally inhabited by the Neponset band of Massachusett under the leadership of sachem Chickatawbut . From the 1630s to the 1670s, increasing encroachment by year-round English settlers on lands traditionally inhabited only part of the year, devastating virgin soil epidemics , and English colonial policy pushed native people in to Praying Towns ,
658-460: Is too well known to require any description. It was leased at one time to Sir Thomas Temple, who was a descendant of Lady Godiva of Coventry fame, a rather curious relation to history for one of our islands to bear. During King Philip's War, Massachusetts confined many Christian Indians in this bleak spot, and John Eliot often visited and comforted them. It is owned by Boston, the State of Massachusetts, and
705-506: The Deer Island Wastewater Treatment Plant , whose 150-foot-tall (46 m) egg-like sludge digesters are major harbor landmarks. The island's permanent size is 185 acres (0.75 km ), plus an intertidal zone of a further 80 acres (320,000 m ). Two-thirds of the island's area is taken up with the wastewater plant, which treats sewage from 43 nearby cities and towns, and is the second-largest such plant in
752-653: The Indigenous peoples of North America is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Canton, Massachusetts Canton is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts , United States. The population was 24,370 at the 2020 census . Canton is part of Greater Boston , about 15 miles (24 kilometers) southwest of Downtown Boston . The area that is present-day Canton was inhabited for thousands of years prior to European colonization . The Paleo-Indian site Wamsutta, radiocarbon dated to 12,140 years before present,
799-536: The Mattapan section. South of Canton, it travels to Stoughton, continuing into Rhode Island , through Newport and ending in southwestern RI. Route 24 is a divided, limited-access highway that originates at Route 93 in Randolph, just east of Canton. From there, it goes south through the easternmost corner of Canton, running roughly parallel to Route 138 as far as Portsmouth, Rhode Island . MBTA commuter rail trains on
846-661: The Providence/Stoughton Line pass through Canton. Some stop at Canton Junction . This line crosses the Neponset River on the Canton Viaduct , a prominent local landmark. Route 128 Station in neighboring Westwood also carries many Canton commuters into Boston. Amtrak trains (including the Acela Express high-speed trains) also stop at Route 128, but pass through Canton without stopping. Of note, on March 25, 2008,
893-557: The poverty line , including 4.7% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those age 65 or over. The town of Canton has three public elementary schools: the John F. Kennedy School, Lt. Peter M. Hansen School, and Dean S. Luce School. The area in which one lives determines which elementary school one's children attend. Canton has one public middle school, the William H. Galvin Middle School, where all of
940-484: The Boston harbor islands. In June 2015, the body of an unknown toddler girl , later identified as Bella Bond , was found on the island. Due to the state of decomposition, investigators were not immediately able to determine the age, sex, or ethnicity of the body. "Deer Island was so called because deer often swam over from the mainland when chased by the wolves from Boston Neck. It was granted to Boston in 1634, and its use
987-523: The Karen Read case involving the 2022 killing of John O'Keefe , an officer in the Boston Police Department . The vote was passed by a 903–800 margin during a Special Town Meeting held on November 20, 2023. Interstates 93 , 95 , US Route 1 and Massachusetts Route 128 diverge in Canton. I-93 goes east, then north into Boston, from which it continues north into New Hampshire. I-95 is locally
SECTION 20
#17328489597921034-532: The Massachusetts Hospital School, is in Canton. In addition, the Marilyn G. Rodman Educational and Administrative Center is located next to Canton High School, housing administrative buildings as well as a preschool. The Blue Hills Regional Technical School and the Canton campus of Massasoit Community College are located within the town as well. Additionally, Porter and Chester Institute also has
1081-598: The Select Board and oversees all town services and responsibilities controlled by the board. They act as the key liaison between elected officials, municipal departments, and the community. The current Town Administrator is Charles E. Doody. The Planning Board approves new town subdivisions, reviews site plans for commercial development, oversees the towns scenic ways, drafts and approves a town wide master plan, and statutorily provides recommendations to Town Meeting regarding zoning and development. The Finance Committee studies
1128-616: The South Bay House of Correction. The Deer Island prison is mentioned in Sylvia Plath 's poem "Point Shirley" and her novel The Bell Jar . In his book A Short History of Nearly Everything , Bill Bryson mentions an experiment done at the naval prison on Deer Island. Following the August 1918 flu pandemic , in an attempt to develop a vaccine, 62 volunteers were selected from 300 prisoners. These men were promised pardons if they survived
1175-684: The Town of Canton is protected by the Canton Fire Department and Canton Police Department. The Norfolk District Attorney, Michael W. Morrissey and the Norfolk State Police Detective Unit are located in Canton. There are two fire stations in Canton: Headquarters Station 1 and Ponkapoag Station 2. The Canton Police Department was officially formed in 1875, with four men working limited part-time hours. In 1900,
1222-457: The United States. The remainder of the island is park land surrounding the treatment plant. The area offers walking, jogging, sightseeing, picnicking and fishing activities. During King Philip's War , the island was used as an internment camp for hundreds of indigenous people, and many died. Today, Native Americans commemorate the loss by returning to Deer Island on an annual basis. It
1269-716: The fault lines of one of the bloodiest conflicts in North American history, and in October 1675 those Praying Indians that remained were forcibly removed to Deer Island by order of the Massachusetts General Court . After the war, in part because of the loss of life and the fleeing of native refugees north to join the Wabanaki Confederacy , the General Court disbanded 10 of the original 14 towns in 1677 and placed
1316-586: The financial affairs of the town, advises and makes recommendations to the Town Meeting on the budget and other areas with fiscal implications and serves as the fiscal watchdog for the voters. Canton maintains an Executive Office, responsible for maintenance and implementation of all policies and procedures, updating the administrative code and all legal, personal and town wide planning matters. The Executive Office consists of: Town Administrator, Human Resources, Town Counsel and Town Planner. For public safety needs,
1363-440: The first Chief of Police was appointed and served in the role for 11 years. A motorcycle officer was added in 1928. In 1978, Elizabeth A. Galvin became the town's first female police officer. In May 2004, a new police station was opened in the former Eliott School building on Washington Street. The original reconstruction project cost $ 5.9M to renovate the 150-year-old building and then required additional repairs shortly after
1410-543: The grand opening, when the floor began to buckle due to weight. In June 2022, Helena Rafferty, was sworn in as the town's 14th Chief of Police and first female Chief of Police. Rafferty previously served as the Deputy under retiring Chief Ken Berkowitz, who had been in the role since 2005. In November 2023, residents voted for an independent audit of the Canton Police Department due to the ongoing investigation into
1457-412: The island, which is reachable by car, bus, or sea. A public boat dock is at the southwest corner of the island. Trails also climb escarpments on the island, including the highest one near the water tower. This vantage point offers views of the city, ocean, and Logan International Airport and is a popular spot for planespotting . The southern tip of the island offers some of the best views from land of
Ponkapoag - Misplaced Pages Continue
1504-456: The middle of the 19th century, the island was the landing point for thousands of refugees from the Great Famine of Ireland , many sick and poverty-stricken. In 1847, a hospital was established to treat incoming immigrants, and during the following two years, about 4,800 men, women, and children were admitted. Many recovered and went on to new lives, but more than 800 died. In 1850, an almshouse
1551-425: The remaining four, including Ponkapoag, under the supervision of colonists. Over the next 100 years, while Ponkapoag remained an official entity, the loss of self-determination and privatization of collective lands led to the gradual intermixing of native and settler populations in the area. In 1726, Stoughton, Massachusetts , split from the large original territory of Dorchester; then on February 23, 1797, Canton
1598-678: The second Christianized native settlement, or "Praying Town" in Massachusetts, after Natick was established in 1651. In 1654 members of the Nemasket Tribe, located in the village of Cohannet in current day Bristol County, were among the first Native Americans relocated to Ponkapoag by missionaries. From 1657 to his death around 1670, Quashaamit (William) served as a teaching minister in Ponkapoag, and also deeded large parcels of land in modern day Mendon , Milford , Braintree (Quincy), and North Smithfield . The Improved Order of Red Men ,
1645-490: The state government, are two important sources of revenue for the town. The Select Board oversees the day-to-day operations of the town government. There are five positions on the Canton Select Board currently filled by John J. Connolly (Vice-Chair), Michael C. Loughran (Clerk), Patricia M. Boyden (Member), Christopher M. Albert (Member), and John R. McCourt (Member). The Town Administrator follows rules set by
1692-527: The three elementary schools combine. It provides grades 6–8 and is located next to the Lt. Peter M. Hansen Elementary School. Canton also has a public high school, Canton High School , that provides grades 9–12. There is one private school, St. John the Evangelist, which has been open since 1883 and serves students in grades Preschool–8. In addition, the state's Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children, formerly known as
1739-475: The town was 81.6% White , 6.6% African American , 0.1% Native American , 7.5% Asian , 0.02% Pacific Islander , 0.51% from other races , and 2.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.9% of the population. 79.7% of the population was non-Hispanic white in 2010, down from 98.0% in 1980. There were 7,952 households, out of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.4% were married couples living together, 8.9% had
1786-471: The town's 2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the top employers in the city are: According to the United States Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 19.6 square miles (51 km ), of which 18.9 square miles (49 km ) is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km ) (3.27%) is water. Canton lies at the foot of Great Blue Hill . The Canton River flows through the center of
1833-486: The town, linking a chain of small lakes including Bolivar and Forge Ponds and flowing into the Neponset River . The Neponset River forms the boundary between Canton and its western neighbors: Norwood , Westwood , and Dedham . In addition to wooded land, the area includes wetlands, particularly in the eastern part along Route 138 near the Randolph and Stoughton borders, and in the western part along I-95. Canton borders
1880-501: The towns of Dedham , Milton , Norwood , Randolph , Sharon , Stoughton , Westwood and the Hyde Park neighborhood in the city of Boston . As of the 2010 census, there were 21,561 people, 7,952 households, and 5,550 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,097.3 inhabitants per square mile (423.7/km ). There were 8,163 housing units at an average density of 431.1 per square mile (166.4/km ). The racial makeup of
1927-401: The winter of 1675-1676.Women and children made up the majority of those interned on the island, as colonists pressured many men from these praying communities to join an English proxy militia and attack other local indigenous tribes. With little food and inadequate shelter, about half of them died. Some, such as the medicine man, Tantamous , escaped Deer Island only to be recaptured later. In
Ponkapoag - Misplaced Pages Continue
1974-410: Was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.2 males. The median income for a household in the town was $ 109,260, and the median income for a family was $ 132,904. Males had a median income of $ 52,216 versus $ 40,755 for females. The per capita income for the town was $ 43,510. About 5.2% of families and 7.2% of the population were below
2021-570: Was built to house paupers . Opened in 1853, it was administered by the City of Boston. Today, a Celtic Cross is erected not far from the old site of the Almshouse, honoring the 850 who died during the Famine Era. In 1896, the almshouse facility became one of the short-term prisons for Suffolk County . The Deer Island House of Correction existed until 1991, when the prisoners were permanently transferred to
2068-474: Was constructed on Deer Island in the late 19th century and expanded in the 1960s. The current plant dates from the 1990s. Deer Island has been connected to the mainland since the New England Hurricane of 1938 . A lighthouse was erected just offshore from the island in 1890; it was replaced by a modern tower in 1984. Deer Island is a popular recreation destination. A hiking/biking trail encircles
2115-454: Was officially incorporated from the territory of Stoughton. The name "Canton" was suggested by Elijah Dunbar and comes from a belief that Canton, China , was antipodal to it. This is not possible, since they are both well north of the Equator; they are, however, about 2 degrees from being antipodal in longitude , ignoring latitude. In addition to being a prominent Canton citizen, Elijah Dunbar
2162-779: Was once leased to Sir Thomas Temple (1614–1674), a British proprietor and governor of Nova Scotia although this descent was debunked by E. A. Freeman in the 19th century. Sir Thomas Temple was also the uncle of John Nelson (1654–1734), a New England trader and statesman, who owned neighboring Long Island in Boston Harbor, which at one time was also known as "Nelson's Island". During King Philip's War (also known as Metacomet 's War) colonists forcefully removed "Praying Indians" who had converted to Christianity from Concord, Marlborough , Grafton, Massachusetts , and Natick and placed them on various harbor islands. Between 500 and 1,100 American Indians were held on Deer Island in
2209-628: Was the first president of the Stoughton Musical Society from 1786 to 1808. Now named the Old Stoughton Music Society, it is the oldest choral society in the United States. Paul Revere built the nation's first copper rolling mill in Canton in 1801. His poem entitled Canton Dale expresses his affection for the town. Canton was the location of the Rising Sun Stove Polish Company, founded by Elijah Morse,
#791208