Plymouth, Massachusetts
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|---|---|
| Town Square in 1910
Town Square in 1910
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| Nickname:
America's Hometown
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Location in Massachusetts
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| Country | United States |
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Plymouth County |
| Settled | 1620 |
| Incorporated | 1620 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Representative town meeting |
| Elevation | 50 ft (20 m) |
| Population
(2000)
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| • Total | 51,701 |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (Eastern) |
| ZIP code |
02360
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| Area code | 508 / 774 |
| Website | http://www.plymouth-ma.gov/ |
Plymouth is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the largest municipality in Massachusetts in terms of square miles. The population was 51,701 at the 2000 census. It and Brockton are the county seatsofPlymouth County6. It is named after Plymouth, United Kingdom.
For geographic and demographic information on specific parts of the town of Plymouth, please see the articles on North Plymouth, Plymouth (CDP), and White Island Shores.
Plymouth was the final landing site of the first voyage of the Mayflower, and the location of the original settlement of the Plymouth Colony, established by the English settlers, once known as the SeparatistsorBrownists and now known as "Pilgrims" [1], in 1620. It was the second permanent settlement in British North America, and the capital of the Plymouth Colony until the colony's annexation by the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1691.
Plymouth was a local center of shipbuilding and fishing for centuries. Its principal notable industry was the Plymouth Cordage Company, a major manufacturer of rope and cordage products, founded in 1825. At one point, the longest ropewalk in the world -- a quarter-mile long -- was found on the Cordage Company's site on the North Plymouth waterfront. The Company thrived into the 1960s, when competition from synthetic-fiber ropes forced it out of business. Even though it had good economics (they did trade with the Native Americans), it wasn't enough to keep the business running. The refurbished factory is home to numerous offices, restaurants and stores.
The latitude of Plymouth is 41.958N. The longitude is -70.667W. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 347.0 km² (134.0 mi²). 249.8 km² (96.5 mi²) of it is land, and 97.2 km² (37.5 mi²) of it (28.00%) is water. Plymouth is geologically part of Cape Cod, but the 1914 completion of the Cape Cod Canal separated it from the rest of the Cape's towns. With the largest land area of any municipality in Massachusetts, Plymouth's larger localities include North, West and South Plymouth, Manomet, Cedarville, Buttermilk Bay (accessible only through neighboring towns), and Saquish Neck (accessible only through Duxbury).
Plymouth makes up the entire western shore of Cape Cod Bay. Landwise, it is bordered by Bourne to the southeast, Wareham to the southwest, Carver to the west, and Kingston to the north. The town's border with Bourne also makes up most of the line between Plymouth and Barnstable Counties. Plymouth is located 40 miles south-southeast of Boston (it is almost exactly forty miles from Plymouth Rock to the State House) and equidistantly east of Providence, Rhode Island.
Besides its extensive coastline, Plymouth's other major geographical feature are its vast forests and many small ponds. A major feature of the town is the Myles Standish State Forest, which takes up most of the town's southwestern quadrant. Cachalot Scout Reservation, operated by the Cachalot District of the Narragansett Council of the Boy Scouts of America, lies adjacent to the state forest lands. There is also a town forest, as well as several parks, recreation areas and beaches. Its harbor is guarded by a four mile long, ecologically significant barrier beach while Clark's Island is Plymouth's largest island.
As of the census² of 2000, there were 51,701 people, 18,423 households, and 13,264 families residing in the town; by population it is the second-largest "town" in Massachusetts. The population density was 206.9/km² (536.0/mi²). There are 21,250 housing units, at an average density of 85.1/km² (220.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 94.82% White, 1.91% BlackorAfrican American, 0.25% Native American, 0.57% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.93% from other races, and 1.48% from two or more races. HispanicorLatino of any race were 1.68% of the population.
There are 18,423 households, out of which 36.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.4% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.0% were non-families. 21.7% of all households are made up of individuals, and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.16.
In the town, the population is spread out; with 25.8% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 98.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $54,677, 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 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, Plympton, Sandwich and part of Barnstable.[1] The town is patrolled by the Seventh (Bourne) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police.[2]
On the national level, Plymouth is a part of Massachusetts's 10th congressional district, and is currently represented by Bill Delahunt. The state's senior (Class I) member of the United States Senate, re-elected in 2006, is Ted Kennedy. The junior (Class II) Senator, up for re-election in 2008, is John Kerry.
On the local level, the town uses the representative town meeting form of government, led by a town manager and a board of selectmen. The town has a centralized police department, as well as a large volunteer fire department, with seven firehouses spread around the town. There are also five post offices for the town's three ZIP codes, with two in the downtown area, two in the Manomet section of town, and one near the town forest. The town has a public library, with a branch loacation in Manomet, both of which are a part of the Old Colony Library Network. Additionally, as the seat of Plymouth County, there are also several county facilities located in town, including a farm, jails and the County Courthouse.
Plymouth operates a large school system, with an enrollment over 8,000 students. There is the Mount Pleasant Preschool, eight elementaries (Cold Spring, Federal Furnace, Hedge, Indian Brook, Manomet, Nathanial Morton, South and West Elementaries) which serve students from kindergarten to fourth grade, two middle schools (Plymouth Community Intermediate and Plymouth South Middle) which serve grades 5-8, and two high schools, Plymouth North and Plymouth South. Plymouth North's colors are blue and white, and their nickname is the Eagles. Plymouth South's colors are teal and black, and their nickname is the Panthers. Both play in the Atlantic Coast League, and both share a rivalry with each other. Students wishing to receive a technical education primarily attend Plymouth South, which has a technical center. There is also a charter school in the town, Rising Tide Charter School, which serves middle school-aged children. Two special education schools, the Baird School and the Radius Pediatric School, are located within the town.
The town lies along Route 3, the "Pilgrim Highway," which is the major route between Cape Cod and Boston. Six exits grant access to the town from the highway. The town 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 the center of town. Additionally, Route 80's western terminus is at its intersection with old Route 44.
The town is the final destination along the Kingston/Plymouth line of the MBTA's commuter rail. (Kingston also has its own separate terminus.) However, no other railroad lines pass through the town. The town is also home to the Plymouth Municipal Airport, founded in 1931, which offers service to the Cape and Islands as well as private service.[3] The nearest national and international airport is Logan International Airport in Boston. Additionally, there is a seasonal ferry to Provincetown and several other excursion lines which offer cruises of Cape Cod Bay.
Promoted as America's Hometown, Plymouth is a tourist destination noted for its heritage, which includes Plymouth Rock, the living history village Plimoth Plantation and the nation's oldest public museum, the Pilgrim Hall Museum. The Plymouth Rock Memorial, constructed in 1921, was designed by famed astronomical illustrator Chesley Bonestell, who designed the Chrysler Building gargoyles and contributed to the design of the Golden Gate Bridge. In addition to the Plymouth Rock Memorial, several other monuments were constructed in celebration of Plymouth's tricentennial; these include a statue of Massasoit, William Bradford, and a sarcophagus containing the bones of the 51 Pilgrims who died in the winter of 1620-21, which rests atop Cole's Hill.
At a small pier approximately 300 yards from Plymouth Rock, there is a replica of the original Mayflower ship (Mayflower II. Built in England in 1957 and sailed to America by famous mariner Alan Villiers), it serves as a museum where one can learn about the historic voyage from Plymouth, England. The town also features the National Monument to the Forefathers, dedicated in 1889, which is the tallest free-standing solid granite monument in the United States, standing at 81 feet tall. Other notable historical sites include the Jenney Grist Mill, a working replica of the original mill, which was built in 1636; as well as the Richard Sparrow House, the oldest house still standing in Plymouth, which was built in 1640.
Plymouth is home to numerous beaches, a working port -- from which whale watching, deep sea fishing and harbor excursions sail -- and Myles Standish State Forest, the Commonwealth's second largest state forest and a popular camping destination. Also, Ellisville State Park boasts a natural beach inside Cape Cod Bay. Plymouth also is home to 11 public and private golf courses, which include Squirrel Run, Pine Hills, and Plymouth Country Club.
