East Wareham

Wareham was first settled in 1678 by Europeans as part of the towns of Plymouth and Rochester. It was officially incorporated in 1739 and named after the town of Wareham in England. Its early industry revolved around shipbuilding and the related industries. It also served as a resort town, with many smaller resorts scattered around the town, especially in Onset. Its waterways, especially Buttermilk Bay, were considered as possible pathways for the Cape Cod Canal. For years the town was known by its slogan "Gateway to Cape Cod," but in January 2020 adopted a new slogan: "It's Better Before the Bridges" The town is just west of Cape Cod, and is 18 miles (29 km) east of New Bedford, approximately 45 miles (72 km)East of Providence, Rhode Island and 55 miles (89 km) south-southeast of Boston. The town's localities are numerous, the most important being East Wareham, Onset, Point Independence, Wareham Center, and West Wareham.Wareham is the innermost town on the north shore of Buzzards Bay. The Weweantic River empties in the southwest corner of town. Between these rivers and bays lie several points and necks, including Cromesett Point, Swift's Neck, Long Beach Point, Indian Neck, Stony Point, Cedar Island Point, Codman's Point, Sias Point and Whittemore's Point. The southern boundary of Myles Standish State Forest is concurrent with the town line between Wareham and Plymouth. Wareham is home of the Tremont Nail Factory, the oldest nail manufacturer in the United States.

History

East Wareham is the primary city name, but also E Wareham are acceptable city names or spellings. The official name is Wareham, Massachusetts. Wareham was first settled in 1678 by Europeans as part of the towns of Plymouth and Rochester. It was officially incorporated in 1739 and named after the town of Wareham in England. Its waterways, especially Buttermilk Bay, were considered as possible pathways for the Cape Cod Canal. Wareham is home of the Tremont Nail Factory, the oldest nail manufacturer in the U.S. The factory was established in 1819. For years the town was known by its slogan "Gateway to Cape Cod," but in January 2020 adopted a new slogan: "It's Better Before the Bridges" The new slogan aims to draw attention to the appeal of the town as a tourist destination itself, rather than as a conduit to somewhere else. The town is home to a number of smaller resorts, including Onset and Buzzards Bay, as well as the historic town of Plymouth, which was once part of Plymouth County, Massachusetts, and is now part of New Hampshire. The city is also home to the National Museum of American History, which dates back to 17th century. The museum is located in the town's oldest building, which is now called the Plymouth Museum of History and is located on the corner of Main Street and Main Street. It is the oldest museum in the United States, having been opened in 1788. The National Museum's collection of historic photographs includes the first American Civil War-era home of Plymouth. The first American ship to arrive in Plymouth in 1738 was the USS Plymouth, built in 1740.

Geography

Wareham is located on the north shore of Buzzards Bay. The town is just west of Cape Cod, and is 18 miles (29 km) east of New Bedford. There are a number of ponds and lakes in Wareham, including Blackmore Pond, Horseshoe Pond, and Mill Pond. The Wareham River, which is formed at the confluence of the Wankinco and Agawam rivers, flows into the harbor. The southern boundary of Myles Standish State Forest is concurrent with the town line between Wareham and Plymouth. Wareham is approximately 45 miles (72 km) south-southeast of Providence, Rhode Island and 55 miles (89 km) southeast of Boston. It has a total area of 46.3 square miles (120 km²), of which 35.8 sq miles (93 km²) is land and 10.5sq miles (27 km²] is water. It is bordered by Marion to the southwest, Buzzard's Bay to the southeast, Rochester to the west, Middleborough to the northwest, Carver and Plymouth to the north, and Bourne to the east. The Weweantic River empties in the southwest corner of town, with the Sippican River and other brooks emptying into it. It also empties into Onset Bay and Buttermilk Bay, both of which empty into the head of the bay. Between these rivers and bays lie several points and necks, including Cromesett Point, Swift's Neck and Long Beach Point.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 20,335 people, 8,200 households, and 5,338 families residing in the town. The racial makeup of the town as of July 2019 was 85.7% White, 2. 7% African American, Asian 0.6%, 5.1% from two or more races, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino and 0. 6% American Indian. The town's population was spread out, with 24.5% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 28.5%. For every 100 females age 18 and over, There were 86.9 males. The median income for a household in the city was $40,422, and $45,750 for a family. The per capita income for the town was $21,312. Of those under 18 and 13.5 per cent of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line, 10.7 per cent and 8.1 per cent, respectively, were living in poverty. The city's population is expected to grow to 20,000 by the end of the year, and to reach 20,500 by the year 2050. The population is predicted to reach 21,000 in the year 2030, and 22,500 in 2070. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that the town will have a population of 20,200 by the time the year 2070 is over, and 21,500 at the year 2100.

Economy

Wareham is mostly residential, although it still has a strong summer tourism industry. It has retail centers along Routes 6 and 28, including Wareham Crossing, opened in 2007. One of the world's largest cranberry growers, the A.D. Makepeace Company (a founder of the Ocean Spray growers' cooperative), is headquartered in Wareham. The University of Massachusetts Cranberry Research Station is also located in Waream. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Cranberry Marketing Committee is also based in the town. The town's main local road is known as Cranberry Highway (Route 28) and one of the main cranberry Growers' Cooperatives in the world is based in Wareemans. The city has a population of 2,000. It is located on the Massachusetts Turnpike, which runs from Boston to New York City. The turnpike runs through the town, and the town is home to a number of tourist attractions, such as the New England Aquarium and the Massachusetts Museum of Nature and Science, which is located in the city's downtown area. It also has a large cranberry industry, which has dominated the town's economy since the 1800s. It was once the center of the Massachusetts cranberry trade, and is still a major producer of cranberry juice today. Wareamans also have a strong tourism industry, especially in the summer. The area has a reputation for being a good place to vacation. It's also home to the Massachusetts State House, which was built in 1881.

Government

Wareham is governed by the open town meeting form of government. There is a central police station located along Route 28. The town is patrolled by the Seventh (Bourne) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police. The Wareham Fire District (career/on-call) has stations located in Wareham Center, East Wareham, West Wareham and White Island. Wareham EMS has a station located on Sandwich Road (Route 6). There are four post offices for the town's four ZIP Codes. The southeast portion of Wareham is also covered by 02532 of Buzzards Bay. Its public library, located across the street from the town hall, is part of the SAILS Library Network. Its senators are currently Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey. Its congressman is William R. Keating, who represents Massachusetts's 9th congressional district and is currently represented by Elizabeth Warren, who is currently representing Massachusetts's 9th state senate district. It also has a branch office in Onset (02558) and a post office in the town center (02571) The town's post office is located in the center of the town, near the intersection of Main Avenue and Route 28/Cranberry Highway. It has four ZIP codes: 02538, 02576,02571,02576 and02558. It is also part of Massachusetts's 2nd Plymouth district, which also includes Carver and part of Middleboro. There are no post offices in the towns of Bridgewater, Dighton, Marion, Middleborough and Raynham.

Education

Wareham has a public school system. The town also sends students to Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical High School. There are no private schools in the town, with the nearest being Tabor Academy in Marion. The nearest Catholic high school is Bishop Stang High School in Dartmouth.Wareham High competes in the South Coast Conference for athletics. Its nickname is the Vikings, and its colors are Blue, White, and Gold. Wareham competes with Bourne High School for an annual Thanksgiving Day football game. There is one elementary school. Minot Forest Elementarywas closed in 2018 and absorbed into the middle school until a new building is erected for Minot.; Wareham Middle School; and Wareham High school. The East Wareham Partnership houses the former West Wareham Academy and the Cooperative Junior-Senior High School, as well as a number of other schools. The closest private schools are in Marion and Tabor academy in Marion, Massachusetts, and the nearest Catholic school in Dartmouth, Massachusetts is Bishop Stang High School in Dartmouth, Massachusetts. It is also possible to attend a private high school in Cape Cod, such as Cape Cod High School or Cape Cod State College in Cape Cod, Maine, or the University of Cape Cod in Orono, Massachusetts, as well as several other private schools across the state. It has one high school, which is a part of the Wareham School District. It also has a middle school and a high school.

Infrastructure

The Bay Colony Railroad crosses through the town on its way to Cape Cod. The nearest inter-city (Amtrak) passenger rail stations are Route 128, Providence, and Boston's South Station. There is currently no commuter rail service to Wareham, as the MBTA's Middleborough/Lakeville Line was only restored in 1997. The seasonal CapeFLYER service began stopping at Wareham Village station in June 2014. A local bus service, the OWL (Onset Wareham Link), operated by the Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority (GATRA), provides bus service around Wareham. T. F. Green Airport in Rhode Island is also a short trip away, although it only allows for national service. Tobey Hospital was funded by a bequest from the estate of Alice Tobey Jones. The hospital was opened in 1940 and includes a surgical wing and intensive care unit. In 2019, the town approved an expansion of the hospital, which resulted in the demolition of the historic Tobey Homestead. The town is located on the Massachusetts Bay and the Massachusetts Turnpike, which runs from Boston to New Hampshire. It is also on the Atlantic seaboard, and is on the New England Seaboard and the Atlantic Coast Highway, which goes from New Hampshire to Rhode Island. It has a population of about 2,000 people, the majority of whom live in the western part of the town, near Buttermilk Bay and Buzzards Bay.

Sports

Wareham is home to the Wareham Gatemen, an amateur collegiate summer baseball team in the Cape Cod Baseball League. The team plays its home games at Clem Spillane Field, and has featured dozens of players who went on to careers in Major League Baseball, such as Mo Vaughn, Lance Berkman, and Kyle Schwarber. Wareham has many town youth sports as well, including Wareham Little League, Wareham JBA, Gateway Babe Ruth, Pop Warner Wareham Tigers, and Wareham Girls Softball (WGSA), and more. The town is also home to a number of high school sports, including football, soccer, and lacrosse. The Wareham High School football team is one of the top teams in the state, winning several league titles in recent years. The school has also been known to host the New England High School All-Star Game, which is held in the town's football stadium. The high school football team has won several league championships, including the 2007 New England All-Stars. The football team also won the 2008 New England high school All-star game, which was the first time the town had won the title in more than a decade. The baseball team has had several players who have gone on to play in the Major Leagues, including Mo Vaughn and Lance Berkmen. The senior high school team has also had a successful football program, winning three league titles. The junior high team has been involved in two league titles, winning two league championships.

Points of interest

Tremont Nail Factory District, a historic nail factory located at 21 Elm Street, which operated from 1819 to 2006. Water Wizz, water park in the area. It was a spot of filming for the 2010 film Grown Ups and the 2013 film The Way, Way Back. Onset beach adjoins the concrete pier. It is a well protected beach in a broad cove. The Glen Cove Hotel in Onset, MA. An historic Victorian building built in the 1800s. It's also the highest point in Onsets. Onsets is a small town with a population of about 2,000. The town is located on the Massachusetts Turnpike, which runs through the town of Onset. The turnpike is one of the most scenic routes in the state. It runs through Onset and the town has a number of scenic overlooks, including one that overlooks the town's harbor. The city's water supply comes from the Boston Ship Canal, which was built in 1819. The water is protected by the Boston Water Conservancy Board, which operates a well-protected water park on the shore of the Massachusetts Ship Canal. The area is also known for its beautiful beaches, which can be found on both sides of the water. The village is home to several historic buildings, including the Glen Cove hotel, a Victorian building, and the Onset Beach House, which dates back to the 18th century. The community is also home to a large number of historic homes, many of which are still standing today.