Rockland

Rockland was a part of territory given to one Timothy Hatherly in a land grant in 1654. It was then populated by European settlers as a northeastern region of the neighboring town Abington in 1673. The town separated and incorporated as Rockland on March 9, 1874. During King Philip's War, the town was the site of an encampment during his raids on the town of Scituate. Rockland experienced new business growth in the decades after World War II with suburban development along the Routes 123 & 139. In recent years, a growing number of artists have moved into the community, attracted by former factory buildings as a place to work and meet. There are several ponds throughout the town, including Accord Pond at the junction with Hingham and Norwell, and Studleys Pond (known to local residents as Reeds Pond) just south of Rockland Center. A spur of the Old Colony rail line formerly ran through the town; that line is now abandoned. There is no commercial air service in town; national and international flights are available at F. Green Airport in Rhode Island or Logan International Airport in Boston, or T. Green International Airport on the Massachusetts-Rhode Island border. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates the town has a total area of 10.1 square miles (26 km²), of which 10.0 sq miles (26 km²) is land and 0.1sq miles (0.26km²), or 0.79%, is water.

History

Rockland was a part of territory given to one Timothy Hatherly in a land grant in 1654. It was populated by European settlers as a northeastern region of the neighboring town Abington in 1673. The town separated and incorporated as Rockland on March 9, 1874. Rockland experienced new business growth in the decades after World War II with suburban development along the Routes 123 & 139. During King Philip's War, the town was the site of an encampment during his raids on the town of Scituate. In recent years, a growing number of artists have moved into the community, attracted by former factory buildings as a place to work and meet. There was once a third artist community known as the Codman Building, formerly the Emerson Shoe Company, but it was rezoned as residential in 2007 allowing developers to displace 30 to 40 artists in the community and build the luxury apartment building. The building is the largest wood structure in Rockland and is on the national register of historic places. The airstrip closed in 1996 as part of the fourth round of closures under the Base Realignment and Closure Act. It is located on the Massachusetts Turnpike, between Boston and New York City, and is known as one of the most scenic spots in the state. It has a population of about 2,000, making it one of only a handful of towns in Massachusetts with more than 1,000 people per square mile (1,000 km) in population.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 10.1 square miles (26 km²), of which 10.0 square miles is land. Rockland is bordered by Weymouth, Hingham, Norwell, Hanover, Hanson, Whitman, and Abington. It is 8 miles (13 km) northeast of Brockton and 22 miles (35 km) south of Boston. There is no commercial air service in town; nearby national and international flights are available at Logan International Airport in Boston, or T. F. Green Airport in Rhode Island. A spur of the Old Colony rail line formerly ran through the town; that line is now abandoned. The Old Colony Line does, however, pass through neighboring Weymour, Abington and Whitman, as part of the Kingston-Route 3 line of the MBTA's commuter rail. There are several ponds throughout the town, including Accord Pond at the junction with Hingham and Norwell and Studleys Pond (known to local residents as Reeds Pond) just south of Rockland Center, can be seen along Market Street. Beech Hill lies at the south of town, and Wyman Fields lies to the north of it. The town is home to the Naval Air Station, along with several parks and a small town forest. It has a population of 1,071. Rockland ranks 307th out of 351 communities in the Commonwealth. It is located on the Massachusetts Turnpike, which runs through the center of the town.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 17,670 people, 6,539 households, and 4,583 families residing in the town. Rockland is the 103rd most populous community in the Commonwealth, just below the state average. The town is the fourth most densely populated in Plymouth County. The median income for a household in Rockland was $50,613, and $60,088 for a family. The per capita income for the town was $23,068. About 6.1% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.2% of those under age 18 and 7.2%. Rockland has a population of 17,000, and a population density of 1,763.1 people per square mile (680.9/km²) The town has a median age of 36 years, with 26.5% under the age of 18, and 32.0% from 18 to 24. The racial makeup of the town is 90.81% White, 5.71% African American, 0.15% Native American, 1.08% Asian, and 1.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.02% ofThe town's population is 17,500, and the median age is 36. For every 100 females, there are 91.8 males. The town's median income is $41,361, with a median income of $31,907 for females.

Government

Rockland is governed by an open town meeting form of government. It is a part of Massachusetts's 10th congressional district. The town has its own police and fire department. The Rockland Memorial Library is a member of the Old Colony Library Network (OCLN) and the Southeastern Massachusetts Library System (SEMLS) The town is patrolled by the First (Norwell) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police. It has five elected board of selectmen seats, currently filled by: Michael O'Loughlin 2023, Tiffanie Needham, 2024, Larry Ryan, 2022, Kara Nyman, 2023 (Vice-Chairman) and Richard Penney, 2022 (Board of Selectmen member) Rockland is part of the New England Regional Council of Governments (NRCOG), which is based in Boston, Massachusetts. The NRCOG is a non-profit organization that aims to improve the quality of life in New England communities. Rockland has a library, which is open seven days a week. It also has an ambulance service, which brings emergency cases to South Shore Hospital in Weymouth or Brockton Hospital in Brockton. The town's fire department is located near the eastern junction of Routes 123 and 139 and the fireDepartment is located along Union Street, the town's main street. It is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives by Bill Keating. The state's senior (Class I) member in the U.S. Senate is Elizabeth Warren.

Education

Rockland operates its own school system for the town's approximately 2,500 students. There are three elementary schools (Jefferson, Memorial Park and R. Stewart Esten) which serve students from kindergarten to fourth grade. The John W. Rogers Middle School is located adjacent to Memorial Park, in a new facility completed in 2012 and connected to the high school. A newly renovated Rockland Senior High School serves ninth through twelfth grade students. Rockland High's athletics teams are known as the Bulldogs (sometimes just 'Dogs), and their colors are navy blue and white. They compete in the South Shore League and their rival is Abington. The Bulldogs have a strong basketball tradition, with their most recent state championships in 2004 (boys) and 2000 (girls). The football team last won a Super Bowl in 2021 by defeating Abington, 2313, at Gillette Stadium. Children living in Rockland are also eligible to attend South Shore Charter Public School. The town also has a private school, Calvary Chapel Academy, serving from kindergarten through twelve grade. Many students and their families also choose to attend private high schools in the area, including Cardinal Spellman High School in Brockton, Notre Dame Academy in Hingham, Archbishop Williams High School and Xaverian Brothers High School, in Westwood. The school offers entrance to neighboring towns on the South shore. It is located in neighboring Norwell, Located in neighboring norwell, the school offers entrances to neighboring cities on the south shore.

Economy

The town serves as the headquarters for several major companies. New sidewalks and crossing areas, paid for with a federal Community Development Block Grant, were installed in 2010. Selectmen contracted the Iron Horse Preservation Society to remove the section of the Old Colony rail line that ran through town. Since the rails were removed, the line has been used for light recreation activities such as walking and bike riding. The town is home to the US headquarters of the biotechnology and pharmaceutical company EMD Serono. Rockland Trust Company, the largest publicly traded commercial bank headquartered in Massachusetts, with over 1000 employees, is based in the town. The Town of Rockland is located on the Massachusetts Turnpike, which runs through the center of the city. The turnpike is one of the busiest roads in the state, connecting Boston and Cambridge. The Turnpikes are also the only major highway that runs through Rockland, with a total length of over 2,000 miles (3,000 kilometers) The town has a population of around 3,000 people, with the majority of its residents living in the central part of the town, near the town's downtown area. It is the home of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for Massachusetts, which was founded in 1881. The city is also home to a number of other major companies, including Rockland Bank, a bank that was founded by former Gov. William Weld, who was elected to office in 1883. It also has the headquarters of Rockland Trust Co., the largest public bank in the United States, headquartered in Boston.

Sites of interest

Lower Union Street Historic District runs down southern Union Street from East Water to Market Streets. Several buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. Rockland Almshouse, built in 1876, now the home of the North River Collaborative educational organization. Holy Family Church, built in 1883, is now the Rockland Community Center. The Rockland Trust Company building was built in 1917. The Sandpaper Factory, built 1890, is still in use today as a factory. The Grand Army of the Republic Hall and Mckinley School were built in 1899 and 1909, respectively, as Rockland High School and Rockland Memorial Library. The Phoenix Building wasBuilt in 1929, and is now Rockland's Community Center and Trust Company Building. The Wright Building,Built in 1880, is the home to the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Rockland Center for the Performing Arts. It was built to honor the Wright brothers, who built the Wright Brothers' first airplane in 1875. The National Trust has a museum in Rockland, which is now called the Wright Museum of American Art. It is located on the corner of East Water and Market Streets in downtown Rockland. The museum is open to the public and offers a variety of exhibits and events. The Museum of the American Performing Art has a collection of more than 1,000 pieces of art, some of which are on display in the museum's museum hall. It also has a gallery of photographs of Rockland and its surrounding area.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Rockland, Plymouth County, Massachusetts = 85.1. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 27. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 30. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Rockland = 3.3 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 1,811 individuals with a median age of 39.1 age the population grows by 0.76% in Rockland, Plymouth County, Massachusetts population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 1,780.3 residents per square mile of area (684.7/km²). There are average 2.63 people per household in the 6,700 households with an average household income of $61,672 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 8.60% of the available work force and has dropped -4.07% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 23.26%. The number of physicians in Rockland per 100,000 population = 154.6.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Rockland = 46.7 inches and the annual snowfall = 30.1 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 119. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 201. 83 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 18.2 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 51, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Rockland, Plymouth County, Massachusetts which are owned by the occupant = 71.74%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 49 years with median home cost = $225,420 and home appreciation of -6.03%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $13.98 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $6,172 per student. There are 15.9 students for each teacher in the school, 5048 students for each Librarian and 721 students for each Counselor. 11.25% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 13.64% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 4.76% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).