Assonet, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Assonet is one of two village
s in the town of Freetown, Massachusetts
in Bristol County
, Massachusetts
, United States
. An original part of the town, Assonet was settled in 1659 along with the city of Fall River
, then a part of Freetown. It rests on the banks of the Assonet River
. As of the 2000 census
, the village had a total population of 4,084; up from 3,614 in 1990.
until the 1691 merger with the Massachusetts Bay Colony
.
The word comes from the local Wampanoag Indians, who had a settlement in the area, and has two meanings: "place of rocks" and "song of praise." Those meanings are traditional, but the former can be segmented as:assun-et
where hassun or assin, which is a word used by southern New England Algonquian
, means "stone". The -et is a locative suffix: "at the place of the stone". As the region is mainly a tidal marsh, the stone referenced is most likely Dighton Rock
in the Taunton River
next to Assonet Neck. The entire region was sold to the English in 1659 by the Wampanoags, but, due to the Algonquian
mobile way of life and the splitting and recombining of social units, the Nipmucs may have been subject to or at the time part of the Wampanoags.
The English settlement remained for many years a small fishing and farming village, growing to be Freetown
's more industrious side by the end of the 18th century. By the end of the 19th century, Assonet had begun to slowly return to its origins, having less and less industry in town. At the beginning of the 21st century, the village has once again begun to expand rapidly.
settlers and the local Wampanoag Indians, including King Philip's War
, prevented much permanent settlement until later. History shows the area existed as a proprietary
settlement as early as 1680, and in 1683 Assonet and Fall River
were incorporated as the Town of Freetown
, named as such because its settlers were Freemen
. The earliest records of the town, from approximately 1680-1685, have been lost. Since then, records have been kept and maintained to trace back the town's legacy. Little development occurred after the incorporation of the town, other than the construction of houses and smaller businesses.
in the 18th century, best known for its trout
. Industry had also begun to develop, including grist mills, sawmill
s and a blacksmith
's shop. As the century progressed, the villagers began to fall under the same strains as the rest of the colonists
. Assonet was far enough east that it avoided many of the problems faced during the French and Indian War
, but did feature in the Revolutionary War
. Skirmishes were fought in Assonet, and the Battle of Freetown
was fought on the outskirts of the village in present-day Fall River. The main settled area of the village was known to support the British, even harboring a general before he fled to Newport, Rhode Island
. The white chimney
s with black rings on many of the oldest houses are indicative of homes that supported the British. As the 18th century closed, churches and other more prominent buildings began to pop up around the village, including the 1794 construction of Village School, then the office of a Raynham
lawyer.
The 19th century was perhaps the most industrious period in the history of Assonet. The village developed rapidly, with its combination of railroads
, ship
s, its position on the stagecoach
and mail
routes, and its factories
. The current Route 79 roughly follows the mail and stagecoach route from Rhode Island
to Boston, and the Green Dragon Tavern
on South Main Street
was a popular stopover along the route. The downtown
area boasted shipbuilding
and was an import
/export
port
, as well as a successful fishing
industry.
The N. R. Davis Gun Manufactory, located near and on a portion of where Hathaway Park now sits, opened and provided many weapons to Union soldiers during the Civil War
. Also built was the Crystal Springs Bleachery and Dying Company, which brought millhousing to a small area of the village, and employed many from town and neighboring Fall River
, also known for industry.
North Church (1809), Town Hall (1888), and the Guilford H. Hathaway Library
(1895) were all constructed in the same small area on Taunton
Hill, and complimented the Village School nicely. The Town Hall has served as the municipal office building (1888–present), meeting hall (1888–1976), library (1888–1895), police station (1888–1978), and a variety of other functions. The second floor, literally a hall, was subdivided into office space in the mid-1970s. The Guilford Hathaway Library (b. 1895) served as the town's only library from its construction until the James White Library opened in East Freetown
in 1947. The first Post Office
in town opened in Assonet in 1811, and has operated continuously since then, first in a razed building on the corner of Elm and North Main Streets, later in a second razed building, and since 1962 at the facility on South Main Street near the former Assonet Star Market. The ZIP Code
for Assonet is 02702.
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In the mid-20th century, Assonet began to remove itself from the commercial/industrial scene. Most of its mills closed during this period, following the Second World War. The N. R. Davis Gun Factory burned to the ground in 1925; and the Crystal Springs Bleachery, now New England Textile, burned in 1955. (Remnants of the latter can be found by Mill Pond.) The former Monument Manufacturing Company on Mill & Locust Sts. was the largest domestic producer of sleeping bags during World War II. In the postwar period, the majority of villagers sought work outside of town, and farming also came back into common practice. This reverse trend would not last long. By the 1990s, the village began to develop again as the region was seen as a "great escape" for upperclass Boston workers.
Next to the Hathaway Library is a local Verizon station, which is the home of one of the first regional dialing systems. Not far away is Freetown Fire Department Company 1, constructed in 1948.
opened a new 1.3 million square foot (120,000 m2) distribution center on near the site of the Crystal Springs Bleachery after it received a tax increment financing
agreement from the town, which has saved the company almost $2 million in property tax
as of 2007. They provided over 800 jobs to the region but as of 2005, only 36 of those jobs are held by residents of Freetown. Portions of the village were designated to the National Register of Historic Places
.
since 1999. The boundaries are, roughly, High Street, the railroad tracks, a private road, and Route 24. It contains many buildings of local and widespread historical significance, including the home of United States Secretary of State
John Hay
's grandfather.
, with an Open Town Meeting
legislature. For more information, see the article Freetown, Massachusetts.
Representatives to the General Court
Senator in the General Court
Representative to the United States House of Representatives
Senators in the United States Senate
churches were built in Assonet. Additionally, throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, several Quaker meetinghouses were active.
strike c.
1835. Some of the building was maintained, but arguably most of the building was new as of 1835.
.
. A non-adjacent parsonage still exists further up Taunton Hill
as a business.
The church currently belongs to the United Church of Christ
. Rev. Arthur "Bill" Comeau serves as minister.
was created. Services were held in private homes until 1937, when St. Bernard's Catholic Church was constructed on the site of Col. Ebeneezer Pierce's home on So. Main St. It opened in 1938. As the congregation grew too large for the small church, St. Bernard's Church was sold and its parishioners moved into South Church, heavily renovated and renamed St. Bernard's Church. St. Bernard's Parish remains in South Church , and the parsonage has remained as the rectory.
The former St. Bernard's, which was sold in 1981, has been a string of businesses since then. Most recently, it was a diner, then a Greek
restaurant, and is currently a flooring store.
Assonet is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fall River
.
was serviced by several neighborhood grammar schools, at least three of which existed in Assonet.
hall. It is currently unoccupied, but remains in the possession of the American Legion.
and Girl Scout
troops
. Currently, the Town Hall uses it for storage.
Facing the building from Taunton Hill, the righthand room is painted in bright colors, and was formerly used for meetings of the Girl Scouts and the town's Cultural Council. The lefthand room is panelled in faux stained wood, and was used by the Boy Scouts.
A revitalization effort, begun a few years ago, seeks funds to help restore the ailing structure, which suffers from the effects of weather, rot, deterioration, and a lack of maintenance funds.
, first for grades 1-8, later K-6, and currently PreK-4. Students then attend the George R. Austin Intermediate School for grade 5, and Freetown-Lakeville Middle School for grades 6-8.
For public secondary education, students have three options: Apponequet Regional High School
serves students with an academic focus for grades 9-12. Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School
in Rochester
accepts students from Assonet when there are openings, and provides a voc-tech atmosphere. Bristol County Agricultural High School serves students wanting to focus primarily in agricultural and animal studies.
In addition, there are a variety of Catholic high schools in the area.
Assonet is located in Southeastern Massachusetts
. It is bounded by Fall River
, Berkley
, Lakeville
, East Freetown
, and the Assonet River
. It has a hilly terrain, with many outcroppings of bedrock. One such outcropping is the famous Profile Rock
, a rock said to resemble the profile of Wampanoag Indian chief Massasoit
. Maple, elm, oak, pine, and birch trees are common throughout. Numerous streams and brooks flow through the village, as does the Assonet River
.
Bodies of water include Assonet Bay and Mill Pond. Bryant's Neck, also called Assonet Bay Shores, is a large peninsula situated between Shephard's Cove and Assonet proper on Assonet Bay. This area is also well known for its salt marsh
es. The area around Mill Pond is frequented for its herring
runs.
A large section of the village comprises approximately one third of the Freetown-Fall River State Forest
.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
s in the town of Freetown, Massachusetts
Freetown, Massachusetts
Freetown is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 8,870 at the 2010 census.Freetown is one of the oldest communities in the United States, having been settled by the Pilgrims and their descendants in the latter half of the 17th century. The town once included...
in Bristol County
Bristol County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 534,678 people, 205,411 households, and 140,706 families residing in the county. The population density was 962 people per square mile . There were 216,918 housing units at an average density of 390 per square mile...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. An original part of the town, Assonet was settled in 1659 along with the city of Fall River
Fall River, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and south of Taunton. The city's population was 88,857 during the 2010 census, making it the tenth largest city in...
, then a part of Freetown. It rests on the banks of the Assonet River
Assonet River
The Assonet River is located in Bristol County, Massachusetts. It flows in a westerly direction through Freetown and joins the Taunton River near Assonet Neck in Berkley, Massachusetts. -Description:...
. As of the 2000 census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, the village had a total population of 4,084; up from 3,614 in 1990.
History
Assonet was first settled in 1659, shortly after the completion of Ye Freemen's Purchase. It was part of the Plymouth ColonyPlymouth Colony
Plymouth Colony was an English colonial venture in North America from 1620 to 1691. The first settlement of the Plymouth Colony was at New Plymouth, a location previously surveyed and named by Captain John Smith. The settlement, which served as the capital of the colony, is today the modern town...
until the 1691 merger with the Massachusetts Bay Colony
Massachusetts Bay Colony
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was an English settlement on the east coast of North America in the 17th century, in New England, situated around the present-day cities of Salem and Boston. The territory administered by the colony included much of present-day central New England, including portions...
.
The word comes from the local Wampanoag Indians, who had a settlement in the area, and has two meanings: "place of rocks" and "song of praise." Those meanings are traditional, but the former can be segmented as:assun-et
where hassun or assin, which is a word used by southern New England Algonquian
Algonquian languages
The Algonquian languages also Algonkian) are a subfamily of Native American languages which includes most of the languages in the Algic language family. The name of the Algonquian language family is distinguished from the orthographically similar Algonquin dialect of the Ojibwe language, which is a...
, means "stone". The -et is a locative suffix: "at the place of the stone". As the region is mainly a tidal marsh, the stone referenced is most likely Dighton Rock
Dighton Rock
The Dighton Rock is a 40-ton boulder, originally located in the riverbed of the Taunton River at Berkley, Massachusetts . The rock is noted for its petroglyphs, carved designs of ancient and uncertain origin, and the controversy about their creators...
in the Taunton River
Taunton River
The Taunton River , is a river in southeastern Massachusetts in the United States. It arises from the confluence of the Town River and Matfield River, in the town of Bridgewater...
next to Assonet Neck. The entire region was sold to the English in 1659 by the Wampanoags, but, due to the Algonquian
Algonquian peoples
The Algonquian are one of the most populous and widespread North American native language groups, with tribes originally numbering in the hundreds. Today hundreds of thousands of individuals identify with various Algonquian peoples...
mobile way of life and the splitting and recombining of social units, the Nipmucs may have been subject to or at the time part of the Wampanoags.
The English settlement remained for many years a small fishing and farming village, growing to be Freetown
Freetown, Massachusetts
Freetown is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 8,870 at the 2010 census.Freetown is one of the oldest communities in the United States, having been settled by the Pilgrims and their descendants in the latter half of the 17th century. The town once included...
's more industrious side by the end of the 18th century. By the end of the 19th century, Assonet had begun to slowly return to its origins, having less and less industry in town. At the beginning of the 21st century, the village has once again begun to expand rapidly.
17th century
Assonet was settled on April 2, 1659, but a string of wars between EnglishGreat Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
settlers and the local Wampanoag Indians, including King Philip's War
King Philip's War
King Philip's War, sometimes called Metacom's War, Metacomet's War, or Metacom's Rebellion, was an armed conflict between Native American inhabitants of present-day southern New England and English colonists and their Native American allies in 1675–76. The war is named after the main leader of the...
, prevented much permanent settlement until later. History shows the area existed as a proprietary
Proprietary community
A community is distinguished from a loose group of individuals by an integrative system of organization that establishes both individual, private resources and common, public resources, and that organizes the activities required for the community’s continuity.A proprietary community is a special...
settlement as early as 1680, and in 1683 Assonet and Fall River
Fall River, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and south of Taunton. The city's population was 88,857 during the 2010 census, making it the tenth largest city in...
were incorporated as the Town of Freetown
Freetown, Massachusetts
Freetown is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 8,870 at the 2010 census.Freetown is one of the oldest communities in the United States, having been settled by the Pilgrims and their descendants in the latter half of the 17th century. The town once included...
, named as such because its settlers were Freemen
Freeman (Colonial)
Freeman is a term which originated in 12th century Europe and is common as an English or American Colonial expression in Puritan times. In the Bay Colony, a man had to be a member of the Church to be a freeman. In Colonial Plymouth, a man did not need to be a member of the Church, but he had to be...
. The earliest records of the town, from approximately 1680-1685, have been lost. Since then, records have been kept and maintained to trace back the town's legacy. Little development occurred after the incorporation of the town, other than the construction of houses and smaller businesses.
18th century
Assonet became a prominent commercial fishing port in Southeastern MassachusettsMassachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
in the 18th century, best known for its trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
. Industry had also begun to develop, including grist mills, sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
s and a blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
's shop. As the century progressed, the villagers began to fall under the same strains as the rest of the colonists
Thirteen Colonies
The Thirteen Colonies were English and later British colonies established on the Atlantic coast of North America between 1607 and 1733. They declared their independence in the American Revolution and formed the United States of America...
. Assonet was far enough east that it avoided many of the problems faced during the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
, but did feature in the Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. Skirmishes were fought in Assonet, and the Battle of Freetown
Battle of Freetown
The Mount Hope Bay raids were a series of military raids conducted by British troops during the American Revolutionary War against communities on the shores of Mount Hope Bay on May 25 and 30, 1778...
was fought on the outskirts of the village in present-day Fall River. The main settled area of the village was known to support the British, even harboring a general before he fled to Newport, Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
. The white chimney
Chimney
A chimney is a structure for venting hot flue gases or smoke from a boiler, stove, furnace or fireplace to the outside atmosphere. Chimneys are typically vertical, or as near as possible to vertical, to ensure that the gases flow smoothly, drawing air into the combustion in what is known as the...
s with black rings on many of the oldest houses are indicative of homes that supported the British. As the 18th century closed, churches and other more prominent buildings began to pop up around the village, including the 1794 construction of Village School, then the office of a Raynham
Raynham, Massachusetts
Raynham is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 11,739 at the 2000 census. It has one village, Raynham Center.-History:...
lawyer.
19th century
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
, ship
Ship
Since the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant marine vessel. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing,...
s, its position on the stagecoach
Stagecoach
A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
and mail
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
routes, and its factories
Factory
A factory or manufacturing plant is an industrial building where laborers manufacture goods or supervise machines processing one product into another. Most modern factories have large warehouses or warehouse-like facilities that contain heavy equipment used for assembly line production...
. The current Route 79 roughly follows the mail and stagecoach route from Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
to Boston, and the Green Dragon Tavern
Tavern
A tavern is a place of business where people gather to drink alcoholic beverages and be served food, and in some cases, where travelers receive lodging....
on South Main Street
Main Street
Main Street is the metonym for a generic street name of the primary retail street of a village, town, or small city in many parts of the world...
was a popular stopover along the route. The downtown
Downtown
Downtown is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's core or central business district ....
area boasted shipbuilding
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
and was an import
Import
The term import is derived from the conceptual meaning as to bring in the goods and services into the port of a country. The buyer of such goods and services is referred to an "importer" who is based in the country of import whereas the overseas based seller is referred to as an "exporter". Thus...
/export
Export
The term export is derived from the conceptual meaning as to ship the goods and services out of the port of a country. The seller of such goods and services is referred to as an "exporter" who is based in the country of export whereas the overseas based buyer is referred to as an "importer"...
port
Port
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
, as well as a successful fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
industry.
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Also built was the Crystal Springs Bleachery and Dying Company, which brought millhousing to a small area of the village, and employed many from town and neighboring Fall River
Fall River, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and south of Taunton. The city's population was 88,857 during the 2010 census, making it the tenth largest city in...
, also known for industry.
North Church (1809), Town Hall (1888), and the Guilford H. Hathaway Library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
(1895) were all constructed in the same small area on Taunton
Taunton, Massachusetts
Taunton is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the seat of Bristol County and the hub of the Greater Taunton Area. The city is located south of Boston, east of Providence, north of Fall River and west of Plymouth. The City of Taunton is situated on the Taunton River...
Hill, and complimented the Village School nicely. The Town Hall has served as the municipal office building (1888–present), meeting hall (1888–1976), library (1888–1895), police station (1888–1978), and a variety of other functions. The second floor, literally a hall, was subdivided into office space in the mid-1970s. The Guilford Hathaway Library (b. 1895) served as the town's only library from its construction until the James White Library opened in East Freetown
East Freetown, Massachusetts
East Freetown is one of two villages in the town of Freetown, Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. Added to the town in 1747, East Freetown was originally an outpost settlement of Tiverton, Rhode Island, then a part of Massachusetts. It rests on the shore of Long Pond.- History :East...
in 1947. The first Post Office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
in town opened in Assonet in 1811, and has operated continuously since then, first in a razed building on the corner of Elm and North Main Streets, later in a second razed building, and since 1962 at the facility on South Main Street near the former Assonet Star Market. The ZIP Code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
for Assonet is 02702.
20th century
Next to the Hathaway Library is a local Verizon station, which is the home of one of the first regional dialing systems. Not far away is Freetown Fire Department Company 1, constructed in 1948.
21st century
The 21st century has brought a renewed spirit to Assonet. The Stop & Shop Supermarket CompanyStop & Shop
The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company is a chain of supermarkets located mostly in the northeastern United States. Its main rivals are Shaw's Star Market and Hannaford in New England, while ShopRite and the A&P family of supermarkets are its main competition in New York and New Jersey.- History :Stop...
opened a new 1.3 million square foot (120,000 m2) distribution center on near the site of the Crystal Springs Bleachery after it received a tax increment financing
Tax increment financing
Tax Increment Financing, or TIF, is a public financing method which has been used as a subsidy for redevelopment and community improvement projects in many countries including the United States for more than 50 years...
agreement from the town, which has saved the company almost $2 million in property tax
Property tax
A property tax is an ad valorem levy on the value of property that the owner is required to pay. The tax is levied by the governing authority of the jurisdiction in which the property is located; it may be paid to a national government, a federated state or a municipality...
as of 2007. They provided over 800 jobs to the region but as of 2005, only 36 of those jobs are held by residents of Freetown. Portions of the village were designated to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Historic District
The Assonet Village Historic District has been on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
since 1999. The boundaries are, roughly, High Street, the railroad tracks, a private road, and Route 24. It contains many buildings of local and widespread historical significance, including the home of United States Secretary of State
United States Secretary of State
The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
John Hay
John Hay
John Milton Hay was an American statesman, diplomat, author, journalist, and private secretary and assistant to Abraham Lincoln.-Early life:...
's grandfather.
Government
Assonet is governed by the Town of Freetown. The Town is governed by a three-member Board of SelectmenBoard of selectmen
The board of selectmen is commonly the executive arm of the government of New England towns in the United States. The board typically consists of three or five members, with or without staggered terms.-History:...
, with an Open Town Meeting
Town meeting
A town meeting is a form of direct democratic rule, used primarily in portions of the United States since the 17th century, in which most or all the members of a community come together to legislate policy and budgets for local government....
legislature. For more information, see the article Freetown, Massachusetts.
Representatives to the General Court
Massachusetts General Court
The Massachusetts General Court is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The name "General Court" is a hold-over from the Colonial Era, when this body also sat in judgment of judicial appeals cases...
- PrecinctPrecinctA precinct is a space enclosed by the walls or other boundaries of a particular place or building, or by an arbitrary and imaginary line drawn around it. The term has several different uses...
I: David B. SullivanDavid B. SullivanDavid B. Sullivan is a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, representing the 6th Bristol District. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
(D-Fall RiverFall River, MassachusettsFall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and south of Taunton. The city's population was 88,857 during the 2010 census, making it the tenth largest city in...
) - Precinct II: Christopher Markey (D-DartmouthDartmouth, MassachusettsDartmouth is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States established in 1664. The population was 30,665 at the 2000 census. It is the location of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth....
)
Senator in the General Court
Massachusetts General Court
The Massachusetts General Court is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The name "General Court" is a hold-over from the Colonial Era, when this body also sat in judgment of judicial appeals cases...
- Michael J. RodriguesMichael RodriguesMichael J. Rodrigues is a Democratic member of the Massachusetts Senate representing the 1st Bristol and Plymouth district. He is a resident of Westport who has served since January 2011. From 1996 to 2011 he was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from the 8th Bristol district...
(D-WestportWestport, MassachusettsWestport is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 15,532 at the 2010 census.The village of North Westport lies in the town.- History :...
)
Representative to the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
- Barney FrankBarney FrankBarney Frank is the U.S. Representative for . A member of the Democratic Party, he is the former chairman of the House Financial Services Committee and is considered the most prominent gay politician in the United States.Born and raised in New Jersey, Frank graduated from Harvard College and...
(D-NewtonNewton, MassachusettsNewton is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States bordered to the east by Boston. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Newton was 85,146, making it the eleventh largest city in the state.-Villages:...
) (4th MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
DistrictCongressional districtA congressional district is “a geographical division of a state from which one member of the House of Representatives is elected.”Congressional Districts are made up of three main components, a representative, constituents, and the specific land area that both the representative and the...
)
Senators in the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
- John KerryJohn KerryJohn Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
(D-Boston) - Scott BrownScott BrownScott Brown is a United States senator.Scott Brown may also refer to:-Sportsmen:*Scott Brown , American college football coach of Kentucky State...
(R-WrenthamWrentham, MassachusettsWrentham is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 10,955 at the 2010 census.- History :Wrentham was first settled by the English in 1660 and officially incorporated in 1673. It was burned down during King Philip's War 1675-1676. For a short time, it was the...
)
Churches
In 1795, 1835, 1809, and 1937, three ChristianChristian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
churches were built in Assonet. Additionally, throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, several Quaker meetinghouses were active.
Baptist Church
The original Baptist Church (1795) was built on the site of South Church. The building suffered a string of misfortune, culminating with it burning following a lightningLightning
Lightning is an atmospheric electrostatic discharge accompanied by thunder, which typically occurs during thunderstorms, and sometimes during volcanic eruptions or dust storms...
strike c.
Circa
Circa , usually abbreviated c. or ca. , means "approximately" in the English language, usually referring to a date...
1835. Some of the building was maintained, but arguably most of the building was new as of 1835.
South Church
South Church (1795/1835) served as the First Christian Church of Assonet steadily until 1916, then again from 1917-1922. At this time, it began alternating weekly services with the Congregational Church, from 1922-1944. In 1968, the church combined with the Congregational Church to form the United Church of Assonet, and South Church was sold in 1979. A parsonage was built to its left in 1899, and there are cemeteries both across the street from the church, and on the property. Baptisms were originally performed in the Assonet RiverAssonet River
The Assonet River is located in Bristol County, Massachusetts. It flows in a westerly direction through Freetown and joins the Taunton River near Assonet Neck in Berkley, Massachusetts. -Description:...
.
North Church
North Church (1809) served as the Congregational Church until 1916, when it formed the Federated Church of Assonet. Its on-and-off independence mirrored that of the First Christian Church, except from 1916-1917 North Church was the facility utilized. The joining of the two congregations in 1968 fell under the roof of the North Church, which is still used today. The steeple of the church contains a bell cast by Paul ReverePaul Revere
Paul Revere was an American silversmith and a patriot in the American Revolution. He is most famous for alerting Colonial militia of approaching British forces before the battles of Lexington and Concord, as dramatized in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, Paul Revere's Ride...
. A non-adjacent parsonage still exists further up Taunton Hill
Taunton, Massachusetts
Taunton is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the seat of Bristol County and the hub of the Greater Taunton Area. The city is located south of Boston, east of Providence, north of Fall River and west of Plymouth. The City of Taunton is situated on the Taunton River...
as a business.
The church currently belongs to the United Church of Christ
United Church of Christ
The United Church of Christ is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination primarily in the Reformed tradition but also historically influenced by Lutheranism. The Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches united in 1957 to form the UCC...
. Rev. Arthur "Bill" Comeau serves as minister.
St. Bernard's Church
Roman Catholics did not have a home in Assonet until 1912, when a missionMission (Christian)
Christian missionary activities often involve sending individuals and groups , to foreign countries and to places in their own homeland. This has frequently involved not only evangelization , but also humanitarian work, especially among the poor and disadvantaged...
was created. Services were held in private homes until 1937, when St. Bernard's Catholic Church was constructed on the site of Col. Ebeneezer Pierce's home on So. Main St. It opened in 1938. As the congregation grew too large for the small church, St. Bernard's Church was sold and its parishioners moved into South Church, heavily renovated and renamed St. Bernard's Church. St. Bernard's Parish remains in South Church , and the parsonage has remained as the rectory.
The former St. Bernard's, which was sold in 1981, has been a string of businesses since then. Most recently, it was a diner, then a Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
restaurant, and is currently a flooring store.
Assonet is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fall River
Roman Catholic Diocese of Fall River
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Fall River is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the New England region of the United States. It is led by the prelature of a bishop administering the diocese from the mother church St...
.
Schools
From the early 19th century until 1950, FreetownFreetown, Massachusetts
Freetown is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 8,870 at the 2010 census.Freetown is one of the oldest communities in the United States, having been settled by the Pilgrims and their descendants in the latter half of the 17th century. The town once included...
was serviced by several neighborhood grammar schools, at least three of which existed in Assonet.
South School
South School, 1869–1950, currently exists at the corner of Copicut Road and South Main Street. It was a three-room schoolhouse used initially for grades 1-8, and later for grades 3-6 and "special class." Before being abandoned, it spent time as an American LegionAmerican Legion
The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
hall. It is currently unoccupied, but remains in the possession of the American Legion.
Structure
It is a one-story, ground-level building with three rooms. There is no discernible cellar. The building is constructed of brick, and is covered in white clapboards. Most of the windows have been removed or boarded over, so an analysis cannot be provided.Village School
Village School, closed in 1950, currently exists on Taunton Hill between the Town Hall and North Church, being the elder of those two buildings by 94 and 15 years, respectively. It began as a lawyer's office in 1794, then became a string of schools. Originally, the minister of North Church served as the schoolmaster. In the 1850s it was a private school, the Assonet Academy. It was purchased by the town circa 1903 and used as a grammar school until 1950 for grades 1-8, and later grades 1 and 2. In the 1980s and 1990s, the structure was used for public meetings of municipal committees. Throughout its history, it served as a meeting place for local BoyBoy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
and Girl Scout
Girl Scouts of the USA
The Girl Scouts of the United States of America is a youth organization for girls in the United States and American girls living abroad. It describes itself as "the world's preeminent organization dedicated solely to girls". It was founded by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912 and was organized after Low...
troops
Scouting in Massachusetts
Scouting in Massachusetts includes both Girl Scout and Boy Scout organizations. Both were founded in the 1910s in Massachusetts. With a vigorous history, both organizations actively serve thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live.-Moby Dick Council:Moby Dick...
. Currently, the Town Hall uses it for storage.
Structure
It is a two story building, with two rooms on the upper (primary) floor. The lower floor is a two-room cellar, and partially underground. The foundation is brick, and the building itself is wood. The exterior is white clapboards, and the front staircase has a portico and both wooden and iron railings. A cupola adorns the center of the roof, and the windows are six-over-one. The interior of the building is divided in the center, with the wall travelling parallel to School Street between the two front doors. Each room has chalkboards running along the walls, and hanging fixtures from the ceiling provide artificial light when necessary. The building has no plumbing and a woodstove provides heat, with a central brick chimney.Facing the building from Taunton Hill, the righthand room is painted in bright colors, and was formerly used for meetings of the Girl Scouts and the town's Cultural Council. The lefthand room is panelled in faux stained wood, and was used by the Boy Scouts.
A revitalization effort, begun a few years ago, seeks funds to help restore the ailing structure, which suffers from the effects of weather, rot, deterioration, and a lack of maintenance funds.
- See also: Village School House Restoration
Forge School
The latest in a string of schools known as the Forge School closed in 1940. It functioned irregularly from c.1920 - 1940 and housed grades 7 and 8. The schoolhouse was later converted to a dwelling house, which burned in 2002. It has since been rebuilt, now with dormers. From 1857-1862, the Forge School existed in an outbuilding known as the "corn crib" on the property of Daniel Macomber on Forge Road, which was once the site of the oldest dwelling in town, dating back to the 17th century.Today
From 1950 on, students have attended the Freetown Elementary SchoolFreetown Elementary School, Massachusetts
Freetown Elementary School opened in 1950 and serves grammar school students from the town of Freetown, Massachusetts. It educates around 546 students in grades PK-4 as part of the Freetown & Lakeville Public Schools....
, first for grades 1-8, later K-6, and currently PreK-4. Students then attend the George R. Austin Intermediate School for grade 5, and Freetown-Lakeville Middle School for grades 6-8.
For public secondary education, students have three options: Apponequet Regional High School
Apponequet Regional High School
Apponequet Regional High School opened September 21, 1959, and serves secondary academic education students from the towns of Freetown, Assonet, and Lakeville, Massachusetts.- History :...
serves students with an academic focus for grades 9-12. Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School
Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School
is located on a 80-acre campus in Rochester, Massachusetts, the geographical center of the five-member town school district that includes Acushnet Carver,Mattapoisett, Rochester and students from Freetown & Lakeville Public Schools....
in Rochester
Rochester, Massachusetts
Rochester is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,232 at the 2010 census.-History:Rochester was settled in 1679 on the lands called "Sippican" by the local Wampanoags, along the coast of Buzzards Bay...
accepts students from Assonet when there are openings, and provides a voc-tech atmosphere. Bristol County Agricultural High School serves students wanting to focus primarily in agricultural and animal studies.
In addition, there are a variety of Catholic high schools in the area.
Geography
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. It is bounded by Fall River
Fall River, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and south of Taunton. The city's population was 88,857 during the 2010 census, making it the tenth largest city in...
, Berkley
Berkley, Massachusetts
Berkley is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,749 at the 2000 census, making it the least populated town in the county.-Geography:...
, Lakeville
Lakeville, Massachusetts
Lakeville is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 9,821 at the 2000 census.For geographic and demographic information on the village of North Lakeville, please see the article North Lakeville, Massachusetts.-History:...
, East Freetown
East Freetown, Massachusetts
East Freetown is one of two villages in the town of Freetown, Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. Added to the town in 1747, East Freetown was originally an outpost settlement of Tiverton, Rhode Island, then a part of Massachusetts. It rests on the shore of Long Pond.- History :East...
, and the Assonet River
Assonet River
The Assonet River is located in Bristol County, Massachusetts. It flows in a westerly direction through Freetown and joins the Taunton River near Assonet Neck in Berkley, Massachusetts. -Description:...
. It has a hilly terrain, with many outcroppings of bedrock. One such outcropping is the famous Profile Rock
Profile Rock
Profile Rock, also known as the Old Man of Joshua's Mountain, is a 50-foot high granite rock formation located in Freetown, Massachusetts just outside Assonet village and near the Freetown State Forest....
, a rock said to resemble the profile of Wampanoag Indian chief Massasoit
Massasoit
Massasoit Sachem or Ousamequin ,was the sachem, or leader, of the Pokanoket, and "Massasoit" of the Wampanoag Confederacy. The term Massasoit means Great Sachem.-Early years:...
. Maple, elm, oak, pine, and birch trees are common throughout. Numerous streams and brooks flow through the village, as does the Assonet River
Assonet River
The Assonet River is located in Bristol County, Massachusetts. It flows in a westerly direction through Freetown and joins the Taunton River near Assonet Neck in Berkley, Massachusetts. -Description:...
.
Bodies of water include Assonet Bay and Mill Pond. Bryant's Neck, also called Assonet Bay Shores, is a large peninsula situated between Shephard's Cove and Assonet proper on Assonet Bay. This area is also well known for its salt marsh
Salt marsh
A salt marsh is an environment in the upper coastal intertidal zone between land and salt water or brackish water, it is dominated by dense stands of halophytic plants such as herbs, grasses, or low shrubs. These plants are terrestrial in origin and are essential to the stability of the salt marsh...
es. The area around Mill Pond is frequented for its herring
Herring
Herring is an oily fish of the genus Clupea, found in the shallow, temperate waters of the North Pacific and the North Atlantic oceans, including the Baltic Sea. Three species of Clupea are recognized. The main taxa, the Atlantic herring and the Pacific herring may each be divided into subspecies...
runs.
A large section of the village comprises approximately one third of the Freetown-Fall River State Forest
Freetown-Fall River State Forest
The Freetown-Fall River State Forest is a large tract of forest land located in Freetown and Fall River, Massachusetts. It is owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and operated by the Department of Conservation and Recreation...
.