Bellingham, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Bellingham is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts
, United States. The population was 16,332 at the 2010 census. The town sits on the southwestern fringe of Metropolitan Boston
, along the rapidly growing "outer belt" that is Route 495
. It is formally a part of the Boston–Cambridge–Quincy
metropolitan statistical area as well as the Providence metropolitan area
.
For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place
Bellingham, please see the article Bellingham (CDP), Massachusetts
.
constituted the southwestern corner of the Dedham Grant, which sprouted much of what has become Norfolk County. The land was swampy, and the town of Dedham did not believe it worthy of settlement. The area north of the river would be purchased by Edward Rawson, and due to the settlement of borders with the surrounding communities, these two areas would eventually merge. By 1713, there were enough citizens to warrant village meetings in the area. By 1718, the village petitioned for separation, and the town officially incorporated on November 27, 1719. The village was originally named "Westham" (short for "West Dedham"), but at the time of incorporation, its name was changed to Bellingham without record of the benefactor. The town is named for Richard Bellingham
, an early governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony
.
The town was founded with a Pilgrim meeting house, like all the towns in the colony at the time. However, this church would dissolve before the middle of the century, replaced with a Baptist church. The town grew slowly, given the terrain and the limited resources. During the Industrial Revolution, several man-made ponds were constructed to support industry in land that had been swamp. Today the northern part of the town is part of the economic boom along I-495
, with the southern being mostly suburban. Deborah Sampson
enlisted as "Robert Shurtlieff" at Bellingham, near the end of the Revolutionary War, and disguised herself as a man, to become America's first woman soldier.
, the town has a total area of 19.0 square miles (49.2 km²), of which 18.5 square miles (47.9 km²) is land and 0.5 square mile (1.3 km²) (2.58%) is water. The town's mean elevation is 293 feet (89 m) above sea level.
Bellingham is located at the southwestern corner of Norfolk County, just northwest of the northeast corner of Rhode Island
. It is bordered by Medway
on the north, Franklin
to the east, Wrentham
to the southeast; Woonsocket, Rhode Island
, on the south; and Blackstone
, Hopedale
and Mendon
to the west, and Milford
to the northwest. Bellingham is 23 miles (37 km) southeast of Worcester
, 30 miles (50 km) southwest of Boston
, and 20 miles (30 km) north of Providence, Rhode Island
.
Interstate 495
runs across the north end of town, with only one exit in the town itself, Exit 18 at Hartford Avenue (Rte. 126). Exit 17 in Franklin
is just about 3 miles (5 km) from the town line leading to the town center. State Route 126 runs north to south from the town of Medway
to the Rhode Island
border. State Route 140 runs east to west from Franklin to Mendon
. The town went from having no traffic lights in the late 1980s to well over a dozen in 2006. The town is also known for having one of the best snow removal systems in the area.
The town currently has no mode of public transportation of its own. The nearest small craft airport is at the Hopedale Industrial Park Airport
, just over the town line along Route 140. The Worcester Regional Airport is twenty-eight miles away, and the nearest national air service can be reached at T. F. Green Airport
, thirty miles away. The nearest international airport is Boston's Logan International Airport
, 35 miles (56 km) away. There is no rail service in town; however, the MBTA's
Franklin Line
terminates just 2 miles (3 km) from the town line at Forge Park/I-495
in Franklin, and approximately 5 miles (8 km) from the town center.
The neighboring city of Woonsocket, Rhode Island
had proposed a plan to bring commuter rail service to the area which would require an extension of the MBTA Franklin line. Commuter rail service to the Greater Woonsocket area would essentially bring the rail line through the town of Bellingham, Blackstone, and terminating in Woonsocket, bringing an increased amount of tourism to the area, and increasing ridership in persons commuting to the city of Boston and Logan Airport. A study was conducted in 2007 on whether or not it would be feasible to expand the Franklin line westward; the results of which were determined that rehabilitaing the old abandoned rail line would cost too much money and not bring enough benefit to the area. However as the population grows in this general area, it is most likely that the MBTA will not drop plans for such an extension.
of 2000, there were 15,314 people, 5,557 households, and 4,284 families residing in the town. The population density
was 827.8 people per square mile (319.6/km²). There were 5,642 housing units at an average density of 305.0 per square mile (117.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.93% White, 0.91% Black, 0.12% (U.S. Census) American Indian, 0.86% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.30% from other races
, and 0.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.20% of the population.
There were 5,557 households out of which 37.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.6% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.9% were non-families. 18.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.8% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 34.6% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 9.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 96.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $64,496, and the median income for a family was $72,074. Males had a median income of $48,533 versus $33,476 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $25,047. About 1.6% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.5% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.
As of current, there are 3 elementary schools (Stallbrook, South, and Clara Macy), 1 middle school (Bellingham Memorial), and 2 high schools (Bellingham High School and Paul J. Primavera Educational Center.)
opened a store along Hartford Avenue (route 126), near the 495 interchange. This opened the doors to an explosive growth, with major retailers like Home Depot, Barnes & Noble
, Staples, Gap
, Old Navy
, Regal Cinemas
, Chili's
, Michael's, Game Stop, Whole Foods Market
, DeMoulas' Market Basket
, A.C. Moore, iParty
, and Outback Steakhouse
to sign long-term leases. After the closure of Newbury Comics
, a Verizon Wireless
and Coldstone Creamery opened in the Charles River Center (however, Newbury Comics
reopened in the same plaza in September 2010). In December 2006, Decathlon Group
closed its doors in the Crossroads Center, opening up 30,000 s.f. of available space, now occupied by Bob's Discount Furniture
store. Most recently, the town has been in talks with S.R. Weiner of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
to develop a 1,150,000 square foot (107,000 m²) "lifestyle center
" to be called the "Shoppes at Bellingham" that would include upscale shops and restaurants like Crate & Barrel, Williams-Sonoma
, or Legal Sea Foods
; hotels, and office space on North Main Street behind Home Depot. The buildings will primarily be one level and encourage pedestrian traffic, have lush landscaping, and restaurants with outdoor dining facilities. While it is common for "lifestyle centers" to have accessible parking close to the stores, a large parking structure is planned for the rear of the property. Although not yet in development, planning is underway for a new highway interchange and rerouting of Route 126, and Phase One of the project was to have opened in late 2008 or early 2009. There have been numerous talks and meetings between the Bellingham Planning Board and the developers for the Shoppes, as concerns about traffic have been voiced by numerous residents and businesses. Despite the economic downturn in 2009, plans for the Shoppes continue as the demand still remains; yet any construction would most likely not happen until late 2012 or 2013.
As of December 30, 2006, the town created the Pulaski Boulevard Village Overlay District Subcommittee to develop the downtrodden southern portion of the town with a mix of retail shops, homes, and condominiums in a "downtown feel." After the Archdiocese of Boston closed and sold Assumption Parish in 2005, the town has looked at many different options to revitalize its southern end (and a stark contrast to its northern, where most of the development is located). The newest of development along this 2 mile (3 km) stretch of road (from the Rhode Island border to Crooks Corner) is the newly opened Stop & Shop
along the Blackstone
border and a Walgreens
Pharmacy at the reconstructed Crooks Corner (on the site of the former Assumption Parish). Public meetings and debate are currently underway to discuss the options for development, along with a revitalization plan for the Town Center, where construction continues to re-develop the route 140 and 126 intersection, and a second Walgreens
pharmacy opened in early 2007.
Other developments are in the works, such as the new plaza along South Main Street with the towns third Dunkin' Donuts
; and a fourth Dunkin' Donuts
on Hartford Avenue.
During sometime in 2007, a mini-golf course was torn down, giving way to a moderate sized development at the intersection of Mechanic Street (140) and Maple Street near the Franklin town border and the MBTA Forge Park Station that will include a gas station, a fifth Dunkin' Donuts
, a D'Angelo's
, a self-storage facility and Friendly Neighborhood Comics.
Norfolk County, Massachusetts
-National protected areas:* Adams National Historical Park* Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area * Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site* John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site-Demographics:...
, United States. The population was 16,332 at the 2010 census. The town sits on the southwestern fringe of Metropolitan Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, along the rapidly growing "outer belt" that is Route 495
Interstate 495 (Massachusetts)
Interstate 495 is the designation of an Interstate Highway half-beltway in Massachusetts. It was the longest auxiliary Interstate Highway of its kind—measuring 120.74 miles —until 1996, when the PA Route 9 section of the Pennsylvania Turnpike was redesignated as Interstate 476, making it about ...
. It is formally a part of the Boston–Cambridge–Quincy
Greater Boston
Greater Boston is the area of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts surrounding the city of Boston. Due to ambiguity in usage, the size of the area referred to can be anywhere between that of the metropolitan statistical area of Boston and that of the city's combined statistical area which includes...
metropolitan statistical area as well as the Providence metropolitan area
Providence metropolitan area
The Providence metropolitan area is a region covering six counties in two states, and is the 37th largest metropolitan area in the United States. Anchored by the city of Providence, Rhode Island, it has an estimated population of 1,622,520, exceeding that of Rhode Island by slightly over 60%. The...
.
For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
Bellingham, please see the article Bellingham (CDP), Massachusetts
Bellingham (CDP), Massachusetts
Bellingham is a census-designated place in the town of Bellingham in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 4,497 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Bellingham is located at ....
.
History
The area of the town south of the Charles RiverCharles River
The Charles River is an long river that flows in an overall northeasterly direction in eastern Massachusetts, USA. From its source in Hopkinton, the river travels through 22 cities and towns until reaching the Atlantic Ocean at Boston...
constituted the southwestern corner of the Dedham Grant, which sprouted much of what has become Norfolk County. The land was swampy, and the town of Dedham did not believe it worthy of settlement. The area north of the river would be purchased by Edward Rawson, and due to the settlement of borders with the surrounding communities, these two areas would eventually merge. By 1713, there were enough citizens to warrant village meetings in the area. By 1718, the village petitioned for separation, and the town officially incorporated on November 27, 1719. The village was originally named "Westham" (short for "West Dedham"), but at the time of incorporation, its name was changed to Bellingham without record of the benefactor. The town is named for Richard Bellingham
Richard Bellingham
Richard Bellingham was a colonial magistrate, lawyer, and several-time governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and the last surviving signatory of the colonial charter at his death...
, an early governor of 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 town was founded with a Pilgrim meeting house, like all the towns in the colony at the time. However, this church would dissolve before the middle of the century, replaced with a Baptist church. The town grew slowly, given the terrain and the limited resources. During the Industrial Revolution, several man-made ponds were constructed to support industry in land that had been swamp. Today the northern part of the town is part of the economic boom along I-495
Interstate 495 (Massachusetts)
Interstate 495 is the designation of an Interstate Highway half-beltway in Massachusetts. It was the longest auxiliary Interstate Highway of its kind—measuring 120.74 miles —until 1996, when the PA Route 9 section of the Pennsylvania Turnpike was redesignated as Interstate 476, making it about ...
, with the southern being mostly suburban. Deborah Sampson
Deborah Sampson
Deborah Samson Gannett , better known as Deborah Sampson, was an American woman who impersonated a man in order to serve in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. She is one of a small number of women with a documented record of military combat experience in that war...
enlisted as "Robert Shurtlieff" at Bellingham, near the end of the Revolutionary War, and disguised herself as a man, to become America's first woman soldier.
Geography and Transportation
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 19.0 square miles (49.2 km²), of which 18.5 square miles (47.9 km²) is land and 0.5 square mile (1.3 km²) (2.58%) is water. The town's mean elevation is 293 feet (89 m) above sea level.
Bellingham is located at the southwestern corner of Norfolk County, just northwest of the northeast corner of 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...
. It is bordered by Medway
Medway, Massachusetts
Medway is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. According to the 2010 Census, the town had a population of 12,752.-History:Medway was first settled in 1657 and was officially incorporated in 1713. At that time, Medway began as a farming community of two hundred thirty-three...
on the north, Franklin
Franklin, Massachusetts
The Town of Franklin is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 31,635 at the 2010 census.-History:Franklin was first settled by Europeans in 1660 and was officially incorporated during the American Revolution. The town was formed from the western part of the town...
to the east, Wrentham
Wrentham, Massachusetts
Wrentham 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...
to the southeast; Woonsocket, Rhode Island
Woonsocket, Rhode Island
Woonsocket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 41,186 at the 2010 census, making it the sixth largest city in the state. Woonsocket lies directly south of the Massachusetts border....
, on the south; and Blackstone
Blackstone, Massachusetts
Blackstone is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 9,026 at the 2010 census. It is formally a part of the Providence metropolitan area. Blackstone is the only municipality in Massachusetts to employ automatic cameras in traffic enforcement.- History :This...
, Hopedale
Hopedale, Massachusetts
Hopedale is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,911 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Hopedale, please see the article Hopedale , Massachusetts....
and Mendon
Mendon, Massachusetts
Mendon is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,839 at the 2010 census.Mendon is very historic and is now part of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, the oldest industrialized region in the United States.- Early history :The Nipmuc people...
to the west, and Milford
Milford, Massachusetts
Milford is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. It had a population of 27,999 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Milford, constituting the center of the town, please see the article Milford ,...
to the northwest. Bellingham is 23 miles (37 km) southeast of Worcester
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
, 30 miles (50 km) southwest of Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, and 20 miles (30 km) north of Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
.
Interstate 495
Interstate 495 (Massachusetts)
Interstate 495 is the designation of an Interstate Highway half-beltway in Massachusetts. It was the longest auxiliary Interstate Highway of its kind—measuring 120.74 miles —until 1996, when the PA Route 9 section of the Pennsylvania Turnpike was redesignated as Interstate 476, making it about ...
runs across the north end of town, with only one exit in the town itself, Exit 18 at Hartford Avenue (Rte. 126). Exit 17 in Franklin
Franklin, Massachusetts
The Town of Franklin is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 31,635 at the 2010 census.-History:Franklin was first settled by Europeans in 1660 and was officially incorporated during the American Revolution. The town was formed from the western part of the town...
is just about 3 miles (5 km) from the town line leading to the town center. State Route 126 runs north to south from the town of Medway
Medway, Massachusetts
Medway is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. According to the 2010 Census, the town had a population of 12,752.-History:Medway was first settled in 1657 and was officially incorporated in 1713. At that time, Medway began as a farming community of two hundred thirty-three...
to the 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...
border. State Route 140 runs east to west from Franklin to Mendon
Mendon, Massachusetts
Mendon is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,839 at the 2010 census.Mendon is very historic and is now part of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, the oldest industrialized region in the United States.- Early history :The Nipmuc people...
. The town went from having no traffic lights in the late 1980s to well over a dozen in 2006. The town is also known for having one of the best snow removal systems in the area.
The town currently has no mode of public transportation of its own. The nearest small craft airport is at the Hopedale Industrial Park Airport
Hopedale Industrial Park Airport
Hopedale Industrial Park Airport , in Hopedale, Massachusetts, is a private airport open to the public. It is owned by the Hopedale Industrial Park. It has one runway and sees very low traffic. Approximately sixteen aircraft are based at Hopedale. At one point, it housed a flight school and...
, just over the town line along Route 140. The Worcester Regional Airport is twenty-eight miles away, and the nearest national air service can be reached at T. F. Green Airport
T. F. Green Airport
T. F. Green Airport , also known as Theodore Francis Green State Airport, is a public airport located in Warwick, six miles south of Providence, in Kent County, Rhode Island, USA. Dedicated in 1931, the airport was named for former Rhode Island governor and longtime senator Theodore F. Green...
, thirty miles away. The nearest international airport is Boston's Logan International Airport
Logan International Airport
General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport is located in the East Boston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts . It covers , has six runways, and employs an estimated 16,000 people. It is the 19th busiest airport in the United States.Boston serves as a focus city for JetBlue Airways...
, 35 miles (56 km) away. There is no rail service in town; however, the MBTA's
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, often referred to as the MBTA or simply The T, is the public operator of most bus, subway, commuter rail and ferry systems in the greater Boston, Massachusetts, area. Officially a "body politic and corporate, and a political subdivision" of the...
Franklin Line
Franklin Line
The Franklin Line of the MBTA Commuter Rail runs from Boston's South Station in a southwesterly direction toward Franklin, Massachusetts. Most Franklin Line trains connect to the Providence/Stoughton Line at Readville though some weekday trains use the Fairmount Line to access South Station...
terminates just 2 miles (3 km) from the town line at Forge Park/I-495
Forge Park/495 (MBTA station)
Forge Park/495 is a station on the MBTA Franklin Line. The station is the terminus of the line. The station is located in Franklin, Massachusetts and is near Interstate 495 and Massachusetts Route 140. The station has a parking lot with 716 spaces and 15 accessible spaces; spaces cost $4.00 each...
in Franklin, and approximately 5 miles (8 km) from the town center.
The neighboring city of Woonsocket, Rhode Island
Woonsocket, Rhode Island
Woonsocket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 41,186 at the 2010 census, making it the sixth largest city in the state. Woonsocket lies directly south of the Massachusetts border....
had proposed a plan to bring commuter rail service to the area which would require an extension of the MBTA Franklin line. Commuter rail service to the Greater Woonsocket area would essentially bring the rail line through the town of Bellingham, Blackstone, and terminating in Woonsocket, bringing an increased amount of tourism to the area, and increasing ridership in persons commuting to the city of Boston and Logan Airport. A study was conducted in 2007 on whether or not it would be feasible to expand the Franklin line westward; the results of which were determined that rehabilitaing the old abandoned rail line would cost too much money and not bring enough benefit to the area. However as the population grows in this general area, it is most likely that the MBTA will not drop plans for such an extension.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
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...
of 2000, there were 15,314 people, 5,557 households, and 4,284 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 827.8 people per square mile (319.6/km²). There were 5,642 housing units at an average density of 305.0 per square mile (117.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.93% White, 0.91% Black, 0.12% (U.S. Census) American Indian, 0.86% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.30% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.20% of the population.
There were 5,557 households out of which 37.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.6% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.9% were non-families. 18.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.8% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 34.6% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 9.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 96.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $64,496, and the median income for a family was $72,074. Males had a median income of $48,533 versus $33,476 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $25,047. About 1.6% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.5% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.
As of current, there are 3 elementary schools (Stallbrook, South, and Clara Macy), 1 middle school (Bellingham Memorial), and 2 high schools (Bellingham High School and Paul J. Primavera Educational Center.)
Commerce
The town had never experienced any large growth until 1993, when Wal-MartWal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
opened a store along Hartford Avenue (route 126), near the 495 interchange. This opened the doors to an explosive growth, with major retailers like Home Depot, Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble, Inc. is the largest book retailer in the United States, operating mainly through its Barnes & Noble Booksellers chain of bookstores headquartered at 122 Fifth Avenue in the Flatiron District in Manhattan in New York City. Barnes & Noble also operated the chain of small B. Dalton...
, Staples, Gap
Gap (clothing retailer)
The Gap, Inc. is an American clothing and accessories retailer based in San Francisco, California, and founded in 1969 by Donald G. Fisher and Doris F. Fisher. The company has five primary brands: the namesake Gap banner, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime and Athleta. As of September 2008,...
, Old Navy
Old Navy
Old Navy is an American clothing brand as well as a chain of stores owned by Gap, Inc., with corporate operations in San Francisco and San Bruno, California. It is one of the first major corporations to house headquarters in the new Mission Bay district of San Francisco.Gap, Inc. was run by...
, Regal Cinemas
Regal Cinemas
Regal Cinemas is a UK-based cinema chain since the early days of the cinema. In 1928, Regal Cinemas became part of Associated British Cinemas but has retained the name 'Regal Cinemas'....
, Chili's
Chili's
Chili's Grill & Bar is a restaurant chain founded by Larry Lavine. The chain has more than 1400 casual dining restaurants, mostly located in the United States and Canada...
, Michael's, Game Stop, Whole Foods Market
Whole Foods Market
Whole Foods Market is a foods supermarket chain based in Austin, Texas which emphasizes "natural and organic products." The company has been ranked among the most socially responsible businesses and placed third on the U.S...
, DeMoulas' Market Basket
DeMoulas' Market Basket
DeMoulas Market Basket, more commonly known as Market Basket, is a chain of 66 operating supermarkets in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. It has stores from central New Hampshire to Bristol County, Massachusetts with headquarters in Tewksbury, Massachusetts...
, A.C. Moore, iParty
IParty
iParty is a chain of more than 52 retail stores in New England and the Tampa Bay Area of Florida that specialize in selling party-related merchandise as well as seasonal items such as Halloween costumes, Christmas garland, and Easter baskets during the appropriate time of year. In total, the number...
, and Outback Steakhouse
Outback Steakhouse
Outback Steakhouse is an American casual dining restaurant chain based in Tampa, Florida with over 1200 locations in 22 countries throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. It was founded in February 1988 in Tampa by Bob Basham, Chris T...
to sign long-term leases. After the closure of Newbury Comics
Newbury Comics
Newbury Comics is a New England-based music retailer. Newbury Comics began as a comic book vendor on Newbury Street in Boston. The company was founded in 1978 by Massachusetts Institute of Technology students John Brusger and Mike Dreese. Over the next few years, the focus of the company changed...
, a Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless
Cellco Partnership, doing business as Verizon Wireless, is one of the largest mobile network operators in the United States. The network has 107.7 million subscribers as of 2011, making it the largest wireless service provider in America....
and Coldstone Creamery opened in the Charles River Center (however, Newbury Comics
Newbury Comics
Newbury Comics is a New England-based music retailer. Newbury Comics began as a comic book vendor on Newbury Street in Boston. The company was founded in 1978 by Massachusetts Institute of Technology students John Brusger and Mike Dreese. Over the next few years, the focus of the company changed...
reopened in the same plaza in September 2010). In December 2006, Decathlon Group
Decathlon Group
Decathlon is a major French sporting good chain store, with stores located throughout the world. It started with a shop near Lille, France in 1976. It expanded to Germany in 1986, Spain in 1992 and the United Kingdom in 1999. It entered the American market by purchasing the New England 20-store...
closed its doors in the Crossroads Center, opening up 30,000 s.f. of available space, now occupied by Bob's Discount Furniture
Bob's Discount Furniture
Bob's Discount Furniture is a privately owned regional chain of furniture stores along the Eastern United States, primarily in the Northeastern United States. , the company had 40 stores located in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island...
store. Most recently, the town has been in talks with S.R. Weiner of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
Chestnut Hill is a wealthy New England village located six miles west of downtown Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Like all Massachusetts villages, Chestnut Hill is not an incorporated municipal entity, but unlike most of them, it encompasses parts of three separate municipalities, each of...
to develop a 1,150,000 square foot (107,000 m²) "lifestyle center
Lifestyle center
Lifestyle center may refer to:* Lifestyle center * Lifestyle center...
" to be called the "Shoppes at Bellingham" that would include upscale shops and restaurants like Crate & Barrel, Williams-Sonoma
Williams-Sonoma
Williams-Sonoma, Inc. is a high-end American consumer retail company that sells kitchenwares, furniture and linens, as well as other housewares and home furnishings, along with a variety of specialty foods, soaps and lotions...
, or Legal Sea Foods
Legal Sea Foods
Legal Sea Foods is a Boston-based seafood restaurant group, with locations along the Eastern Seaboard. Besides Massachusetts, there are also locations in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Washington, DC, as well as in Warwick, RI, Boca Raton, FL and Atlanta, GA.-History:It was...
; hotels, and office space on North Main Street behind Home Depot. The buildings will primarily be one level and encourage pedestrian traffic, have lush landscaping, and restaurants with outdoor dining facilities. While it is common for "lifestyle centers" to have accessible parking close to the stores, a large parking structure is planned for the rear of the property. Although not yet in development, planning is underway for a new highway interchange and rerouting of Route 126, and Phase One of the project was to have opened in late 2008 or early 2009. There have been numerous talks and meetings between the Bellingham Planning Board and the developers for the Shoppes, as concerns about traffic have been voiced by numerous residents and businesses. Despite the economic downturn in 2009, plans for the Shoppes continue as the demand still remains; yet any construction would most likely not happen until late 2012 or 2013.
As of December 30, 2006, the town created the Pulaski Boulevard Village Overlay District Subcommittee to develop the downtrodden southern portion of the town with a mix of retail shops, homes, and condominiums in a "downtown feel." After the Archdiocese of Boston closed and sold Assumption Parish in 2005, the town has looked at many different options to revitalize its southern end (and a stark contrast to its northern, where most of the development is located). The newest of development along this 2 mile (3 km) stretch of road (from the Rhode Island border to Crooks Corner) is the newly opened Stop & Shop
Stop & 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...
along the Blackstone
Blackstone
-Businesses:*Blackstone Group, U.S. private equity and asset management firm*Blackstone Career Institute, online training institute*Blackstone & Co, a farm implement and engine manufacturer in Stamford, Lincolnshire until absorbed by Lister in 1937-People:...
border and a Walgreens
Walgreens
Walgreen Co. , doing business as Walgreens , is the largest drugstore chain in the United States of America. As of August 31st, the company operates 8,210 locations across all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1901, and has since expanded...
Pharmacy at the reconstructed Crooks Corner (on the site of the former Assumption Parish). Public meetings and debate are currently underway to discuss the options for development, along with a revitalization plan for the Town Center, where construction continues to re-develop the route 140 and 126 intersection, and a second Walgreens
Walgreens
Walgreen Co. , doing business as Walgreens , is the largest drugstore chain in the United States of America. As of August 31st, the company operates 8,210 locations across all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1901, and has since expanded...
pharmacy opened in early 2007.
Other developments are in the works, such as the new plaza along South Main Street with the towns third Dunkin' Donuts
Dunkin' Donuts
Dunkin' Donuts is an international doughnut and coffee retailer founded in 1950 by William Rosenberg in Quincy, Massachusetts; it is now headquartered in Canton...
; and a fourth Dunkin' Donuts
Dunkin' Donuts
Dunkin' Donuts is an international doughnut and coffee retailer founded in 1950 by William Rosenberg in Quincy, Massachusetts; it is now headquartered in Canton...
on Hartford Avenue.
During sometime in 2007, a mini-golf course was torn down, giving way to a moderate sized development at the intersection of Mechanic Street (140) and Maple Street near the Franklin town border and the MBTA Forge Park Station that will include a gas station, a fifth Dunkin' Donuts
Dunkin' Donuts
Dunkin' Donuts is an international doughnut and coffee retailer founded in 1950 by William Rosenberg in Quincy, Massachusetts; it is now headquartered in Canton...
, a D'Angelo's
D'Angelo Sandwich Shops
D'Angelo Sandwich Shops is a chain of sandwich shops located throughout New England. It serves various kinds of hot and cold subs, wraps, and salads.- History :...
, a self-storage facility and Friendly Neighborhood Comics.
Notable residents
- William Taylor AdamsWilliam Taylor AdamsWilliam Taylor Adams , pseudonym Oliver Optic, was a noted academic, author, and Massachusetts state legislator. He was born in Medway, Massachusetts in 1822 to Captain Laban Adams and Catherine Johnson Adams....
, (1822–1897), author under the name "Oliver Optic" is from nearby Medway.