Duxbury (town), Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Duxbury is a coastal town in Plymouth County
, Massachusetts
, United States
. Duxbury is a suburb of Boston
, located approximately 35 miles (56.3 km) to the south of the city on the South Shore. The population was 15,059 at the 2010 census.
Geographic and demographic information on the specific parts of the town of Duxbury is available in articles Cedar Crest
, Duxbury (CDP)
, Duxbury Beach
, and South Duxbury
, respectively.
an settlers arrived here, the region was inhabited by the Wampanoags, who called this place Mattakeesett, meaning “place of many fish.”
In 1620, the English settlers known as the Pilgrims established their colony in Plymouth. Per the terms of their contract with financial backers in London
, they were required to live together in a tight community for seven years. At the end of that term in 1627, land along the coast was allotted to settlers for farming. Thus, the coastline from Plymouth to Marshfield
was parceled out, and many settlers began moving away from Plymouth.
At first, those who settled in Duxbury came to work their new farms just in the warmer months and returned to Plymouth during the winter. It was not long, however, before they began to build homes on their land, and soon requested permission from the colony to be set off as a separate community with their own church. Duxbury, which originally included land that is now Pembroke
, was incorporated in 1637.
Some of the most influential men in the colony received grants in Duxbury and became its first leaders. Captain Myles Standish
, the military leader of the colony, lived in “the Nook,” an area now known as Standish Shore. Elder William Brewster
was, for many years, the religious leader of the colony. He probably named Duxbury after his possible home of Duxbury Hall, in Chorley
, England
, in which he led services to the colony until it received its own minister in 1637. John Alden was another important settler. His house, now a museum on Alden Street, was the site of many important meetings of the colony’s leaders. The graves of some of Duxbury’s first settlers can be found in the Old Burying Ground
on Chestnut Street, next to the site of original meetinghouse. Theory has it that the town was named by Myles Standish after the family estate of his childhood in Lancashire. The ancient Standish family in northern England owned much land and large estates, including the two main family headquarters of Standish Hall and Duxbury Manor, in Lancashire, since the before the Middle Ages. Myles Standish's will delineates his inheritance rights to very particular lands near and around Standish and mostly Duxbury Manor, stating his descent from both lines of the Standish family; and so it has been suggested that he named the new town in Massachusetts after the estate where he grew up.
Duxbury was primarily a farming community throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. Its quiet history in the 18th century was interrupted only by the Revolutionary War
.
The most remarkable period in Duxbury’s history, the shipbuilding
era, began immediately after the Revolution. Following the Treaty of Paris
, the newborn nation was granted fishing
rights on the Grand Banks
. Several families took advantage of the new opportunity and began to build large fishing schooner
s. Soon, the schooners built in the 1790s gave way to larger brig
s and eventually three-masted ship
s. As several merchant
families began to amass large fleets, shipyard
s and other ancillary industries flourished and Duxbury prospered. By the 1840s, Duxbury boasted about 20 shipyards and produced an average of ten large sailing vessels per year.
recognized Weston as the owner of the largest fleet in America
, and this judgment was confirmed by Daniel Webster
in a speech in 1841. His empire, a fore-runner of vertical integration
, dominated the town. The King Caesar House
is now a museum owned by the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society
.
The shipbuilding era in Duxbury ended as quickly as it began. By the 1850s, sailing vessels were made obsolete by other modes of transportation such as steamships and railroads
. While other Massachusetts towns grew, Duxbury went into a long economic decline.
There was, however, a silver lining. By the 1870s, Duxbury’s rural character and unspoiled bay
began to attract summer visitors. Duxbury soon gained a reputation as an idyllic summer resort. With the 1871 completion of the Duxbury & Cohasset Railroad, large numbers of city-folk from Boston could pay $1.50 for a round-trip ticket and enjoy Duxbury’s refreshing environment. Boarding house
s sprang up everywhere. The Miles Standish Hotel on the Nook soon became enormously popular. The Myles Standish monument, completed in 1898, was a result of this tourist influx.
This pattern continued in Duxbury well into the 20th-century. It was not until the construction of Route 3 that transportation to Boston became expedient and the town’s population exploded with the arrival of thousands of year-round residents.
, the town has a total area of 37.6 square miles (97.4 km²), of which, 23.8 square miles (61.5 km²) of it is land and 13.9 square miles (35.9 km²) of it (36.87%) is water. Duxbury is bordered by Cape Cod Bay
to the east, Duxbury Bay
, Kingston Bay and Plymouth to the southeast, Kingston
to the southwest, Pembroke
to the west and northwest, and Marshfield
to the north. The town's border with Plymouth is due to the town having the only land access to Saquish Neck, a thin, hook-shaped strip of land along Duxbury Bay whose tip is in Plymouth.
Duxbury is the sixth largest cranberry
producer in Massachusetts
. It also has come in recent years to be known for its oyster
beds, as well as other shellfish
. The town has many ponds and bogs throughout. The Back River lies along the western edge of Saquish Neck, and has many tributaries from the local rivers, brooks and marshes. There are several sanctuaries, a conservation area and other forests within the town, especially in the western half of town.
of 2000, there were 14,248 people, 4,946 households, and 3,941 families residing in the town. The population density
was 599.8 people per square mile (231.6/km²). There were 5,345 housing units at an average density of 225.0 per square mile (86.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.80% White, 0.64% Black or African American
, 0.10% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.26% from other races
, and 0.55% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.72% of the population.
There were 4,946 households out of which 41.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.8% were married couples
living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.3% were non-families. 17.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.85 and the average family size was 3.26.
In the town the population was spread out with 29.6% under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 24.1% from 25 to 44, 29.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 92.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $97,124, and the median income for a family was $106,245. Males had a median income of $77,228 versus $41,730 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $40,242. About 1.2% of families and 2.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.1% of those under age 18 and 3.1% of those age 65 or over.
, and is currently represented by Bill Keating. The state's senior (Class II) member of the United States Senate
, re-elected in 2008, is John Kerry
. The junior (Class I) senator, elected in 2010, is Scott Brown
.
On the state level, Duxbury is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives
as a part of the Sixth and the Twelfth Plymouth districts; the Sixth includes the towns of Hanson, Pembroke and portions of Halifax, and the Twelfth includes all or parts of the towns of Halifax, Kingston, Middleborough, Plymouth and Plympton. The town is represented in the Massachusetts Senate
as a part of the Plymouth and Norfolk district, which includes the towns of Cohasset, Hingham, Hull, Marshfield, Norwell, Scituate and Weymouth. The town is patrolled by the First (Norwell) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police
.
Duxbury is governed by the open town meeting
form of government, and is led by a town manager and a board of selectmen
. The town operates its own police and fire departments, with the police station located near the junction of Routes 14 and 139, and fire stations located in the northwest and southeast parts of town. There are two post offices in town; one is at Hall's Corner (near Goose Point) and the other is at Snug Harbor, along Duxbury Bay just south of Powder Point. The Duxbury Free Library is located in the heart of town, next to the John Alden House, and is a member of the Old Colony Library Network. The town also has a highway department, located behind the Town Hall, and a harbormaster, whose office is located next to the Duxbury Yacht Club near Snug Harbor. Duxbury is located within ten miles (16 km) of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station
, and as such has a well-organized emergency management agency. The nearest hospitals are Jordan Hospital
in Plymouth, South Shore Hospital in Weymouth
, and Brockton Hospital.
Magazine's 2005, 2006 and 2007 rankings of the Nation's Top 1200 Public High Schools (the top 5% of public school systems), Duxbury was ranked at 246, 185 and 142 respectively.
Duxbury operates its own school system for the town's approximately 3,400 students, serving preschool through 12th grade. Chandler School is located near Tree of Knowledge Corner in the west of town and serves students from pre-kindergarten through second grade. The Alden Elementary School, located near the John Alden House, serves grades 3-5. The Duxbury Middle School is located adjacent to the Alden School, and serves grades 6-8.
Duxbury High School
is located across Saint George Street from the middle school, and serves grades 9-12. Duxbury High's athletic teams are known as the Dragons, and their colors are green and white. Their chief rival is Marshfield High School
, team mascot the rams, and play against them in the Thanksgiving Day Tournament. It is an important local event whose rivalry goes back more than 80 years.
in Kingston. The town does not have any agreements with vocational schools.
.
(Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional transit Authority) buss passes through the town on the SAIL line (Seaside Area Inter-town Link) and it stops at Halls Corner shopping district (South Duxbury), Island Creek, Millbrook Motors (Cox Corner), and the Duxbury Free Library (Millbrook). Another Bus Line that goes through Duxbury is the P&B Line (Plymouth & Brockton) which stops at Millbrook Motors (Cox Corner). The last bus line that goes through Duxbury is the Greyhound Bus Line which runs national service and into Canada
, which stops at Millbrook Motors (Cox Corner).
and 139
also pass through the town. Routes 14 and 139 both end in the town, and Route 53 ends less than 1/2 mile south of the town line, at Route 3A.
commuter rail passes through (and terminates in) neighboring Kingston and Plymouth, as the southern end of a route which starts at South Station
in Boston. The nearest municipal airport is Marshfield Municipal Airport
; the nearest national and international air service can be reached at Logan International Airport
in Boston.
Plymouth County, Massachusetts
Plymouth County is a county located in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. As of 2010, the population was 494,919. Its county seats are Plymouth and Brockton...
, 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...
. Duxbury is a suburb 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...
, located approximately 35 miles (56.3 km) to the south of the city on the South Shore. The population was 15,059 at the 2010 census.
Geographic and demographic information on the specific parts of the town of Duxbury is available in articles Cedar Crest
Green Harbor-Cedar Crest, Massachusetts
Green Harbor-Cedar Crest is a census-designated place in the towns of Marshfield and Duxbury in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. It includes the villages Green Harbor and Cedar Crest...
, Duxbury (CDP)
Duxbury (CDP), Massachusetts
Duxbury is a census-designated place in the town of Duxbury in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,426 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Duxbury is located at ....
, Duxbury Beach
Duxbury Beach
Duxbury Beach is a beach in the town of Duxbury, Massachusetts. It is four miles long and is accessed by the Powder Point Bridge from Duxbury.It is a barrier beach, defined by sand dunes, rosa ragusa, and beach grass...
, and South Duxbury
South Duxbury, Massachusetts
South Duxbury is a census-designated place in the town of Duxbury in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,062 at the 2000 census.-Geography:South Duxbury is located at ....
, respectively.
History
The area now known as Duxbury was inhabited by people as early as 12,000 to 9,000 B.C. By the time EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an settlers arrived here, the region was inhabited by the Wampanoags, who called this place Mattakeesett, meaning “place of many fish.”
In 1620, the English settlers known as the Pilgrims established their colony in Plymouth. Per the terms of their contract with financial backers in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, they were required to live together in a tight community for seven years. At the end of that term in 1627, land along the coast was allotted to settlers for farming. Thus, the coastline from Plymouth to Marshfield
Marshfield, Massachusetts
Marshfield is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States, on Massachusetts's South Shore. The population was 25,132 at the 2010 census.See also: Green Harbor, Marshfield , Rexhame, Marshfield Hills, and Ocean Bluff and Brant Rock....
was parceled out, and many settlers began moving away from Plymouth.
At first, those who settled in Duxbury came to work their new farms just in the warmer months and returned to Plymouth during the winter. It was not long, however, before they began to build homes on their land, and soon requested permission from the colony to be set off as a separate community with their own church. Duxbury, which originally included land that is now Pembroke
Pembroke, Massachusetts
Pembroke is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 16,927 at the 2000 census.The southwestern section of Pembroke is also known as Bryantville...
, was incorporated in 1637.
Some of the most influential men in the colony received grants in Duxbury and became its first leaders. Captain Myles Standish
Myles Standish
Myles Standish was an English military officer hired by the Pilgrims as military advisor for Plymouth Colony. One of the Mayflower passengers, Standish played a leading role in the administration and defense of Plymouth Colony from its inception...
, the military leader of the colony, lived in “the Nook,” an area now known as Standish Shore. Elder William Brewster
William Brewster (Pilgrim)
Elder William Brewster was a Mayflower passenger and a Pilgrim colonist leader and preacher.-Origins:Brewster was probably born at Doncaster, Yorkshire, England, circa 1566/1567, although no birth records have been found, and died at Plymouth, Massachusetts on April 10, 1644 around 9- or 10pm...
was, for many years, the religious leader of the colony. He probably named Duxbury after his possible home of Duxbury Hall, in Chorley
Chorley
Chorley is a market town in Lancashire, in North West England. It is the largest settlement in the Borough of Chorley. The town's wealth came principally from the cotton industry...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, in which he led services to the colony until it received its own minister in 1637. John Alden was another important settler. His house, now a museum on Alden Street, was the site of many important meetings of the colony’s leaders. The graves of some of Duxbury’s first settlers can be found in the Old Burying Ground
Myles Standish Burial Ground
The Myles Standish Burial Ground in Duxbury, Massachusetts is, according to the American Cemetery Association, the oldest maintained cemetery in the United States....
on Chestnut Street, next to the site of original meetinghouse. Theory has it that the town was named by Myles Standish after the family estate of his childhood in Lancashire. The ancient Standish family in northern England owned much land and large estates, including the two main family headquarters of Standish Hall and Duxbury Manor, in Lancashire, since the before the Middle Ages. Myles Standish's will delineates his inheritance rights to very particular lands near and around Standish and mostly Duxbury Manor, stating his descent from both lines of the Standish family; and so it has been suggested that he named the new town in Massachusetts after the estate where he grew up.
Duxbury was primarily a farming community throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. Its quiet history in the 18th century was interrupted only by 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...
.
The most remarkable period in Duxbury’s history, the 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...
era, began immediately after the Revolution. Following the Treaty of Paris
Treaty of Paris (1783)
The Treaty of Paris, signed on September 3, 1783, ended the American Revolutionary War between Great Britain on the one hand and the United States of America and its allies on the other. The other combatant nations, France, Spain and the Dutch Republic had separate agreements; for details of...
, the newborn nation was granted 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....
rights on the Grand Banks
Grand Banks
The Grand Banks of Newfoundland are a group of underwater plateaus southeast of Newfoundland on the North American continental shelf. These areas are relatively shallow, ranging from in depth. The cold Labrador Current mixes with the warm waters of the Gulf Stream here.The mixing of these waters...
. Several families took advantage of the new opportunity and began to build large fishing schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
s. Soon, the schooners built in the 1790s gave way to larger brig
Brig
A brig is a sailing vessel with two square-rigged masts. During the Age of Sail, brigs were seen as fast and manoeuvrable and were used as both naval warships and merchant vessels. They were especially popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries...
s and eventually three-masted 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. As several merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
families began to amass large fleets, shipyard
Shipyard
Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance and basing activities than shipyards, which are sometimes associated more with initial...
s and other ancillary industries flourished and Duxbury prospered. By the 1840s, Duxbury boasted about 20 shipyards and produced an average of ten large sailing vessels per year.
Early Industry
The largest industry in Duxbury was owned by Ezra Weston, who came to be known as "King Caesar" due to his success and influence. Weston began building small vessels in 1764 and soon became famous for his successful merchant fleet. His son, Ezra II, who inherited his father’s kingly sobriquet, would bring the industry to its height. By 1841, the younger King Caesar had constructed the largest vessel built in New England up to that time. The ship Hope was an astounding 880 tons. Lloyd's of LondonLloyd's of London
Lloyd's, also known as Lloyd's of London, is a British insurance and reinsurance market. It serves as a partially mutualised marketplace where multiple financial backers, underwriters, or members, whether individuals or corporations, come together to pool and spread risk...
recognized Weston as the owner of the largest fleet in America
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
, and this judgment was confirmed by Daniel Webster
Daniel Webster
Daniel Webster was a leading American statesman and senator from Massachusetts during the period leading up to the Civil War. He first rose to regional prominence through his defense of New England shipping interests...
in a speech in 1841. His empire, a fore-runner of vertical integration
Vertical integration
In microeconomics and management, the term vertical integration describes a style of management control. Vertically integrated companies in a supply chain are united through a common owner. Usually each member of the supply chain produces a different product or service, and the products combine to...
, dominated the town. The King Caesar House
King Caesar House
The King Caesar House is an historic house located at 120 King Caesar Road, Duxbury, Massachusetts. It is operated as a non-profit museum by the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society....
is now a museum owned by the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society
Duxbury Rural and Historical Society
The Duxbury Rural and Historical Society is a non-profit organization in Duxbury, Massachusetts founded in 1883. Its mission is to "preserve and promote the heritage and rural character of the town of Duxbury and its environs." The DRHS owns several historic buildings, operates a library and...
.
The shipbuilding era in Duxbury ended as quickly as it began. By the 1850s, sailing vessels were made obsolete by other modes of transportation such as steamships and railroads
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...
. While other Massachusetts towns grew, Duxbury went into a long economic decline.
There was, however, a silver lining. By the 1870s, Duxbury’s rural character and unspoiled bay
Bay
A bay is an area of water mostly surrounded by land. Bays generally have calmer waters than the surrounding sea, due to the surrounding land blocking some waves and often reducing winds. Bays also exist as an inlet in a lake or pond. A large bay may be called a gulf, a sea, a sound, or a bight...
began to attract summer visitors. Duxbury soon gained a reputation as an idyllic summer resort. With the 1871 completion of the Duxbury & Cohasset Railroad, large numbers of city-folk from Boston could pay $1.50 for a round-trip ticket and enjoy Duxbury’s refreshing environment. Boarding house
Boarding house
A boarding house, is a house in which lodgers rent one or more rooms for one or more nights, and sometimes for extended periods of weeks, months and years. The common parts of the house are maintained, and some services, such as laundry and cleaning, may be supplied. They normally provide "bed...
s sprang up everywhere. The Miles Standish Hotel on the Nook soon became enormously popular. The Myles Standish monument, completed in 1898, was a result of this tourist influx.
This pattern continued in Duxbury well into the 20th-century. It was not until the construction of Route 3 that transportation to Boston became expedient and the town’s population exploded with the arrival of thousands of year-round residents.
Geography
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 37.6 square miles (97.4 km²), of which, 23.8 square miles (61.5 km²) of it is land and 13.9 square miles (35.9 km²) of it (36.87%) is water. Duxbury is bordered by Cape Cod Bay
Cape Cod Bay
Cape Cod Bay is a large bay of the Atlantic Ocean adjacent to the U.S. state of Massachusetts. Measuring below a line drawn from Brant Rock in Marshfield to Race Point in Provincetown, Massachusetts, it is enclosed by Cape Cod to the south and east, and Plymouth County, Massachusetts, to the west....
to the east, Duxbury Bay
Duxbury Bay (Massachusetts)
Duxbury Bay is a bay on the coast of Massachusetts in the United States.The United States Navy seaplane tender USS Duxbury Bay, in commission from 1944 to 1966, was named for Duxbury Bay.-References:...
, Kingston Bay and Plymouth to the southeast, Kingston
Kingston, Massachusetts
Kingston is a coastal town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. According to the 2010 Census, it had a population of 12,629.-History:Before European settlers arrived in Kingston it was within the tribal home to the Wampanoag people...
to the southwest, Pembroke
Pembroke, Massachusetts
Pembroke is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 16,927 at the 2000 census.The southwestern section of Pembroke is also known as Bryantville...
to the west and northwest, and Marshfield
Marshfield, Massachusetts
Marshfield is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States, on Massachusetts's South Shore. The population was 25,132 at the 2010 census.See also: Green Harbor, Marshfield , Rexhame, Marshfield Hills, and Ocean Bluff and Brant Rock....
to the north. The town's border with Plymouth is due to the town having the only land access to Saquish Neck, a thin, hook-shaped strip of land along Duxbury Bay whose tip is in Plymouth.
Duxbury is the sixth largest cranberry
Cranberry
Cranberries are a group of evergreen dwarf shrubs or trailing vines in the subgenus Oxycoccus of the genus Vaccinium. In some methods of classification, Oxycoccus is regarded as a genus in its own right...
producer in 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...
. It also has come in recent years to be known for its oyster
Oyster
The word oyster is used as a common name for a number of distinct groups of bivalve molluscs which live in marine or brackish habitats. The valves are highly calcified....
beds, as well as other shellfish
Shellfish
Shellfish is a culinary and fisheries term for exoskeleton-bearing aquatic invertebrates used as food, including various species of molluscs, crustaceans, and echinoderms. Although most kinds of shellfish are harvested from saltwater environments, some kinds are found only in freshwater...
. The town has many ponds and bogs throughout. The Back River lies along the western edge of Saquish Neck, and has many tributaries from the local rivers, brooks and marshes. There are several sanctuaries, a conservation area and other forests within the town, especially in the western half of town.
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 14,248 people, 4,946 households, and 3,941 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 599.8 people per square mile (231.6/km²). There were 5,345 housing units at an average density of 225.0 per square mile (86.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.80% White, 0.64% Black or African American
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...
, 0.10% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.26% 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 0.55% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.72% of the population.
There were 4,946 households out of which 41.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.8% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.3% were non-families. 17.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.85 and the average family size was 3.26.
In the town the population was spread out with 29.6% under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 24.1% from 25 to 44, 29.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 92.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $97,124, and the median income for a family was $106,245. Males had a median income of $77,228 versus $41,730 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 $40,242. About 1.2% of families and 2.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.1% of those under age 18 and 3.1% of those age 65 or over.
Government
On the national level, Duxbury is a part of Massachusetts's 10th congressional districtMassachusetts's 10th congressional district
Massachusetts's 10th congressional district is a political constituency that includes parts of the South Shore of Massachusetts, and all of Cape Cod and the islands. With a population of 635,901 and a land area of , it is the most populous of Massachusetts's ten congressional districts and the...
, and is currently represented by Bill Keating. The state's senior (Class II) member of 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...
, re-elected in 2008, is John Kerry
John Kerry
John 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...
. The junior (Class I) senator, elected in 2010, is Scott Brown
Scott Brown
Scott Brown is a United States senator.Scott Brown may also refer to:-Sportsmen:*Scott Brown , American college football coach of Kentucky State...
.
On the state level, Duxbury is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives
Massachusetts House of Representatives
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
as a part of the Sixth and the Twelfth Plymouth districts; the Sixth includes the towns of Hanson, Pembroke and portions of Halifax, and the Twelfth includes all or parts of the towns of Halifax, Kingston, Middleborough, Plymouth and Plympton. The town is represented in the Massachusetts Senate
Massachusetts Senate
The Massachusetts Senate is the upper house of the Massachusetts General Court, the bicameral state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Senate comprises 40 elected members from 40 single-member senatorial districts in the state...
as a part of the Plymouth and Norfolk district, which includes the towns of Cohasset, Hingham, Hull, Marshfield, Norwell, Scituate and Weymouth. The town is patrolled by the First (Norwell) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police
Massachusetts State Police
The Massachusetts State Police is an agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Executive Office of Public Safety and Security responsible for criminal law enforcement and traffic vehicle regulation across the state...
.
Duxbury is governed by the open town meeting
Open town meeting
An open town meeting is a form of town meeting in which all registered voters of a town may vote . This form of government is typical of smaller municipalities in the New England region of the United States....
form of government, and is led by a town manager and a board of selectmen
Board 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:...
. The town operates its own police and fire departments, with the police station located near the junction of Routes 14 and 139, and fire stations located in the northwest and southeast parts of town. There are two post offices in town; one is at Hall's Corner (near Goose Point) and the other is at Snug Harbor, along Duxbury Bay just south of Powder Point. The Duxbury Free Library is located in the heart of town, next to the John Alden House, and is a member of the Old Colony Library Network. The town also has a highway department, located behind the Town Hall, and a harbormaster, whose office is located next to the Duxbury Yacht Club near Snug Harbor. Duxbury is located within ten miles (16 km) of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station
Pilgrim Nuclear Generating Station
Pilgrim Nuclear Generating Station is currently the only nuclear power plant operating in the United States Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is located in the Manomet section of Plymouth on Cape Cod Bay, south of the tip of Rocky Point and north of Priscilla Beach...
, and as such has a well-organized emergency management agency. The nearest hospitals are Jordan Hospital
Jordan Hospital
Jordan Hospital is a hospital located in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Founded in 1901, it is today the largest hospital in the Southern region of the South Shore. Jordan is an acute care, 150-bed, not-for-profit community hospital serving 12 towns in Plymouth and Barnstable counties...
in Plymouth, South Shore Hospital in Weymouth
Weymouth, Massachusetts
The Town of Weymouth is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, Weymouth had a total population of 53,743. Despite its city status, it is formally known as the Town of Weymouth...
, and Brockton Hospital.
| Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of October 15, 2008 | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Number of Voters | Percentage |
Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
2,236 | 20.13% |
Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
2,545 | 22.91% |
Unaffiliated | 6,277 | 56.51% |
Minor Parties | 50 | 0.45% | |
| Total | 11,108 | 100% | |||||||||||||
Public schools
Over $26 million of Duxbury's annual budget is devoted to the town's nationally recognized public school system. According to NewsweekNewsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
Magazine's 2005, 2006 and 2007 rankings of the Nation's Top 1200 Public High Schools (the top 5% of public school systems), Duxbury was ranked at 246, 185 and 142 respectively.
Duxbury operates its own school system for the town's approximately 3,400 students, serving preschool through 12th grade. Chandler School is located near Tree of Knowledge Corner in the west of town and serves students from pre-kindergarten through second grade. The Alden Elementary School, located near the John Alden House, serves grades 3-5. The Duxbury Middle School is located adjacent to the Alden School, and serves grades 6-8.
Duxbury High School
Duxbury High School
Duxbury High School is a public high school in New England, located in Duxbury, Massachusetts a small sea-side town. The superintendent of the district is Dr. Benedict Tantillo, III...
is located across Saint George Street from the middle school, and serves grades 9-12. Duxbury High's athletic teams are known as the Dragons, and their colors are green and white. Their chief rival is Marshfield High School
Marshfield High School (Massachusetts)
Marshfield High School is located in Marshfield, Massachusetts.It is the only Public High School in Marshfield, there are currently no private high schools located in Marshfield....
, team mascot the rams, and play against them in the Thanksgiving Day Tournament. It is an important local event whose rivalry goes back more than 80 years.
Private schools
There are two private schools located in Duxbury. The Bay Farm Montessori Academy is a private, independent school located in the southern corner of town and serves Toddlers through grade 8. Good Shepherd Christian Academy is a private, Christian school which serves students from kindergarten through eighth grade. The nearest private high school is Sacred HeartSacred Heart High School (Kingston, Massachusetts)
Sacred Heart High School is a private college preparatory high school of Roman Catholic denomination in Kingston, Massachusetts. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston. The school is operated by the Sisters of Divine Providence and has been educating students in grades 7-12...
in Kingston. The town does not have any agreements with vocational schools.
Higher education
The nearest college is Bridgewater State University in Bridgewater, MassachusettsBridgewater, Massachusetts
For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Bridgewater, please see the article Bridgewater , Massachusetts.The Town of Bridgewater is a city in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States, 28 miles south of Boston. At the 2000 Census, the population was 25,185...
.
Bus
For busses in Duxbury, the local GATRAGatra
A gatra is a unit of melody in Javanese gamelan music, analogous to a measure in Western music. It is often considered the smallest unit of a gamelan composition....
(Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional transit Authority) buss passes through the town on the SAIL line (Seaside Area Inter-town Link) and it stops at Halls Corner shopping district (South Duxbury), Island Creek, Millbrook Motors (Cox Corner), and the Duxbury Free Library (Millbrook). Another Bus Line that goes through Duxbury is the P&B Line (Plymouth & Brockton) which stops at Millbrook Motors (Cox Corner). The last bus line that goes through Duxbury is the Greyhound Bus Line which runs national service and into Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, which stops at Millbrook Motors (Cox Corner).
Road
Route 3, a two-lane freeway also known as the Pilgrims Highway, passes through the town, with one exit granting access to the town from it. Routes 3A, 14, 53Massachusetts Route 53
-History:Route 53 follows the former routing of the Kingston to Quincy section of Route 3 which was moved onto the Southeast Expressway and Pilgrim's Highway expressway when they were fully completed in 1963...
and 139
Massachusetts Route 139
Route 139 is nominally a west–east state highway in southeastern Massachusetts.-Route description:Route 139 begins in Stoughton Square at the southern junction of the Route 27 and 138 concurrency. The highway heads northeast until the junction with Route 24, at which point the highway heads...
also pass through the town. Routes 14 and 139 both end in the town, and Route 53 ends less than 1/2 mile south of the town line, at Route 3A.
Other
There is no rail or air service in town. The Kingston-Plymouth Line of the MBTA'sMassachusetts 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...
commuter rail passes through (and terminates in) neighboring Kingston and Plymouth, as the southern end of a route which starts at South Station
South Station
South Station, New England's second-largest transportation center , located at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Summer Street in Dewey Square, Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest train station and intercity bus terminal in Greater Boston, a prominent train station in the northeastern...
in Boston. The nearest municipal airport is Marshfield Municipal Airport
Marshfield Municipal Airport (Massachusetts)
Marshfield Municipal Airport , also known as George Harlow Field, is a public airport located 2 mi east of the central business district of Marshfield, a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, USA. The airport is owned by the Town of Marshfield and run by Shoreline Aviation, the airport's fixed...
; the nearest national and international air service can be reached at 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...
in Boston.
Notable residents
- Ichabod AldenIchabod AldenIchabod Alden was an American Revolutionary War officer and commanding officer during the Cherry Valley Massacre.The great-grandson of the Mayflower pilgrim John Alden, Ichabod Alden was born in Duxbury, Massachusetts...
, (1739–1778), officer in the American RevolutionAmerican RevolutionThe American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America... - John AldenJohn AldenJohn Alden is said to be the first person from the Mayflower to set foot on Plymouth Rock in 1620. He was a ship-carpenter by trade and a cooper for Mayflower, which was usually docked at Southampton. He was also one of the founders of Plymouth Colony and the seventh signer of the Mayflower Compact...
, a MayflowerMayflowerThe Mayflower was the ship that transported the English Separatists, better known as the Pilgrims, from a site near the Mayflower Steps in Plymouth, England, to Plymouth, Massachusetts, , in 1620...
immigrant and one of the founders of Duxbury - Love Brewster, a founder of the town of Duxbury.
- Elder William Brewster (pilgrim)William Brewster (Pilgrim)Elder William Brewster was a Mayflower passenger and a Pilgrim colonist leader and preacher.-Origins:Brewster was probably born at Doncaster, Yorkshire, England, circa 1566/1567, although no birth records have been found, and died at Plymouth, Massachusetts on April 10, 1644 around 9- or 10pm...
, (c. 1567 - April 10, 1644), the Pilgrim leader and spiritual elder of the Plymouth ColonyPlymouth ColonyPlymouth 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...
and a passenger on the MayflowerMayflowerThe Mayflower was the ship that transported the English Separatists, better known as the Pilgrims, from a site near the Mayflower Steps in Plymouth, England, to Plymouth, Massachusetts, , in 1620...
. He was also and one of the founders of Duxbury. - Captain/Deputy Governor Myles StandishMyles StandishMyles Standish was an English military officer hired by the Pilgrims as military advisor for Plymouth Colony. One of the Mayflower passengers, Standish played a leading role in the administration and defense of Plymouth Colony from its inception...
, (1584–1656) a MayflowerMayflowerThe Mayflower was the ship that transported the English Separatists, better known as the Pilgrims, from a site near the Mayflower Steps in Plymouth, England, to Plymouth, Massachusetts, , in 1620...
settler and founder of Duxbury. - Bill CurleyBill CurleyWilliam Michael 'Bill' Curley is a retired American professional basketball player, formerly in the National Basketball Association.-High school/college career:...
, former NBA center for San Antonio SpursSan Antonio SpursThe San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
basketball team - Captain Amasa Delano (b. 1763), became fictionalized as a character in Herman MelvilleHerman MelvilleHerman Melville was an American novelist, short story writer, essayist, and poet. He is best known for his novel Moby-Dick and the posthumous novella Billy Budd....
's 1855 novella Benito CerenoBenito CerenoBenito Cereno is a novella by Herman Melville. It was first serialized in Putnam's Monthly in 1855 and later included in slightly revised version in his collection The Piazza Tales .-Plot summary:... - Bobby FarrellyBobby FarrellyRobert Leo "Bobby" Farrelly, Jr. is an American film director, screenwriter and producer.-Life and career:Farrelly was born in Cumberland, Rhode Island, the son of Mariann, a nurse practitioner, and Robert Leo Farrelly, a doctor. He is a graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He has been...
, screenwriter, director; with brother PeterPeter FarrellyPeter John Farrelly is an American film director, screenwriter, producer and novelist. The Farrelly Brothers are mostly famous for directing and producing gross-out humor romantic comedy films such as, Dumb and Dumber, Me, Myself and Irene, There's Something About Mary and The Heartbreak...
wrote and directed popular films including Dumb and Dumber, There's Something About MaryThere's Something About MaryThere's Something About Mary is a 1998 American comedy film, directed by the Farrelly brothers, Bobby and Peter. It stars Cameron Diaz, Matt Dillon and Ben Stiller, and it is a combination of romantic comedy and gross-out film....
, and Shallow HalShallow HalShallow Hal is a 2001 romantic comedy film starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Jack Black, and Jason Alexander. It was directed by the Farrelly Brothers and filmed in and around Charlotte, North Carolina as well as Sterling and Princeton, Massachusetts at Wachusett Mountain.- Plot :Hal Larson is a... - Juliana HatfieldJuliana HatfieldJuliana Hatfield , is an American guitarist/singer-songwriter and author from the Boston area, formerly of the indie rock bands Blake Babies and Some Girls. She currently lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts....
(b. 1967), indie rockIndie rockIndie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
singer - Pat LeahyPat Leahy (hockey player)Patrick Donald Leahy is a professional ice hockey right wing who currently plays for the EHC Black Wings Linz of the Austrian Hockey League.-Playing career:...
, NHLNational Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
hockey player for the Boston BruinsBoston BruinsThe Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the... - Philip Parlier, former shortstopShortstopShortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
for the Cincinnati RedsCincinnati RedsThe Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
baseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team - George PartridgeGeorge PartridgeGeorge Partridge was an American teacher and politician. He represented Massachusetts as a delegate to the Continental Congress and as a Representative in the U.S. House.-Background:...
, a representative to Continental CongressContinental CongressThe Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
and the First United States Congress - Joe PerryJoe Perry (musician)Anthony Joseph "Joe" Perry is the lead guitarist, backing and occasional lead vocalist, and contributing songwriter for the rock band Aerosmith. He is influenced by many rock artists especially The Rolling Stones and The Beatles...
, guitarist for AerosmithAerosmithAerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many... - George SouleGeorge SouleGeorge Soule was a signer of the Mayflower Compact, and one of the original 102 Pilgrims who arrived on the Mayflower to Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1620.-Biography:...
, a MayflowerMayflowerThe Mayflower was the ship that transported the English Separatists, better known as the Pilgrims, from a site near the Mayflower Steps in Plymouth, England, to Plymouth, Massachusetts, , in 1620...
Pilgrim, signer of the Mayflower CompactMayflower CompactThe Mayflower Compact was the first governing document of Plymouth Colony. It was written by the colonists, later together known to history as the Pilgrims, who crossed the Atlantic aboard the Mayflower...
and one of the founders of Duxbury - Mike Sullivan, former coach of the Boston BruinsBoston BruinsThe Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
- Ezra Weston, Jr., referred to colloquially as King Caesar. Weston's shipbuilding enterprise dominated Duxbury in the early 19th century with a large portion of the population employed in the Weston shipyards, farms, wharves, mill, ropewalk, or aboard Weston’s fishing schooners and merchant fleet. The King Caesar HouseKing Caesar HouseThe King Caesar House is an historic house located at 120 King Caesar Road, Duxbury, Massachusetts. It is operated as a non-profit museum by the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society....
is now a tourist attraction in town.
Points of interest
- Alexander Standish HouseAlexander Standish HouseAlexander Standish House is an historic house in Duxbury, Massachusetts.The house was built in 1666 by Alexander Standish , son of Mayflower Pilgrim, Capt. Myles Standish. Alexander Standish and his wife Sarah Alden, daughter of John Alden and Priscilla Mullins lived in the house until their deaths...
, built in 1666. - Art Complex MuseumArt Complex MuseumThe Art Complex Museum, located in the historic town of Duxbury, Massachusetts, south of Boston, serves as a regional arts center and houses the impressive collection of the Carl A. Weyerhaeuser family....
: The Carl A. Weyerhaeuser collection. - Captain Daniel Bradford HouseCaptain Daniel Bradford HouseCaptain Daniel Bradford House is an historic house at 251 Harrison Street in Duxbury, Massachusetts.The house was built in 1808 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986....
- Capt. Gamaliel Bradford HouseCapt. Gamaliel Bradford HouseCapt. Gamaliel Bradford House is an historic house in Duxbury, Massachusetts.The house was built in 1807 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978....
- Duxbury Free Library
- First Parish Church, Unitarian Universalist: Founded in 1632 by the Pilgrims, it was the second religious body of the Plymouth ColonyPlymouth ColonyPlymouth 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...
. - Gershom Bradford House: This early 19th century house remains virtually untouched from when it was built and furnished by the seafaring captain. It remained in the family for four generations until donated to the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society.
- Hall's Corner: Duxbury's main commercial and retail shopping area, centering around the flagpole.
- John Alden House, built in 1653, home to PilgrimPilgrimA pilgrim is a traveler who is on a journey to a holy place. Typically, this is a physical journeying to some place of special significance to the adherent of a particular religious belief system...
John AldenJohn AldenJohn Alden is said to be the first person from the Mayflower to set foot on Plymouth Rock in 1620. He was a ship-carpenter by trade and a cooper for Mayflower, which was usually docked at Southampton. He was also one of the founders of Plymouth Colony and the seventh signer of the Mayflower Compact...
. - King Caesar HouseKing Caesar HouseThe King Caesar House is an historic house located at 120 King Caesar Road, Duxbury, Massachusetts. It is operated as a non-profit museum by the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society....
- Myles Standish Burial GroundMyles Standish Burial GroundThe Myles Standish Burial Ground in Duxbury, Massachusetts is, according to the American Cemetery Association, the oldest maintained cemetery in the United States....
, cemetery and Pilgrim burial site. - Myles Standish Monument State ReservationMyles Standish Monument State ReservationMyles Standish Monument State Reservation is a Massachusetts state park located on Captain's Hill in Duxbury. The park is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation ....
- Snug Harbor: A charming harborfront with small shops on Washington Street.
- North Hill Marsh: The Massachusetts Audubon Society's 129 acre (0.52204494 km²) sanctuary on Mayflower Street includes a forest, bike trails, and a 90 acres (364,217.4 m²) pond.
- Old Shipbuilder's Historic DistrictOld Shipbuilder's Historic DistrictOld Shipbuilder's Historic District is a historic district in Duxbury, Massachusetts. The district includes both sides of Washington Street extending from South Duxbury to Powder Point Avenue, including several side streets off of Washington and a small portion of St...
- Pillsbury Summer HousePillsbury Summer HousePillsbury Summer House is an historic house at 45 Old Cove Road in Duxbury, Massachusetts.The house was built in 1938 and added to the National Historic Register in 2004....
- Powder Point Bridge
- Tinkertown: A quaint hamlet of Duxbury settled in the early 18th century. The illumination of luminaries on Christmas Eve is a Tinkertown tradition dating back generations.
- Mill Pond, Island Creek Pond, Island Creek Information
- Camp Wing: Located in Duxbury's northeast tip, it is a summer camp with many year round events.
- Wright Memorial LibraryWright Memorial LibraryWright Memorial Library, more commonly known as the "Wright Building," is an historic library at 147 St. George Street in Duxbury, Massachusetts.-Historic significance:...
, home of the Duxbury Student Union and the Drew Archival Library of the Duxbury Rural and Historical SocietyDuxbury Rural and Historical SocietyThe Duxbury Rural and Historical Society is a non-profit organization in Duxbury, Massachusetts founded in 1883. Its mission is to "preserve and promote the heritage and rural character of the town of Duxbury and its environs." The DRHS owns several historic buildings, operates a library and... - Nathaniel Winsor, Jr. HouseNathaniel Winsor, Jr. HouseThe Nathaniel Winsor, Jr. House is a historic house located at 479 Washington Street Duxbury, Massachusetts. It currently serves as the headquarters of the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society....
headquarters of the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society - Far Far's Ice Cream amazing ice cream location
Newspapers
Television
- Duxbury Community Television (Comcast; Channel 14-Verizon; Channel 38)
- Duxbury Government (Comcast; Channel 15-Verizon; Channel 39)
See also
- Duxbury High SchoolDuxbury High SchoolDuxbury High School is a public high school in New England, located in Duxbury, Massachusetts a small sea-side town. The superintendent of the district is Dr. Benedict Tantillo, III...
- Duxbury (CDP), MassachusettsDuxbury (CDP), MassachusettsDuxbury is a census-designated place in the town of Duxbury in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,426 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Duxbury is located at ....
- Duxbury BeachDuxbury BeachDuxbury Beach is a beach in the town of Duxbury, Massachusetts. It is four miles long and is accessed by the Powder Point Bridge from Duxbury.It is a barrier beach, defined by sand dunes, rosa ragusa, and beach grass...
- South Duxbury, MassachusettsSouth Duxbury, MassachusettsSouth Duxbury is a census-designated place in the town of Duxbury in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,062 at the 2000 census.-Geography:South Duxbury is located at ....
- Duxbury Bay (Massachusetts)Duxbury Bay (Massachusetts)Duxbury Bay is a bay on the coast of Massachusetts in the United States.The United States Navy seaplane tender USS Duxbury Bay, in commission from 1944 to 1966, was named for Duxbury Bay.-References:...
- Duxbury Rural and Historical SocietyDuxbury Rural and Historical SocietyThe Duxbury Rural and Historical Society is a non-profit organization in Duxbury, Massachusetts founded in 1883. Its mission is to "preserve and promote the heritage and rural character of the town of Duxbury and its environs." The DRHS owns several historic buildings, operates a library and...
- Round Pond (Duxbury, Massachusetts)Round Pond (Duxbury, Massachusetts)Round Pond is an reservoir in Duxbury, Massachusetts. The reservoir is located northeast of Pine Lake, northwest of Island Creek Pond, and southwest of North Hill Marsh Pond. An inlet provides the inflow for this reservoir from Pine Lake. The reservoir is associated hydro logically with an...
- Pine Lake (Duxbury, Massachusetts)Pine Lake (Duxbury, Massachusetts)Pine Lake is a lake in Duxbury, Massachusetts in the village of Tinkertown. The lake is located southwest of Round Pond, northwest of Island Creek Pond, and east of Route 3 near the East Street underpass. The outflow is a small stream that flows into Round Pond. A small subdivision lies along the...
- Mill Pond (Duxbury, Massachusetts)Mill Pond (Duxbury, Massachusetts)Mill Pond is a pond in Duxbury, Massachusetts in the village of Island Creek. The pond is located south of Island Creek Pond. Island Creek runs through the pond. Route 3A runs along the southern shore of the pond. The water quality is impaired due to non-native aquatic plants in the pond...
- First Parish Church (Duxbury, Massachusetts)
- South Shore RailroadSouth Shore RailroadThe South Shore Railroad was a railroad in Massachusetts. It was incorporated in 1846 to provide rail service between Quincy and Duxbury, Massachusetts through the towns of Hingham, Cohasset, Scituate and Marshfield. The 11.5 mile line opened for service from Braintree to Cohasset, on January 1, 1849...
- Island Creek PondIsland Creek PondIsland Creek Pond is a pond in Duxbury, Massachusetts in the village of Tinkertown. The pond is located north of Mill Pond, south of North Hill Marsh Pond, and southwest of Pine Lake and Round Pond. The pond is the headwaters to Island Creek. The water quality is impaired due to non-native aquatic...
- Myles Standish Burial GroundMyles Standish Burial GroundThe Myles Standish Burial Ground in Duxbury, Massachusetts is, according to the American Cemetery Association, the oldest maintained cemetery in the United States....
- Old Shipbuilder's Historic DistrictOld Shipbuilder's Historic DistrictOld Shipbuilder's Historic District is a historic district in Duxbury, Massachusetts. The district includes both sides of Washington Street extending from South Duxbury to Powder Point Avenue, including several side streets off of Washington and a small portion of St...
- North Hill Marsh PondNorth Hill Marsh PondNorth Hill Marsh Pond is a pond in Duxbury, Massachusetts, USA. The pond is the headwaters to the Back River. The pond is located northeast of Round Pond and north of Island Creek Pond. A wildlife sanctuary borders this pond to the south, and the North Hill Country Club, accessible via Merry...
- John and Priscilla Alden Family SitesJohn and Priscilla Alden Family SitesJohn and Priscilla Alden Family Sites is a National Historic Landmark consisting of two properties in Duxbury, Massachusetts, United States.According to the Department of the Interior's press release:-John Alden House:...
- Myles Standish Monument State ReservationMyles Standish Monument State ReservationMyles Standish Monument State Reservation is a Massachusetts state park located on Captain's Hill in Duxbury. The park is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation ....
- Nathaniel Winsor, Jr. HouseNathaniel Winsor, Jr. HouseThe Nathaniel Winsor, Jr. House is a historic house located at 479 Washington Street Duxbury, Massachusetts. It currently serves as the headquarters of the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society....
- TAB the BandTAB the BandTAB the Band is an American indie rock band from Duxbury, Massachusetts. Formed in December 2006, the group consisted of brothers Adrian Perry and Tony Perry , and Ben Tileston . In August 2008, Lou Jannetty joined the band...
- Alexander Standish HouseAlexander Standish HouseAlexander Standish House is an historic house in Duxbury, Massachusetts.The house was built in 1666 by Alexander Standish , son of Mayflower Pilgrim, Capt. Myles Standish. Alexander Standish and his wife Sarah Alden, daughter of John Alden and Priscilla Mullins lived in the house until their deaths...
- Lower Chandler PondLower Chandler PondLower Chandler Pond is a pond in Duxbury and Pembroke, Massachusetts. The pond is located north of Reeds Millpond and south of Upper Chandler Pond. Pine Brook, a tributary of the Jones River, flows through the pond. The water quality has been impaired by non-native aquatic plants and non-native...
- Upper Chandler PondUpper Chandler PondUpper Chandler Pond is a pond in Duxbury and Pembroke, Massachusetts. The pond is located north of Lower Chandler Pond and east of West Chandler Pond. The pond is the headwaters to Pine Brook, a tributary of the Jones River. The pond is hydro logically associatied with two nearby cranberry bogs...
- Art Complex MuseumArt Complex MuseumThe Art Complex Museum, located in the historic town of Duxbury, Massachusetts, south of Boston, serves as a regional arts center and houses the impressive collection of the Carl A. Weyerhaeuser family....
- Pine Street PondPine Street PondPine Street Pond is a pond in Duxbury, Massachusetts. The pond is located southeast of Lower Chandler Pond and northeast of Reeds Millpond. The water quality is impaired due to non-native aquatic plants in the pond. The pond is hydro logically associated with a cranberry bog operation located to...
- Keene PondKeene PondKeene Pond is a pond in Duxbury, Massachusetts in the Ashdod section of the town. The pond is located east of Stump Pond. Keene Brook, a tributary of the South River, flows through the pond. Camp Wing, a summer camp for children age 7–16 run by Crossroads for Kids, Inc., is located on the eastern...
- Alden IslandAlden IslandAlden island is a very small island within the Duck Hill marshland in Duxbury, Massachusetts. A small unpaved road connects the island with the mainland to Harmony Hill Road....
- Bartlett Rock (Plymouth County, Massachusetts)
- Massachusetts Route 14
- King Caesar HouseKing Caesar HouseThe King Caesar House is an historic house located at 120 King Caesar Road, Duxbury, Massachusetts. It is operated as a non-profit museum by the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society....
- Wright Memorial LibraryWright Memorial LibraryWright Memorial Library, more commonly known as the "Wright Building," is an historic library at 147 St. George Street in Duxbury, Massachusetts.-Historic significance:...
- Massachusetts Route 3AMassachusetts Route 3ARoute 3A is a state highway in eastern Massachusetts, which parallels Route 3 and U.S. Route 3 from Cedarville in southern Plymouth to Tyngsborough at the New Hampshire state line....
- Massachusetts Route 3
- Massachusetts Route 139Massachusetts Route 139Route 139 is nominally a west–east state highway in southeastern Massachusetts.-Route description:Route 139 begins in Stoughton Square at the southern junction of the Route 27 and 138 concurrency. The highway heads northeast until the junction with Route 24, at which point the highway heads...
External links
- Town of Duxbury
- Duxbury Free Library
- Duxbury Rural & Historical Society
- Duxbury Business Association
- Duxbury Clipper
- Duxbury Public Schools
- Duxbury Times
- First Parish Church Unitarian Universalist, Duxbury
- Map of Duxbury (Yahoo)
- Map of Duxbury Cemeteries
- Myles Standish Monument State Reservation
- North Hill Marsh
- Wicked Local Duxbury
- Answer Book/Duxbury: Everything you need to know