Freetown, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Freetown is a town
in Bristol County
, Massachusetts
, United States
. The population was 8,870 at the 2010 census.
Freetown is one of the oldest communities in the United States, having been settled by the Pilgrims and their descendants in the latter half of the 17th century. The town once included the city of Fall River
(1659–1803), and a portion of Acushnet
(1659–1815). The town celebrated its tricentennial in 1983.
Freetown is currently divided into two villages, which historically developed almost entirely independent from one another: Assonet
and East Freetown
.
, when the areas of Assonet
and Fall River
were purchased for 20 coats, two rugs, two iron pots, two kettles, one little kettle, eight pairs of shoes, six pairs of stockings, one dozen hoes, one dozen hatchets, and two yards of broadcloth from the Wampanoag Indians in an exchange known as Ye Freemen's Purchase. Its population slowly grew, and it existed as a Proprietary settlement until it was officially incorporated in July 1683. It remained a part of Plymouth Colony
until that colony merged with the Massachusetts Bay Colony
in 1685. The town was the fifth municipal corporation
established in Bristol County
.
Throughout the 18th century, the town continued to grow and prosper. In 1747, through the Pocasset Purchase, the village of East Freetown
(at the time called "New Freetown") was acquired from Tiverton, Rhode Island
(which was being transferred from Massachusetts
to Rhode Island). The townspeople were also some of America's earliest patriots, fighting in King Philip's War
and other local skirmishes. On May 28, 1775, during the Revolutionary War, the Battle of Freetown
was fought in a part of the town that is now part of the city of Fall River
.
In 1803, Fall River
separated from the town, and incorporated as Troy. In 1815, a portion of the town was annexed by Fairhaven
, which at the time controlled Acushnet
, Massachusetts
. That part of East Freetown
remains part of Acushnet to this day.
Throughout the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, Freetown served as a very industrious area. Blast furnaces, fishing, textiles, and manufacturing all came to and left Freetown, eventually allowing the area to regain its former rural charm. One of the more well-known industries was N. R. Davis & Sons, a gun manufactory that provided many weapons for the Civil War
.
, Marcus Morton
, has hailed from Freetown. The town has also boasted a number of representatives to the General Court
, the state's legislature. Freetown celebrated its tricentennial in 1983.
The Town is currently home to two Historic Districts of the National Register of Historic Places
: the Assonet Village Historic District, and the East Freetown Historic District.
, the town has a total area of 38.3 square miles (99.2 km²). Land comprises 36.6 square miles (94.8 km²) of the town, and 1.7 square miles (4.4 km²) of it (4.41%) is water. The town is irregularly shaped, and is bordered by Berkley to the northwest, Lakeville to the northeast, Rochester to the east, Acushnet, New Bedford and Dartmouth to the southeast, Fall River to the southwest, and the Taunton River and Somerset to the west.
Within Freetown are various lakes, streams, and rivers. The more prominent are Fall Brook, the Assonet River
and Long Pond
which the Indians called Lake Apponequet. Also within Freetown are Breakneck Hill and Joshua's Mountain, site of Profile Rock
. A vast area of land shared by Freetown and Fall River makes up the Freetown-Fall River State Forest
.
and one exit on Route 140 (the "New Bedford Expressway") in East Freetown
. Assonet is also situated on Route 79, and East Freetown is situated on Route 18.
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
(MBTA) provides commuter rail service to neighboring Lakeville via the Middleborough-Lakeville line, whose terminus is on the border of the two towns. Currently, plans exist to extend service to Fall River via Assonet in the future, most likely along the same path CSX operates.
Air transportation is provided locally by smaller aircraft in East Taunton
, Berkley
, and the regional airport in New Bedford
. T.F. Green Airport in Rhode Island
is the closest national-service airport, being approximately 35 miles from Assonet. Logan International Airport
is approximately fifty miles from the town.
Freetown is governed in the traditional New England
style with a Board of Selectmen
overseeing day-to-day operations of the town and at least one town meeting
per year to handle all major decisions including, but not limited to, budgets, by-laws, and zoning. In 2004, provisions for a Town Administrator were put in place, and in 2007, E. Winn Davis of Falmouth
, Massachusetts
was hired as the town's first administrator. Mr. Davis announced his retirement in February, 2009, and former Middleborough
Town Manager John Healey was hired as the interim town administrator in March, 2009.
The executive branch of town government is the Board of Selectmen, a popularly elected board made up of three members who are elected for terms of three years. One selectman is up for re-election every year. The current board is Paul G. Sadeck (2014), Lisa A. Pacheco (2012), and Jean C. Fox (2013). Pacheco has been a member of the board since 2006, and Fox since 2007.
Selectmen currently serve terms of three years each, and those terms are staggered to ensure that only one member is up for re-election in any given year. Through the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, the number of Selectmen was not set in law, and therefore varied, sometimes greatly. In 1988, Barbara Trainor became the first woman to hold the position of Selectman in Freetown, giving the town a record of 305 years of all-male leadership. After her defeat in 1991, no woman was again elected to the board until 2006.
In 2005, attempts to expand the Board of Selectmen to five members failed. Also failing in 2005 was an attempt to limit Selectmen to a total of two terms (or, six years). Attempts to expand the board to five members have been frequent in recent years.
As of May 7, 2007, Elections in Freetown are held on the first Monday in April.
The legislative branch of town government is the town meeting, which in Freetown is an open town meeting
.
Various other officers, boards, committees, and commissions round out the variety of services provided to residents, including scattered municipal water, trash collection, fire, ambulance, police, education, recreation, voter registration, etc.
As of the Annual Town Meeting
held on May 7, 2007, elections in Freetown are held on the first Monday in April.
The Seal of the Town of Freetown, Massachusetts is an official device
used on documents originating from the town as well as on municipal equipment and buildings. It was devised in 1890 by the chairman of the Board of Selectmen, Col.
Silas P. Richmond.
Along the top of the seal are the words "Town of Freetown, Mass." in all capital letters. Before the T in "Town" and after the final S in "Mass." are stars. Along the bottom of the seal are the words "Incorporated 1683" (also in capital letters). The image of a kettle
over a cooking fire
is meant to invoke Ye Freemen's Purchase, the agreement by which the lands now known as Assonet
and Fall River
were purchased by the English
settlers from the local Wampanoag Indians
.
, Massachusetts
. Where county governments in some states collect taxes or manage schools, these functions are carried out at the municipal level in Massachusetts. However, some minimal county government does still exist; especially in the court system.
The Bristol County Commission
is made up of chairman Maria F. Lopes (D-Taunton
) and members Paul B. Kitchen (D-Fairhaven
) and John R. Mitchell (D-Fall River
). The current District Attorney
for Bristol County is C. Samuel Sutter (D-Fall River). The sheriff
of Bristol County is Thomas F. Hodgson (R-Dartmouth).
. These divisions are made along precinct
lines. The representative for Precinct I, which is in the 6th Bristol District, is David B. Sullivan
(D-Fall River
). The representative for Precinct II, which is in the 9th Bristol District, is Christopher Markey (D-Dartmouth
). The representative for Precinct III, which is in the 12th Bristol District, is Keiko Orrall (R-Lakeville
).
The town as a whole is represented in the Massachusetts Senate
by Michael J. Rodrigues
(D-Westport
). Freetown is a part of the 1st Bristol and Plymouth District. Likewise, the town as a whole is represented on the Governor's Council
by Charles Oliver Cipollini (R-Fall River
), councillor for the 1st District.
by Barney Frank
(D-Newton
). The town is also represented in the United States Senate
by (Class II) Senator John Kerry
(D-Boston) and (Class I) Senator Scott Brown
(R-Wrentham
).
Freetown's fire department provides 24-hour ambulance service to the town, and coverage to surrounding communities such as Lakeville
. The town is situated between three major cities (Taunton
, Fall River
, and New Bedford
), each with their own hospitals:
Mental health hospitals in the area include Taunton State Hospital
and Bridgewater State Hospital
.
Freetown's state highways are patrolled by the Third (Dartmouth) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police.
, and in some parts of East Freetown by the City of New Bedford
. Both villages are billed by the Freetown Water Commission. Sewer is not available in the town, except for a small portion of South Main Street that is serviced by a line running from Fall River for use by the Stop & Shop
Supermarket Company's distribution center.
Electricity in Freetown is provided by NSTAR
, cable television by Comcast
, and telephone service by Verizon. Also, satellite is provided by both services
improvements, the town constructed an eight-room schoolhouse known as Freetown Elementary School
on a tract of land roughly in the geographic center of the town, with the cornerstone
laid in 1949 and the school opening in September, 1950. That central area now boasts a park with a miniature Fenway Park
, the Freetown Police Station, the Freetown Senior Center, and Freetown Fire Department Station 3.
In the mid-1950s, Freetown and Lakeville formed a regional school district (see "Secondary" below). In 1972, the Freetown and Lakeville opened the George R. Austin Middle School, a 5-8 facility which closed in 2002 and was replaced by the Freetown-Lakeville Middle School
. GRAMS has recently been converted into an intermediate school to cover grades 4 and 5, with Freetown sending only students in grade five.
, New Bedford
, and Dighton
. As its agreements with surrounding cities and towns grew thin, the town recognized a need to develop secondary education programs of its own. In 1955, Freetown, Berkley
, Carver
, Lakeville
, and Rochester
formed a planning committee for a regional high school. Carver later dropped from the board, and the remaining towns voted. Freetown and Lakeville approved the school, while the others did not. On April 8, 1957, voters in Freetown and Lakeville approved construction of Apponequet Regional High School
. Farm land on Howland Road in Lakeville was donated, and the school opened on September 21, 1959 to serve grades 7-12.
Students wishing a vocational education can apply to Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School
for grades 9-12. Also, because Freetown is a part of Bristol County
, high school students may apply for available slots at the Bristol County Agricultural High School.
of 2000, there were 8,472 people, 2,932 households, and 2,389 families residing in the town. The population density
was 231.4 per square mile (89.3/km2). There were 3,029 housing units at an average density of 82.7 per square mile (31.9/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 96.15% White, 0.72% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.09% from other races
, and 1.19% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.73% of the population.
There were 2,932 households out of which 36.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.3% were married couples
living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.5% were non-families. 14.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.2% 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 3.14.
In the town the population was spread out with 24.6% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 28.6% from 45 to 64, and 9.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 101.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $68,505.00, and the median income for a family was $72,270.00. Males had a median income of $45,977.00 versus $28,984.00 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $24,401.00. About 3.2% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.0% of those under age 18 and 2.3% of those age 65 or over.
.
, and Lakeville
. News coverage of Freetown has consistently been handled by The New Bedford Standard-Times
. Fall River Herald News has covered the town regularly for the last several years, after reducing its coverage in the late 1990s. The Taunton Daily Gazette
resumed coverage of Freetown in 2006 after abandoning the town in the 1990s. The Boston Globe
also covers Freetown in its GlobeSouth section.
The town's location in southeastern Massachusetts allows it access to a variety of media markets. Each of the major broadcast television networks (NBC
, ABC
, CBS
, and Fox
) are represented by two stations: one in the Boston market, and one in the Providence
market. Freetown falls in the Providence Designated Market Area. Radios can pick up the Boston, Providence, and Cape Cod
stations.
WLWC
-TV, the CW
affiliate licensed to New Bedford
has its transmission tower in East Freetown.
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Many of Freetown's sites of interest are derived from its strong history. The Freetown Historical Society Museum in Assonet is a trove of artifacts and information relating to the history of the town and surrounding area, and has an extensive genealogical
library. Several buildings on the property show visitors how life in Freetown once was, even a mere sixty years ago, with a one-room schoolhouse, small chapel, blacksmith shop, and the like.
Hathaway Park in Assonet is a public park with a boatramp on the Assonet River. It is the site of the faire and viewing area for the Fourth of July fireworks, and also one of two sites of the Strawberry Festival. The other site for that event is the historic bandstand at the Assonet Four Corners, built in the 1930s on the site of the former Green Dragon Tavern.
Profile Rock
, in the Freetown-Fall River State Forest
, is a granite outcropping from Joshua's Mountain featuring the image of what local Wampanoag Indians
have held to be the face of Massasoit
. King Philip's Cave, in East Freetown, is said to have been a hiding place for Metacomet
during the King Philip's War
.
Porter Pastures in Assonet and Town Beach in East Freetown are both public beaches, the former on Assonet Bay
and the latter on Long Pond
. There is also a municipal harbor on Long Pond.
and Quaker denominations. Each side of town currently has its own Roman Catholic church, along with a United Church of Christ
church in Assonet and a variety of Christian churches in East Freetown. For more information on churches in Assonet
and East Freetown
, see each village's independent article.
New England town
The New England town is the basic unit of local government in each of the six New England states. Without a direct counterpart in most other U.S. states, New England towns are conceptually similar to civil townships in other states, but are incorporated, possessing powers like cities in other...
in Bristol County
Bristol County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 534,678 people, 205,411 households, and 140,706 families residing in the county. The population density was 962 people per square mile . There were 216,918 housing units at an average density of 390 per square mile...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 8,870 at the 2010 census.
Freetown is one of the oldest communities in the United States, having been settled by the Pilgrims and their descendants in the latter half of the 17th century. The town once included the city of Fall River
Fall River, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and south of Taunton. The city's population was 88,857 during the 2010 census, making it the tenth largest city in...
(1659–1803), and a portion of Acushnet
Acushnet, Massachusetts
Acushnet is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 10,303 at the 2010 census.- History :Acushnet was first settled in 1659. It has been included as a part of three separate towns throughout its history. It was formerly the northeastern section of the town of...
(1659–1815). The town celebrated its tricentennial in 1983.
Freetown is currently divided into two villages, which historically developed almost entirely independent from one another: Assonet
Assonet, Massachusetts
Assonet is one of two villages in the town of Freetown, Massachusetts in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. An original part of the town, Assonet was settled in 1659 along with the city of Fall River, then a part of Freetown. It rests on the banks of the Assonet River...
and East Freetown
East Freetown, Massachusetts
East Freetown is one of two villages in the town of Freetown, Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. Added to the town in 1747, East Freetown was originally an outpost settlement of Tiverton, Rhode Island, then a part of Massachusetts. It rests on the shore of Long Pond.- History :East...
.
History
Freetown was first settled by the English on April 2, 1659 on the banks of the Assonet RiverAssonet River
The Assonet River is located in Bristol County, Massachusetts. It flows in a westerly direction through Freetown and joins the Taunton River near Assonet Neck in Berkley, Massachusetts. -Description:...
, when the areas of Assonet
Assonet, Massachusetts
Assonet is one of two villages in the town of Freetown, Massachusetts in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. An original part of the town, Assonet was settled in 1659 along with the city of Fall River, then a part of Freetown. It rests on the banks of the Assonet River...
and Fall River
Fall River, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and south of Taunton. The city's population was 88,857 during the 2010 census, making it the tenth largest city in...
were purchased for 20 coats, two rugs, two iron pots, two kettles, one little kettle, eight pairs of shoes, six pairs of stockings, one dozen hoes, one dozen hatchets, and two yards of broadcloth from the Wampanoag Indians in an exchange known as Ye Freemen's Purchase. Its population slowly grew, and it existed as a Proprietary settlement until it was officially incorporated in July 1683. It remained a part of Plymouth Colony
Plymouth Colony
Plymouth Colony was an English colonial venture in North America from 1620 to 1691. The first settlement of the Plymouth Colony was at New Plymouth, a location previously surveyed and named by Captain John Smith. The settlement, which served as the capital of the colony, is today the modern town...
until that colony merged with the Massachusetts Bay Colony
Massachusetts Bay Colony
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was an English settlement on the east coast of North America in the 17th century, in New England, situated around the present-day cities of Salem and Boston. The territory administered by the colony included much of present-day central New England, including portions...
in 1685. The town was the fifth municipal corporation
Municipal corporation
A municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including cities, counties, towns, townships, charter townships, villages, and boroughs. Municipal incorporation occurs when such municipalities become self-governing entities under the laws of the state or province in which...
established in Bristol County
Bristol County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 534,678 people, 205,411 households, and 140,706 families residing in the county. The population density was 962 people per square mile . There were 216,918 housing units at an average density of 390 per square mile...
.
Throughout the 18th century, the town continued to grow and prosper. In 1747, through the Pocasset Purchase, the village of East Freetown
East Freetown, Massachusetts
East Freetown is one of two villages in the town of Freetown, Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. Added to the town in 1747, East Freetown was originally an outpost settlement of Tiverton, Rhode Island, then a part of Massachusetts. It rests on the shore of Long Pond.- History :East...
(at the time called "New Freetown") was acquired from Tiverton, 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...
(which was being transferred from 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...
to Rhode Island). The townspeople were also some of America's earliest patriots, fighting in King Philip's War
King Philip's War
King Philip's War, sometimes called Metacom's War, Metacomet's War, or Metacom's Rebellion, was an armed conflict between Native American inhabitants of present-day southern New England and English colonists and their Native American allies in 1675–76. The war is named after the main leader of the...
and other local skirmishes. On May 28, 1775, during the Revolutionary War, the Battle of Freetown
Battle of Freetown
The Mount Hope Bay raids were a series of military raids conducted by British troops during the American Revolutionary War against communities on the shores of Mount Hope Bay on May 25 and 30, 1778...
was fought in a part of the town that is now part of the city of Fall River
Fall River, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and south of Taunton. The city's population was 88,857 during the 2010 census, making it the tenth largest city in...
.
In 1803, Fall River
Fall River, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and south of Taunton. The city's population was 88,857 during the 2010 census, making it the tenth largest city in...
separated from the town, and incorporated as Troy. In 1815, a portion of the town was annexed by Fairhaven
Fairhaven, Massachusetts
Fairhaven is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located on the south coast of Massachusetts where the Acushnet River flows into Buzzards Bay, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean...
, which at the time controlled Acushnet
Acushnet, Massachusetts
Acushnet is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 10,303 at the 2010 census.- History :Acushnet was first settled in 1659. It has been included as a part of three separate towns throughout its history. It was formerly the northeastern section of the town of...
, 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...
. That part of East Freetown
East Freetown, Massachusetts
East Freetown is one of two villages in the town of Freetown, Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. Added to the town in 1747, East Freetown was originally an outpost settlement of Tiverton, Rhode Island, then a part of Massachusetts. It rests on the shore of Long Pond.- History :East...
remains part of Acushnet to this day.
Throughout the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, Freetown served as a very industrious area. Blast furnaces, fishing, textiles, and manufacturing all came to and left Freetown, eventually allowing the area to regain its former rural charm. One of the more well-known industries was N. R. Davis & Sons, a gun manufactory that provided many weapons for the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
More info
One Massachusetts governorGovernor of Massachusetts
The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the executive magistrate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. The current governor is Democrat Deval Patrick.-Constitutional role:...
, Marcus Morton
Marcus Morton
Marcus Morton was a lawyer, jurist, and politician from Taunton, Massachusetts. He represented Massachusetts in the United States House of Representatives and served two terms as 16th and 18th Governor of Massachusetts, as well as a portion of an unexpired term in 1825, as Acting Governor.Morton...
, has hailed from Freetown. The town has also boasted a number of representatives to the General Court
Massachusetts General Court
The Massachusetts General Court is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The name "General Court" is a hold-over from the Colonial Era, when this body also sat in judgment of judicial appeals cases...
, the state's legislature. Freetown celebrated its tricentennial in 1983.
The Town is currently home to two Historic Districts of the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
: the Assonet Village Historic District, and the East Freetown Historic District.
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 38.3 square miles (99.2 km²). Land comprises 36.6 square miles (94.8 km²) of the town, and 1.7 square miles (4.4 km²) of it (4.41%) is water. The town is irregularly shaped, and is bordered by Berkley to the northwest, Lakeville to the northeast, Rochester to the east, Acushnet, New Bedford and Dartmouth to the southeast, Fall River to the southwest, and the Taunton River and Somerset to the west.
Within Freetown are various lakes, streams, and rivers. The more prominent are Fall Brook, the Assonet River
Assonet River
The Assonet River is located in Bristol County, Massachusetts. It flows in a westerly direction through Freetown and joins the Taunton River near Assonet Neck in Berkley, Massachusetts. -Description:...
and Long Pond
Long Pond (Massachusetts)
Long Pond is a pond within the towns of Lakeville and Freetown, in southeastern Massachusetts. It shares its waters with Assawompset Pond. These ponds provide a source of drinking water to the city of New Bedford, the largest city in southeastern Massachusetts. Long Pond is roughly one mile wide by...
which the Indians called Lake Apponequet. Also within Freetown are Breakneck Hill and Joshua's Mountain, site of Profile Rock
Profile Rock
Profile Rock, also known as the Old Man of Joshua's Mountain, is a 50-foot high granite rock formation located in Freetown, Massachusetts just outside Assonet village and near the Freetown State Forest....
. A vast area of land shared by Freetown and Fall River makes up the Freetown-Fall River State Forest
Freetown-Fall River State Forest
The Freetown-Fall River State Forest is a large tract of forest land located in Freetown and Fall River, Massachusetts. It is owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and operated by the Department of Conservation and Recreation...
.
Transportation
Freetown is serviced by two exits on Route 24 (the "Fall River Expressway") in AssonetAssonet, Massachusetts
Assonet is one of two villages in the town of Freetown, Massachusetts in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. An original part of the town, Assonet was settled in 1659 along with the city of Fall River, then a part of Freetown. It rests on the banks of the Assonet River...
and one exit on Route 140 (the "New Bedford Expressway") in East Freetown
East Freetown, Massachusetts
East Freetown is one of two villages in the town of Freetown, Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. Added to the town in 1747, East Freetown was originally an outpost settlement of Tiverton, Rhode Island, then a part of Massachusetts. It rests on the shore of Long Pond.- History :East...
. Assonet is also situated on Route 79, and East Freetown is situated on Route 18.
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
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...
(MBTA) provides commuter rail service to neighboring Lakeville via the Middleborough-Lakeville line, whose terminus is on the border of the two towns. Currently, plans exist to extend service to Fall River via Assonet in the future, most likely along the same path CSX operates.
Air transportation is provided locally by smaller aircraft in East Taunton
East Taunton, Massachusetts
East Taunton is a suburban neighborhood of Taunton, Massachusetts, United States.-Economy:East Taunton is home to Massassoit State Park which offers camping, mountain bike trails, and kayaking and fishing on the park's four main lakes, the largest of which is Lake Rico. Other lakes in the park...
, Berkley
Berkley, Massachusetts
Berkley is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,749 at the 2000 census, making it the least populated town in the county.-Geography:...
, and the regional airport in New Bedford
New Bedford, Massachusetts
New Bedford is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, located south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and about east of Fall River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 95,072, making it the sixth-largest city in Massachusetts...
. T.F. Green Airport in 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...
is the closest national-service airport, being approximately 35 miles from Assonet. 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...
is approximately fifty miles from the town.
Town government
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
style with 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:...
overseeing day-to-day operations of the town and at least one town meeting
Town meeting
A town meeting is a form of direct democratic rule, used primarily in portions of the United States since the 17th century, in which most or all the members of a community come together to legislate policy and budgets for local government....
per year to handle all major decisions including, but not limited to, budgets, by-laws, and zoning. In 2004, provisions for a Town Administrator were put in place, and in 2007, E. Winn Davis of Falmouth
Falmouth, Massachusetts
Falmouth is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States; Barnstable County is coextensive with Cape Cod. The population was 31,531 at the 2010 census....
, 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...
was hired as the town's first administrator. Mr. Davis announced his retirement in February, 2009, and former Middleborough
Middleborough, Massachusetts
Middleborough is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 21,117 as of 2008.For geographic and demographic information on the village of Middleborough Center, please see the article Middleborough Center, Massachusetts....
Town Manager John Healey was hired as the interim town administrator in March, 2009.
The executive branch of town government is the Board of Selectmen, a popularly elected board made up of three members who are elected for terms of three years. One selectman is up for re-election every year. The current board is Paul G. Sadeck (2014), Lisa A. Pacheco (2012), and Jean C. Fox (2013). Pacheco has been a member of the board since 2006, and Fox since 2007.
Selectmen currently serve terms of three years each, and those terms are staggered to ensure that only one member is up for re-election in any given year. Through the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, the number of Selectmen was not set in law, and therefore varied, sometimes greatly. In 1988, Barbara Trainor became the first woman to hold the position of Selectman in Freetown, giving the town a record of 305 years of all-male leadership. After her defeat in 1991, no woman was again elected to the board until 2006.
In 2005, attempts to expand the Board of Selectmen to five members failed. Also failing in 2005 was an attempt to limit Selectmen to a total of two terms (or, six years). Attempts to expand the board to five members have been frequent in recent years.
As of May 7, 2007, Elections in Freetown are held on the first Monday in April.
The legislative branch of town government is the town meeting, which in Freetown is an 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....
.
Various other officers, boards, committees, and commissions round out the variety of services provided to residents, including scattered municipal water, trash collection, fire, ambulance, police, education, recreation, voter registration, etc.
As of the Annual Town Meeting
Town meeting
A town meeting is a form of direct democratic rule, used primarily in portions of the United States since the 17th century, in which most or all the members of a community come together to legislate policy and budgets for local government....
held on May 7, 2007, elections in Freetown are held on the first Monday in April.
Seal
Seal (device)
A seal can be a figure impressed in wax, clay, or some other medium, or embossed on paper, with the purpose of authenticating a document ; but the term can also mean the device for making such impressions, being essentially a mould with the mirror image of the design carved in sunken- relief or...
used on documents originating from the town as well as on municipal equipment and buildings. It was devised in 1890 by the chairman of the Board of Selectmen, Col.
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
Silas P. Richmond.
Along the top of the seal are the words "Town of Freetown, Mass." in all capital letters. Before the T in "Town" and after the final S in "Mass." are stars. Along the bottom of the seal are the words "Incorporated 1683" (also in capital letters). The image of a kettle
Kettle
A kettle, sometimes called a tea kettle or teakettle, is a small kitchen appliance used for boiling water. Kettles can be heated either by placing on a stove, or by their own electric heating element.- Stovetop kettles :...
over a cooking fire
Fire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Slower oxidative processes like rusting or digestion are not included by this definition....
is meant to invoke Ye Freemen's Purchase, the agreement by which the lands now known as Assonet
Assonet, Massachusetts
Assonet is one of two villages in the town of Freetown, Massachusetts in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. An original part of the town, Assonet was settled in 1659 along with the city of Fall River, then a part of Freetown. It rests on the banks of the Assonet River...
and Fall River
Fall River, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and south of Taunton. The city's population was 88,857 during the 2010 census, making it the tenth largest city in...
were purchased by the English
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
settlers from the local Wampanoag Indians
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
.
County government
Freetown is a part of Bristol CountyBristol County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 534,678 people, 205,411 households, and 140,706 families residing in the county. The population density was 962 people per square mile . There were 216,918 housing units at an average density of 390 per square mile...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. Where county governments in some states collect taxes or manage schools, these functions are carried out at the municipal level in Massachusetts. However, some minimal county government does still exist; especially in the court system.
The Bristol County Commission
County commission
A county commission is a group of elected officials charged with administering the county government in local government in some states of the United States. County commissions are usually made up of three or more individuals...
is made up of chairman Maria F. Lopes (D-Taunton
Taunton, Massachusetts
Taunton is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the seat of Bristol County and the hub of the Greater Taunton Area. The city is located south of Boston, east of Providence, north of Fall River and west of Plymouth. The City of Taunton is situated on the Taunton River...
) and members Paul B. Kitchen (D-Fairhaven
Fairhaven, Massachusetts
Fairhaven is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located on the south coast of Massachusetts where the Acushnet River flows into Buzzards Bay, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean...
) and John R. Mitchell (D-Fall River
Fall River, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and south of Taunton. The city's population was 88,857 during the 2010 census, making it the tenth largest city in...
). The current District Attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
for Bristol County is C. Samuel Sutter (D-Fall River). The sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
of Bristol County is Thomas F. Hodgson (R-Dartmouth).
State government
As a small town, Freetown is often divided and attached to neighboring cities and towns to form representative districts for the Massachusetts House of RepresentativesMassachusetts 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...
. These divisions are made along precinct
Precinct
A precinct is a space enclosed by the walls or other boundaries of a particular place or building, or by an arbitrary and imaginary line drawn around it. The term has several different uses...
lines. The representative for Precinct I, which is in the 6th Bristol District, is David B. Sullivan
David B. Sullivan
David B. Sullivan is a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, representing the 6th Bristol District. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
(D-Fall River
Fall River, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and south of Taunton. The city's population was 88,857 during the 2010 census, making it the tenth largest city in...
). The representative for Precinct II, which is in the 9th Bristol District, is Christopher Markey (D-Dartmouth
Dartmouth, Massachusetts
Dartmouth is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States established in 1664. The population was 30,665 at the 2000 census. It is the location of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth....
). The representative for Precinct III, which is in the 12th Bristol District, is Keiko Orrall (R-Lakeville
Lakeville, Massachusetts
Lakeville is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 9,821 at the 2000 census.For geographic and demographic information on the village of North Lakeville, please see the article North Lakeville, Massachusetts.-History:...
).
The town as a whole 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...
by Michael J. Rodrigues
Michael Rodrigues
Michael J. Rodrigues is a Democratic member of the Massachusetts Senate representing the 1st Bristol and Plymouth district. He is a resident of Westport who has served since January 2011. From 1996 to 2011 he was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from the 8th Bristol district...
(D-Westport
Westport, Massachusetts
Westport is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 15,532 at the 2010 census.The village of North Westport lies in the town.- History :...
). Freetown is a part of the 1st Bristol and Plymouth District. Likewise, the town as a whole is represented on the Governor's Council
Massachusetts Governor's Council
The Massachusetts Governor's Council is a governmental body that provides advice and consent in certain matters such as judicial nominations, pardons, and commutations to the Governor of Massachusetts...
by Charles Oliver Cipollini (R-Fall River
Fall River, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and south of Taunton. The city's population was 88,857 during the 2010 census, making it the tenth largest city in...
), councillor for the 1st District.
Federal government
Freetown is a part of Massachusetts' 4th Congressional District, and is represented in the United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
by Barney Frank
Barney Frank
Barney Frank is the U.S. Representative for . A member of the Democratic Party, he is the former chairman of the House Financial Services Committee and is considered the most prominent gay politician in the United States.Born and raised in New Jersey, Frank graduated from Harvard College and...
(D-Newton
Newton, Massachusetts
Newton is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States bordered to the east by Boston. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Newton was 85,146, making it the eleventh largest city in the state.-Villages:...
). The town is also represented in the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
by (Class II) Senator 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...
(D-Boston) and (Class I) Senator 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...
(R-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...
).
Infrastructure
Typical of the town's nature, there are separate fire stations, post offices and libraries in Assonet & East Freetown. The main police & fire department headquarters building is halfway between the two. The town hall, however, is in Assonet.Freetown's fire department provides 24-hour ambulance service to the town, and coverage to surrounding communities such as Lakeville
Lakeville, Massachusetts
Lakeville is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 9,821 at the 2000 census.For geographic and demographic information on the village of North Lakeville, please see the article North Lakeville, Massachusetts.-History:...
. The town is situated between three major cities (Taunton
Taunton, Massachusetts
Taunton is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the seat of Bristol County and the hub of the Greater Taunton Area. The city is located south of Boston, east of Providence, north of Fall River and west of Plymouth. The City of Taunton is situated on the Taunton River...
, Fall River
Fall River, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and south of Taunton. The city's population was 88,857 during the 2010 census, making it the tenth largest city in...
, and New Bedford
New Bedford, Massachusetts
New Bedford is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, located south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and about east of Fall River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 95,072, making it the sixth-largest city in Massachusetts...
), each with their own hospitals:
- Morton Hospital & Medical CenterMorton Hospital and Medical CenterMorton Hospital and Medical Center is a medical complex located on Washington Street near Route 140 and Route 138 in Taunton, Massachusetts, USA. The facility serves the Greater Taunton Area and is equipped with its own heliport for medical emergency flights...
in Taunton; - St. Anne's Hospital and Charlton Hospital, both in Fall River; and
- St. Luke's HospitalSt. Luke's Hospital, New Bedford, MassachusettsSt. Luke's Hospital is a Massachusetts hospital, founded in 1884.In 1996 St. Luke's merged with Charlton Memorial in Fall River and Tobey Hospital in Wareham to form the Southcoast Health System.St...
in New Bedford.
Mental health hospitals in the area include Taunton State Hospital
Taunton State Hospital
The Taunton State Hospital is a psychiatric hospital built in 1854 in Taunton, Massachusetts....
and Bridgewater State Hospital
Bridgewater State Hospital
Bridgewater State Hospital, located in southeastern Massachusetts, is a state facility housing the criminally insane and those whose sanity is being evaluated for the criminal justice system. It was established in 1855 as an almshouse. It was then used as a workhouse for inmates with short...
.
Freetown's state highways are patrolled by the Third (Dartmouth) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police.
Utilities
Municipal water is provided in some portions of Assonet by the City of Fall RiverFall River, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and south of Taunton. The city's population was 88,857 during the 2010 census, making it the tenth largest city in...
, and in some parts of East Freetown by the City of New Bedford
New Bedford, Massachusetts
New Bedford is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, located south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and about east of Fall River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 95,072, making it the sixth-largest city in Massachusetts...
. Both villages are billed by the Freetown Water Commission. Sewer is not available in the town, except for a small portion of South Main Street that is serviced by a line running from Fall River for use by the 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...
Supermarket Company's distribution center.
Electricity in Freetown is provided by NSTAR
NSTAR
NSTAR is a utility company that provides retail electricity and natural gas to 1.4 million customers in eastern and central Massachusetts, including the Boston urban area....
, cable television by Comcast
Comcast
Comcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
, and telephone service by Verizon. Also, satellite is provided by both services
Education
Freetown provides elementary and secondary education to its population, but currently has no post-secondary institutions in the community.Elementary
As with most rural areas, Freetown had country schoolhouses dotting its landscape. In each village of the town, these one- and two-room structures served students in grades one through eight. As part of its Post-WarWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
improvements, the town constructed an eight-room schoolhouse known as Freetown Elementary School
Freetown Elementary School, Massachusetts
Freetown Elementary School opened in 1950 and serves grammar school students from the town of Freetown, Massachusetts. It educates around 546 students in grades PK-4 as part of the Freetown & Lakeville Public Schools....
on a tract of land roughly in the geographic center of the town, with the cornerstone
Cornerstone
The cornerstone concept is derived from the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.Over time a cornerstone became a ceremonial masonry stone, or...
laid in 1949 and the school opening in September, 1950. That central area now boasts a park with a miniature Fenway Park
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
, the Freetown Police Station, the Freetown Senior Center, and Freetown Fire Department Station 3.
- For information on the small schoolhouses of Assonet, see the article Assonet, Massachusetts
In the mid-1950s, Freetown and Lakeville formed a regional school district (see "Secondary" below). In 1972, the Freetown and Lakeville opened the George R. Austin Middle School, a 5-8 facility which closed in 2002 and was replaced by the Freetown-Lakeville Middle School
Freetown-Lakeville Middle School
Freetown-Lakeville Middle School opened on September 15, 2002, then serving students in grades 5 to 8 from the towns of Freetown and Lakeville, Massachusetts. Since September 2004, it has served grades 6 to 8. Grade 5 students currently attend the George R...
. GRAMS has recently been converted into an intermediate school to cover grades 4 and 5, with Freetown sending only students in grade five.
Secondary
High school students from Freetown initially travelled to several area cities and towns, including Fall RiverFall River, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and south of Taunton. The city's population was 88,857 during the 2010 census, making it the tenth largest city in...
, New Bedford
New Bedford, Massachusetts
New Bedford is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, located south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and about east of Fall River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 95,072, making it the sixth-largest city in Massachusetts...
, and Dighton
Dighton, Massachusetts
Dighton is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 6,175 at the 2000 census. The town is located on the western shore of the Taunton River in the southeastern part of the state.- History :...
. As its agreements with surrounding cities and towns grew thin, the town recognized a need to develop secondary education programs of its own. In 1955, Freetown, Berkley
Berkley, Massachusetts
Berkley is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,749 at the 2000 census, making it the least populated town in the county.-Geography:...
, Carver
Carver, Massachusetts
Carver is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 11,163 at the 2000 census, with an estimated 2008 population of 11,574. It is named for John Carver, the first governor of the Plymouth Colony.- Demographics :...
, Lakeville
Lakeville, Massachusetts
Lakeville is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 9,821 at the 2000 census.For geographic and demographic information on the village of North Lakeville, please see the article North Lakeville, Massachusetts.-History:...
, and Rochester
Rochester, Massachusetts
Rochester is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,232 at the 2010 census.-History:Rochester was settled in 1679 on the lands called "Sippican" by the local Wampanoags, along the coast of Buzzards Bay...
formed a planning committee for a regional high school. Carver later dropped from the board, and the remaining towns voted. Freetown and Lakeville approved the school, while the others did not. On April 8, 1957, voters in Freetown and Lakeville approved construction of Apponequet Regional High School
Apponequet Regional High School
Apponequet Regional High School opened September 21, 1959, and serves secondary academic education students from the towns of Freetown, Assonet, and Lakeville, Massachusetts.- History :...
. Farm land on Howland Road in Lakeville was donated, and the school opened on September 21, 1959 to serve grades 7-12.
Students wishing a vocational education can apply to Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School
Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School
is located on a 80-acre campus in Rochester, Massachusetts, the geographical center of the five-member town school district that includes Acushnet Carver,Mattapoisett, Rochester and students from Freetown & Lakeville Public Schools....
for grades 9-12. Also, because Freetown is a part of Bristol County
Bristol County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 534,678 people, 205,411 households, and 140,706 families residing in the county. The population density was 962 people per square mile . There were 216,918 housing units at an average density of 390 per square mile...
, high school students may apply for available slots at the Bristol County Agricultural High School.
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 8,472 people, 2,932 households, and 2,389 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 231.4 per square mile (89.3/km2). There were 3,029 housing units at an average density of 82.7 per square mile (31.9/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 96.15% White, 0.72% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.09% 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 1.19% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.73% of the population.
There were 2,932 households out of which 36.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.3% 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, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.5% were non-families. 14.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.2% 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 3.14.
In the town the population was spread out with 24.6% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 28.6% from 45 to 64, and 9.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 101.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $68,505.00, and the median income for a family was $72,270.00. Males had a median income of $45,977.00 versus $28,984.00 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 $24,401.00. About 3.2% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.0% of those under age 18 and 2.3% of those age 65 or over.
Library
"Freetown opened its free library Dec. 10, 1892." Today, each side of town features its own library: the Guildford H. Hathaway Public Library, on North Main St. in Assonet, has served the Assonet population since 1895, while the James White Memorial Library, a privately owned, publicly operated library on Washburn Rd. in East Freetown, has served that community's population since 1947. In fiscal year 2008, the town of Freetown spent 0.58% ($113,681) of its budget on its public libraries—some $12 per person.Culture
While culture in Freetown as a whole has developed mostly over the last twenty years, both villages in town have strong cultural histories. There are a number of major, annual events such as the Strawberry Festival, held every Father's Day and sponsored by the Tuesday Club of Assonet, the Chicken Barbecue sponsored by the East Freetown Congregational Christian Church, and several events during the Fourth of July, including a parade and a fireworks display over the Assonet RiverAssonet River
The Assonet River is located in Bristol County, Massachusetts. It flows in a westerly direction through Freetown and joins the Taunton River near Assonet Neck in Berkley, Massachusetts. -Description:...
.
Media
Freetown has been served by a number of newspapers over the years, both local and regional. The Weekly Journal, Country Chronicle, Village Voice, and Villager have all been newspapers originating from Freetown and covering, at one point or another, Freetown, BerkleyBerkley, Massachusetts
Berkley is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,749 at the 2000 census, making it the least populated town in the county.-Geography:...
, and Lakeville
Lakeville, Massachusetts
Lakeville is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 9,821 at the 2000 census.For geographic and demographic information on the village of North Lakeville, please see the article North Lakeville, Massachusetts.-History:...
. News coverage of Freetown has consistently been handled by The New Bedford Standard-Times
The New Bedford Standard-Times
The Standard-Times , based in New Bedford, Massachusetts, is the larger of two daily newspapers covering the South Coast of Massachusetts, along with The Herald News of Fall River....
. Fall River Herald News has covered the town regularly for the last several years, after reducing its coverage in the late 1990s. The Taunton Daily Gazette
Taunton Daily Gazette
The Taunton Daily Gazette is a daily newspaper founded in 1848. Based in Taunton, Massachusetts, its coverage area also includes Berkley, Rehoboth, Dighton, Lakeville, Norton, and Raynham....
resumed coverage of Freetown in 2006 after abandoning the town in the 1990s. The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
also covers Freetown in its GlobeSouth section.
The town's location in southeastern Massachusetts allows it access to a variety of media markets. Each of the major broadcast television networks (NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
, ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
, CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
, and Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
) are represented by two stations: one in the Boston market, and one in the Providence
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...
market. Freetown falls in the Providence Designated Market Area. Radios can pick up the Boston, Providence, and Cape Cod
Cape Cod
Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...
stations.
WLWC
WLWC
WLWC is the CW-affiliated television station licensed to New Bedford but which operates out of Providence and acts largely as a Rhode Island station despite its licensing. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 22 from a transmitter in the Ashley Heights section of East...
-TV, the CW
The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
affiliate licensed to New Bedford
New Bedford, Massachusetts
New Bedford is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, located south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and about east of Fall River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 95,072, making it the sixth-largest city in Massachusetts...
has its transmission tower in East Freetown.
Sites of interest
Genealogy
Genealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members...
library. Several buildings on the property show visitors how life in Freetown once was, even a mere sixty years ago, with a one-room schoolhouse, small chapel, blacksmith shop, and the like.
Hathaway Park in Assonet is a public park with a boatramp on the Assonet River. It is the site of the faire and viewing area for the Fourth of July fireworks, and also one of two sites of the Strawberry Festival. The other site for that event is the historic bandstand at the Assonet Four Corners, built in the 1930s on the site of the former Green Dragon Tavern.
Profile Rock
Profile Rock
Profile Rock, also known as the Old Man of Joshua's Mountain, is a 50-foot high granite rock formation located in Freetown, Massachusetts just outside Assonet village and near the Freetown State Forest....
, in the Freetown-Fall River State Forest
Freetown-Fall River State Forest
The Freetown-Fall River State Forest is a large tract of forest land located in Freetown and Fall River, Massachusetts. It is owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and operated by the Department of Conservation and Recreation...
, is a granite outcropping from Joshua's Mountain featuring the image of what local Wampanoag Indians
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
have held to be the face of Massasoit
Massasoit
Massasoit Sachem or Ousamequin ,was the sachem, or leader, of the Pokanoket, and "Massasoit" of the Wampanoag Confederacy. The term Massasoit means Great Sachem.-Early years:...
. King Philip's Cave, in East Freetown, is said to have been a hiding place for Metacomet
Metacomet
Metacomet , also known as King Philip or Metacom, or occasionally Pometacom, was a war chief or sachem of the Wampanoag Indians and their leader in King Philip's War, a widespread Native American uprising against English colonists in New England.-Biography:Metacomet was the second son of Massasoit...
during the King Philip's War
King Philip's War
King Philip's War, sometimes called Metacom's War, Metacomet's War, or Metacom's Rebellion, was an armed conflict between Native American inhabitants of present-day southern New England and English colonists and their Native American allies in 1675–76. The war is named after the main leader of the...
.
Porter Pastures in Assonet and Town Beach in East Freetown are both public beaches, the former on Assonet Bay
Assonet Bay
Assonet Bay is a small inland bay in Assonet, a village within the town of Freetown, Massachusetts. The Assonet River connects the waters of the bay with the Taunton River.-References:...
and the latter on Long Pond
Long Pond (Massachusetts)
Long Pond is a pond within the towns of Lakeville and Freetown, in southeastern Massachusetts. It shares its waters with Assawompset Pond. These ponds provide a source of drinking water to the city of New Bedford, the largest city in southeastern Massachusetts. Long Pond is roughly one mile wide by...
. There is also a municipal harbor on Long Pond.
Sports
The Freetown Youth Athletic Association, a recently formed joint venture between the Assonet Youth Sports Association and the East Freetown Sports Association, manages a youth baseball program at the town's three baseball complexes: K. R. R. in Assonet, and Central Park and Long Pond in East Freetown.Religion
Freetown has historically had ChristianChristian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
and Quaker denominations. Each side of town currently has its own Roman Catholic church, along with a United Church of Christ
United Church of Christ
The United Church of Christ is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination primarily in the Reformed tradition but also historically influenced by Lutheranism. The Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches united in 1957 to form the UCC...
church in Assonet and a variety of Christian churches in East Freetown. For more information on churches in Assonet
Assonet, Massachusetts
Assonet is one of two villages in the town of Freetown, Massachusetts in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. An original part of the town, Assonet was settled in 1659 along with the city of Fall River, then a part of Freetown. It rests on the banks of the Assonet River...
and East Freetown
East Freetown, Massachusetts
East Freetown is one of two villages in the town of Freetown, Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. Added to the town in 1747, East Freetown was originally an outpost settlement of Tiverton, Rhode Island, then a part of Massachusetts. It rests on the shore of Long Pond.- History :East...
, see each village's independent article.
Notable residents
| Resident | | Residence | Born | Died | | Notoriety | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacqueline Bruno Jacqueline Bruno Jacqueline Theresa Bruno is a television news reporter and former beauty queen from Assonet, Massachusetts. She is an anchor and reporter for WWLP-22News in Springfield, MA... |
 |
Assonet | 1984 | Miss Massachusetts USA Miss Massachusetts USA The Miss Massachusetts USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Massachusetts in the Miss USA pageant.... , 2008. |
|
| John M. Deane John M. Deane John Milton Deane , was an American Civil War Medal of Honor recipient and a major in the United States Army.-Biography:... |
 |
Assonet | 1840 | 1914 | Civil War American Civil War The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25... -era Medal of Honor Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her... recipient. |
| Mark A. Howland Mark A. Howland Mark A. Howland is a former representative to the Massachusetts General Court from New Bedford, Massachusetts.-Biography:... |
East Freetown East Freetown, Massachusetts East Freetown is one of two villages in the town of Freetown, Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. Added to the town in 1747, East Freetown was originally an outpost settlement of Tiverton, Rhode Island, then a part of Massachusetts. It rests on the shore of Long Pond.- History :East... |
1954 | Freetown selectman from 2000 – 2003; member of 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... from 2003 – 2005. |
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| Ebenezer W. Peirce Ebenezer W. Peirce Ebenezer Weaver Peirce , was a brigadier general in the Massachusetts militia, serving as 90–day volunteers in the Union Army in the opening months of the American Civil War, and a colonel of the 29th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment of the Union Army between December 1861 and July... |
 |
Assonet | 1822 | 1902 | Civil War military officer. |
| Marcus Morton Marcus Morton Marcus Morton was a lawyer, jurist, and politician from Taunton, Massachusetts. He represented Massachusetts in the United States House of Representatives and served two terms as 16th and 18th Governor of Massachusetts, as well as a portion of an unexpired term in 1825, as Acting Governor.Morton... |
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East Freetown | 1784 | 1864 | Acting Governor of Massachusetts Governor of Massachusetts The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the executive magistrate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. The current governor is Democrat Deval Patrick.-Constitutional role:... in 1825; governor from 1840 – 1841 and again from 1843 – 1844; namesake of Morton Hospital and Medical Center Morton Hospital and Medical Center Morton Hospital and Medical Center is a medical complex located on Washington Street near Route 140 and Route 138 in Taunton, Massachusetts, USA. The facility serves the Greater Taunton Area and is equipped with its own heliport for medical emergency flights... in Taunton Taunton, Massachusetts Taunton is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the seat of Bristol County and the hub of the Greater Taunton Area. The city is located south of Boston, east of Providence, north of Fall River and west of Plymouth. The City of Taunton is situated on the Taunton River... ; father of Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court is the highest court in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The SJC has the distinction of being the oldest continuously functioning appellate court in the Western Hemisphere.-History:... Chief Justice Chief Justice The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of... Marcus Morton Marcus Morton (jurist) Marcus Morton , American lawyer and jurist who served as Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, was born in Taunton, the son of future Governor Marcus Morton and his wife Charlotte . He attended Bristol County Academy, was graduated from Brown University in 1838, and from... . |
| Dave Rezendes Dave Rezendes Dave Rezendes is a former NASCAR driver. He competed in the Busch Series from 1988 until 1994. He joined NASCAR's Craftsman Truck Series in its first season in 1995. Rezendes had his best season in 1996, when he won his only three races and finished sixth in the series points... |
Assonet | 1959 | NASCAR NASCAR The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr... driver. |
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Books about Freetown
- A History of the Town of Freetown, Massachusetts with an Account of the Old Home Festival, July 30, 1902. Assonet Village Improvement Society (1902)
- A Lexicon History of Freetown, Massachusetts. Earl William Rogers, II. (1973).
- Freetown in the 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...
. David T. Sullivan (1974) - Freetown: A Tri-CentennialAnniversaryAn anniversary is a day that commemorates or celebrates a past event that occurred on the same day of the year as the initial event. For example, the first event is the initial occurrence or, if planned, the inaugural of the event. One year later would be the first anniversary of that event...
Sampler. Earl William Rogers, II and Mark Andrew Ashton (1983) - Vital Records of the Town of Freetown, Massachusetts, 1686 Through 1890. Helen Gurney Thomas (1988) ISBN 1-55613-136-4
- Civil War Diaries of Major John M. Deane, Medal of Honor Winner, 1861-1865. Freetown Historical Society, Inc. (2005)
- "Dark Woods: Cults, Crime and the Paranormal in the Freetown State Forest" Christopher Balzano, Schiffer Books (October 2007)