Hamilton, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Hamilton is a town
located in the eastern central portion of Essex County
in eastern Massachusetts
. It is primarily a suburban bedroom community, most commonly known for its equestrian estates. Currently the town has no manufacturing industry and no industrially-zoned land.
Its location on the North Shore
of Boston
provides easy access to the Atlantic
seashore with its reservations, beaches and boating. The town includes many historic houses and pastoral landscapes. It also has a rich equestrian
heritage, which remains strong today due to the influence of the many horse farms and of Myopia Hunt Club
, which holds frequent equestrian events, including Polo
most Sunday afternoons (and is noted also for its golf course.) The visitor to Hamilton may well share the secondary roads with horseback riders.
Hamilton retains many educational facilities, public and private, at all levels. Situated on a hill in the town is the Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
. Hamilton shares the Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School
with the town of Wenham
. In addition to the public grade schools, supported by taxes, the private Pingree School
, supported by tuition, fees, and donations, is available.
Hamilton is closely tied to its sister town, Wenham
, sharing a school system, library, recreation department and commuter rail station
. In 2010, the community of Hamilton-Wenham was listed among the "Best Places to Live" by Boston Magazine
.
Hamilton includes South Hamilton
, which is that part of Hamilton that the Postal Service has assigned the zip code 01982. "Hamilton" and "South Hamilton" are indistinguishable from each other except for the difference in zip codes.
, bought most of present-day Essex County
from Masconomet
, chief of the Agawam Indians, for the sum of twenty English pounds. A memorial stone on Sagamore Hill in southeastern Hamilton marks where Mosconomet was buried with his gun and tomahawk around 1658.
Hamilton was first settled in 1638 and was originally a section of Ipswich
known as “The Hamlet.” The first recorded land grant in the Hamlet was Matthew Whipple's farm, dated 1638. Three years later the new stagecoach road from Boston
to Newburyport
(Bay Road) was laid out through the Whipple land. Other early settlers of the Hamlet, including the Appletons, Winthrops, Lamsons, and Dodges, were attracted by countryside similar to the English farms and estates they had left behind.
The town was incorporated on June 21, 1793, and named for Alexander Hamilton
, whose portrait became the town seal in 1903. With the arrival of the Boston and Maine Railroad
in 1839, the population center moved gradually southward toward the depot.
The farm village proved to be an attractive location for Boston groups seeking land for recreation and renewal. A Methodist minister's association first held a camp meeting at Asbury Grove
in 1859. In the 1880s, the Myopia Hunt Club, which had been named in jest for its nearsighted founders, moved from Winchester, Massachusetts to the Gibney Farm in Hamilton. Beginning as a lawn tennis and baseball club, it turned to polo
, the hunt
, and golf as members built large summer estates in the area. Myopia donated the site for the General George S. Patton Memorial Park to the town of Hamilton. The park continues to be a recreation center for the town today.
In 1921 the Mandell family built the Community House in memory of the eight men in Hamilton and Wenham who died in military service during World War I
, including their son, Sam. They commissioned Guy Lowell
, a respected architect of Boston and New York, to design the building, and gave the Community House in trust for the use of the residents of both towns. Although in its early days the Community House offered activities such as bowling and a men's smoking room, it now features a wide range of classes and activities for all ages.
, the town has a total area of 14.9 square miles (38.6 km²), of which, 14.6 square miles (37.8 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²) of it (2.28%) is water. Hamilton lies five miles inland from Massachusetts Bay
, and both the eastern and western portion of town are bordered by water, with Ipswich River
to the west and Chebacco Lake and several other small ponds to the east. The highest point in Hamilton is Sagamore Hill, which is the location of the Sagamore Hill Radio Observatory
. Several areas of town are protected, including Myopia Hunt Club
and parts of Bradley Palmer State Park
, Appleton Farm Sanctuary, and the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary.
Hamilton is bordered by Ipswich
to the north, Essex
to the east, Manchester-by-the-Sea
to the southeast, Wenham
to the south, and Topsfield
to the west. It is located 8 miles north of Salem
and 23 miles northeast of Boston
.
of 2000, there were 8,315 people, 2,668 households, and 2,142 families residing in the town. (Update: The population was 8251 in 2009, down less than 100 from the 8,315 of the 2000 census. Based on the total area, both land and water, the density is therefore 553.8 persons per square mile.) As of the 2000 census, there were 2,825 housing units at an average density of 193.5 per square mile (74.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 94.19% White, 0.47% African American, 0.17% Native American, 4.26% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.34% from other races
, and 0.53% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.99% of the population.
There were 2,668 households out of which 66.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.1% were married couples
living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.7% were non-families. 15.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.87 and the average family size was 3.22.
In the town the population was spread out with 27.4% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 33.3% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 96.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $72,000, and the median income for a family was $79,886. Males had a median income of $51,776 versus $37,013 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $33,222. About 3.4% of families and 5.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.1% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.
theological seminary
located in Hamilton.
The Pingree School, a private secondary school, is located on the historic Pingree Family Estate in Hamilton.
Hamilton is also where the majority of the schools in the Hamilton-Wenham Regional School District are located. Only Buker Elementary School
is located outside the town, in neighboring Wenham
, Massachusetts
.
According to numbers released by the state Dept of Education, Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School
ranked 27th in the state based on combined total SAT scores for the 2006/2007 school year.
Boston Magazine’s
2010 issue showcasing a list of the best public high schools ranked Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School 12th, meaning Hamilton-Wenham's public high school is currently in the Top 10 percent of the state overall. Hamilton-Wenham also had one of the highest graduation rates, at 96.8 percent.
According to a September 29, 2010 article in the Hamilton-Wenham Chronicle: "Of the 885 schools in Massachusetts, the Bessie Buker Elementary School
ranked second in science on this year’s MCAS. The fifth-grade class at the school had 93 percent of its students score advanced and proficient. In addition, all ninth-grade students passed the biology test, with 92 percent scoring advanced and proficient, ranking 20th state-wide. Cutler School scored 21st state-wide with 90 percent of third-graders scoring advanced and proficient in English language arts."
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...
located in the eastern central portion of Essex County
Essex County, Massachusetts
-National protected areas:* Parker River National Wildlife Refuge* Salem Maritime National Historic Site* Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site* Thacher Island National Wildlife Refuge-Demographics:...
in eastern 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 is primarily a suburban bedroom community, most commonly known for its equestrian estates. Currently the town has no manufacturing industry and no industrially-zoned land.
Its location on the North Shore
North Shore (Massachusetts)
The North Shore is a region in the U.S. state of Massachusetts, loosely defined as the coastal area between Boston and New Hampshire. The region is made up both of a rocky coastline, dotted with marshes and wetlands, as well as several beaches and natural harbors. The North Shore is an important...
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...
provides easy access to the Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
seashore with its reservations, beaches and boating. The town includes many historic houses and pastoral landscapes. It also has a rich equestrian
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
heritage, which remains strong today due to the influence of the many horse farms and of Myopia Hunt Club
Myopia Hunt Club
Myopia Hunt Club is a foxhunting and private country club at 435 Bay Road in South Hamilton, Massachusetts founded in 1882 by J. Murray Forbes. The name "Myopia" is due to some of its founding members having come from the Myopia Club in Winchester, Massachusetts, which had been founded by four...
, which holds frequent equestrian events, including Polo
Polo
Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Sometimes called, "The Sport of Kings", it was highly popularized by the British. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a...
most Sunday afternoons (and is noted also for its golf course.) The visitor to Hamilton may well share the secondary roads with horseback riders.
Hamilton retains many educational facilities, public and private, at all levels. Situated on a hill in the town is the Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
Gordon–Conwell Theological Seminary is an evangelical theological seminary whose main campus is based in South Hamilton, Massachusetts, with three other campuses in Boston, Charlotte, North Carolina and Jacksonville. The current president of Gordon-Conwell is Dennis Hollinger...
. Hamilton shares the Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School
Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School
Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School is a public high school in Hamilton, Massachusetts, USA. It is the only high school in the Hamilton-Wenham Regional School District, which is based in Wenham, MA. The school's athletic teams are called the Generals, after General George S. Patton, who lived in...
with the town of Wenham
Wenham, Massachusetts
Wenham is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 4,875 at the 2010 census.The Town of Wenham was originally settled in 1635 and has retained much of its unique historic character and tranquil rural scenery...
. In addition to the public grade schools, supported by taxes, the private Pingree School
Pingree School
Pingree School is a coeducational, independent secondary day school located in South Hamilton, Massachusetts serving the geographic area north and east of Boston...
, supported by tuition, fees, and donations, is available.
Hamilton is closely tied to its sister town, Wenham
Wenham, Massachusetts
Wenham is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 4,875 at the 2010 census.The Town of Wenham was originally settled in 1635 and has retained much of its unique historic character and tranquil rural scenery...
, sharing a school system, library, recreation department and commuter rail station
Hamilton/Wenham (MBTA station)
Hamilton/Wenham is a passenger rail station on MBTA Commuter Rail's Newburyport/Rockport Line.It is located just south of the intersection of Bay Road and Walnut Road in South Hamilton, MA. The station straddles the town line between Hamilton and Wenham with the southern end of the platform...
. In 2010, the community of Hamilton-Wenham was listed among the "Best Places to Live" by Boston Magazine
Boston magazine
Boston is a monthly magazine concerning life in the Greater Boston area and has been in publication for more than 40 years.-About the magazine:The magazine is self-described as:...
.
Hamilton includes South Hamilton
South Hamilton, Massachusetts
South Hamilton is that part of Hamilton, Essex County, Massachusetts, United States that the Postal Service has assigned the zip code 01982; otherwise it is indistinguishable from Hamilton...
, which is that part of Hamilton that the Postal Service has assigned the zip code 01982. "Hamilton" and "South Hamilton" are indistinguishable from each other except for the difference in zip codes.
History
In June, 1638, John Winthrop, Jr., son of the founder of the Massachusetts Bay ColonyMassachusetts 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...
, bought most of present-day Essex County
Essex County, Massachusetts
-National protected areas:* Parker River National Wildlife Refuge* Salem Maritime National Historic Site* Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site* Thacher Island National Wildlife Refuge-Demographics:...
from Masconomet
Chief Masconomet
Masconomet, spelled many different ways in colonial deeds, was sagamore or chief of the Agawam tribe among the Algonquian peoples during the time of the English colonization of the Americas...
, chief of the Agawam Indians, for the sum of twenty English pounds. A memorial stone on Sagamore Hill in southeastern Hamilton marks where Mosconomet was buried with his gun and tomahawk around 1658.
Hamilton was first settled in 1638 and was originally a section of Ipswich
Ipswich, Massachusetts
Ipswich is a coastal town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,987 at the 2000 census. Home to Willowdale State Forest and Sandy Point State Reservation, Ipswich includes the southern part of Plum Island...
known as “The Hamlet.” The first recorded land grant in the Hamlet was Matthew Whipple's farm, dated 1638. Three years later the new stagecoach road from 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...
to Newburyport
Newburyport, Massachusetts
Newburyport is a small coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, 35 miles northeast of Boston. The population was 21,189 at the 2000 census. A historic seaport with a vibrant tourism industry, Newburyport includes part of Plum Island...
(Bay Road) was laid out through the Whipple land. Other early settlers of the Hamlet, including the Appletons, Winthrops, Lamsons, and Dodges, were attracted by countryside similar to the English farms and estates they had left behind.
The town was incorporated on June 21, 1793, and named for Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton was a Founding Father, soldier, economist, political philosopher, one of America's first constitutional lawyers and the first United States Secretary of the Treasury...
, whose portrait became the town seal in 1903. With the arrival of the Boston and Maine Railroad
Boston and Maine Railroad
The Boston and Maine Corporation , known as the Boston and Maine Railroad until 1964, was the dominant railroad of the northern New England region of the United States for a century...
in 1839, the population center moved gradually southward toward the depot.
The farm village proved to be an attractive location for Boston groups seeking land for recreation and renewal. A Methodist minister's association first held a camp meeting at Asbury Grove
Asbury Grove
Asbury Grove, located in Hamilton, Massachusetts, was formed in response to the camp meeting religious movement popular in the mid-19th century. Originally set on seventy-five acres of land, the camp was founded by the Methodist church in 1857. Ten of the original seventy-five acres were purchased...
in 1859. In the 1880s, the Myopia Hunt Club, which had been named in jest for its nearsighted founders, moved from Winchester, Massachusetts to the Gibney Farm in Hamilton. Beginning as a lawn tennis and baseball club, it turned to polo
Polo
Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Sometimes called, "The Sport of Kings", it was highly popularized by the British. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a...
, the hunt
Fox hunting
Fox hunting is an activity involving the tracking, chase, and sometimes killing of a fox, traditionally a red fox, by trained foxhounds or other scent hounds, and a group of followers led by a master of foxhounds, who follow the hounds on foot or on horseback.Fox hunting originated in its current...
, and golf as members built large summer estates in the area. Myopia donated the site for the General George S. Patton Memorial Park to the town of Hamilton. The park continues to be a recreation center for the town today.
In 1921 the Mandell family built the Community House in memory of the eight men in Hamilton and Wenham who died in military service during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, including their son, Sam. They commissioned Guy Lowell
Guy Lowell
Guy Lowell , American architect, was the son of Mary Walcott and Edward Jackson Lowell, and a member of Boston's well-known Lowell family....
, a respected architect of Boston and New York, to design the building, and gave the Community House in trust for the use of the residents of both towns. Although in its early days the Community House offered activities such as bowling and a men's smoking room, it now features a wide range of classes and activities for all ages.
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 14.9 square miles (38.6 km²), of which, 14.6 square miles (37.8 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²) of it (2.28%) is water. Hamilton lies five miles inland from Massachusetts Bay
Massachusetts Bay
The Massachusetts Bay, also called Mass Bay, is one of the largest bays of the Atlantic Ocean which forms the distinctive shape of the coastline of the U.S. state of Massachusetts. Its waters extend 65 miles into the Atlantic Ocean. Massachusetts Bay includes the Boston Harbor, Dorchester Bay,...
, and both the eastern and western portion of town are bordered by water, with Ipswich River
Ipswich River
Ipswich River is a small river in northeastern Massachusetts, USA. It is long, and its watershed is approximately , with an estimated population in the area of 160,000 people. - Geography :...
to the west and Chebacco Lake and several other small ponds to the east. The highest point in Hamilton is Sagamore Hill, which is the location of the Sagamore Hill Radio Observatory
Sagamore Hill Radio Observatory
- Location :Sagamore Hill, Hamilton, Massachusetts, USA The Sagamore Hill Solar Radio Observatory is a ground-based solar radio telescope observatory located in Hamilton, Massachusetts that operates on a daily basis to obtain scientific observations of the sun. It is a functional component of the...
. Several areas of town are protected, including Myopia Hunt Club
Myopia Hunt Club
Myopia Hunt Club is a foxhunting and private country club at 435 Bay Road in South Hamilton, Massachusetts founded in 1882 by J. Murray Forbes. The name "Myopia" is due to some of its founding members having come from the Myopia Club in Winchester, Massachusetts, which had been founded by four...
and parts of Bradley Palmer State Park
Bradley Palmer State Park
Bradley Palmer State Park is a Massachusetts state park located in Hamilton, Massachusetts and Topsfield, Massachusetts. The park is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. The park is based on a former estate willed to the state expressly for the use of its citizens on the death...
, Appleton Farm Sanctuary, and the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary.
Hamilton is bordered by Ipswich
Ipswich, Massachusetts
Ipswich is a coastal town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,987 at the 2000 census. Home to Willowdale State Forest and Sandy Point State Reservation, Ipswich includes the southern part of Plum Island...
to the north, Essex
Essex, Massachusetts
Essex is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, north of Boston. The population was 3,504 at the 2010 census.Part of the town comprises the census-designated place of Essex.- History :...
to the east, Manchester-by-the-Sea
Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts
Manchester-by-the-Sea is a town on Cape Ann, in Essex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 5,228.-History:...
to the southeast, Wenham
Wenham, Massachusetts
Wenham is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 4,875 at the 2010 census.The Town of Wenham was originally settled in 1635 and has retained much of its unique historic character and tranquil rural scenery...
to the south, and Topsfield
Topsfield, Massachusetts
Topsfield is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 6,085 at the 2010 census.Part of the town comprises the census-designated place of Topsfield.-Colonial period:...
to the west. It is located 8 miles north of Salem
Salem, Massachusetts
Salem is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,407 at the 2000 census. It and Lawrence are the county seats of Essex County...
and 23 miles northeast 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...
.
Transportation
- MBTA Commuter RailMBTA Commuter RailThe MBTA Commuter Rail serves as the regional rail arm of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, in the United States. It is operated under contract by the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company a joint partnership of Veolia Transportation, Bombardier Transportation and Alternate...
provides service from Boston's North Station with the Hamilton/WenhamHamilton/Wenham (MBTA station)Hamilton/Wenham is a passenger rail station on MBTA Commuter Rail's Newburyport/Rockport Line.It is located just south of the intersection of Bay Road and Walnut Road in South Hamilton, MA. The station straddles the town line between Hamilton and Wenham with the southern end of the platform...
station on its Newburyport branch of the Newburyport/Rockport LineNewburyport/Rockport LineThe Newburyport/Rockport Line is a branch of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, running northeast from downtown Boston, Massachusetts towards Cape Ann and the Merrimack Valley, serving the North Shore. The first leg serves Chelsea, Lynn, Swampscott, Salem, and Beverly. From there, a northern branch of...
. - There are no freeways within town; Route 128 provides the nearest access in Manchester-by-the-Sea. Route 1AMassachusetts Route 1ARoute 1A is a south–north state highway in Massachusetts. It is an alternate route to U.S. 1 with three signed sections and two unsigned sections where the highway is concurrent with its parent...
passes through the center of town, and Route 22 passes through the eastern corner of town between Wenham and its eastern terminus in Essex. - The nearest airport is Beverly Municipal AirportBeverly Municipal AirportBeverly Municipal Airport is a public-use airport located three miles northwest of the central business district of Beverly, a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States...
, and the nearest national and international air service can be found at Boston's Logan International AirportLogan International AirportGeneral 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...
.
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 8,315 people, 2,668 households, and 2,142 families residing in the town. (Update: The population was 8251 in 2009, down less than 100 from the 8,315 of the 2000 census. Based on the total area, both land and water, the density is therefore 553.8 persons per square mile.) As of the 2000 census, there were 2,825 housing units at an average density of 193.5 per square mile (74.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 94.19% White, 0.47% African American, 0.17% Native American, 4.26% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.34% 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 0.53% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.99% of the population.
There were 2,668 households out of which 66.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.1% 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, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.7% were non-families. 15.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.87 and the average family size was 3.22.
In the town the population was spread out with 27.4% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 33.3% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 96.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $72,000, and the median income for a family was $79,886. Males had a median income of $51,776 versus $37,013 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 $33,222. About 3.4% of families and 5.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.1% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Home to Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, an interdenominational evangelicalEvangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
theological seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
located in Hamilton.
The Pingree School, a private secondary school, is located on the historic Pingree Family Estate in Hamilton.
Hamilton is also where the majority of the schools in the Hamilton-Wenham Regional School District are located. Only Buker Elementary School
Buker Elementary School
Buker Elementary School is located in Wenham, Massachusetts and contains grades Pre-K through 5th. It is part of the conjoined Hamilton/Wenham Regional School District although it is in Wenham.- History :...
is located outside the town, in neighboring Wenham
Wenham, Massachusetts
Wenham is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 4,875 at the 2010 census.The Town of Wenham was originally settled in 1635 and has retained much of its unique historic character and tranquil rural scenery...
, 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...
.
According to numbers released by the state Dept of Education, Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School
Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School
Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School is a public high school in Hamilton, Massachusetts, USA. It is the only high school in the Hamilton-Wenham Regional School District, which is based in Wenham, MA. The school's athletic teams are called the Generals, after General George S. Patton, who lived in...
ranked 27th in the state based on combined total SAT scores for the 2006/2007 school year.
Boston Magazine’s
Boston magazine
Boston is a monthly magazine concerning life in the Greater Boston area and has been in publication for more than 40 years.-About the magazine:The magazine is self-described as:...
2010 issue showcasing a list of the best public high schools ranked Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School 12th, meaning Hamilton-Wenham's public high school is currently in the Top 10 percent of the state overall. Hamilton-Wenham also had one of the highest graduation rates, at 96.8 percent.
According to a September 29, 2010 article in the Hamilton-Wenham Chronicle: "Of the 885 schools in Massachusetts, the Bessie Buker Elementary School
Buker Elementary School
Buker Elementary School is located in Wenham, Massachusetts and contains grades Pre-K through 5th. It is part of the conjoined Hamilton/Wenham Regional School District although it is in Wenham.- History :...
ranked second in science on this year’s MCAS. The fifth-grade class at the school had 93 percent of its students score advanced and proficient. In addition, all ninth-grade students passed the biology test, with 92 percent scoring advanced and proficient, ranking 20th state-wide. Cutler School scored 21st state-wide with 90 percent of third-graders scoring advanced and proficient in English language arts."
Notable residents
- Chief MasconometChief MasconometMasconomet, spelled many different ways in colonial deeds, was sagamore or chief of the Agawam tribe among the Algonquian peoples during the time of the English colonization of the Americas...
, the last Sagamore (Chief) of the Agawam tribe of native Americans. The Agawam tribe once numbered in the tens of thousands and controlled what is modern day Essex County. By the early 17th century their numbers were reduced to several hundred by European diseases. Masconomet befriended the white settlers and eventually ceded all the tribe's land to the state in exchange for a small sum of money and protection from enemy tribes. Masconomet died a ward of the state, penniless and without land and was buried on Sagamore Hill in Hamilton in 1658."). - General George S. PattonGeorge S. PattonGeorge Smith Patton, Jr. was a United States Army officer best known for his leadership while commanding corps and armies as a general during World War II. He was also well known for his eccentricity and controversial outspokenness.Patton was commissioned in the U.S. Army after his graduation from...
, known for his exploits in World War IIWorld War IIWorld 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...
, resided in Hamilton. This is the reason for Patton Park, a park made famous by the installation of an M4 ShermanM4 ShermanThe M4 Sherman, formally Medium Tank, M4, was the primary tank used by the United States during World War II. Thousands were also distributed to the Allies, including the British Commonwealth and Soviet armies, via lend-lease...
full-sized World War II tank on which many children and young adults play. At one point, children were able to play inside the tank up until the late 1940s when a fire was set inside. After this the hatches were welded shut. - George S. Patton IV. In the years after his 1980 retirement from the ArmyUnited States ArmyThe United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
with the rank of Major General, Patton turned a Hamilton estate owned by his late father into the 250 acres (1 km²) Green Meadows Farm, where he named the fields in honor of VietnamVietnam WarThe Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
soldiers who died under his command. - Actor David MorseDavid Morse (actor)David Bowditch Morse is an American stage, television, and film actor. He first came to national attention as Dr. Jack Morrison in the medical drama St. Elsewhere from 1982 to 1988...
was born in Hamilton. - David McWane of the skaSkaSka |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
band Big D and the Kids TableBig D and the Kids TableBig D and the Kids Table is a ska punk band formed in October 1995 in Allston, Massachusetts when its members converged in college. Their first release was on their own Fork In Hand Records label, but have since teamed with Springman Records and SideOneDummy...
is originally from Hamilton. - Emily Fitzpatrick from MTV's The Real World: CancunThe Real World: CancunThe Real World: Cancun is the twenty-second season of MTV's reality television series The Real World, which focuses on a group of diverse strangers living together for several months in a different city each season, as cameras document their lives and interpersonal relationships. Cancun, Mexico was...
is from Hamilton - Famous internet comedian Bo BurnhamBo BurnhamRobert "Bo" Burnham is an American comedian, singer-songwriter, musician, actor, and Internet celebrity. Writing comedic and satirical songs with a politically incorrect slant, he achieved fame when his YouTube videos took off; they have received more than 70 million views...
resides in Hamilton. - Michael Carter-Williams, Guard on Syracuse Basketball Team.
Historic Places in Hamilton
- Austin Brown HouseAustin Brown HouseAustin Brown House is a historic house at 1028 Bay Road in Hamilton, Massachusetts.It was built in 1725 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990....
- Brown House (Hamilton, Massachusetts)Brown House (Hamilton, Massachusetts)Brown House is a historic house at 76 Bridge Street in Hamilton, Massachusetts.This First Period house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990....
- Hamilton Historic DistrictHamilton Historic District (Hamilton, Massachusetts)Hamilton Historic District is a historic district at 540-700 and 563-641 Bay Road inHamilton, Massachusetts.The area was settled around 1633 and the historic district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. Numerous Greek Revival buildings are located within the district...
- Emeline Patch HouseEmeline Patch HouseEmeline Patch House, built in 1725, is a historic house at 918 Bay Road in Hamilton, Massachusetts.It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990....
- Woodberry-Quarrels HouseWoodberry-Quarrels HouseWoodberry-Quarrels House is a historic house at 180 Bridge Street in Hamilton, Massachusetts.It was built in 1690 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990....
- Asbury GroveAsbury GroveAsbury Grove, located in Hamilton, Massachusetts, was formed in response to the camp meeting religious movement popular in the mid-19th century. Originally set on seventy-five acres of land, the camp was founded by the Methodist church in 1857. Ten of the original seventy-five acres were purchased...
- Myopia Hunt ClubMyopia Hunt ClubMyopia Hunt Club is a foxhunting and private country club at 435 Bay Road in South Hamilton, Massachusetts founded in 1882 by J. Murray Forbes. The name "Myopia" is due to some of its founding members having come from the Myopia Club in Winchester, Massachusetts, which had been founded by four...
, site of the U.S. OpenU.S. Open (golf)The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
in 1898, 1901, 1905, and 1908
External links
- Official Website of the town of Hamilton (and South Hamilton)
- 1884 Map of Hamilton. Plate 103 of the Atlas of Essex County Massachusetts, published 1884.
- Old USGS maps of Hamilton.
- Historical Resources for Hamilton. At Rootsweb.
- Hamilton-Wenham Patch
