Hanover, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Hanover is a town
in Plymouth County
, Massachusetts
, United States
. The population was 13,164 at the 2000 census
.
, and it would officially separate and be incorporated as a town June 14, 1727. The name "Hanover" is probably a tribute to King George I
, the first Hanoverian
King of Great Britain. (While George I died on June 11, 1727, the reports would not have reached the colonies until after the town's incorporation.) Hanover's early industry revolved around farming, small mills and a shipbuilding area along the North River. Later industries would include tack factories and shoe factories along the smaller waterways in the town. The town was the site of the invention of the first tack-making machine, and making tacks and fireworks were among the industries of the later 19th century for Hanover. Today, Hanover is mostly residential. The Hanover Mall
and other shops are located near the intersection of Routes 3 and 53. In 2008 Hanover American Legion Post 149 baseball team won the state title
, the town has a total area of 15.7 square miles (40.7 km²), of which, 15.6 square miles (40.4 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.70%) is water. Hanover is the 240th town in terms of size in Massachusetts. Hanover is considered to be a part of the South Shore
of Massachusetts. It is bordered by Norwell
to the north and east, Pembroke
and Hanson
to the south, and Rockland
to the west and northwest. Hanover is approximately ten miles east of Brockton
and twenty miles southeast of Boston.
Much of Hanover's eastern and southern borders consist of three waterways, the North
and Indian Head
Rivers along the south and southeast, and the Third Herring Brook along the east. (The latter two are both tributaries, and the town border is marked by their confluences.) There are also several small ponds and brooks throughout the town, the largest pond being Factory Pond, a tributary of the Indian Head River in the south of town. The town has several small parks, sanctuaries and conservation areas spread throughout the town. Hanover has several horseback riding stables and riding trails.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 13,164 people, 4,349 households, and 3,566 families residing in the town. The population density
was 843.4 people per square mile (325.6/km²). There were 4,445 housing units at an average density of 284.8 per square mile (109.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.68% White, 0.55% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.77% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.27% from other races, and 0.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.68% of the population.
There were 4,350 households out of which 43.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.8% were married couples
living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.0% were non-families. 15.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.8% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.02 and the average family size was 3.39.
In the town the population was spread out with 29.8% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $73,838, and the median income for a family was $86,835. Males had a median income of $57,321 versus $35,214 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $30,268. About 1.4% of families and 2.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.6% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.
, and is currently represented by William R. Keating
. The state's senior (Class II) member of the United States Senate
, re-elected in 2008, is John Kerry
. The junior (Class I) senator, elected in 2010, is Scott Brown
.
On the state level, Hanover is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives
as a part of the Fifth Plymouth district, which includes the neighboring towns of Norwell and Rockland. The town is represented in the Massachusetts Senate
as a part of the Second Plymouth and Bristol district, which includes Brockton, Halifax, Hanson, Whitman and portions of East Bridgewater and Easton. The town is patrolled on a secondary basis by the First Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police
, located in Norwell.
Hanover is governed by the open town meeting
form of government, and is led a board of selectmen
. The town has its own police and fire departments, with five firehouses in Hanover Center, North Hanover, West Hanover, Hanover Four Corners and the Fireworks neighborhood. The town has its own ambulance service, with the nearest hospital being Brockton Hospital. There are two post offices located in town, near Hanover Four Corners and West Hanover, both along Route 139. The town is home to the John Curtis Free Library, which was founded with the help of its namesake in the 1800s. The library is a part of the Old Colony Library Network. Hanover is also the site of a YMCA
, near the mall.
serves students from ninth through twelfth grade. Hanover High's teams are nicknamed the Indians, and their colors are blue and gold. Hanover competes in the Patriot League, and their chief rival is Norwell. Hanover has finished building the new high school. The graduating class of 2012 will be the first to graduate from the school. The second graduating class to graduate on the new turf field outside.
Hanover is also the home of the South Shore Vocational Technical High School, which serves the vocational needs of the surrounding communities. There are no private schools in the town; there are, however, schools in the surrounding communities. The nearest colleges are Massasoit Community College
in Brockton, and Bridgewater State University.
The town has no rail or air service, however the town used to have rail service on the hanover branch. The nearest rail service is the Kingston-Route 3 line of the MBTA's
commuter rail service, which passes west of town, the closest stations being in Abington and Whitman. The nearest regional airport is Marshfield Municipal Airport, and the nearest national and international service can be reached at Logan International Airport
in Boston. Seaplane
s also occasionally land in neighboring Hanson, on Lake Monponsett.
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 Plymouth County
Plymouth County, Massachusetts
Plymouth County is a county located in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. As of 2010, the population was 494,919. Its county seats are Plymouth and Brockton...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 13,164 at the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
.
History
The area of Hanover was first settled by English settlers in 1649 when William Barstow, a farmer, built a bridge along the North River at what is now Washington Street. The land was the westernmost portion of the town of ScituateScituate, Massachusetts
Scituate is a seacoast town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States, on the South Shore, midway between Boston and Plymouth. The population was 18,133 at the 2010 census....
, and it would officially separate and be incorporated as a town June 14, 1727. The name "Hanover" is probably a tribute to King George I
George I of Great Britain
George I was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698....
, the first Hanoverian
House of Hanover
The House of Hanover is a deposed German royal dynasty which has ruled the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg , the Kingdom of Hanover, the Kingdom of Great Britain, the Kingdom of Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
King of Great Britain. (While George I died on June 11, 1727, the reports would not have reached the colonies until after the town's incorporation.) Hanover's early industry revolved around farming, small mills and a shipbuilding area along the North River. Later industries would include tack factories and shoe factories along the smaller waterways in the town. The town was the site of the invention of the first tack-making machine, and making tacks and fireworks were among the industries of the later 19th century for Hanover. Today, Hanover is mostly residential. The Hanover Mall
Hanover Mall
Hanover Mall is a one story, enclosed shopping mall with 80 shops and restaurants, including Macy's, Sears, J.C. Penney and Wal-Mart. The mall was built in 1971 and renovated in 1999. It serves local communities as a neighborhood mall of sorts, an alternative for shoppers looking to avoid the...
and other shops are located near the intersection of Routes 3 and 53. In 2008 Hanover American Legion Post 149 baseball team won the state title
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 15.7 square miles (40.7 km²), of which, 15.6 square miles (40.4 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.70%) is water. Hanover is the 240th town in terms of size in Massachusetts. Hanover is considered to be a part of the South Shore
South Shore, Massachusetts
The South Shore of Massachusetts is a geographic region stretching south and east from Boston toward Cape Cod along the shores of Massachusetts Bay and Cape Cod Bay...
of Massachusetts. It is bordered by Norwell
Norwell, Massachusetts
Norwell is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population is currently 10,506 at the 2010 Census.Norwell was first settled in 1634 as a part of the settlement of Satuit , which encompasses present day Scituate and Norwell. It was officially created, in 1849 and soon became...
to the north and east, Pembroke
Pembroke, Massachusetts
Pembroke is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 16,927 at the 2000 census.The southwestern section of Pembroke is also known as Bryantville...
and Hanson
Hanson, Massachusetts
Hanson is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 9,495 at the 2000 census.-History:Hanson was first settled in 1632 as the western parish of Pembroke. The town was officially incorporated in 1820, and was named for Maryland newspaper publisher and U.S. Senator...
to the south, and Rockland
Rockland, Massachusetts
Rockland is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The 2010 census records its population at 17,489. As of December 31, 2009, there are 11,809 registered voters in the community.-History:...
to the west and northwest. Hanover is approximately ten miles east of Brockton
Brockton, Massachusetts
Brockton is a city in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States; the population was 93,810 in the 2010 Census. Brockton, along with Plymouth, are the county seats of Plymouth County...
and twenty miles southeast of Boston.
Much of Hanover's eastern and southern borders consist of three waterways, the North
North River (Massachusetts Bay)
The North River is a river, approximately long, in eastern Massachusetts, the United States. It is primarily a tidal river, formed by the confluence of the Indian Head River and Herring Brook. The North River forms the boundary between the towns of Norwell and Pembroke, Massachusetts, and...
and Indian Head
Indian Head River
The Indian Head River is located on the Hanover, Pembroke border in Massachusetts, United States, and covers about . The river, long, is a tributary of the North River, which flows into Massachusetts Bay...
Rivers along the south and southeast, and the Third Herring Brook along the east. (The latter two are both tributaries, and the town border is marked by their confluences.) There are also several small ponds and brooks throughout the town, the largest pond being Factory Pond, a tributary of the Indian Head River in the south of town. The town has several small parks, sanctuaries and conservation areas spread throughout the town. Hanover has several horseback riding stables and riding trails.
Demographics
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 13,164 people, 4,349 households, and 3,566 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 843.4 people per square mile (325.6/km²). There were 4,445 housing units at an average density of 284.8 per square mile (109.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.68% White, 0.55% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.77% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.27% from other races, and 0.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.68% of the population.
There were 4,350 households out of which 43.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.8% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.0% were non-families. 15.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.8% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.02 and the average family size was 3.39.
In the town the population was spread out with 29.8% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $73,838, and the median income for a family was $86,835. Males had a median income of $57,321 versus $35,214 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 $30,268. About 1.4% of families and 2.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.6% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.
Government
On the national level, Hanover is a part of Massachusetts's 10th congressional districtMassachusetts's 10th congressional district
Massachusetts's 10th congressional district is a political constituency that includes parts of the South Shore of Massachusetts, and all of Cape Cod and the islands. With a population of 635,901 and a land area of , it is the most populous of Massachusetts's ten congressional districts and the...
, and is currently represented by William R. Keating
William R. Keating
William Richard "Bill" Keating is the U.S. Representative for . From 1999 to 2011 he was District Attorney of Norfolk County. He is a member of the Democratic Party and a former Massachusetts state representative and state senator....
. The state's senior (Class II) member of the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, re-elected in 2008, is John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
. The junior (Class I) senator, elected in 2010, is Scott Brown
Scott Brown
Scott Brown is a United States senator.Scott Brown may also refer to:-Sportsmen:*Scott Brown , American college football coach of Kentucky State...
.
On the state level, Hanover is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives
Massachusetts House of Representatives
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
as a part of the Fifth Plymouth district, which includes the neighboring towns of Norwell and Rockland. The town is represented in the Massachusetts Senate
Massachusetts Senate
The Massachusetts Senate is the upper house of the Massachusetts General Court, the bicameral state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Senate comprises 40 elected members from 40 single-member senatorial districts in the state...
as a part of the Second Plymouth and Bristol district, which includes Brockton, Halifax, Hanson, Whitman and portions of East Bridgewater and Easton. The town is patrolled on a secondary basis by the First Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police
Massachusetts State Police
The Massachusetts State Police is an agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Executive Office of Public Safety and Security responsible for criminal law enforcement and traffic vehicle regulation across the state...
, located in Norwell.
Hanover is governed by the open town meeting
Open town meeting
An open town meeting is a form of town meeting in which all registered voters of a town may vote . This form of government is typical of smaller municipalities in the New England region of the United States....
form of government, and is led a board of selectmen
Board of selectmen
The board of selectmen is commonly the executive arm of the government of New England towns in the United States. The board typically consists of three or five members, with or without staggered terms.-History:...
. The town has its own police and fire departments, with five firehouses in Hanover Center, North Hanover, West Hanover, Hanover Four Corners and the Fireworks neighborhood. The town has its own ambulance service, with the nearest hospital being Brockton Hospital. There are two post offices located in town, near Hanover Four Corners and West Hanover, both along Route 139. The town is home to the John Curtis Free Library, which was founded with the help of its namesake in the 1800s. The library is a part of the Old Colony Library Network. Hanover is also the site of a YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
, near the mall.
Education
Hanover operates its own school system for the town's approximately 2,700 students. There are three elementary schools, the Cedar, Center and Sylvester Elementary Schools. The Center School serves students from pre-kindergarten through second grade, the Sylvester School (located around the corner from the Center School, both at Hanover Center) serves third and fourth grade students, and the Cedar Elementary School (located next to the high school) serves from pre-kindergarten through fourth grade. The Hanover Middle School serves students from fifth through eighth grade, and Hanover High SchoolHanover High School (Massachusetts)
Hanover High School is a public school located in Hanover, Massachusetts. It encompases grades 9-12. Hanover High is a continuation for Hanover Middle School, and before that either Sylvester/Center School or Cedar School. The current High School was built in 1958. The first graduating class was...
serves students from ninth through twelfth grade. Hanover High's teams are nicknamed the Indians, and their colors are blue and gold. Hanover competes in the Patriot League, and their chief rival is Norwell. Hanover has finished building the new high school. The graduating class of 2012 will be the first to graduate from the school. The second graduating class to graduate on the new turf field outside.
Hanover is also the home of the South Shore Vocational Technical High School, which serves the vocational needs of the surrounding communities. There are no private schools in the town; there are, however, schools in the surrounding communities. The nearest colleges are Massasoit Community College
Massasoit Community College
Massasoit Community College was founded in 1966, and named for Massasoit, the Great Sachem of the Wampanoag. Massasoit Community College offers associate degree programs in arts, sciences, and applied sciences, and one-year and short-term certificates for a range of occupations and interests...
in Brockton, and Bridgewater State University.
Notable residents
- George Washington CarverGeorge Washington CarverGeorge Washington Carver , was an American scientist, botanist, educator, and inventor. The exact day and year of his birth are unknown; he is believed to have been born into slavery in Missouri in January 1864....
lived in a small cabin on the North River in Hanover for several months while he worked on his autobiography. - Nichole HiltzNichole HiltzNichole Marie Hiltz is an American actress. She has appeared in the film May, A Midsummer Night's Rave, and the Sci Fi Channel movie All Souls Day and since 2008 has played Brandi Shannon on the USA network television series In Plain Sight.Hiltz has made guest appearances on several television...
,actress.
Transportation
A short, three-mile portion of Massachusetts Route 3, a seven-lane freeway, passes through the town, providing access via an exit at Route 53 in the northeast corner of town. The town's other major routes include Route 123 and Route 139, the latter passing through the town center. Routes 139 and 53 are coextensive for a stretch of one mile in the southeast corner of town.The town has no rail or air service, however the town used to have rail service on the hanover branch. The nearest rail service is the Kingston-Route 3 line of the MBTA's
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, often referred to as the MBTA or simply The T, is the public operator of most bus, subway, commuter rail and ferry systems in the greater Boston, Massachusetts, area. Officially a "body politic and corporate, and a political subdivision" of the...
commuter rail service, which passes west of town, the closest stations being in Abington and Whitman. The nearest regional airport is Marshfield Municipal Airport, and the nearest national and international service can be reached at Logan International Airport
Logan International Airport
General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport is located in the East Boston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts . It covers , has six runways, and employs an estimated 16,000 people. It is the 19th busiest airport in the United States.Boston serves as a focus city for JetBlue Airways...
in Boston. Seaplane
Seaplane
A seaplane is a fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. Seaplanes that can also take off and land on airfields are a subclass called amphibian aircraft...
s also occasionally land in neighboring Hanson, on Lake Monponsett.
External links
Local newspapers: The Patriot Ledger and The Enterprise- Answer Book/Hanover: Everything you need to know
- Town of Hanover Official Website