Medway, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Medway is a town in Norfolk County
, Massachusetts
, United States
. According to the 2010 Census, the town had a population of 12,752.
and Chicken Brook stimulated the formation of cotton and paper mills, straw and boot factories, and a variety of cottage industries. Medway demonstrates the central importance of the Charles River and the thriving town that grew alongside it. Today, the one-room schoolhouses are gone and the country stores have moved to the mall, but the open town meetings continue and Medway retains its small-town flavor.
After nearby Medfield
was established as a town in 1651, an increasing number of newcomers settled on the land west of the Charles River. By 1712, this settlement west of the Charles had grown large enough to petition the Massachusetts General Court
for a separate new town. That petition was granted, and the town of Medway incorporated on October 25, 1713. At its founding, and for 170 years afterward, the town of Medway included the land that is now Millis
. Eventually, the eastern section of the town, known as East Medway, separated in 1885 to form the town of Millis and Medway assumed the shape it has today.
The main cause for the independent formation of Millis from Medway was the physical separation caused by a massive tract of undevelopable land appropriately named in those times, the Great Black Swamp. The Black Swamp was at the geographical center point of Medway and East Medway. Had the land been developable, this would have been the ideal location for a central meeting house, as well as churches and schools. However, because the thick forest/swamp was completely undevelopable, this forced inhabitants of Medway and East Medway to form separate communities with their own respective necessities such as a meeting house and churches. Despite this natural separation, the town remained as one for over 170 years.
The oldest road in Medway was laid out in 1670 and was known for years as Old Mendon Road. Since that time, this road has been known by many names including The Road to the Wilderness, The Old County Road, The Middle Post Road, and most recently, Village Street. Village Street runs from the Millis boarder on the east and meanders along the Charles River before eventually joining Main Street just before the Bellingham
border on the west. The heart of the old town of Medway is found along this road, with the central location of activity at Medway Village, where Holliston Street intersects with Village Street.
In 1869, all of the streets in Medway were officially named. Many streets ended up losing their original names, and were instead named after influential townspeople of the past and present. Some examples of this were; Pine Hill Road became Winthrop Street, Vine Lane became Kelley Street, Candlewood Island Road was named Oakland Street, and The Old Hartford Turnpike was named Main Street. A few other examples of roads in Medway named after past residents include Lovering Street, Adams Street, Partridge Street, Ellis Street, Clark Street, Coffee Street, and Barber Street.
The origin of the town's name, Medway, is unknown. It is commonly believed that it originates from the city of Medway
and the river of the same name in England.
, the town has a total area of 11.5 square miles (29.8 km²), of which, 11.4 square miles (29.5 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.78%) is water.
of 2000, there were 12,448 people, 4,182 households, and 3,337 families residing in the town. The population density
was 1,087.0 people per square mile (419.8/km²). There were 4,248 housing units at an average density of 371.0 per square mile (143.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.5% White, 0.57% African American 0.10% Native American, 0.96% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.16% from other races
, and 0.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.84% of the population.
There were 4,182 households out of which 97.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69% were married couples
living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.2% were non-families. 17.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.95 and the average family size was 3.36.
In the town the population was spread out with 31.9% under the age of 18, 4.3% from 18 to 24, 33.4% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 9.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $90,543 and the median income for a family was $107,605. Males had a median income of $64,881 versus $39,478 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $27,578. About 1.8% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.6% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.
. The High School is the newest of the four schools. The building was completed in 2003 and the school saw its first graduating class in 2005. As of 2004 the high school had 771 students and 52 teachers, with a teacher:student ratio of 1:15.
In 2008, approximately 217 10th grade students participated in the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System
exam. The passing rate was 96.3% for both the Math and English Language sections, and 87.9% for the Science section.
In 2007 there were 193 Medway High School students that took the SAT
, which is an increase from previous years. The average composite score was a 1,614; of these students 85.8% chose to attend a four year college education program.
(CCCC); Medway Village Church on Village Street, also a member of the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference (CCCC); and Christ Episcopal Church on School Street.
of the Independent Women's Football League
began playing its home games at Medway's Hanlon Field.
In 2008, the Bay State Renegades, of the New England Football League, began playing their home games at Hanlon Field. The team won four of the five games played at their new home. In 2007, the Worcester Wildcats, also of the NEFL, relocated for one season to Hanlon Field as their home in Worcester underwent significant renovations.
Norfolk County, Massachusetts
-National protected areas:* Adams National Historical Park* Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area * Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site* John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site-Demographics:...
, 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...
. According to the 2010 Census, the town had a population of 12,752.
History
Medway was first settled in 1657 and was officially incorporated in 1713. At that time, Medway began as a farming community of two hundred thirty-three. It was not long before the water power of the Charles RiverCharles River
The Charles River is an long river that flows in an overall northeasterly direction in eastern Massachusetts, USA. From its source in Hopkinton, the river travels through 22 cities and towns until reaching the Atlantic Ocean at Boston...
and Chicken Brook stimulated the formation of cotton and paper mills, straw and boot factories, and a variety of cottage industries. Medway demonstrates the central importance of the Charles River and the thriving town that grew alongside it. Today, the one-room schoolhouses are gone and the country stores have moved to the mall, but the open town meetings continue and Medway retains its small-town flavor.
After nearby Medfield
Medfield, Massachusetts
Medfield is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,024 according to the 2010 Census. Medfield is an affluent community about 17 miles southwest of Boston....
was established as a town in 1651, an increasing number of newcomers settled on the land west of the Charles River. By 1712, this settlement west of the Charles had grown large enough to petition the Massachusetts 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...
for a separate new town. That petition was granted, and the town of Medway incorporated on October 25, 1713. At its founding, and for 170 years afterward, the town of Medway included the land that is now Millis
Millis, Massachusetts
Millis is a town in Norfolk County in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. It is a small town with a population of 7,891 according to the 2010 census. The town is approximately southwest of downtown Boston and is bordered by Norfolk, Sherborn, Holliston, Medfield, and Medway...
. Eventually, the eastern section of the town, known as East Medway, separated in 1885 to form the town of Millis and Medway assumed the shape it has today.
The main cause for the independent formation of Millis from Medway was the physical separation caused by a massive tract of undevelopable land appropriately named in those times, the Great Black Swamp. The Black Swamp was at the geographical center point of Medway and East Medway. Had the land been developable, this would have been the ideal location for a central meeting house, as well as churches and schools. However, because the thick forest/swamp was completely undevelopable, this forced inhabitants of Medway and East Medway to form separate communities with their own respective necessities such as a meeting house and churches. Despite this natural separation, the town remained as one for over 170 years.
The oldest road in Medway was laid out in 1670 and was known for years as Old Mendon Road. Since that time, this road has been known by many names including The Road to the Wilderness, The Old County Road, The Middle Post Road, and most recently, Village Street. Village Street runs from the Millis boarder on the east and meanders along the Charles River before eventually joining Main Street just before the Bellingham
Bellingham, Massachusetts
Bellingham is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 16,332 at the 2010 census. The town sits on the southwestern fringe of Metropolitan Boston, along the rapidly growing "outer belt" that is Route 495...
border on the west. The heart of the old town of Medway is found along this road, with the central location of activity at Medway Village, where Holliston Street intersects with Village Street.
In 1869, all of the streets in Medway were officially named. Many streets ended up losing their original names, and were instead named after influential townspeople of the past and present. Some examples of this were; Pine Hill Road became Winthrop Street, Vine Lane became Kelley Street, Candlewood Island Road was named Oakland Street, and The Old Hartford Turnpike was named Main Street. A few other examples of roads in Medway named after past residents include Lovering Street, Adams Street, Partridge Street, Ellis Street, Clark Street, Coffee Street, and Barber Street.
The origin of the town's name, Medway, is unknown. It is commonly believed that it originates from the city of Medway
Medway
Medway is a conurbation and unitary authority in South East England. The Unitary Authority was formed in 1998 when the City of Rochester-upon-Medway amalgamated with Gillingham Borough Council and part of Kent County Council to form Medway Council, a unitary authority independent of Kent County...
and the river of the same name in England.
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 11.5 square miles (29.8 km²), of which, 11.4 square miles (29.5 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.78%) is water.
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 12,448 people, 4,182 households, and 3,337 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 1,087.0 people per square mile (419.8/km²). There were 4,248 housing units at an average density of 371.0 per square mile (143.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.5% White, 0.57% African American 0.10% Native American, 0.96% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.16% 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 0.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.84% of the population.
There were 4,182 households out of which 97.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69% 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, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.2% were non-families. 17.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.95 and the average family size was 3.36.
In the town the population was spread out with 31.9% under the age of 18, 4.3% from 18 to 24, 33.4% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 9.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $90,543 and the median income for a family was $107,605. Males had a median income of $64,881 versus $39,478 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 $27,578. About 1.8% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.6% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Currently, there are four schools actively enrolling students in the Medway Public School system. The Burke-Memorial school provides pre-K, Kindergarten, 3rd and 4th grade education, the McGovern school also educates 1st and second grades students, Medway Middle School educates 5th–8th graders, and Medway High SchoolMedway High School (Medway, Massachusetts)
- High school :The High School is the newest of the four schools in Medway. The building was completed in 2003 and the school saw its first graduating class in 2005. As of 2004 the high school had 771 students and 52 teachers, with a teacher:student ratio of 1:15. In 2008, approximately 217 10th...
. The High School is the newest of the four schools. The building was completed in 2003 and the school saw its first graduating class in 2005. As of 2004 the high school had 771 students and 52 teachers, with a teacher:student ratio of 1:15.
In 2008, approximately 217 10th grade students participated in the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System
Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System, commonly shortened to MCAS , is the Commonwealth's statewide standards-based assessment program developed in 1993, in response to the Massachusetts Education Reform Act of the same year...
exam. The passing rate was 96.3% for both the Math and English Language sections, and 87.9% for the Science section.
In 2007 there were 193 Medway High School students that took the SAT
SAT
The SAT Reasoning Test is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, a nonprofit organization in the United States. It was formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service which still...
, which is an increase from previous years. The average composite score was a 1,614; of these students 85.8% chose to attend a four year college education program.
Religious Life
Medway is home to four churches: St. Joseph Catholic Church on Village Street; The Community Church of West Medway, which has Congregational and Baptist roots and is currently a member of the Conservative Congregational Christian ConferenceConservative Congregational Christian Conference
The Conservative Congregational Christian Conference, colloquially known as the CCCC or 4C's, is a Protestant Christian denomination operating in the United States. The denomination maintains headquarters in Lake Elmo, Minnesota, a suburb of St. Paul...
(CCCC); Medway Village Church on Village Street, also a member of the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference (CCCC); and Christ Episcopal Church on School Street.
Football
In 2006, the New England IntensityNew England Intensity
The New England Intensity is a football team in the Independent Women's Football League based in Norfolk County, Massachusetts. Home games are played at Joseph P. Hanlon Field on the campus of Medway High School in Medway....
of the Independent Women's Football League
Independent Women's Football League
The Independent Women's Football League was founded in 2000, and began play in 2001.IWFL founders began with the goal to establish a quality women's football league that would be respected as the top level of women's tackle football in the world....
began playing its home games at Medway's Hanlon Field.
In 2008, the Bay State Renegades, of the New England Football League, began playing their home games at Hanlon Field. The team won four of the five games played at their new home. In 2007, the Worcester Wildcats, also of the NEFL, relocated for one season to Hanlon Field as their home in Worcester underwent significant renovations.
Notable residents
- John Doe James "Grizzly" Adams
- William Taylor AdamsWilliam Taylor AdamsWilliam Taylor Adams , pseudonym Oliver Optic, was a noted academic, author, and Massachusetts state legislator. He was born in Medway, Massachusetts in 1822 to Captain Laban Adams and Catherine Johnson Adams....
, (1822–1897), author under the name "Oliver Optic". Born in Medway. - Allie MoultonAllie MoultonAlbert Theodore "Allie" Moulton was a Major League Baseball second baseman who played in with the St. Louis Browns.-External links:...
, (1886–1968), Major League baseball player for the St. Louis Browns. Born in Medway. - Pete Carmichael, Jr.Pete Carmichael, Jr.Pete Carmichael, Jr. is the current offensive coordinator of the New Orleans Saints of the NFL. Carmichael was named offensive coordinator January 12, 2009, replacing Doug Marrone who was hired as the Syracuse Orange head football coach. Carmichael grew up in Medway, MA.-References:...
, offensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints - Dennis CrowleyDennis CrowleyDennis Crowley is an American internet entrepreneur best known for co-founding the popular social networking sites Dodgeball and Foursquare.-Education:...
, Creator of the Ipod application "Foursquare" and a member of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people of 2010.