Rockland, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
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.
in 1673. The town separated and incorporated as Rockland on March 9, 1874. It is named for the town's rocky nature, which was better suited for mills and industry than for farming. During King Philip's War
, the town was the site of an encampment during his raids on the town of Scituate.
During the twentieth century, the town was the site of a portion of the landing strips of the South Weymouth Naval Air Station. The airstrip closed in 1996 as a part of the fourth round of closures under the Base Realignment and Closure
Act.
, the town has a total area of 10.1 square miles (26.2 km²), of which, 10 square miles (25.9 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.79%) is water. Rockland ranks 307th out of 351 communities in the Commonwealth. Rockland is bordered by Weymouth
to the northwest, Hingham
to the northeast, Norwell
to the northeast, Hanover
to the east, Hanson
to the south, Whitman
to the southwest, and Abington
to the west. Rockland is eight miles northeast of Brockton
, and twenty-two miles south of Boston.
Rockland, as its name suggests, is dominated by rocky lands. There are several ponds throughout the town, including Accord Pond
at the junction with Hingham and Norwell, and Studleys Pond
(known to local residents as Reeds Pond) just south of Rockland Center, can be seen along Market Street. There are several brooks throughout town, one of which is sourced at the Abington-Rockland Reservoir near the northeast corner of town. Beech Hill lies at the south of town, and Wyman Fields lies to the north of it. There are several parks throughout the town, as well as a small town forest just south of the Naval Air Station.
A short stretch (2/3 of a mile long) of Massachusetts Route 3 crosses the northeast corner of town, granting access to Route 228, which terminates just south of the highway. Route 123 and Route 139 pass from west to east just south of the center of town, running coextensively for roughly 2/3 of a mile.
A spur of the Old Colony Line formerly ran through the town; that line is now abandoned. The Old colony line does, however, pass through neighboring Weymouth, Abington and Whitman, as part of the Kingston-Route 3 line of the MBTA's
commuter rail. There are stops in South Weymouth (alongside the Naval Air Station) and Abington (just south of Route 123), not far from the town line. There is no commercial air service in town; nearby national and international flights are available at Logan International Airport
in Boston, or T.F. Green Airport in Providence, Rhode Island
.
of 2000, there were 17,670 people, 6,539 households, and 4,583 families residing in the town. The population density
was 1,763.1 people per square mile (680.9/km²). There were 6,649 housing units at an average density of 663.4 per square mile (256.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 90.81% White, 5.71% African American, 0.15% Native American, 1.08% Asian, 0.79% from other races
, and 1.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.02% of the population.
There were over 9,000 households out of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living in them, 52.7% were married couples
living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.9% were non-families. 24.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.23.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.5% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $50,613, and the median income for a family was $60,088. Males had a median income of $41,361 versus $31,907 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $23,068. About 6.1% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.2% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over.
Statistically, Rockland is the 103rd most populous community in the Commonwealth, just below the state average. Rockland is the 62nd most densely populated community in the Commonwealth, and the fourth most densely populated in Plymouth County.
, and is represented by Bill Keating
. The state's senior (Class II) member of the United States Senate
, re-elected in 2008, is John Kerry
. The junior (Class I) senator, elected in 2010, is Scott Brown
.
On the state level, Rockland is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives
as a part of the Fifth Plymouth district, which includes the towns of Hanover and Norwell. The town is represented in the Massachusetts Senate
as a part of the Norfolk and Plymouth District, which includes Abington, Holbrook, Quincy, and part of Braintree. The town is patrolled by the First (Norwell) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police
.
The town has its own police and fire department; the police department is located near the eastern junction of Routes 123 and 139 and the fire department is located along Union Street, the town's main street. The fire department also has its own ambulance service, which brings emergency cases to South Shore Hospital in Weymouth or Brockton Hospital in Brockton. The Rockland Memorial Library
http://www.rocklandmemoriallibrary.org/ is a member of the Old Colony Library Network (OCLN) and the Southeastern Massachusetts Library System (SEMLS).
Rockland is governed by an open town meeting
form of government. Its board of selectmen
has five elected seats, currently filled by:
Children living in Rockland are also eligible to attend South Shore Charter School. Located in Norwell Massachusetts the school offers entrance to neighboring towns on the South Shore.
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 2010 census records its population at 17,489. As of December 31, 2009, there are 11,809 registered voters in the community.
History
Rockland was settled by European settlers, led by Timothy Hatherly, as a northeastern region of neighboring AbingtonAbington, Massachusetts
As of the census of 2000, there were 14,605 people, 5,263 households, and 3,747 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,469.1 people per square mile . There were 5,348 housing units at an average density of 538.0 per square mile...
in 1673. The town separated and incorporated as Rockland on March 9, 1874. It is named for the town's rocky nature, which was better suited for mills and industry than for farming. During 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...
, the town was the site of an encampment during his raids on the town of Scituate.
During the twentieth century, the town was the site of a portion of the landing strips of the South Weymouth Naval Air Station. The airstrip closed in 1996 as a part of the fourth round of closures under the Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the Armed Forces, used by the United States Department of Defense and Congress to close excess military installations and realign the total asset inventory to reduce...
Act.
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 10.1 square miles (26.2 km²), of which, 10 square miles (25.9 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.79%) is water. Rockland ranks 307th out of 351 communities in the Commonwealth. Rockland is bordered by Weymouth
Weymouth, Massachusetts
The Town of Weymouth is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, Weymouth had a total population of 53,743. Despite its city status, it is formally known as the Town of Weymouth...
to the northwest, Hingham
Hingham, Massachusetts
Hingham is a town in northern Plymouth County on the South Shore of the U.S. state of Massachusetts and suburb in Greater Boston. The United States Census Bureau 2008 estimated population was 22,561...
to the northeast, 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 northeast, Hanover
Hanover, Massachusetts
Hanover is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 13,164 at the 2000 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...
to the east, 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, Whitman
Whitman, Massachusetts
Whitman is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 14,489 as of the 2010 census. It is notable as being the place where the chocolate chip cookie was invented....
to the southwest, and Abington
Abington, Massachusetts
As of the census of 2000, there were 14,605 people, 5,263 households, and 3,747 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,469.1 people per square mile . There were 5,348 housing units at an average density of 538.0 per square mile...
to the west. Rockland is eight miles northeast 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-two miles south of Boston.
Rockland, as its name suggests, is dominated by rocky lands. There are several ponds throughout the town, including Accord Pond
Accord Pond
Accord Pond is a reservoir in Hingham, Norwell and Rockland, Massachusetts. The reservoir is located off Route 228 at its terminus with Route 3. The reservoir is visible from Route 3 northbound at Exit 14, the Route 228 off-ramp. The reservoir is a Class A source of water supply for the town of...
at the junction with Hingham and Norwell, and Studleys Pond
Studleys Pond
Studleys Pond, known locally as Reed's Pond, is a pond in Rockland, Massachusetts. The pond is located south of Rockland Center on Route 123, west of Route 139. The French Stream flows through the pond. Great Idea Island lies in the southern portion of the pond. Thomas V...
(known to local residents as Reeds Pond) just south of Rockland Center, can be seen along Market Street. There are several brooks throughout town, one of which is sourced at the Abington-Rockland Reservoir near the northeast corner of town. Beech Hill lies at the south of town, and Wyman Fields lies to the north of it. There are several parks throughout the town, as well as a small town forest just south of the Naval Air Station.
A short stretch (2/3 of a mile long) of Massachusetts Route 3 crosses the northeast corner of town, granting access to Route 228, which terminates just south of the highway. Route 123 and Route 139 pass from west to east just south of the center of town, running coextensively for roughly 2/3 of a mile.
A spur of the Old Colony Line formerly ran through the town; that line is now abandoned. The Old colony line does, however, pass through neighboring Weymouth, Abington and Whitman, as part of 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. There are stops in South Weymouth (alongside the Naval Air Station) and Abington (just south of Route 123), not far from the town line. There is no commercial air service in town; nearby national and international flights are available 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, or T.F. Green Airport in Providence, 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...
.
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 17,670 people, 6,539 households, and 4,583 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 1,763.1 people per square mile (680.9/km²). There were 6,649 housing units at an average density of 663.4 per square mile (256.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 90.81% White, 5.71% African American, 0.15% Native American, 1.08% Asian, 0.79% 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 1.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.02% of the population.
There were over 9,000 households out of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living in them, 52.7% 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, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.9% were non-families. 24.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.23.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.5% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $50,613, and the median income for a family was $60,088. Males had a median income of $41,361 versus $31,907 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 $23,068. About 6.1% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.2% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over.
Statistically, Rockland is the 103rd most populous community in the Commonwealth, just below the state average. Rockland is the 62nd most densely populated community in the Commonwealth, and the fourth most densely populated in Plymouth County.
Government
On the national level, Rockland 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 represented by Bill 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, Rockland 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 towns of Hanover and Norwell. 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 Norfolk and Plymouth District, which includes Abington, Holbrook, Quincy, and part of Braintree. The town is patrolled by the First (Norwell) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police
Massachusetts State Police
The Massachusetts State Police is an agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Executive Office of Public Safety and Security responsible for criminal law enforcement and traffic vehicle regulation across the state...
.
The town has its own police and fire department; the police department is located near the eastern junction of Routes 123 and 139 and the fire department is located along Union Street, the town's main street. The fire department also has its own ambulance service, which brings emergency cases to South Shore Hospital in Weymouth or Brockton Hospital in Brockton. The Rockland Memorial Library
Rockland Memorial Library
Rockland Memorial Library is an historic library at 20 Belmont Street in Rockland, Massachusetts.The library was built in 1903 and added to the National Historic Register in 1989....
http://www.rocklandmemoriallibrary.org/ is a member of the Old Colony Library Network (OCLN) and the Southeastern Massachusetts Library System (SEMLS).
Rockland is governed by 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....
form of government. Its 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:...
has five elected seats, currently filled by:
- Lawrence J. Chaffee, 2012 [Chairman]
- Edward Kimball, 2013[Vice-Chairman]
- Michael Johnson, 2014
- Deborah O'Brien, 2014
- William H. Minahan, Jr., 2013
Education
Rockland operates its own school system for the town's approximately 2,500 students. There are three elementary schools (Jefferson, Memorial Park and R. Stewart Esten) which serve students from kindergarten to fifth grade. The John W. Rogers Middle School is located adjacent to Memorial Park, in the former high school building, and serves sixth through eight grades. Rockland High School is located around the corner from the park, and serves ninth through twelfth grade students. Rockland High's athletics teams are known as the Bulldogs (sometimes just 'Dogs), and their colors are navy blue and white. They compete in the South Shore League and there rival is Abington. In addition to the high school, students may attend South Shore Vocational Technical High School in Hanover free of charge. The town also has two private schools, Calvary Chapel Academy and Holy Family School. Calvary Chapel Academy is a growing Christian school currently serving from kindergarten through twelfth grade. The Holy Family School is a Catholic parochial school which extends to eighth grade, and is associated with the Holy Family Church of Rockland.Children living in Rockland are also eligible to attend South Shore Charter School. Located in Norwell Massachusetts the school offers entrance to neighboring towns on the South Shore.
Notable residents
- NASANASAThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
astronautAstronautAn astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
Brian Duffy Rockland High School Class of 1971 - Actor Jonathan TogoJonathan TogoJonathan Togo is an American actor best known for his role in CSI: Miami as Ryan Wolfe.-Childhood:Jonathan Frederick Togo was born in Rockland, Massachusetts, the son of Sheila, unemployed and Michael Togo, a graphic designer...
from the series CSI: MiamiCSI: MiamiCSI: Miami is an American police procedural television series, which premiered on September 23, 2002 on CBS. The series is a spin-off of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation....
Rockland High School Class of 1995 - Crime novelist George V. HigginsGeorge V. HigginsGeorge V. Higgins was a United States author, lawyer, newspaper columnist, and college professor. He is best known for his bestselling crime novels. His full name was George Vincent Higgins, but his books were all published as by George V. Higgins. ACtually, his full name was George V...
Rockland High School Class of 1957 - Author Maria Louise PoolMaria Louise PoolMaria Louise Pool was an American writer.-Biography:She was born in Rockland, Massachusetts to Elias Pool and Lydia Lane. She attended the public school of the town , and later taught school for two years...
- Science Fiction and Fantasy author Lou AntonelliLou AntonelliLouis Sergio Antonelli is an American science fiction and fantasy writer who resides in Mount Pleasant, Texas...
Rockland High School Class of 1975 - Professional Skateboarder PJ LaddPJ LaddPatrick John Ladd, professionally referred to as PJ Ladd, born in Rockland, Massachusetts is a professional skateboarder. He recently left DC shoes and apparel. His stance on a skateboard is regular...
is originally from Rockland but now lives in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California... - Professional hockey player Josh HennessyJosh HennessyJoshua Hennessy is an American professional ice hockey player. Hennessy is currently a member of the Boston Bruins organization. Hennessy most recently played for HC Lugano in 2010/11 and previously for the Ottawa Senators organization....
- Owner of Sullivan Tire Company Bob Sullivan
- Twin professional soccer players Stephanie and Danielle Gordon graduated from Rockland High School in 2008.
- Internationally accomplished Worlds School Style (WSS) debater and University of Vermont alumnus John Sadek.
- Actor ( The FighterThe FighterThe Fighter is a 2010 biographical sports drama film directed by David O. Russell, and starring Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Melissa Leo and Amy Adams. The film centers on the life of professional boxer "Irish" Micky Ward and his older half-brother Dicky Eklund . The film also stars Amy Adams as...
and TEDTEDTED may refer to:* TED , an annual multidisciplinary conference* TED spread, the yield spread between U.S...
) and American Disc Jockey DJ YNG Hollywood