Winthrop, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
The Town of Winthrop is a municipality in Suffolk County
, Massachusetts
, United States
. The population of Winthrop was 17,497 at the 2010 U.S. Census. It is an oceanside suburban community in Greater Boston
situated at the north entrance to Boston Harbor
and is very close to Logan International Airport
. The town is a peninsula, 1.6 square miles (4.2 km2) in area, connected to Revere
by a narrow isthmus and to East Boston
by a bridge over the harbor inlet to the Belle Isle Marsh Reservation
. Settled in 1630, Winthrop is one of the oldest communities in the United States. It is also one of the smallest and most densely populated municipalities in Massachusetts.
The town is named after John Winthrop
(1587–1649), second governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony
and an important English Puritan
leader. On 8 April 1630, Winthrop departed from the Isle of Wight
, England
on the ship Arbella
and arrrived in Salem
in June where he was met by John Endecott
, the first governor of the colony. He served as governor for 12 of the colony's first 20 years of existence. It was Winthrop who decided to base the colony at the Shawmut Peninsula
, where he and the colonists founded what is now the city of Boston
.
of the Revolutionary War. It was officially incorporated in 1852. It is one of the four municipalities in Suffolk County (the others are the cities of Boston
, Revere
, and Chelsea
). It is located on a peninsula, at the beginning of the North Shore, with seven miles (11 km) of shoreline that provides views of the ocean to the east and of the Boston skyline to the west.
Originally part of an area called Winnisimmet by the Native
Massachusett
tribe, the peninsula was annex
ed by Boston
in 1632 and within five years became the grazing area for farm animals of the rapidly growing Boston colony. In 1637 it was divided into 15 parcels of land that were given by Governor John Winthrop
to prominent men in Boston with the stipulation that each must erect a building on his land within two years. Few, if any, of these men ever lived here, but their farms prospered. One of these early houses, built initially during the first half of the 17th century, and rebuilt in 1675, was the home of Governor Winthrop’s youngest son, Deane Winthrop, who lived there until his death in 1703. This house is still standing and is maintained, for public viewing, by the Winthrop Improvement and Historical Association.
In 1739, what is now Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop withdrew from Boston due to governmental control disputes and became the Town of Chelsea. Again the desire for more local control resulted in Revere and Winthrop seceding from Chelsea in 1846 to become North Chelsea. Shortly thereafter, in 1852, Winthrop was incorporated as a town in its own right with a Board of Selectmen and Town Meeting form of government. In 1920, Winthrop was the second town in the Commonwealth to apply for and receive a Charter for a Representative Town Meeting, which continued to 2006.
Winthrop adopted a home rule charter in 2005 with a council-manager form of government and is no longer governed by a representative town meeting
. It is now classified as a town with a city form of government. The new Town Charter, which took effect in 2006, was passed in a special election. The Board of Selectmen and Town Meeting were abolished, and legislative powers were vested in an elected Town Council
. Executive power, largely ceremonial, resides in the Council President, who is popularly elected. An appointed Town Manager serves as the head of administrative services. On July 26, 2007, the Winthrop Sun Transcript reported that a movement was beginning to abolish the Town Council and return to a Representative Town Meeting. The multi-step process to reverse the changes made by the 2006 charter is quite complex, so it remains to be seen what form of government Winthrop will have going forward. As of 2011, no changes have been made to Winthrop's form of government.
Deer Island
, though within the city limits of Boston, is located in Winthrop Bay. It ceased to be an island in the 1930s when Shirley Gut, which separated it from Winthrop, was filled in. The island has a sordid past as an internment camp for Native Americans during King Philip's War
, a quarantine station where many immigrants died, and the site of a county jail. Today the island is home to the mammoth Deer Island Waste Water Treatment Plant
, which provides sewage treatment for the Boston area.
Winthrop has a weekly newspaper, the Winthrop Sun Transcript
, which reports local news, current events, happenings, and concerns.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 8.3 square miles (21.5 km²), of which, 2.0 square miles (5.2 km²) of it is land and 6.3 square miles (16.3 km²) of it (76.02%) is water. However, according to the Town Government, Winthrop has a land area of just 1.6 square miles (4.1 km²).
Winthrop is connected by land skirting the Belle Isle Marsh Reservation
, which is shared across the Belle Isle Inlet with Boston. Winthrop was originally separate from Deer Island
, but the land between the two was filled in, with the northern end belonging to Winthrop and the southern end belonging to Boston. The town is considered the northern dividing line between Boston Harbor
to its west and Massachusetts Bay
to its east. There are several beaches, three yacht clubs and a golf course within the town, as well as several small parks. The town has one island, Snake Island
, which lies northwest of Point Shirley and is part of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area
.
Winthrop is one of four municipalities within Suffolk County. The town is divided into several neighborhoods around the downtown area, including Court Park and Cottage Park along the Boston Harbor side of town, Point Shirley and Cottage Hill on either side of what was Shirley Gut, and Winthrop Beach, Ocean Spray and Winthrop Heights on the Massachusetts Bay side. The town is bordered by Revere
to the north, and Boston
on the northwest, west, and southeast. The water rights of the town extend to the edge of the county, and border those of Nahant
in Essex County
. As a result of the expansion of Logan International Airport
, part of four of the runways (4L/22R, 4R/22L, 15R/33L and most of 15L/33R) lies within what was once the water rights of the town. By land, Winthrop is 5.5 miles (8.9 km) from Beacon Hill, the measuring point for all road signs in Massachusetts.
Route 145
passes through the town as its only state route. It enters from the Orient Heights
neighborhood of East Boston along a bridge over the Belle Isle Inlet, then passes in a loop around the main body of the town (bypassing Cottage Hill and Point Shirley) before leaving the town to the north, turning into the Winthrop Parkway in Revere. Two bus routes are provided by Paul Revere Transportation, which run from Point Shirley through the highlands and center of the town and terminate at Orient Heights. Paul Revere Transportation has operated the bus service in town since 1991. The service, which is subsidized by the MBTA, operates as Route 712 Point Shirley or Winthrop Beach to Orient Heights Station via Winthrop Highlands and Route 713 Point Shirley or Winthrop Beach to Orient Heights via Winthrop Center. This service does not accept MBTA Charlie Cards or Charlie Tickets. Prior to this, the service was operated by Rapid Transit, Inc., which began bus service in Winthrop on January 28, 1940, the day immediately following the abandonment of the former Boston, Revere Beach & Lynn "Narrow Gauge" Railroad. The Blue Line
of the MBTA subway system crosses near the town, with stops at Orient Heights (MBTA station)
, Suffolk Downs (MBTA station)
, and Beachmont (MBTA station)
, all of which are just a half mile from the city limits. A water transportation dock is located at the public landing and provides ferry service across Boston Harbor. Currently, Boston Harbor Cruises operates the service seasonally (May-October) between Winthrop and Rowes Wharf. Business leaders hope that the ferry will help spur economic growth and tourism in the town.
of 2000, there were 18,303 people, 7,843 households, and 4,580 families residing in the town. The population density
was 9,208.3 people per square mile (3,551.2/km²). There were 8,067 housing units at an average density of 4,058.5 per square mile (1,565.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 94.44% White, 1.68% Black or African American
, 0.16% Native American, 1.15% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.36% from other races
, and 1.16% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.69% of the population.
There were 7,843 households out of which 23.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.1% were married couples
living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.6% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the town the population was spread out with 18.6% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 33.2% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 88.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $53,122, and the median income for a family was $65,696. Males had a median income of $42,135 versus $36,298 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $27,374. About 3.3% of families and 5.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.1% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those age 65 or over.
region of Massachusetts, especially Square One Mall
in Saugus, began to drain away measurable amounts of business. A small business community still survives.
The town is divided into four unique business areas: the Shirley Street Business District, the Highlands District, the Center, and Magee's Corner District.
The town also has numerous pre-schools and day cares for parents seeking early education options.
The majority of Winthrop residents are adherents of various Christian
denominations, such as Roman Catholicism, Methodism
, and Episcopalianism
. Adherents of Judaism
make up a small, but historically significant, minority. Over the past four decades, the once large Jewish community has dwindled due to frequent migration to other parts of Massachusetts.
with many various flora
and fauna
. The climate of Winthrop is a temperate
, humid continental climate
, with warm summers and cold, snowy winters. Some of the flora and fauna that can be seen in Winthrop are as follows:
. This marsh also borders East Boston and Revere. It used to be a Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) reservation, and is now run by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR.) This marsh is a reserve for a variety of wildlife and plants. It is maintained in part by the Friends of Belle Isle Marsh, a grassroots environmental organization.
Suffolk County, Massachusetts
Suffolk County has no land border with Plymouth County to its southeast, but the two counties share a water boundary in the middle of Massachusetts Bay.-National protected areas:*Boston African American National Historic Site...
, 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 of Winthrop was 17,497 at the 2010 U.S. Census. It is an oceanside suburban community in Greater Boston
Greater Boston
Greater Boston is the area of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts surrounding the city of Boston. Due to ambiguity in usage, the size of the area referred to can be anywhere between that of the metropolitan statistical area of Boston and that of the city's combined statistical area which includes...
situated at the north entrance to Boston Harbor
Boston Harbor
Boston Harbor is a natural harbor and estuary of Massachusetts Bay, and is located adjacent to the city of Boston, Massachusetts. It is home to the Port of Boston, a major shipping facility in the northeast.-History:...
and is very close to 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...
. The town is a peninsula, 1.6 square miles (4.2 km2) in area, connected to Revere
Revere, Massachusetts
Revere is a city in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States, and located approximately from downtown Boston. It is named after the American patriot Paul Revere. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 51,755.- History :...
by a narrow isthmus and to East Boston
East Boston, Massachusetts
East Boston is a neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, with approximately 40,000 residents. The community was created by connecting several islands using landfill and was annexed by Boston in 1836. East Boston is separated from the rest of the city by Boston Harbor and bordered by Winthrop,...
by a bridge over the harbor inlet to the Belle Isle Marsh Reservation
Belle Isle Marsh Reservation
Belle Isle Marsh Reservation is a Massachusetts state park located in East Boston. The park is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation.-Description:...
. Settled in 1630, Winthrop is one of the oldest communities in the United States. It is also one of the smallest and most densely populated municipalities in Massachusetts.
The town is named after John Winthrop
John Winthrop
John Winthrop was a wealthy English Puritan lawyer, and one of the leading figures in the founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the first major settlement in New England after Plymouth Colony. Winthrop led the first large wave of migrants from England in 1630, and served as governor for 12 of...
(1587–1649), second governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony
Massachusetts Bay Colony
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was an English settlement on the east coast of North America in the 17th century, in New England, situated around the present-day cities of Salem and Boston. The territory administered by the colony included much of present-day central New England, including portions...
and an important English Puritan
Puritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
leader. On 8 April 1630, Winthrop departed from the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
on the ship Arbella
Arbella
The Arbella or Arabella was the flagship of the Winthrop Fleet on which, between April 8 and June 12, 1630, Governor John Winthrop, other members of the Company and Puritan emigrants transported themselves and the Charter of the Massachusetts Bay Company from England to Salem, thereby giving legal...
and arrrived in 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...
in June where he was met by John Endecott
John Endecott
John Endecott was an English colonial magistrate, soldier and the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. During all of his years in the colony but one, he held some form of civil, judicial, or military high office...
, the first governor of the colony. He served as governor for 12 of the colony's first 20 years of existence. It was Winthrop who decided to base the colony at the Shawmut Peninsula
Shawmut Peninsula
Shawmut Peninsula is the promontory of land on which Boston, Massachusetts was built. The peninsula, originally a mere in area, more than doubled in size due to land reclamation efforts, a feature of the history of Boston throughout the 19th century....
, where he and the colonists founded what is now the city 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...
.
History
The town was settled in 1630 by English Puritan colonists as Pullen Poynt. In 1775, residents of what is now Winthrop, Revere, and Chelsea played a key role in the Battle of Chelsea CreekBattle of Chelsea Creek
The Battle of Chelsea Creek was the second military engagement of the Boston campaign of the American Revolutionary War. It is also known as the Battle of Noddle's Island, Battle of Hog Island and the Battle of the Chelsea Estuary...
of the Revolutionary War. It was officially incorporated in 1852. It is one of the four municipalities in Suffolk County (the others are the cities 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...
, Revere
Revere, Massachusetts
Revere is a city in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States, and located approximately from downtown Boston. It is named after the American patriot Paul Revere. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 51,755.- History :...
, and Chelsea
Chelsea, Massachusetts
Chelsea is a city in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States directly across the Mystic River from the city of Boston. It is the smallest city in Massachusetts in land area, and the 26th most densely populated incorporated place in the country.-History:...
). It is located on a peninsula, at the beginning of the North Shore, with seven miles (11 km) of shoreline that provides views of the ocean to the east and of the Boston skyline to the west.
Originally part of an area called Winnisimmet by the Native
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
Massachusett
Massachusett
The Massachusett are a tribe of Native Americans who lived in areas surrounding Massachusetts Bay in what is now the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in particular present-day Greater Boston; they spoke the Massachusett language...
tribe, the peninsula was annex
Annexation
Annexation is the de jure incorporation of some territory into another geo-political entity . Usually, it is implied that the territory and population being annexed is the smaller, more peripheral, and weaker of the two merging entities, barring physical size...
ed by 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...
in 1632 and within five years became the grazing area for farm animals of the rapidly growing Boston colony. In 1637 it was divided into 15 parcels of land that were given by Governor John Winthrop
John Winthrop
John Winthrop was a wealthy English Puritan lawyer, and one of the leading figures in the founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the first major settlement in New England after Plymouth Colony. Winthrop led the first large wave of migrants from England in 1630, and served as governor for 12 of...
to prominent men in Boston with the stipulation that each must erect a building on his land within two years. Few, if any, of these men ever lived here, but their farms prospered. One of these early houses, built initially during the first half of the 17th century, and rebuilt in 1675, was the home of Governor Winthrop’s youngest son, Deane Winthrop, who lived there until his death in 1703. This house is still standing and is maintained, for public viewing, by the Winthrop Improvement and Historical Association.
In 1739, what is now Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop withdrew from Boston due to governmental control disputes and became the Town of Chelsea. Again the desire for more local control resulted in Revere and Winthrop seceding from Chelsea in 1846 to become North Chelsea. Shortly thereafter, in 1852, Winthrop was incorporated as a town in its own right with a Board of Selectmen and Town Meeting form of government. In 1920, Winthrop was the second town in the Commonwealth to apply for and receive a Charter for a Representative Town Meeting, which continued to 2006.
Winthrop adopted a home rule charter in 2005 with a council-manager form of government and is no longer governed by a representative town meeting
Representative town meeting
A representative town meeting is a form of municipal legislature particularly common in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Vermont....
. It is now classified as a town with a city form of government. The new Town Charter, which took effect in 2006, was passed in a special election. The Board of Selectmen and Town Meeting were abolished, and legislative powers were vested in an elected Town Council
Town council
A town council is a democratically elected form of government for small municipalities or civil parishes. A council may serve as both the representative and executive branch....
. Executive power, largely ceremonial, resides in the Council President, who is popularly elected. An appointed Town Manager serves as the head of administrative services. On July 26, 2007, the Winthrop Sun Transcript reported that a movement was beginning to abolish the Town Council and return to a Representative Town Meeting. The multi-step process to reverse the changes made by the 2006 charter is quite complex, so it remains to be seen what form of government Winthrop will have going forward. As of 2011, no changes have been made to Winthrop's form of government.
Deer Island
Deer Island (Massachusetts)
Deer Island is a peninsula in Boston Harbor, Massachusetts. Since 1996 it is part of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area. Although still an island by name, Deer Island has been connected to the mainland since the former Shirley Gut channel, which once separated the island from the...
, though within the city limits of Boston, is located in Winthrop Bay. It ceased to be an island in the 1930s when Shirley Gut, which separated it from Winthrop, was filled in. The island has a sordid past as an internment camp for Native Americans 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...
, a quarantine station where many immigrants died, and the site of a county jail. Today the island is home to the mammoth Deer Island Waste Water Treatment Plant
Deer Island Waste Water Treatment Plant
The Deer Island Waste Water Treatment Plant run and operated by The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority is located on Deer Island, one of the Boston Harbor Islands in Boston Harbor. The water treatment plant cost over 3.8 billion dollars making it the seventeenth most expensive object...
, which provides sewage treatment for the Boston area.
Winthrop has a weekly newspaper, the Winthrop Sun Transcript
Winthrop Sun Transcript
The Winthrop Sun Transcript is the weekly newspaper for the town of Winthrop, Massachusetts. The paper is sent out every Thursday morning. The newspaper was established in 1882....
, which reports local news, current events, happenings, and concerns.
Geography and transportation
United 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 8.3 square miles (21.5 km²), of which, 2.0 square miles (5.2 km²) of it is land and 6.3 square miles (16.3 km²) of it (76.02%) is water. However, according to the Town Government, Winthrop has a land area of just 1.6 square miles (4.1 km²).
Winthrop is connected by land skirting the Belle Isle Marsh Reservation
Belle Isle Marsh Reservation
Belle Isle Marsh Reservation is a Massachusetts state park located in East Boston. The park is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation.-Description:...
, which is shared across the Belle Isle Inlet with Boston. Winthrop was originally separate from Deer Island
Deer Island (Massachusetts)
Deer Island is a peninsula in Boston Harbor, Massachusetts. Since 1996 it is part of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area. Although still an island by name, Deer Island has been connected to the mainland since the former Shirley Gut channel, which once separated the island from the...
, but the land between the two was filled in, with the northern end belonging to Winthrop and the southern end belonging to Boston. The town is considered the northern dividing line between Boston Harbor
Boston Harbor
Boston Harbor is a natural harbor and estuary of Massachusetts Bay, and is located adjacent to the city of Boston, Massachusetts. It is home to the Port of Boston, a major shipping facility in the northeast.-History:...
to its west and 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,...
to its east. There are several beaches, three yacht clubs and a golf course within the town, as well as several small parks. The town has one island, Snake Island
Snake Island (Massachusetts)
Snake Island, also known as Bare Island, is an island in Boston Harbor. The island is part of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area and is situated in the inner harbor between the town of Winthrop and the reclaimed land that forms Logan International Airport...
, which lies northwest of Point Shirley and is part of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area
Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area
The Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area is a National Recreation Area situated among the islands of Boston Harbor of Boston, Massachusetts. The area is made up of a collection of islands, together with a former island and a peninsula, many of which are open for public recreation and some...
.
Winthrop is one of four municipalities within Suffolk County. The town is divided into several neighborhoods around the downtown area, including Court Park and Cottage Park along the Boston Harbor side of town, Point Shirley and Cottage Hill on either side of what was Shirley Gut, and Winthrop Beach, Ocean Spray and Winthrop Heights on the Massachusetts Bay side. The town is bordered by Revere
Revere, Massachusetts
Revere is a city in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States, and located approximately from downtown Boston. It is named after the American patriot Paul Revere. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 51,755.- History :...
to the north, and 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...
on the northwest, west, and southeast. The water rights of the town extend to the edge of the county, and border those of Nahant
Nahant, Massachusetts
Nahant is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,632 at the 2000 census. With just of land area, it is the smallest municipality by area in the state...
in 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:...
. As a result of the expansion of 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...
, part of four of the runways (4L/22R, 4R/22L, 15R/33L and most of 15L/33R) lies within what was once the water rights of the town. By land, Winthrop is 5.5 miles (8.9 km) from Beacon Hill, the measuring point for all road signs in Massachusetts.
Route 145
Massachusetts Route 145
Route 145 is a circuitous south–north urban state highway in Massachusetts. It is entirely within Suffolk County and primarily serves the peninsular town of Winthrop from East Boston and Revere.-Route description:...
passes through the town as its only state route. It enters from the Orient Heights
Orient Heights
Orient Heights is an historic section of East Boston. The neighborhood sits on a hill named "Orient Heights;" the hill measures 152 feet in elevation at its highest point...
neighborhood of East Boston along a bridge over the Belle Isle Inlet, then passes in a loop around the main body of the town (bypassing Cottage Hill and Point Shirley) before leaving the town to the north, turning into the Winthrop Parkway in Revere. Two bus routes are provided by Paul Revere Transportation, which run from Point Shirley through the highlands and center of the town and terminate at Orient Heights. Paul Revere Transportation has operated the bus service in town since 1991. The service, which is subsidized by the MBTA, operates as Route 712 Point Shirley or Winthrop Beach to Orient Heights Station via Winthrop Highlands and Route 713 Point Shirley or Winthrop Beach to Orient Heights via Winthrop Center. This service does not accept MBTA Charlie Cards or Charlie Tickets. Prior to this, the service was operated by Rapid Transit, Inc., which began bus service in Winthrop on January 28, 1940, the day immediately following the abandonment of the former Boston, Revere Beach & Lynn "Narrow Gauge" Railroad. The Blue Line
Blue Line (MBTA)
The Blue Line is one of four subway lines of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority serving Downtown, East Boston and the North Shore. It runs from northeast to southwest, extending from Wonderland station in Revere, Massachusetts to Bowdoin station near Beacon Hill in Boston...
of the MBTA subway system crosses near the town, with stops at Orient Heights (MBTA station)
Orient Heights (MBTA station)
Orient Heights is a station on the MBTA Blue Line in East Boston, MA. It is located on the above-ground section of the line that uses overhead lines instead of third rail....
, Suffolk Downs (MBTA station)
Suffolk Downs (MBTA station)
Suffolk Downs is a station on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's Blue Line, which runs between Bowdoin station, near Beacon Hill in Boston, and the Wonderland station in Revere, Massachusetts...
, and Beachmont (MBTA station)
Beachmont (MBTA station)
Beachmont is an above-ground rapid-transit station located on the MBTA Blue Line. This station serves the Beachmont neighborhood of Revere, Massachusetts.The station was closed for approximately one year starting on June 25, 1994, as the station was rebuilt...
, all of which are just a half mile from the city limits. A water transportation dock is located at the public landing and provides ferry service across Boston Harbor. Currently, Boston Harbor Cruises operates the service seasonally (May-October) between Winthrop and Rowes Wharf. Business leaders hope that the ferry will help spur economic growth and tourism in the town.
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 18,303 people, 7,843 households, and 4,580 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 9,208.3 people per square mile (3,551.2/km²). There were 8,067 housing units at an average density of 4,058.5 per square mile (1,565.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 94.44% White, 1.68% Black or African American
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...
, 0.16% Native American, 1.15% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.36% 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 1.16% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.69% of the population.
There were 7,843 households out of which 23.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.1% 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, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.6% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.98.
The median income for a household in the town was $53,122, and the median income for a family was $65,696. Males had a median income of $42,135 versus $36,298 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 $27,374. About 3.3% of families and 5.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.1% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Winthrop has a town center with a number of businesses, including CVS/pharmacy, Michael's Mall, Samuel's Pharmacy and The Pizza Center. The town center has always had a modestly vibrant business community. However, by the mid-1990s, large shopping malls in the nearby North ShoreNorth 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...
region of Massachusetts, especially Square One Mall
Square One Mall
This article is about the mall in Saugus, Massachusetts. For the mall located in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, please see Square One Shopping Centre....
in Saugus, began to drain away measurable amounts of business. A small business community still survives.
The town is divided into four unique business areas: the Shirley Street Business District, the Highlands District, the Center, and Magee's Corner District.
Education
Winthrop currently has four schools:- Winthrop Senior High School, Grades 9-12, which is located on Main Street.
- Winthrop Middle School, Grades 6-8, which is located on Pauline Street.
- Arthur T. Cummings Elementary School, Grades 3-5, which is located on Hermon Street.
- William P. Gorman/Ft. Banks Elementary School, Grades PK-2, which is located on Kennedy Drive.
The town also has numerous pre-schools and day cares for parents seeking early education options.
Worship
Winthrop has many places of worship. They include:- Temple Tifereth Israel
- Congregation Tifereth Abraham
- St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church
- Holy Rosary Catholic Church
- St. John's Episcopal Parish
- First Church, United Methodist
- Community Christian Center
The majority of Winthrop residents are adherents of various Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
denominations, such as Roman Catholicism, Methodism
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
, and Episcopalianism
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
. Adherents of Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
make up a small, but historically significant, minority. Over the past four decades, the once large Jewish community has dwindled due to frequent migration to other parts of Massachusetts.
Ecosystem
Winthrop, although highly developed, has a diverse ecosystemEcosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
with many various flora
Flora
Flora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
and fauna
Fauna
Fauna or faunæ is all of the animal life of any particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is flora.Zoologists and paleontologists use fauna to refer to a typical collection of animals found in a specific time or place, e.g. the "Sonoran Desert fauna" or the "Burgess shale fauna"...
. The climate of Winthrop is a temperate
Temperate
In geography, temperate or tepid latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally relatively moderate, rather than extreme hot or cold...
, humid continental climate
Humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot summers and cold winters....
, with warm summers and cold, snowy winters. Some of the flora and fauna that can be seen in Winthrop are as follows:
Points of interest
- Deane Winthrop HouseDeane Winthrop HouseThe Deane Winthrop House is an historic house at 40 Shirley Street inWinthrop, Massachusetts. Deane Winthrop was the son of the second Governor of Massachusetts, John Winthrop....
: one of the longest constantly lived-in houses in the U.S. (on Shirley Street) - Deer IslandDeer Island (Massachusetts)Deer Island is a peninsula in Boston Harbor, Massachusetts. Since 1996 it is part of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area. Although still an island by name, Deer Island has been connected to the mainland since the former Shirley Gut channel, which once separated the island from the...
- Fort BanksFort Banks Mortar BatteryFort Banks Mortar Battery is a historic mortar battery on Kennedy Drive in Winthrop, Massachusetts that was part of the old Fort Banks. It was originally built in 1892 and named for the Civil War general and congressman Nathaniel P...
: Built to help protect the Boston Harbor from attack during the World Wars. An underground bunker is all that remains of this fort (off Revere and Almont Streets). It was once used as a Halloween haunted house called the 'Haunted Dungeon'. - Fort HeathFort HeathFort Heath was built in 1898 as a Coast Artillery fort, located on Grovers Cliff in Winthrop, Massachusetts, and was part of the defenses of Boston Harbor. It was named in honor of General William Heath, who served in the American Revolution...
: Built to help protect the Boston Harbor from attack during the World Wars. It is now replaced with the Fort Heath Apartment building, Seal Harbor condominiums (two large buildings), and a small park on the bluff overlooking the ocean and Revere Beach. - Larsen Rink: an indoor ice skatingIce skatingIce skating is moving on ice by using ice skates. It can be done for a variety of reasons, including leisure, traveling, and various sports. Ice skating occurs both on specially prepared indoor and outdoor tracks, as well as on naturally occurring bodies of frozen water, such as lakes and...
rink. - Lewis Lake Park
- Winthrop Water Tower: located on Great Head (Water Tower Hill), it is a red, white, and blue striped water tower. Capable of holding 1 million USgals (3,785.4 m³) of water, it is maintained by Winthrop's water department.http://www.town.winthrop.ma.us/pages/WinthropMA_Selectmen/FY08ManagersBudgetPackage/w_water_narr.pdf
- Winthrop Golf Course: a private 9-hole, par 35 golf course.
- Winthrop Graveyard: includes graves from the 18th century.
- Winthrop Playmakers: a non-profit community theater group that features up to six performances a year.
- Winthrop Shore DriveWinthrop Shore DriveWinthrop Shore Drive is a historic parkway in Winthrop, Massachusetts. The parkway was built in 1899 by Charles Eliot and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. Winthrop Beach is located along this parkway.-References:...
Belle Isle Marsh Reservation
Winthrop abuts the largest salt marsh in Boston Harbor, the 350 acres (1.4 km²) Belle Isle Marsh ReservationBelle Isle Marsh Reservation
Belle Isle Marsh Reservation is a Massachusetts state park located in East Boston. The park is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation.-Description:...
. This marsh also borders East Boston and Revere. It used to be a Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) reservation, and is now run by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR.) This marsh is a reserve for a variety of wildlife and plants. It is maintained in part by the Friends of Belle Isle Marsh, a grassroots environmental organization.
Beaches
- Donovan's Beach
- Halford Beach
- Pico Beach
- Point Shirley Beach
- Short Beach
- Winthrop BeachWinthrop BeachWinthrop Beach is the main beach of Winthrop, Massachusetts. It is located along Winthrop Shore Drive, spanning the roadway. The beach begins off Crest Ave. at an area known as the "Green Bars", named for the green railings along the seawall. The beach ends at the base of Water Tower Hill...
- Yirrell BeachYirrell BeachYirrell Beach is a main beach of Winthrop, Massachusetts....
July
- 3 July Bonfire which is held at Yirrell Beach (cancelled permanently after 2008 due to Public Safety concerns)
- 4 July Fireworks & "Horribles Parade" - Parade starts at the Public Landing and ends at Coughlin Park. A fireworks display follows at nightfall.
- Annual Sandcastle Contest at Yirrell Beach
- Summer Concert Series - Wednesday nights at the Ingleside Park gazebo.
October
- Fall Fair and Craft Show at Ingleside Park which includes a train ride around the park.
- Halloween Haunt at Winthrop Center. Consists of dressing up in costume and trick-or-treating at the businesses there.
November
- Holiday Tree Lighting Festival - held on the Friday eve after Thanksgiving and features fun and games that culminate with the lighting of the trees in French Square by Santa Claus.
December
- Christmas Eve: Santa ClausSanta ClausSanta Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
' ride through town on the fire department's fire truck.
Notable natives
- Mark BavaroMark BavaroMark Bavaro is a former American football tight end who played for the New York Giants , Cleveland Browns , and Philadelphia Eagles in the National Football League...
- NFL tight end, All-America player at Notre Dame, member of two Super Bowl Championship teams with N.Y. Giants, two-time Pro Bowler. - Herbert Bix - Pulitzer Prize winning author of Hirohito and the Making of Modern JapanHirohito and the Making of Modern JapanHirohito and the Making of Modern Japan is a book by Herbert P. Bix covering the reign of Emperor Hirohito of Japan from 1926 until his death in 1989. It won the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction.-References:*...
. - Rick DiPietroRick DiPietroRick DiPietro, Jr. is an American professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League . He was the first overall selection by the Islanders in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft....
- hockey goalie for the National Hockey LeagueNational Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
's New York IslandersNew York IslandersThe New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... - Mike Eruzione - former ice hockey player and captain of the 1980 Winter Olympics US national team that upset the Soviet Union in the famous Miracle on IceMiracle on IceThe "Miracle on Ice" is the name in American popular culture for a medal-round men's ice hockey game during the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, New York, on Friday, February 22...
game - Michael GoulianMichael GoulianMichael George Goulian is an American aviator, who races in the Red Bull Air Race World Series under the number 99....
- Aviator and Red Bull Air Racer - Edward J. KingEdward J. KingEdward Joseph "Ed" King was the 66th Governor of the U.S. state of Massachusetts from 1979 to 1983.Born in Chelsea, Massachusetts, and a graduate of Boston College and Bentley College, King played professional football as a guard with the All-America Football Conference Buffalo Bisons from 1948 to...
- Governor of Massachusetts (1979–1983) - Robert Ellis OrrallRobert Ellis OrrallRobert Ellis Orrall is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Signed to RCA Records in 1980, Orrall debuted that year with the album "Fixation". His first Top 40 single was "I Couldn't Say No", a duet with Carlene Carter...
- country music and indie rock musician - Sylvia PlathSylvia PlathSylvia Plath was an American poet, novelist and short story writer. Born in Massachusetts, she studied at Smith College and Newnham College, Cambridge before receiving acclaim as a professional poet and writer...
- Poet - William Francis BartlettWilliam Francis BartlettWilliam Francis Bartlett was a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War and, later, an executive in the iron industry....
- Civil War hero - Larry ThomasLarry Thomas (baseball)Larry Wayne Thomas Jr. is an American retired professional baseball pitcher. He played college baseball at the University of Maine and, during his three seasons at the major league level, for the Chicago White Sox from 1995 to 1997. He was drafted by the White Sox in the 2nd round of the 1991...
- Major League pitcher for the Chicago White Sox - Benjamin WhorfBenjamin WhorfIn studying the cause of a fire which had started under the conditions just described, Whorf concluded that it was thinking of the "empty" gasoline drums as "empty" in the meaning described in the first definition above, that is as "inert," which led to a fire he investigated...
- Linguist - Dale DunbarDale DunbarDale Dunbar is a retired American professional ice hockey defenceman who briefly played in the National Hockey League during the 1980s.-Playing career:...
- former National Hockey LeagueNational Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
defenseman - UnearthUnearthUnearth is an American metalcore band from Winthrop, Massachusetts. Formed in 1998, the group has released five studio albums. Their fourth record, The March was released on October 14, 2008 meeting with high positive reception by many...
- MetalcoreMetalcoreMetalcore is a subgenre of heavy metal combining various elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. The name is a portmanteau of the names of the two genres. The term took on its current meaning in the mid-1990s, describing bands such as Earth Crisis, Deadguy and Integrity...
band - Steven Van ZandtSteven Van ZandtSteven Van Zandt is an Italian-American musician, songwriter, arranger, record producer, actor, and radio disc jockey, who frequently goes by the stage names Little Steven or Miami Steve...
- Musician with Bruce SpringsteenBruce SpringsteenBruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
's E Street BandE Street BandThe E Street Band has been rock musician Bruce Springsteen's primary backing band since 1972.The band has also recorded with a wide range of other artists including Bob Dylan, Meat Loaf, Bonnie Tyler, Air Supply, Dire Straits, David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, Stevie Nicks, Tom Morello, Sting, Ian...
. Also played Silvio DanteSilvio DanteSilvio Manfred Dante, often referred to as "Sil", played by Steven Van Zandt, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. He is the consigliere to Tony Soprano in the Soprano crime family. Silvio has one of the lowest profiles on the show. He is usually a behind the scenes figure...
from The SopranosThe SopranosThe Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...
. - Terry DriscollTerry DriscollEdward Cuthbert "Terry" Driscoll Jr. is an American former professional basketball player.A 6 ft 7 in forward, Driscoll played at Boston College in the late 1960s. He was named Most Valuable Player of the 1969 National Invitational Tournament after leading his school to the tournament final...
- All-American basketball player at Boston CollegeBoston CollegeBoston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
; fourth pick in the first round of the 1969 NBA draft; played with the Detroit PistonsDetroit PistonsThe Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
, Baltimore BulletsWashington WizardsThe Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
, Milwaukee BucksMilwaukee BucksThe Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
and the Spirits of St. LouisSpirits of St. LouisThe Spirits of St. Louis were one of two teams still in existence at the end of the American Basketball Association that did not survive the ABA-NBA merger. They were a member of the ABA in its last two seasons, 1974–75 and 1975–76, while playing their home games at the St...
. Also served as Athletic Director at The College of William & Mary. - Edward Rowe SnowEdward Rowe SnowEdward Rowe Snow was an American author and historian.-Life:He was the son of Edward Sumpter and Alice Snow...
- Prolific author and historian. Focused his work primarily on the history of Boston Harbor. He is noted for saving Fort WarrenFort Warren (Massachusetts)Fort Warren is a historic fort on the Georges Island at the entrance to Boston Harbor. The fort is pentagonal, made with stone and granite, and was constructed from 1833–1861, completed shortly after the beginning of the American Civil War...
on Georges Island and for dropping gifts to the children of lighthouse keepers as the "Flying Santa." - Robert DeLeoRobert DeLeo (politician)Robert A. DeLeo is an American politician from the state of Massachusetts. He is the father of two children, Robbie and Rachele....
- Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives