Needham, MassachusettsFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaHistory
Needham was first settled in 1680 with the purchase of a tract of land measuring 4 miles (6.4 km) by 5 miles (8.0 km) from Chief Nehoiden for the sum of 10 pounds, 40 acres (160,000 m2) of land, and 40 shillings worth of corn. It was officially incorporated in 1711. Originally part of the Dedham Grant, Needham split from Dedham and was named after the village of Needham Market in Suffolk, England, a neighbor of the English town of Dedham. By the 1770s settlers in the western part of the town who had to travel a long distance to the meeting house on what is now Central Avenue sought to form a second parish in the town. Opposition to this desire created conflict, and in 1774 a mysterious fire destroyed the extant meeting house. Some time afterwards the West Parish was formed.
In 1857 the City of Boston began a project to fill in the Back Bay with landfill by filling the tidewater flats of the Charles River. The fill to reclaim the bay from the water was obtained from Needham Massachusetts from the area of present day Route 128. The firm of Goss and Munson, railroad contractors, built 6 miles of railroad from Needham and their 35-car trains made 16 trips a day to Back Bay. The filling of present-day Back Bay was completed by 1882; filling reached Kenmore Square in 1890, and finished in the Fens in 1900. The project was the largest of a number of land reclamation projects, beginning in 1820, which, over the course of time, more than doubled the size of the original Boston peninsula. It is frequently observed that this would have been impossible under modern environmental regulations.
In the late 1860s William Emerson Baker moved to Needham. A very wealthy man due to his having improved the mechanical sewing machine, Baker assembled a parcel of land exceeding 800 acres (3.2 km2) and named it Ridge Hill Farm. He built two man made lakes on his property, including Sabrina lake near present day Locust Lane. Baker turned part of his property into an amusement park with exotic animals, subterranean tunnels, trick floors and mirrors. In 1888 he built a sizable hotel, near the intersection of present day Whitman Road and Charles River Street, called the Hotel Wellesley which had a capacity of over 300 guests. The hotel burned to the ground on 19 December, 1891.
In 1881 the West Parish was separately incorporated as the town of Wellesley. The following year, Needham and Wellesley high schools began playing an annual football game on Thanksgiving, now the second-longest running high school football rivalry in the United States (and longest such contest on Thanksgiving). With the loss of the West Parish to Wellesley, the town lost its town hall and plans to build a new one began in 1902 with the selection of a building committee. The cornerstone was laid by the Grand Lodge of Masons on 2 September, 1902 and the building was dedicated on 22 December, 1903. The total cost for the hall was $57,500 including furnishings. Because it was located on the town common, the cost did not include land as none was purchased.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 12.7 square miles (32.9 kmē), of which 12.6 square miles (32.7 kmē) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 kmē) of it is water. Needham's area is roughly in the shape of an acute, northward-pointing triangle. The Charles River forms nearly all of the southern and northeastern boundaries, the town line with Wellesley forming the third, northwestern one. In addition to Wellesley on the northwest, Needham borders Newton and the West Roxbury section of Boston on the northeast, and Dover, Westwood, and Dedham on the south. The majority of Cutler Park is in Needham and is located along the Charles River and the border with Newton.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 28,911 people, 10,612 households, and 7,778 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,292.7 people per square mile (885.2/kmē). There were 10,846 housing units at an average density of 860.1/sq mi (332.1/kmē). The racial makeup of the town was 94.82% White, 0.70% Black or African American, 0.03% Native American, 3.54% Asian, 0.25% from other races, and 0.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.18% of the population.
There were 10,612 households out of which 37.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.9% were married couples living together, 6.9% have a female householder with no husband present and 26.7% were non-families. 23.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.2% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 90.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $88,079, and the median income for a family was $107,570. Males had a median income of $76,459 versus $47,092 for females. The per capita income for the town was $44,549. About 1.6% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.2% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Needham is run by representative town meeting in conjunction with a Town Manager.
Economy
Needham is primarily a bedroom community and commuter suburb of Boston. The northern side of town beyond the I-95/Route 128 beltway, however, was developed for light industry shortly after World War II. Some of this industry remains: Needham has been home to a Coca Cola bottling plant since 1986.[6] More recently, however, Needham has begun to attract high technology and internet firms to this part of town, including travel website TripAdvisor.
Education
Needham's public school system consists of five elementary schools (Broadmeadow, Eliot, Hillside, Mitchell, and the former junior high school Newman), a middle school (William F. Pollard Middle School and High Rock [under construction now, former elementary school]), and a high school (Needham High School). The high school is undergoing extensive renovation. Both wings of the new school have been completed, with the historical facade under renovation, and a new gymnasium under construction.
The Needham Public Schools consistently have some of the highest scores on the MCAS, the state-wide test given every year to grades 3-9.
There are also two private Catholic parochial schools: Saint Joseph Elementary School (grades K-5), Monsignor James J. Haddad Middle School (grades 6-8).
The Saint Sebastian's School is an independent college preparatory school for boys in grades 7-12 and is a member of the ISL (Independent School League).
Needham is home to Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering, chartered in 1997.
Transportation
The I-95/Route 128 circumferential highway that circles Boston passes through Needham, with three exits providing access to the town. Massachusetts Route 135 also passes through the town.
Commuter rail service from Boston's South Station is provided by the MBTA with four stops in Needham on its Needham Line.
Media
Needham is part of the Boston media market. In addition to the Boston Globe and Boston Herald newspapers, there are two local weekly newspapers, Needham Times is published by Community Newspaper Company and Needham Hometown Weekly is published by Hometown Publications, LLC.
The studios of television stations WCVB (5/20 Boston, ABC) and WUNI (27/29 Worcester, Univision) are located in Needham, as are the transmitters of WCVB, WBZ-TV (4/30 Boston, CBS), WGBH-TV (2/19 Boston, PBS), WGBX-TV (44/43 Boston, PBS), WFXT (25/31 Boston, Fox), WSBK (38/39 Boston, independent), and WLVI (56/41 Cambridge, CW). A local cable television channel provides local news such as town meeting information, school announcements, and local high-school sports.
Radio station WEEI (850 Boston) transmits from a three-tower site south of the town dump. Needham has no local radio but does have a television station of its own.
Notable residents
Academics
Actors
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References
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