Weymouth is a city[2] in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. It is one of 13 municipalities in the state to have city forms of government while retaining "town of" in their official names.[3] It is named after Weymouth, Dorset, a coastal town in England, and is the second-oldest settlement in Massachusetts, second only to Plymouth.[4] It is one of the South Shore's more affordable towns and offers a short commute into Boston, MBTAbus[5] and rail service,[6] and a town beach.
At the 2020 census, Weymouth had a total population of 57,437.[7] It also had a crime rate of 12.42 per 1,000 residents.[8]
As of the 2010 census, there were 53,743 people, 22,435 households, and 13,595 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,174.2 inhabitants per square mile (1,225.6/km2). There were 22,573 housing units at an average density of 1,327.1 per square mile (512.4/km2). 64% housing units were owner-occupied and 35% of housing units were renter-occupied. The racial makeup of the city was 82.7% White, 5.2% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 5.7% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 0.6% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.1% of the population.[21]
There were 22,028 households, out of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.8% were non-families, 37% of which were non-family households with residents over 65 years of age. 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.0% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 32.7% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $68,665, and the median income for a family was $52,083. Males had a median income of $42,497 versus $35,963 for females. The per capita income for was $24,976. About 9.1% of families and 9.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.3% of those under age 18 and 9.4% of those age 65 or over.
Weymouth has the 10th highest Irish population in the United States, at 33%.[22] As "white flight" occurred in inner-city Boston exacerbated by the start of the cross-district busing program, in the 1960s and 70s thousands of white (predominantly of Irish descent) Bostonians moved to middle/working class suburbs such as Weymouth and Quincy. The blue collar city culture of places like South Boston and Dorchester is prevalent in the neighborhoods of Weymouth. Weymouth has colloquially been referred to as "Suburban Southie" and "Southie on the South Shore" due to the high influx of South Boston residents and Irish Catholic culture in the town. This trend continues in a different way again today as some longtime South Boston residents are now being priced out due to gentrification. Many are moving out to the more affordable towns on the South Shore.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 21.6 square miles (56 km2), of which 17 square miles (44 km2) is land and 4.6 square miles (12 km2) (comprising 21.29%) is water.
Weymouth residents often designate which of four "districts" they live in:
North Weymouth is considered anything north of the intersection of Church Street, North Street and Green Street. Some of the sites around North Weymouth are Great Esker Park, George Lane Beach, Webb State Park, the Wessagusset Yacht Club, Boston skyline views, and the Abigail Adams Historical Society. Historically North Weymouth was a blue collar area, However, recently it has started to include up-and-coming waterfront property that rivals similar in pricier towns. Many small cottages are being bought up and redone on the waterfront. This is notable on streets such as Regatta Road. North Weymouth is the most densely populated area of the town.
South Weymouth is mostly south of Route 3. South Weymouth is home to the former Naval Air base that is being redeveloped into residential and commercial properties and is one of the areas biggest development projects. South Shore Hospital and Weymouth High School are in South Weymouth. South Weymouth has its own town square called Columbian Square.
East Weymouth is somewhat in the center of Weymouth, including Whitman's Pond, Jackson Square, and Town Hall. East Weymouth has several fine examples of Victorian homes, including Queen Anne, shingle, and colonial revival homes. Some particularly fine examples of these homes are being restored on Hillcrest Road. East Weymouth has many longtime working class residents who take pride in their hometown.
Weymouth Landing spans a mile around Weston Park. After recent years of blight in the main commercial area it is being redeveloped. Weymouth Landing is the border between Weymouth and Braintree and is where the Fore River splits into tributaries.
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Weymouth has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[27]
The Herring Run runs through Weymouth, connecting the Back River to Whitman's Pond. Every spring, hundreds of thousands of Alewife Herring travel up the brook to spawn. The Herring Run was also a crucial resource for the early colonists of the area and the Native Massachusett People.[29]
First Weymouth Town Hall. It was built in 1852 and destroyed by fire in 1914.
Weymouth was founded in 1635, from the territory known as Wessagusett which was described in 1622—just two years after the Pilgrims landed in Plymouth. Weymouth held the distinction of having the oldest continuous town meeting form of government, for 365 years. In 1999, Weymouth residents voted to change to a city form of government. David M. Madden was elected as the city's first mayor and took office in 2000.
On July 10, 2007, Mayor David M. Madden announced he would not seek reelection. In 2008, Susan Kay was elected as the new mayor of Weymouth.
On November 3, 2015, Republican state senatorBob Hedlund was elected as the new mayor of Weymouth, succeeding long-incumbent mayor Susan M. Kay. Hedlund assumed office on January 4, 2016.
Weymouth High School is the only public high school in Weymouth. Prior to 2005, grades eight and nine were housed in Weymouth Junior High while grades ten, eleven, and twelve comprised the High School. This changed with the construction of a new wing on the Junior High building in South Weymouth, which subsequently became the new Weymouth High School housing grades nine through twelve. More than 2,000 students attend the high school. A brand new athletic surface was completed in 2005, giving Weymouth High School an artificial turf field and a track surface.
The Maria Weston Chapman Middle School,[32] locally known as "The New Chapman,[33]" replaced a previous building that had housed an identically named middle school and the town High School. It opened to students in September 2022.[34]
The previous middle school, Abigail Adams Middle School, is currently undergoing renovations with school and town officials undecided about its future uses.[35]
There are eight primary schools and one early childhood center, five of which are named after Weymouth's Congressional Medal of Honor recipients.
There is one Public Charter School which Weymouth is associated to
South Shore Charter Public School (located in Norwell Massachusetts)
In addition, there are four private schools in Weymouth.
South Shore Christian Academy,[39] an independent, Christian, college preparatory day school for students in grades K–12. SSCA also operates a pre-school program.
Sacred Heart Elementary School,[40] a Catholic elementary school under the direction of the Archdiocese of Boston for grades Pre-K–4. This school is associated with St. Francis Xavier.
First Baptist Christian,[41] an elementary school for grades Pre-K–8, under the direction of the First Baptist Church of Weymouth.
St. Francis Xavier,[42] a Catholic elementary school under the direction of St. Francis Parish. This school is for grades 5–8 and is associated with Sacred Heart Elementary School
History
A failed colony
Weymouth was settled in 1622 as Wessagusset Colony founded by Thomas Weston, who had been the main financial backer of Plymouth Colony.[43] It is thought to have been named after English explorer George Weymouth. The settlement was a failure, as the 60 men from London were ill-prepared for the hardships required for survival. They also may have lacked the motivation of the Pilgrims, as this colony was purely economic in motivation and the men had not brought their families.[44]
Bichman House, c. 1650, is likely the oldest surviving house in Weymouth.
By winter, poor planning and bad management led to supplies running out, and the Plymouth colonists had little to share. The situation grew desperate and Weymouth men began to sell their clothes, hire themselves out as laborers, and even steal from the local Massachusett Indians. The Indians were soon taunting the Weymouth men and robbing them of what little food they gathered clamming and foraging in the woods.[45] By now, many in the colony were starving or ill, and law and order had broken down. The lowest point came when a settler was accused of stealing supplies from the Massachusetts, and the Massachusett leaders demanded the thief's execution; the Weymouth men complied, but legend has it that they may have executed a dying, sick settler instead.[45]
By April 1623, word came of conflict between American Indians and the Virginia colonists, and tension increased between the Wessagusset colonists and the Indians. Massachusetts and other tribes began plotting to attack and destroy what was left of the floundering colony and the more successful Plymouth Colony. Wampanoag Chief Massasoit heard about the plot but soon fell ill and nearly died. A party from the Plymouth Colony came to his village and nursed him back to health, and he warned them of the plot.[45] Governor William Bradford decided to preempt the planned attack, and sent Myles Standish to Weymouth with the Plymouth militia and their Indian guide Hobbamock to end the threat. Using the promise of a meal of pork, Standish lured five of the more bellicose Massachusett Indians inside the stockade, including Wituwamat, a large man who had belittled Standish because he was short and had bragged about murdering a number of French shipwreck survivors. Once inside, there was a brief struggle and the Indian leaders were killed.
Ten of the original 60 colonists starved to death and two others were killed in conflicts with the Indians. Forty-five colonists joined Plymouth or went north to Maine, and from there most returned to England. Three men who had left the colony to live among the Indians as laborers could not be warned in time and were subsequently killed by them after Standish had released the women and children.[45]
Robert Gorges attempted to form a colony at the site later that year as the center of a more royalist and Anglican system of government for New England.[44] He brought William Morrell as religious leader and expected Governor Bradford to acknowledge his supremacy and act as his agent.[44] Within weeks, the New England winter caused Gorges to leave with most of the settlers.[43] Those who remained formed the nucleus of the permanent settlement.[46] and the oldest in what would become Massachusetts Bay Colony.[47] In 1630, it was officially incorporated into the Massachusetts Bay Colony; the name was changed to Weymouth in 1635 with the addition of 100 families under the leadership of Joseph Hull. These groups experienced some difficulty integrating together, especially due to conflicting pressures from the Puritans of Boston and the Pilgrims of Plymouth, but Weymouth was a stable and prominent town with its current boundaries by 1635.[44] It was included as part of Suffolk County when it was formed on May 10, 1643. The oldest surviving house in Weymouth is the Bickman House (c. 1650) located at 84 Sea Street.[48]
Post-colonization
Weymouth was heavily involved in the shoemaking industry from the first years of the 18th century right through to 1973, when the Stetson Shoe Company closed its doors. The building is currently being used for medical offices.[49]
The original town hall was destroyed by fire in 1914 and was replaced in 1928 with a town hall that is a replica of the old Massachusetts State House in Boston. In May 2018, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker designated a tract of land near Lakeview Manor and the eastern and northern borders of Whitman's Pond as an "opportunity zone" under the Congressional Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.[50]
Weymouth has 700 acres of parks and conservation land spread over 46 playgrounds, nature preserves, conservation land, memorials and recreation areas.[53]
Allan R. McKinnon, former politician who served as a member of the Massachusetts State Senate from 1970 to 1984, Deputy Secretary of Transportation from 1985 to 1988, and Chairman of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority from 1988 to 1996
Bobby Sheehan, former professional hockey player from 1969 to 1983
Mark Shields, political pundit and liberal commentator
Ralph Talbot, first US Marine Corps aviator awarded the Medal of Honor for "exceptionally meritorious service and extraordinary heroism" while attached to Squadron C, US 1st Marine Aviation Force, in France during World War I
^"1950 Census of Population"(PDF). Bureau of the Census. 1952. Section 6, Pages 21-10 and 21-11, Massachusetts Table 6. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1930 to 1950. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
^"1920 Census of Population"(PDF). Bureau of the Census. Number of Inhabitants, by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions. Pages 21-5 through 21-7. Massachusetts Table 2. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1920, 1910, and 1920. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
^"1890 Census of the Population"(PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. Pages 179 through 182. Massachusetts Table 5. Population of States and Territories by Minor Civil Divisions: 1880 and 1890. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
^"1870 Census of the Population"(PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1872. Pages 217 through 220. Table IX. Population of Minor Civil Divisions, &c. Massachusetts. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
^"1860 Census"(PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1864. Pages 220 through 226. State of Massachusetts Table No. 3. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
^"1850 Census"(PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1854. Pages 338 through 393. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
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