North Easton

Easton is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 25,058 at the 2020 census. Easton was first settled in 1694 and was officially incorporated in 1725. The Ames Shovel Works was established and became nationally known as having provided the shovels which laid the Union Pacific Railroad and opened the west. During the Revolutionary War, General George Washington stayed at the Benjamin Williams Tavern on Bay Road, which is now the second oldest existing house in Easton. The town has a total area of 29.2 square miles (76 km²), of which 28.4 sq miles (74 km²) is land and 0.7 sq mi (2.54 sq mi) is water. The area also includes The Rockery, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, who also landscaped grounds of Oakes Ames Memorial Hall and the Ames Free Library. All of the town's waterways are considered part of the Taunton River Watershed area, which in turn is the eastern section of the Narragansett Bay Watershed. The most notable of the Ames family were Oakes. Ames, a key figure in the Crédit Mobilier of America scandal, and Oliver Ames(R), governor of Massachusetts from 1887-1890. The largest stained-glass work created by John LaFarge, "Figure of Wisdom," completed in 1901, is the largest. work of its kind in the world. It includes an ornate oak frieze including sculptures of twenty-two angels playing music.

History

North Easton is the primary city name, but also Stonehill Clg are acceptable city names or spellings, Stonehill Coll, Stonehill College on the other hand no longer accepted or obsolete and are no longer used as a designation. The official name is Easton, Massachusetts. Easton was first settled in 1694 and was officially incorporated in 1725. During King Philip's War, Metacom, also known as King Philip, used part of Easton as a headquarters for his troops. General George Washington stayed at the Benjamin Williams Tavern on Bay Road, which is now the second oldest existing house in Easton. The Ames Shovel Works was established and became nationally known as having provided the shovels which laid the Union Pacific Railroad and opened the west. The most notable of the Ames family were Oakes Ames, a key figure in the Crédit Mobilier of America scandal, and Oliver Ames, governor of Massachusetts from 1887-1890. A number of landmark buildings in the town were designed by H.H. Richardson, originator of the Richardsonian Romanesque style and designer of Trinity Church in Boston. The Richardson buildings are all located within a compact area designated as the H. H. Richardson Historic District. The area also includes The Rockery, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, who also landscaped grounds of Oakes. Ames Memorial Hall and the Ames Free Library. It includes an ornate oak frieze including sculptures of twenty-two angels playing music, carved by Johannes Kirchmayer (1860-1930), and two notable stained-glass windows, "Angel of Help," and "Figure of Wisdom," both by John LaFarge (1835-1910). It is also home to the Easton Historical Society.

Geography

Easton is located in eastern Massachusetts. The roughly trapezoidal-shaped town is bordered by Brockton and West Bridgewater to the east, Taunton and Raynham to the south, Norton to either side of its southwest corner, Mansfield to the west, and Sharon and Stoughton to the north. The localities of Easton include Alger's Corner, Daley Corner, Easton Center, Eastondale, Five Corners, Furnace Village, Goward's Corner, Morris Corner, Morse Corner, Pratt's Corner. Although there is no official designation dividing "North Easton" from "South Easton," the terms are colloquially used by older residents of the town even though they have no governmental or legal standing. The town has a total area of 29.2 square miles (76 km²), of which 28.4 squaremile (74 km²) is land and 0.7 square mile (1.8km²) (2.54%) is water. Easton forms the northeastern corner of Bristol County, where the county intersects with Plymouth County to theEast and Norfolk County toThe north. All of the city's waterways are considered part of the Taunon River Watershed area, which in turn is the eastern section of the Narragansett Bay watershed area. The city also has its own smaller town forest, including part of Borderland State Park at the northwest corner of town, Hockomock Swamp Wildlife Management Area at the southeast corner, and all of Wheaton Farm Conservation Area in the southwest.

Demography

As of the census of 2000, there were 22,299 people, 7,489 households, and 5,571 families residing in the town. The population density was 784.1 inhabitants per square mile (302.7/km²) The racial makeup of the town was 91.94% White, 1.59% African American, 0.04% Native American, 1,39% Asian, 0,01% Pacific Islander, 4.13% from other races, and 0.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.58% of the population. The town's population was spread out, with 24.4% under the age of 18, 13.1% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 9. 4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there are 94.6 males. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.21. the town's median income was $89,144, and the median income for a family was $112,190. The per capita income for the town is $40,732. About 0.7%. of families and 2.0% of people were below the poverty line, including 0.6%. of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Easton is home to Stonehill College, a private, non-profit, coeducational, Roman Catholic, liberal arts college. The town is also home to Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School, which serves all the bordering towns (except Taunton and Raynham), plus Foxborough. Easton's public school system includes three early-elementary schools serving kindergarten through second grade: Moreau Hall, Parkview School, and Center School. There are two elementary schools serving grades 35: Frederick Law Olmsted School and Henry Hobson Richardson School (now considered one school, known as "Richardson-Olmsted"); meanwhile grades 6 through 8 attend Easton Middle School and high school students attend Oliver Ames High School (OA) The three early elementary schools will be combined into one new school set to open in the Winter of 2022. The Oliver Ames Marching Band won the 2008 Division 2 New England championships for USSBA, and placed 5th out of 29 bands competing. In November 2007 Oliver Ames girl's varsity soccer team won the Division II state soccer championship. In Nov 2015 the Oliver Ames boys soccer team winning the state championship game. Students may choose to attend Southeastern or Oliver Ames free of charge. The high school also boasts an impressive music department, complete with a jazz band, marching band, concert band, show choir, concert choir and chamber orchestra. Their mascot is "Ace" the Skyhawk. The school colors are orange and black.

Transportation

Easton is the site of two proposed MBTA Commuter Rail stations, North Easton and Easton Village, on the Stoughton Branch option of the MBTA's South Coast Rail project. As of 2019, the Easton stations have been moved to Phase 2 of the project, which will not be completed until 2030. Easton receives limited bus service from the Brockton Area Transit Authority, with Route 9 making stops adjacent to Stonehill College. Bloom Bus Lines also offers commuter bus service to Taunton and Boston, with a flag stop at the corner of Route 138 and Route 106. The town is served by the following highways that run through the town: Routes 106, 123 and 138. It is also served by two major highways which run just outside its border, Route 24 to the east and Interstate 495 to the south. The Easton area is home to one of the oldest communities in the state, the town of Easton, which dates back to the 18th century. It was founded in 1788. The city is located on the Massachusetts Turnpike, which was built in the early 19th century as part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The turnpike was built to connect Boston with the New York City area and the New England coast. It has been known as the "Turnpike Highway" since the mid-19th century, when it was built as a way to connect the Boston area with the rest of the country. The current name of the town is "Easton" and was adopted by the town in the late 1800s.

Points of interest

Ames Free Library, Stonehill College, Oakes Ames Memorial Hall, and the Rockery are points of interest. Ames State Park and the Governor Oliver Ames Estate are also important. Ames is located in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. The town of Ames, New Hampshire, is home to the Ames Free Library and Stonehill college. The Rockery is located at the base of the Ames Mountains. The Ames Free library is in the town's downtown area. It is also home to a number of state parks, including the Borderland State Park, which is located near the town center. The rockery is also at the site of the Ames Estate, which was established by the Ames family in the late 1800s. It was named after Oliver Ames, who was the first governor of the state.

Government

Easton is governed by an elected committee of select board members and a town administrator. Easton's "Board of Selectmen" was renamed a Select Board via Town Meeting in 2019. The town is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives by Claire Cronin and Carol Doherty, and the Massachusetts Senate by Walter Timilty and Michael Brady. In the U.S. Congress Easton is represented by Jake Auchincloss (D) and Elizabeth Warren (D), both of whom are in the United States Senate. The Easton Town Administrator is Connor Read, who is also the town's longest-serving member of the Select Board. He was appointed to the position in 2007. The Town Administrator's salary is $1,000 per year. The City of Easton has a population of 3,000. The city is located on the Massachusetts Turnpike, which was built in 1881. It is one of the oldest towns in the state, dating back to the early 19th century. It was the site of the first European settlement in the 17th century, and is now the location of the Easton Historic District, which dates back to at least the 18th Century. The current town administrator was appointed by the Town Council in 1978. He is the son of a former mayor, who was killed in a car accident in the early 1980s. The mayor is a Democrat, and was elected to a second term in 1986. The last time the town had a mayor was elected was in 1994.