Easton, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Easton is a town
in Bristol County
, Massachusetts
, United States
. The population was 23,112 at the 2010 census.
Easton is governed by an elected committee of selectmen and a town administrator.
In 1694, the first settler, Clement Briggs established his home near the Easton Green. In 1711, the Taunton North Purchase area became Norton, and in 1713, the sixty-nine families settled in Easton and hired Elder William Pratt as their first minister. Prior to the settlers' establishment, the area was occupied by Native Americans as a hunting area and a burial ground. During King Philip's war. Metacom, also known as King Philip, used part of Easton as a headquarters for his troops There was no legal parish in Easton until 1722 when the East Precinct of Norton
was recognized. In 1725, the area was incorporated as the Town of Easton; it was so named because it was formerly called the "East End" of the Taunton North Purchase and was shortened by pronunciation to Easton.
In 1803, the Ames Shovel Company was established and became nationally known as having provided the shovels which laid the Union Pacific Railroad
and opened the west. In 1875, the shovel production of the Ames plant was worth 1.5 million. 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 Ames family shaped the town's economy, and was responsible for the presence of a number of landmark buildings in the town designed by H. H. Richardson, originator of the Richardsonian Romanesque
style and designer of Trinity Church
in Boston.
Richardson buildings in Easton include:
Though this school complex was not made by Richardson himself, it was dedicated to him and made in his style:
Although intended to be the town hall, the Oakes Ames Memorial Hall was never accepted by the town and never used for that purpose.
In addition, there is a commercial building at 69 Main Street which designed and build in the nineteenth century by Richardson's office in a Richardsonian style. 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.
Within a few blocks of the H. H. Richardson Historic District is Unity Church, built by the Ames family in 1875, and designed in the Gothic Revival Style by architect and publisher John Ames Mitchell
. 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). "Figure of Wisdom," completed in 1901, is the largest stained-glass work created by LaFarge.
, the town has a total area of 29.2 square miles (75.6 km²), of which 28.4 square miles (73.6 km²) is land and 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²) (2.54%) is water. The town, in addition to its own smaller state forest, includes part of Borderland State Park
at the northwest corner of town, Hockomock Swamp
Wildlife Management Area at the southeast corner of town, and all of Wheaton Farm Conservation Area in the southwest. 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 area.
Easton forms the northeastern corner of Bristol County, where the county intersects with Plymouth County
to the east and Norfolk County
to the north.
The localities of Easton include Alger's Corner, Daley Corner, Easton Center, Easton Green, Eastondale, Five Corners, Furnace Village, Goward's Corner, Morris Corner, Morse Corner, North Easton, Pratt's Corner, and South Easton.
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.
of 2000, there were 22,299 people, 7,489 households, and 5,571 families residing in the town. The population density
was 784.1 people per square mile (302.7/km²). There were 7,631 housing units at an average density of 268.3 per square mile (103.6/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.
There were 7,489 households out of which 37.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.3% were married couples
living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.6% were non-families. 20.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.21.
In the town the 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 were 94.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $69,144, and the median income for a family was $82,190. Males had a median income of $51,429 versus $35,912 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $30,732. About 0.7% of families and 2.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.6% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.
, led by a board of selectmen
. The Town Hall is located in North Easton, not too far from the town center. There is one police station, three fire stations (near Five Corners, Easton Green and North Easton), three post offices (near Easton Green, near Five Corners, and in North Easton) and one library (Ames Free Library, at the center of North Easton).
Easton is a part of three separate state representative
districts: 8th Plymouth (which includes all of Raynham and Bridgewater), 10th Plymouth (which includes West Bridgewater and parts of Brockton), and 11th Plymouth (which includes parts of Brockton). It is a part of two state senatorial districts: 2nd Plymouth and Bristol (including all or parts of Brockton, East Bridgewater, Halifax, Hanover, Hanson and Whitman) and Norfolk, Bristol and Plymouth (including parts of Avon, Braintree, Canton, East Bridgewater, Milton, Randolph, Sharon, Stoughton, and West Bridgewater). The Massachusetts State Police Troop D (Southeast Massachusetts), Barracks 3 (Middleborough) patrol the Easton area. On the national level, the town is part of Massachusetts's 9th congressional district
, which is currently represented by Stephen Lynch
. The state's junior (Class I) Senator is Scott Brown
, and the state's senior (Class II) Senator, up for re-election in 2014, is John F. Kerry
.
There are three elementary schools serving kindergarten through second grade: Moreau Hall Elementary School at Daley Corner, Parkview Elementary School in North Easton, and Center Elementary School in Easton Center. There are two schools serving grades 3-5: Frederick Law Olmsted School and Henry Hobson Richardson School, both located in North Easton's school area. Grades 6 through 8 attend Easton Middle School, and high school students attend Oliver Ames High School.
The high school is Oliver Ames High School
, whose athletic teams' mascot is the tiger. The school colors are orange and black. The OA girl's varsity basketball team won the Division II state basketball championship in 2006 and 2010. The Oliver Ames Varsity Baseball team won the Division II State Baseball Championship in June 2007. In November 2007 Oliver Ames girl's varsity soccer team won the Division II state soccer championship. 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. The Oliver Ames Marching Band won the 2008 Division 2 New England championships for USSBA, and placed 5th out of 29 bands competing.
The town is also home to Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School, which serves all the bordering towns (except Taunton and Raynham), plus Foxborough. Students may choose to attend Southeastern, Oliver Ames or Bristol County Agricultural High School free of charge.
, 123
and 138. Additionally, the town is served by two major highways which run just outside its border, Route 24 to the east and Interstate 495
to the south.
Easton is the site of two proposed commuter rail
stations, North Easton
and Easton Village
, on the Stoughton Branch option of the MBTA's South Coast Rail project. In March 2011, following the release of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Draft Environmental Impact Report, Gov. Deval Patrick
's administration and the MBTA announced this alternative as the best option for achieving all the goals of the project.
New England town
The New England town is the basic unit of local government in each of the six New England states. Without a direct counterpart in most other U.S. states, New England towns are conceptually similar to civil townships in other states, but are incorporated, possessing powers like cities in other...
in Bristol County
Bristol County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 534,678 people, 205,411 households, and 140,706 families residing in the county. The population density was 962 people per square mile . There were 216,918 housing units at an average density of 390 per square mile...
, 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 was 23,112 at the 2010 census.
Easton is governed by an elected committee of selectmen and a town administrator.
History
Easton was first settled in 1694 and was officially incorporated in 1725.In 1694, the first settler, Clement Briggs established his home near the Easton Green. In 1711, the Taunton North Purchase area became Norton, and in 1713, the sixty-nine families settled in Easton and hired Elder William Pratt as their first minister. Prior to the settlers' establishment, the area was occupied by Native Americans as a hunting area and a burial ground. During King Philip's war. Metacom, also known as King Philip, used part of Easton as a headquarters for his troops There was no legal parish in Easton until 1722 when the East Precinct of Norton
Norton, Massachusetts
Norton is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, and contains the village of Norton Center. The population was 18,036 at the 2000 census...
was recognized. In 1725, the area was incorporated as the Town of Easton; it was so named because it was formerly called the "East End" of the Taunton North Purchase and was shortened by pronunciation to Easton.
In 1803, the Ames Shovel Company was established and became nationally known as having provided the shovels which laid the Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
and opened the west. In 1875, the shovel production of the Ames plant was worth 1.5 million. The most notable of the Ames family were Oakes Ames, a key figure in the Crédit Mobilier of America scandal
Crédit Mobilier of America scandal
The Crédit Mobilier scandal of 1872 involved the Union Pacific Railroad and the Crédit Mobilier of America construction company in the building of the First Transcontinental Railroad. The distribution of Crédit Mobilier shares of stock by Congressman Oakes Ames along with cash bribes to...
, and Oliver Ames
Oliver Ames
Oliver Ames was a U.S. political figure and financier. He was the 35th Governor of Massachusetts . He was the son of Oakes Ames , a United States Congressman who was censured in the Credit Mobilier scandal, and the nephew of Oliver Ames, Jr..-Biography:Ames was born in North Easton, Massachusetts...
(R), governor of Massachusetts from 1887–1890.
The Ames family shaped the town's economy, and was responsible for the presence of a number of landmark buildings in the town designed by H. H. Richardson, originator of the Richardsonian Romanesque
Richardsonian Romanesque
Richardsonian Romanesque is a style of Romanesque Revival architecture named after architect Henry Hobson Richardson, whose masterpiece is Trinity Church, Boston , designated a National Historic Landmark...
style and designer of Trinity Church
Trinity Church, Boston
Trinity Church in the City of Boston, located in the Back Bay of Boston, Massachusetts, is a parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts. The congregation, currently standing at approximately 3,000 households, was founded in 1733. The current rector is The Reverend Anne Bonnyman...
in Boston.
Richardson buildings in Easton include:
- The Ames Free LibraryAmes Free LibraryThe Ames Free Library is a public library designed by noted American architect H. H. Richardson. It is located at 53 Main Street, Easton, Massachusetts, immediately adjacent to another Richardson building, Oakes Ames Memorial Hall....
(town library) - Oakes Ames Memorial HallOakes Ames Memorial HallOakes Ames Memorial Hall is a historic hall designed by noted American architect H. H. Richardson, with landscaping by Frederick Law Olmsted. It is located at Main Street, Easton, Massachusetts, immediately adjacent to another Richardson building, Ames Free Library.The hall was built 1879-1881 as a...
- The Old Colony Railroad StationOld Colony Railroad Station (North Easton, Massachusetts)The Old Colony Railroad Station, also known as the North Easton Railroad Station, is a historic railroad station designed by noted American architect H. H. Richardson. It is located just off Oliver Street in North Easton, Massachusetts, and currently houses the Easton Historical Society, and was...
(houses the Easton Historical Society) - The Ames Gate LodgeAmes Gate LodgeThe Ames Gate Lodge is a celebrated work by American architect H. H. Richardson. It is privately owned on an estate landscaped by Frederick Law Olmsted, but its north facade can be seen from the road at 135 Elm Street, North Easton, Massachusetts....
(privately owned by the Ames family)
Though this school complex was not made by Richardson himself, it was dedicated to him and made in his style:
- H.H.Richardson/F.L.Olmsted Intermediate School
Although intended to be the town hall, the Oakes Ames Memorial Hall was never accepted by the town and never used for that purpose.
In addition, there is a commercial building at 69 Main Street which designed and build in the nineteenth century by Richardson's office in a Richardsonian style. The Richardson buildings are all located within a compact area designated as the H. H. Richardson Historic District. The area also includes The Rockery
The Rockery
The Rockery, also known as the Memorial Cairn, is an unusual war memorial designed by the noted American landscaper Frederick Law Olmsted. It is located at the center of North Easton Center In Easton, MA, where it forms the focal point for two adjacent H. H...
, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted was an American journalist, social critic, public administrator, and landscape designer. He is popularly considered to be the father of American landscape architecture, although many scholars have bestowed that title upon Andrew Jackson Downing...
, who also landscaped grounds of Oakes Ames Memorial Hall and the Ames Free Library.
Within a few blocks of the H. H. Richardson Historic District is Unity Church, built by the Ames family in 1875, and designed in the Gothic Revival Style by architect and publisher John Ames Mitchell
John Ames Mitchell
John Ames Mitchell was a publisher, architect, artist and novelist. He was regarded as a Renaissance man who kept to himself but influenced many. A Harvard University educated architect who studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris, in 1883 he co-founded Life magazine with Andrew Miller...
. It includes an ornate oak frieze including sculptures of twenty-two angels playing music, carved by Johannes Kirchmayer
Johannes Kirchmayer
Johannes Kirchmayer was one of the leading woodcarvers in the United States, active primarily in the Boston area....
(1860–1930), and two notable stained-glass windows, "Angel of Help," and "Figure of Wisdom," both by John LaFarge
John LaFarge
John La Farge was an American painter, muralist, stained glass window maker, decorator, and writer.-Biography:...
(1835–1910). "Figure of Wisdom," completed in 1901, is the largest stained-glass work created by LaFarge.
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 29.2 square miles (75.6 km²), of which 28.4 square miles (73.6 km²) is land and 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²) (2.54%) is water. The town, in addition to its own smaller state forest, includes part of Borderland State Park
Borderland State Park
Borderland is one of Massachusetts' state parks, located in the towns of Easton and Sharon. The main entrance and visitor center are located in Easton. The area was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Borderland Historic District in 1997.In 1906, Oakes Ames, a Harvard botanist...
at the northwest corner of town, Hockomock Swamp
Hockomock Swamp
The Hockomock Swamp is a vast wetland encompassing much of the northern part of southeastern Massachusetts. This land is considered the second largest wetland in the state...
Wildlife Management Area at the southeast corner of town, and all of Wheaton Farm Conservation Area in the southwest. All of the town's waterways are considered part of the Taunton River Watershed
Taunton River Watershed
right|thumb|200px|An USGS map of the Taunton River WatershedThe Taunton River watershed or Taunton River basin is made up of of rivers, lakes, ponds, streams, and wetlands in southeastern Massachusetts, USA. It is the second largest watershed in the state...
area, which in turn is the eastern section of the Narragansett Bay
Narragansett Bay
Narragansett Bay is a bay and estuary on the north side of Rhode Island Sound. Covering 147 mi2 , the Bay forms New England's largest estuary, which functions as an expansive natural harbor, and includes a small archipelago...
Watershed area.
Easton forms the northeastern corner of Bristol County, where the county intersects with Plymouth County
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...
to the east and Norfolk County
Norfolk County, Massachusetts
-National protected areas:* Adams National Historical Park* Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area * Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site* John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site-Demographics:...
to the north.
The localities of Easton include Alger's Corner, Daley Corner, Easton Center, Easton Green, Eastondale, Five Corners, Furnace Village, Goward's Corner, Morris Corner, Morse Corner, North Easton, Pratt's Corner, and South Easton.
Adjacent towns
Easton is located in eastern Massachusetts. The roughly trapezoidal-shaped town is bordered by BrocktonBrockton, 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 West Bridgewater
West Bridgewater, Massachusetts
West Bridgewater is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 6,634 at the 2000 census.- History :West Bridgewater was first settled in 1651 as a part of Olde Bridgewater...
to the east, Taunton
Taunton, Massachusetts
Taunton is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the seat of Bristol County and the hub of the Greater Taunton Area. The city is located south of Boston, east of Providence, north of Fall River and west of Plymouth. The City of Taunton is situated on the Taunton River...
and Raynham
Raynham, Massachusetts
Raynham is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 11,739 at the 2000 census. It has one village, Raynham Center.-History:...
to the south, Norton
Norton, Massachusetts
Norton is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, and contains the village of Norton Center. The population was 18,036 at the 2000 census...
to either side of its southwest corner, Mansfield
Mansfield, Massachusetts
Mansfield is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the town population is 23,184. Mansfield is in the south-southwest suburbs of Boston and is also close to Providence, Rhode Island....
to the west, and Sharon
Sharon, Massachusetts
Sharon is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 17,612 at the 2010 census. Sharon is part of Greater Boston, about 17 miles southwest of downtown Boston....
and Stoughton
Stoughton, Massachusetts
Stoughton is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 26,962 at the 2010 census. The town is located approximately from Boston, from Providence, and from Cape Cod.-History:...
to the north.
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 22,299 people, 7,489 households, and 5,571 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 784.1 people per square mile (302.7/km²). There were 7,631 housing units at an average density of 268.3 per square mile (103.6/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
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 0.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.58% of the population.
There were 7,489 households out of which 37.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.3% 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, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.6% were non-families. 20.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.21.
In the town the 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 were 94.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $69,144, and the median income for a family was $82,190. Males had a median income of $51,429 versus $35,912 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 $30,732. About 0.7% of families and 2.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.6% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Easton is governed by open town meetingOpen 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....
, led by a 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:...
. The Town Hall is located in North Easton, not too far from the town center. There is one police station, three fire stations (near Five Corners, Easton Green and North Easton), three post offices (near Easton Green, near Five Corners, and in North Easton) and one library (Ames Free Library, at the center of North Easton).
Easton is a part of three separate state representative
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...
districts: 8th Plymouth (which includes all of Raynham and Bridgewater), 10th Plymouth (which includes West Bridgewater and parts of Brockton), and 11th Plymouth (which includes parts of Brockton). It is a part of two state senatorial districts: 2nd Plymouth and Bristol (including all or parts of Brockton, East Bridgewater, Halifax, Hanover, Hanson and Whitman) and Norfolk, Bristol and Plymouth (including parts of Avon, Braintree, Canton, East Bridgewater, Milton, Randolph, Sharon, Stoughton, and West Bridgewater). The Massachusetts State Police Troop D (Southeast Massachusetts), Barracks 3 (Middleborough) patrol the Easton area. On the national level, the town is part of Massachusetts's 9th congressional district
Massachusetts's 9th congressional district
Massachusetts's 9th congressional district is in eastern Massachusetts, including part of Boston and some of its southern suburbs. It is currently represented by Stephen Lynch, who has served the district since 2001. It has subsumed much of the former 11th District in the south suburbs of Boston...
, which is currently represented by Stephen Lynch
Stephen Lynch (politician)
Stephen F. Lynch is the U.S. representative for . He is a member of the Democratic Party who has served since 2001. Lynch was previously an ironworker and lawyer, and served in both chambers of the Massachusetts General Court....
. The state's junior (Class I) Senator 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...
, and the state's senior (Class II) Senator, up for re-election in 2014, is John F. 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...
.
Public schools
Easton has a public school system.There are three elementary schools serving kindergarten through second grade: Moreau Hall Elementary School at Daley Corner, Parkview Elementary School in North Easton, and Center Elementary School in Easton Center. There are two schools serving grades 3-5: Frederick Law Olmsted School and Henry Hobson Richardson School, both located in North Easton's school area. Grades 6 through 8 attend Easton Middle School, and high school students attend Oliver Ames High School.
The high school is Oliver Ames High School
Oliver Ames High School
Oliver Ames High School is a public high school in Easton, Massachusetts. The school currently enrolls approximately 1200 students in grades 9 through 12...
, whose athletic teams' mascot is the tiger. The school colors are orange and black. The OA girl's varsity basketball team won the Division II state basketball championship in 2006 and 2010. The Oliver Ames Varsity Baseball team won the Division II State Baseball Championship in June 2007. In November 2007 Oliver Ames girl's varsity soccer team won the Division II state soccer championship. 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. The Oliver Ames Marching Band won the 2008 Division 2 New England championships for USSBA, and placed 5th out of 29 bands competing.
The town is also home to Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School, which serves all the bordering towns (except Taunton and Raynham), plus Foxborough. Students may choose to attend Southeastern, Oliver Ames or Bristol County Agricultural High School free of charge.
Private schools
Other than Easton Learning Adventures Preschool, there are currently no private schools located within Easton. However, there is discussion as of July 2009 to construct a private Catholic school in the center of town.Transportation
Easton is served by the following highways that run through the town: Routes 106Massachusetts Route 106
-Route description:Route 106 begins in Plainville at Route 1A. The route heads east, intersecting U.S. Route 1 and Route 152 in quick succession, with Turnpike Lake between the three routes. As Route 106 passes south of Lake Mirimichi it enters the town of Foxborough...
, 123
Massachusetts Route 123
Route 123 is a west–east state highway in southeastern Massachusetts. It crosses northern Bristol and Plymouth Counties, crossing several highways along the way.-Route description:...
and 138. Additionally, the town is served by two major highways which run just outside its border, Route 24 to the east and Interstate 495
Interstate 495 (Massachusetts)
Interstate 495 is the designation of an Interstate Highway half-beltway in Massachusetts. It was the longest auxiliary Interstate Highway of its kind—measuring 120.74 miles —until 1996, when the PA Route 9 section of the Pennsylvania Turnpike was redesignated as Interstate 476, making it about ...
to the south.
Easton is the site of two proposed commuter rail
MBTA Commuter Rail
The MBTA Commuter Rail serves as the regional rail arm of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, in the United States. It is operated under contract by the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company a joint partnership of Veolia Transportation, Bombardier Transportation and Alternate...
stations, North Easton
North Easton (MBTA station)
North Easton is a future railroad station on the MBTA Commuter Rail's Providence/Stoughton Line located in North Easton, Massachusetts and Stoughton, Massachusetts. It is being built as part of the state's effort to extend rail service to Fall River and New Bedford....
and Easton Village
Easton (MBTA station)
Easton is a future railroad station on the MBTA Commuter Rail's Providence/Stoughton Line located in North Easton, Massachusetts. It is being built as part of the state's effort to extend rail service to Fall River and New Bedford....
, on the Stoughton Branch option of the MBTA's South Coast Rail project. In March 2011, following the release of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Draft Environmental Impact Report, Gov. Deval Patrick
Deval Patrick
Deval Laurdine Patrick is the 71st and current Governor of Massachusetts. A member of the Democratic Party, Patrick served as an Assistant United States Attorney General under President Bill Clinton...
's administration and the MBTA announced this alternative as the best option for achieving all the goals of the project.
Points of interest
- Ames Free LibraryAmes Free LibraryThe Ames Free Library is a public library designed by noted American architect H. H. Richardson. It is located at 53 Main Street, Easton, Massachusetts, immediately adjacent to another Richardson building, Oakes Ames Memorial Hall....
- Borderland State ParkBorderland State ParkBorderland is one of Massachusetts' state parks, located in the towns of Easton and Sharon. The main entrance and visitor center are located in Easton. The area was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Borderland Historic District in 1997.In 1906, Oakes Ames, a Harvard botanist...
- Oakes Ames Memorial HallOakes Ames Memorial HallOakes Ames Memorial Hall is a historic hall designed by noted American architect H. H. Richardson, with landscaping by Frederick Law Olmsted. It is located at Main Street, Easton, Massachusetts, immediately adjacent to another Richardson building, Ames Free Library.The hall was built 1879-1881 as a...
- Stonehill CollegeStonehill CollegeStonehill College is a private Roman Catholic college located in Easton, Massachusetts, United States, founded in 1948. Situated in North Easton, Massachusetts, a suburban community of 23,329 people, Stonehill is located south of Boston on a campus, the original estate of Frederick Lothrop Ames...
- The RockeryThe RockeryThe Rockery, also known as the Memorial Cairn, is an unusual war memorial designed by the noted American landscaper Frederick Law Olmsted. It is located at the center of North Easton Center In Easton, MA, where it forms the focal point for two adjacent H. H...
Notable residents
- Oakes Ames, (1804–1873), manufacturer, United States Congressman
- Oliver AmesOliver AmesOliver Ames was a U.S. political figure and financier. He was the 35th Governor of Massachusetts . He was the son of Oakes Ames , a United States Congressman who was censured in the Credit Mobilier scandal, and the nephew of Oliver Ames, Jr..-Biography:Ames was born in North Easton, Massachusetts...
, (1831–1895), governorGovernorA governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of Massachusetts - Jim Craig, goaltender for the gold medal winning 1980 "Miracle on Ice" U.S. Olympic hockey team
- Erik VendtErik VendtErik Vendt is a retired American swimmer. He won a silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics and the 2004 Summer Olympics...
, 3 time Olympic Medalist for swimming (2 silver, 1 gold) 2000, 2004, 2008 Olympics - Metacom, leader in King Phillip's War, born near present day Furnace Village
- Oakes Ames (botanist)Oakes Ames (botanist)Oakes Ames was an American botanist specializing in orchids. His estate is now the Borderland State Park in Massachusetts....
, speacialist in orchirds - Blanche Ames AmesBlanche Ames AmesBlanche Ames Ames was an artist, inventor, writer, and prominent supporter of women's suffrage and birth control. Born Blanche Ames in Lowell, Massachusetts, she was the daughter of Civil War General and Mississippi Governor Adelbert Ames and Blanche Butler Ames and the sister of Adelbert Ames...
, wife of above, socialite and painter/inventor. Maiden name was Ames, married an Ames and kept both names, although no relation - Kristian AlfonsoKristian AlfonsoKristian-Joy Alfonso is a long-time American dramatic actress, former figure skater and fashion model. She is best known for playing Hope Williams Brady, which she has played since 1983 on the long-running NBC dramatic serial Days of our Lives.- Early career :She began her career as a figure...
, Soap Opera Star