Mansfield, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
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
.
The village of Mansfield Center
is located in the town.
The town is twinned with Mansfield
in Nottinghamshire
, England.
. Mansfield is largely known for being the home of the Comcast Center (formerly Great Woods, Tweeter Center) concert venue, one of the most popular in Massachusetts.
Benjamin E. Bates
, an industrialist and philanthropist, who was the founder of Bates College
was born in Mansfield in 1808. Stove and furnace manufacturer and innovator Gordon Chilson (1804–1877) worked here.
, the town has a total area of 20.7 square miles (53.6 km²), of which, 20.5 square miles (53.1 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²) of it (1.25%) is water. There are five conservation areas in the town. They are, from largest to smallest: the Great Woods Conservation Area, Maple Park Conservation Area, York Conservation Area, Marie Strese Conservation Area, and Sweet Pond Conservation Area. The town is bisected by the Canoe, Rumford and Wading Rivers, as well as many small brooks which are all part of the Taunton River
Watershed.
Mansfield's location is 28 miles south of Boston, 14 miles west of Brockton
, and 19 miles north of Providence
, Rhode Island
. It is bordered by Foxborough
and Sharon
to the north, Easton
to the east, Norton
to the south, and Plainville
to the west. The town's northern border is also a portion of the northern border of Bristol County. Its localities include East Mansfield, Ginty Corner, Mansfield Center, Purdy Corner and West Mansfield.
of 2000, there were 22,414 people, 7,942 households, and 5,861 families residing in the town. The population density
was 1095.4 PD/sqmi. There were 8,120 housing units at an average density of 396.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 94.30% White, 2.18% African American, 0.21% Native American, 1.93% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.43% from other races
, and 0.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.41% of the population.
There were 7,942 households out of which 44.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.2% were married couples
living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.2% were non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.34.
In the town the population was spread out with 31.4% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 38.1% from 25 to 44, 18.9% from 45 to 64, and 6.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 99.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $66,925, and the median income for a family was $78,058 (these figures had risen to $93,533 and $111,316 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $52,416 versus $36,658 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $27,441. About 3.0% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.6% of those under age 18 and 12.9% of those age 65 or over.
, which in turn is led by a board of selectmen
and town manager. The town has a police department located in the center of town, as well as two fire stations, near the town center and near Purdy Corner. The Mansfield Public Library is located at Memorial Park, and the post office is near the intersection of Routes 106 & 140. In addition to Memorial Park, the town also has the Magna-Vista Recreation Area.
On the state level, the town is represented in the State Senate as a portion of the Bristol and Norfolk district, including Dover, Foxborough, Mansfield, Medfield, Norton, Rehoboth, Seekonk and Walpole, as well as parts of Attleboro and Sharon. The town is a part of three separate state representative districts, the First and Fourteenth Bristol and Eight Norfolk districts. The town is also patrolled by Troop H (Metro Boston region) of the Massachusetts State Police, 3rd District (Foxborough barracks). On the national level, the town is part of Massachusetts Congressional District 4, which is represented by Barney Frank
. The state's senior (Class II) Senator, re-elected in 2008, is John Kerry
and the state's junior (Class I) Senator is Scott Brown
. Mansfield's teams are nicknamed the Hornets, and their colors are green and white. In recent years, MHS has had successful sports teams, especially the football and track and field teams. For many years in the 1980s and early 1990s, the school's marching band hosted the first event of the New England Scholastic Band Association
's fall field show competition season. Other than Roland Green Preschool, all the town's schools are located on either side of East Street near Mansfield Center.
In addition to the public schools, high school students may also attend Southeastern Regional Vocational-Technical High School in Easton or Bristol County Agricultural High School in Dighton free of charge. Mansfield residents can also send their children to the Foxboro Regional Charter School. The town also has one parochial school, Saint Mary's, which serves grades K-8, and an Islam
ic high school, Al-Noor Academy, which opened in 2000 and serves the Islamic community along the I-95 corridor.
Mansfield is also known for their outstanding high school sports such as football, soccer, baseball, lacrosse, and track and field (Men) teams have won multiple league, division, and all-state titles.
One of the best programs the town has to offer to high school students is the track and field team. Runners joining the team are joining a team of champions. Mansfield track and field has and is still currently led by numerous all-star/record holding athletes such as, Ryan and Shayne Collins, Patrick Mcgowan, Matt Callanan, Dan Glavin, Kyle Kilduff, Patrick Grimes, Steven Gannon, Terry Young, Ryan Petrella, Brett McDermott, Paul Davis, Josh Lampron, Nick King, Teddy "Beastmode" Gregory, John Puleo, Anthony Todesco, Jeff Hill, Jeremy Burke, and Griffin Robertson. Together as a team Mansfield's track and field program has made themselves known throughout the state as a hard working and devoted program coached by Julie Collins (head coach), Pete Schuder (assistant coach), Kimberly Spence (assistant coach), and Chris Fong (Throwing Coach), a Mansfield legend in his own mind.
http://cache.boston.com/resize/bonzai-fba/Globe_Photo/2009/08/28/1251500010_5838/539w.jpg
is located on the Mansfield-Foxborough town line, with both highways going through the town. Additionally, the town includes a limited-access section of Route 140
, as well as part of Route 106. The only exit off the interstates which gives direct access to town roads is I-495 Exit 12, which links to Route 140 South at the Comcast Center. The town also has a stop
along the MBTA's
commuter line between Providence and Boston
, and is serviced by Mansfield Municipal Airport
, which serves smaller aircraft. The nearest international airport is T.F. Green Airport in Rhode Island
, 30 miles away.
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. As of the United States 2010 Census, the town population is 23,184. Mansfield is in the south-southwest suburbs 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...
and is also close to Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
.
The village of Mansfield Center
Mansfield Center, Massachusetts
Mansfield Center is a census-designated place in the town of Mansfield in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 7,320 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Mansfield Center is located at ....
is located in the town.
The town is twinned with Mansfield
Mansfield
Mansfield is a town in Nottinghamshire, England. It is the main town in the Mansfield local government district. Mansfield is a part of the Mansfield Urban Area....
in Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
, England.
History
Mansfield was first settled in 1658 and was officially incorporated in 1775. It was named for William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield, a pro-colonial member of the House of LordsHouse of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
. Mansfield is largely known for being the home of the Comcast Center (formerly Great Woods, Tweeter Center) concert venue, one of the most popular in Massachusetts.
Benjamin E. Bates
Benjamin E. Bates
Benjamin Edward Bates was a New England industrialist and philanthropist, who was the namesake and a founder of Bates College and the Bates Mill in Lewiston, Maine.-Biography:...
, an industrialist and philanthropist, who was the founder of Bates College
Bates College
Bates College is a highly selective, private liberal arts college located in Lewiston, Maine, in the United States. and was most recently ranked 21st in the nation in the 2011 US News Best Liberal Arts Colleges rankings. The college was founded in 1855 by abolitionists...
was born in Mansfield in 1808. Stove and furnace manufacturer and innovator Gordon Chilson (1804–1877) worked here.
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 20.7 square miles (53.6 km²), of which, 20.5 square miles (53.1 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²) of it (1.25%) is water. There are five conservation areas in the town. They are, from largest to smallest: the Great Woods Conservation Area, Maple Park Conservation Area, York Conservation Area, Marie Strese Conservation Area, and Sweet Pond Conservation Area. The town is bisected by the Canoe, Rumford and Wading Rivers, as well as many small brooks which are all part of the Taunton River
Taunton River
The Taunton River , is a river in southeastern Massachusetts in the United States. It arises from the confluence of the Town River and Matfield River, in the town of Bridgewater...
Watershed.
Mansfield's location is 28 miles south of Boston, 14 miles west of Brockton
Brockton, 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 19 miles north of Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
. It is bordered by Foxborough
Foxborough, Massachusetts
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 16,246 people, 6,141 households, and 4,396 families residing in the town. The population density was 809.1 people per square mile . There were 6,299 housing units at an average density of 313.7 per square mile...
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....
to the north, Easton
Easton, Massachusetts
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.- History :...
to the east, 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 the south, and Plainville
Plainville
Plainville is the name of numerous places in the United States of America:*Plainville, Connecticut*Plainville, Georgia*Plainville, Illinois*Plainville, Indiana*Plainville, Kansas*Plainville, Massachusetts*Plainville, New Jersey*Plainville, New York...
to the west. The town's northern border is also a portion of the northern border of Bristol County. Its localities include East Mansfield, Ginty Corner, Mansfield Center, Purdy Corner and West Mansfield.
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 22,414 people, 7,942 households, and 5,861 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 1095.4 PD/sqmi. There were 8,120 housing units at an average density of 396.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 94.30% White, 2.18% African American, 0.21% Native American, 1.93% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.43% 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 0.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.41% of the population.
There were 7,942 households out of which 44.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.2% 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 26.2% were non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.34.
In the town the population was spread out with 31.4% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 38.1% from 25 to 44, 18.9% from 45 to 64, and 6.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 99.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $66,925, and the median income for a family was $78,058 (these figures had risen to $93,533 and $111,316 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $52,416 versus $36,658 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 $27,441. About 3.0% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.6% of those under age 18 and 12.9% of those age 65 or over.
Government
The town is governed by an 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....
, which in turn is 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:...
and town manager. The town has a police department located in the center of town, as well as two fire stations, near the town center and near Purdy Corner. The Mansfield Public Library is located at Memorial Park, and the post office is near the intersection of Routes 106 & 140. In addition to Memorial Park, the town also has the Magna-Vista Recreation Area.
On the state level, the town is represented in the State Senate as a portion of the Bristol and Norfolk district, including Dover, Foxborough, Mansfield, Medfield, Norton, Rehoboth, Seekonk and Walpole, as well as parts of Attleboro and Sharon. The town is a part of three separate state representative districts, the First and Fourteenth Bristol and Eight Norfolk districts. The town is also patrolled by Troop H (Metro Boston region) of the Massachusetts State Police, 3rd District (Foxborough barracks). On the national level, the town is part of Massachusetts Congressional District 4, which is represented by Barney Frank
Barney Frank
Barney Frank is the U.S. Representative for . A member of the Democratic Party, he is the former chairman of the House Financial Services Committee and is considered the most prominent gay politician in the United States.Born and raised in New Jersey, Frank graduated from Harvard College and...
. The state's senior (Class II) Senator, re-elected in 2008, is John 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...
and 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...
Education
Mansfield has its own school department consisting of five schools, governed by a superintendent of schools (whose office is located directly adjacent to the town hall) and a school committee. (Coincidentally, the school department building was once the public library and before that, it was the town hall, and the town hall was once the high school.) There are three elementary schools: the Roland Green Preschool, the Everett J. Robinson Elementary School (serving grades K-2), the Jordan-Jackson Elementary School (serving grades 3-5), the Harold L. Qualters Middle School (serving grades 6-8), and Mansfield High SchoolMansfield High School (Mansfield, Massachusetts)
Mansfield High School is a four-year, comprehensive public high school located in Mansfield, Massachusetts. MHS is the only high school in the Mansfield Public Schools system and it serves 1,481 students in grades nine though twelve.-Administration:...
. Mansfield's teams are nicknamed the Hornets, and their colors are green and white. In recent years, MHS has had successful sports teams, especially the football and track and field teams. For many years in the 1980s and early 1990s, the school's marching band hosted the first event of the New England Scholastic Band Association
New England Scholastic Band Association
The New England Scholastic Band Association or NESBA as it is more commonly known, is a sanctioning body for marching band, winter percussion, and winter guard contests in the New England region.-Marching band:...
's fall field show competition season. Other than Roland Green Preschool, all the town's schools are located on either side of East Street near Mansfield Center.
In addition to the public schools, high school students may also attend Southeastern Regional Vocational-Technical High School in Easton or Bristol County Agricultural High School in Dighton free of charge. Mansfield residents can also send their children to the Foxboro Regional Charter School. The town also has one parochial school, Saint Mary's, which serves grades K-8, and an Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic high school, Al-Noor Academy, which opened in 2000 and serves the Islamic community along the I-95 corridor.
Mansfield is also known for their outstanding high school sports such as football, soccer, baseball, lacrosse, and track and field (Men) teams have won multiple league, division, and all-state titles.
One of the best programs the town has to offer to high school students is the track and field team. Runners joining the team are joining a team of champions. Mansfield track and field has and is still currently led by numerous all-star/record holding athletes such as, Ryan and Shayne Collins, Patrick Mcgowan, Matt Callanan, Dan Glavin, Kyle Kilduff, Patrick Grimes, Steven Gannon, Terry Young, Ryan Petrella, Brett McDermott, Paul Davis, Josh Lampron, Nick King, Teddy "Beastmode" Gregory, John Puleo, Anthony Todesco, Jeff Hill, Jeremy Burke, and Griffin Robertson. Together as a team Mansfield's track and field program has made themselves known throughout the state as a hard working and devoted program coached by Julie Collins (head coach), Pete Schuder (assistant coach), Kimberly Spence (assistant coach), and Chris Fong (Throwing Coach), a Mansfield legend in his own mind.
http://cache.boston.com/resize/bonzai-fba/Globe_Photo/2009/08/28/1251500010_5838/539w.jpg
Library
The Mansfield Public Library was established in 1884. In fiscal year 2008, the town of Mansfield spent 0.86% ($605,929) of its budget on its public library—some $25 per person.Transportation
The intersection of Interstates 95 and 495Interstate 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 ...
is located on the Mansfield-Foxborough town line, with both highways going through the town. Additionally, the town includes a limited-access section of Route 140
Route 140 (Massachusetts)
Route 140 is a long state highway which passes through parts of southeastern and central Massachusetts. The highway follows a southeast-northwest trajectory, running from U.S...
, as well as part of Route 106. The only exit off the interstates which gives direct access to town roads is I-495 Exit 12, which links to Route 140 South at the Comcast Center. The town also has a stop
Mansfield (MBTA station)
Mansfield is a commuter rail station on the MBTA's Providence/Stoughton Line located in Mansfield, Massachusetts. The station was rebuilt in 2004, and is the second replacement station for Mansfield. It is also the south end of a former Old Colony Railroad line that runs north through Walpole and...
along the MBTA's
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, often referred to as the MBTA or simply The T, is the public operator of most bus, subway, commuter rail and ferry systems in the greater Boston, Massachusetts, area. Officially a "body politic and corporate, and a political subdivision" of the...
commuter line between Providence and Boston
Providence/Stoughton Line
The Providence/Stoughton Line is a line of the MBTA Commuter Rail system running southwest from Boston, Massachusetts, USA. The main line was originally built by the Boston and Providence Rail Road, and now carries service between Boston and T. F. Green Airport, Rhode Island...
, and is serviced by Mansfield Municipal Airport
Mansfield Municipal Airport
Mansfield Municipal Airport is a public airport located two miles southeast of the central business district of Mansfield, a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, USA....
, which serves smaller aircraft. The nearest international airport is T.F. Green Airport in Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, 30 miles away.