Rowley, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Rowley is a town
in Essex County
, Massachusetts
, United States
. The population was 5,500 at the 2000 census.
Part of the town comprises the census-designated place
of Rowley
.
by Reverend Ezekiel Rogers, who had arrived from England on the ship John of London with approximately twenty families.
The following spring, on September 4, 1639, the town was incorporated, and included portions of modern day Byfield
, Georgetown
, and Haverhill
. The town was named after Rowley
, East Riding of Yorkshire
, where Rogers had served as pastor for twenty years before his suspension due to non-conformist puritanical beliefs. Rogers was installed as Rowley's pastor
on December 3.
1643 and 1645 saw the construction of a fulling mill and grist mill, respectively. The town became known for its hemp
and flax
cloth, as well as cotton
.
, the town has a total area of 20.6 square miles (53.3 km²), of which, 18.7 square miles (48.5 km²) of it is land and 1.9 square miles (4.8 km²) of it (9.08%) is water. Rowley lies along the Atlantic Ocean
north of Cape Ann
, the mainland separated from the ocean by a small portion of Plum Island
and Plum Island Sound. The island and a portion of the marshes south of Mud Creek (part of the town's northern border) are protected as part of the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge
. The town has other portions which are protected, including parts of the Mill Creek Wildlife Management Area, the Georgetown-Rowley State Forest, the Willowdale State Forest, the Arthur Ewell Reservation, and the Bay Circuit Trail. Much of the eastern mainland part of town is marshy, feeding Mud Creek, Mill River and the Rowley River
, which constitutes part of the town's southern border.
Rowley is located 7 miles south of Newburyport
, 16 miles north of Salem
, 17 miles east of Lawrence
, and 28 miles northeast of Boston
. It is bordered to the north by Newbury
, to the northwest by Georgetown
, to the west by Boxford
, and to the south by Ipswich
.
Interstate 95
passes through the western end of town, with the nearest exits being in Georgetown and Boxford. U.S. Route 1
, known as the Newburyport Turnpike in the area, passes near the geographic center of town, and Massachusetts Route 1A
passes through the eastern part of town, through the town center. All three roads are connected by Massachusetts Route 133
, which passes from west to east through the town, becoming coextensive with Route 1A just north of the Ipswich town line and heading south with it.
Rowley is one of the stations
along the Newburyport/Rockport Line
of the MBTA Commuter Rail
, providing service between Newburyport to the North Shore and Boston's North Station. The nearest national air service can be found at Boston's Logan International Airport
, though Plum Island Airport
, a small general aviation airport, is located in neighboring Newbury.
of 2000, there were 5,500 people, 1,958 households, and 1,468 families residing in the town. The population density
was 293.8 people per square mile (113.4/km²). There were 2,004 housing units at an average density of 107.1 per square mile (41.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.38% White, 0.24% Black or African American
, 0.25% Native American, 0.45% Asian, 0.27% from other races
, and 0.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.85% of the population.
There were 1,958 households out of which 39.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.5% were married couples
living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.0% were non-families. 20.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.23.
In the town the population was spread out with 28.0% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 32.5% 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 38 years. For every 100 females there were 97.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $62,130, and the median income for a family was $75,527. Males had a median income of $49,970 versus $32,500 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $27,413. About 3.3% of families and 4.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.8% of those under age 18 and 11.4% of those age 65 or over.
in the H. P. Lovecraft
short story "The Shadow Over Innsmouth
". In the story, Innsmouth is located to the southeast of Rowley.
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 Essex County
Essex County, Massachusetts
-National protected areas:* Parker River National Wildlife Refuge* Salem Maritime National Historic Site* Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site* Thacher Island National Wildlife Refuge-Demographics:...
, 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 5,500 at the 2000 census.
Part of the town comprises the census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
of Rowley
Rowley (CDP), Massachusetts
Rowley is a census-designated place in the town of Rowley in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,434 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Rowley is located at ....
.
History
In spring of 1639 Rowley was originally settled as a plantationPlantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
by Reverend Ezekiel Rogers, who had arrived from England on the ship John of London with approximately twenty families.
The following spring, on September 4, 1639, the town was incorporated, and included portions of modern day Byfield
Byfield, Massachusetts
Byfield is a village in the town of Newbury, in Essex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It borders West Newbury, Georgetown, and Rowley. It is located about 30 miles north-northeast of Boston, along Interstate 95, about 10 miles south of the border between New Hampshire and...
, Georgetown
Georgetown, Massachusetts
Georgetown is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 8,183 at the 2010 census. It was incorporated in 1838 from part of Rowley.-History:...
, and Haverhill
Haverhill, Massachusetts
Haverhill is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 60,879 at the 2010 census.Located on the Merrimack River, it began as a farming community that would evolve into an important industrial center, beginning with sawmills and gristmills run by water power. In the...
. The town was named after Rowley
Rowley, East Riding of Yorkshire
Rowley is a small village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is situated south of Little Weighton and approximately south-west of Beverley town centre....
, East Riding of Yorkshire
East Riding of Yorkshire
The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Yorkshire, is a local government district with unitary authority status, and a ceremonial county of England. For ceremonial purposes the county also includes the city of Kingston upon Hull, which is a separate unitary authority...
, where Rogers had served as pastor for twenty years before his suspension due to non-conformist puritanical beliefs. Rogers was installed as Rowley's pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
on December 3.
1643 and 1645 saw the construction of a fulling mill and grist mill, respectively. The town became known for its hemp
Hemp
Hemp is mostly used as a name for low tetrahydrocannabinol strains of the plant Cannabis sativa, of fiber and/or oilseed varieties. In modern times, hemp has been used for industrial purposes including paper, textiles, biodegradable plastics, construction, health food and fuel with modest...
and flax
Flax
Flax is a member of the genus Linum in the family Linaceae. It is native to the region extending from the eastern Mediterranean to India and was probably first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent...
cloth, as well as cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
.
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 20.6 square miles (53.3 km²), of which, 18.7 square miles (48.5 km²) of it is land and 1.9 square miles (4.8 km²) of it (9.08%) is water. Rowley lies along the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
north of Cape Ann
Cape Ann
Cape Ann is a rocky cape in northeastern Massachusetts on the Atlantic Ocean. The cape is located approximately 30 miles northeast of Boston and forms the northern edge of Massachusetts Bay. Cape Ann includes the city of Gloucester, and the towns of Essex, Manchester-by-the-Sea, and...
, the mainland separated from the ocean by a small portion of Plum Island
Plum Island
Plum Island may refer to:*Plum Island , and island in Alaska, United States*Plum Island Bald Eagle Refuge , a bald eagle refuge in northeast Illinois*Plum Island , an island in Essex County, United States...
and Plum Island Sound. The island and a portion of the marshes south of Mud Creek (part of the town's northern border) are protected as part of the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge
Parker River National Wildlife Refuge
Parker River National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1942 primarily to provide feeding, resting, and nesting habitats for migratory birds. Located along the Atlantic Flyway, the refuge is of vital stopover significance to waterfowl, shorebirds, and songbirds during migratory periods.The refuge...
. The town has other portions which are protected, including parts of the Mill Creek Wildlife Management Area, the Georgetown-Rowley State Forest, the Willowdale State Forest, the Arthur Ewell Reservation, and the Bay Circuit Trail. Much of the eastern mainland part of town is marshy, feeding Mud Creek, Mill River and the Rowley River
Rowley River
The Rowley River is a small river between Ipswich and Rowley, Massachusetts.The river lies within in the estuary of Plum Island Sound, and is formed by the confluence of the Egypt River and Muddy Run in Ipswich, with numerous tributaries in the estuary...
, which constitutes part of the town's southern border.
Rowley is located 7 miles south of Newburyport
Newburyport, Massachusetts
Newburyport is a small coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, 35 miles northeast of Boston. The population was 21,189 at the 2000 census. A historic seaport with a vibrant tourism industry, Newburyport includes part of Plum Island...
, 16 miles north of Salem
Salem, Massachusetts
Salem is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,407 at the 2000 census. It and Lawrence are the county seats of Essex County...
, 17 miles east of Lawrence
Lawrence, Massachusetts
Lawrence is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States on the Merrimack River. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a total population of 76,377. Surrounding communities include Methuen to the north, Andover to the southwest, and North Andover to the southeast. It and Salem are...
, and 28 miles northeast 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...
. It is bordered to the north by Newbury
Newbury, Massachusetts
Newbury is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 6,666 at the 2010 census. Newbury includes the villages of Old Town , Plum Island and Byfield, home of The Governor's Academy , a private preparatory school.- History :Newbury Plantation was settled and incorporated...
, to the northwest by Georgetown
Georgetown, Massachusetts
Georgetown is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 8,183 at the 2010 census. It was incorporated in 1838 from part of Rowley.-History:...
, to the west by Boxford
Boxford, Massachusetts
Boxford is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 7,965 at the 2010 census.Part of the town comprises the census-designated place of Boxford.-Geography:...
, and to the south by Ipswich
Ipswich, Massachusetts
Ipswich is a coastal town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,987 at the 2000 census. Home to Willowdale State Forest and Sandy Point State Reservation, Ipswich includes the southern part of Plum Island...
.
Interstate 95
Interstate 95 in Massachusetts
Interstate 95 is the main highway on the East Coast of the United States, paralleling the Atlantic Ocean from Florida to Maine. The Massachusetts portion of the highway enters from the state of Rhode Island in Attleboro and travels in a northeasterly direction to the junction with Route 128 in...
passes through the western end of town, with the nearest exits being in Georgetown and Boxford. U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1 is a major north–south U.S. Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs 2,377 miles from Fort Kent, Maine at the Canadian border south to Key West, Florida. U.S. 1 generally parallels Interstate 95, though it is significantly farther west between...
, known as the Newburyport Turnpike in the area, passes near the geographic center of town, and Massachusetts Route 1A
Massachusetts Route 1A
Route 1A is a south–north state highway in Massachusetts. It is an alternate route to U.S. 1 with three signed sections and two unsigned sections where the highway is concurrent with its parent...
passes through the eastern part of town, through the town center. All three roads are connected by Massachusetts Route 133
Massachusetts Route 133
Route 133 is an east–west Massachusetts state route that runs from Lowell to Gloucester.-Route description:Route 133 begins at the junction of Route 38 and Route 110 in Lowell, where Route 110 begins a concurrency with Route 38 northbound. Route 133 heads east from this point, heading...
, which passes from west to east through the town, becoming coextensive with Route 1A just north of the Ipswich town line and heading south with it.
Rowley is one of the stations
Rowley (MBTA station)
Rowley is the penultimate passenger rail station along the Newburyport Branch of MBTA Commuter Rail's Newburyport/Rockport Line. The official address is given by MBTA as 70 Railroad Avenue, although it's actually located north of Railroad Avenue between Depot Way and Oyster Pond Road...
along the Newburyport/Rockport Line
Newburyport/Rockport Line
The Newburyport/Rockport Line is a branch of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, running northeast from downtown Boston, Massachusetts towards Cape Ann and the Merrimack Valley, serving the North Shore. The first leg serves Chelsea, Lynn, Swampscott, Salem, and Beverly. From there, a northern branch of...
of the MBTA 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...
, providing service between Newburyport to the North Shore and Boston's North Station. The nearest national air service can be found at Boston's Logan International Airport
Logan International Airport
General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport is located in the East Boston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts . It covers , has six runways, and employs an estimated 16,000 people. It is the 19th busiest airport in the United States.Boston serves as a focus city for JetBlue Airways...
, though Plum Island Airport
Plum Island Airport
Plum Island Airport, in Newburyport, Massachusetts, is a privately-owned, public-use airport owned by Historic New England and operated by Plum Island Aerodrome, Inc., a non-profit corporation...
, a small general aviation airport, is located in neighboring Newbury.
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 5,500 people, 1,958 households, and 1,468 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 293.8 people per square mile (113.4/km²). There were 2,004 housing units at an average density of 107.1 per square mile (41.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.38% White, 0.24% Black or African American
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...
, 0.25% Native American, 0.45% Asian, 0.27% 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 0.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.85% of the population.
There were 1,958 households out of which 39.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.5% 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, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.0% were non-families. 20.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.23.
In the town the population was spread out with 28.0% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 32.5% 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 38 years. For every 100 females there were 97.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $62,130, and the median income for a family was $75,527. Males had a median income of $49,970 versus $32,500 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 $27,413. About 3.3% of families and 4.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.8% of those under age 18 and 11.4% of those age 65 or over.
Literature
Rowley is the town that the protagonist flees to from InnsmouthInnsmouth
Innsmouth is a fictional town in the writings of H. P. Lovecraft, part of the Lovecraft Country setting of the Cthulhu Mythos.Lovecraft first used the name "Innsmouth" in his 1920 short story "Celephaïs" , where it refers to a fictional town in New England...
in the H. P. Lovecraft
H. P. Lovecraft
Howard Phillips Lovecraft --often credited as H.P. Lovecraft — was an American author of horror, fantasy and science fiction, especially the subgenre known as weird fiction....
short story "The Shadow Over Innsmouth
The Shadow Over Innsmouth
The Shadow Over Innsmouth is a novella by H. P. Lovecraft. Written in November-December 1931, the story was first published in April 1936; this was the only fiction of Lovecraft's published during his lifetime that did not appear in a periodical....
". In the story, Innsmouth is located to the southeast of Rowley.
Notable residents
- Elizabeth HoweElizabeth HoweElizabeth How was one of the accused in the Salem witch trials. She was found guilty and executed on July 19, 1692.- Background :Elizabeth Jackson How was born in or about 1635 in Yorkshire. She was born to William and Deborah Jackson. Elizabeth married James How in April of 1658; the couple had...
was born in Rowley and was executed during the Salem witch trialsSalem witch trialsThe Salem witch trials were a series of hearings before county court trials to prosecute people accused of witchcraft in the counties of Essex, Suffolk, and Middlesex in colonial Massachusetts, between February 1692 and May 1693... - Bruce KimballBruce Kimball (football)Bruce Michael Kimball is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the New York Giants and the Washington Redskins. He played college football at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was drafted in the seventh round of the 1979 NFL Draft....
, retired NFL football player for the Washington Redskins and the New York Giants. - Josiah Little PickardJosiah Little PickardJosiah Little Pickard was the Superintendent of Public Instruction of Wisconsin, 1860-1864, and the sixth President of the University of Iowa, 1878-1887....
, educator
External links
- Walker, George. 1884 Atlas of Essex County. 1884 Map of Rowley. Published 1884 by George Walker.
- Vital Records of Rowley to 1849. Originally published by the Essex Institute. Transcribed and put online by John Slaughter and Jodi Salero 2007.
