Wellesley, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Wellesley is a town
in Norfolk County
, Massachusetts
, United States. It is part of Greater Boston
. The population was 27,982 at the time of the 2010 census.
It is best known as the home of Wellesley College and Babson College
. The Hunnewell Arboretum abuts the Wellesley campus, and the Elm Bank Horticulture Center
has its entrance in Wellesley, although it is located across a small private bridge over the Charles River and is therefore in the neighboring town of Dover. The town is noted for being among the most expensive zip codes in the United States, and likewise for possessing the second greatest concentration of residents with advanced degrees in the country. The public education services of the town are very well regarded, especially Wellesley High School
; in 2007 it was ranked 70th best public high school in the nation by U.S. News & World Report
, earning a Gold Medal.
. It was subsequently a part of Needham, Massachusetts
called West Needham, Massachusetts. On Oct. 23, 1880, West Needham residents voted to secede from Needham and the town of Wellesley was later christened by the Massachusetts legislature on April 6, 1881.
Wellesley's population grew by over 80 percent during the 1920s.
.jpg)
Wellesley is located in eastern Massachusetts. It is bordered on the east by Newton
, on the north by Weston
, on the south by Needham
and Dover
and on the west by Natick
. According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 10.49 mi2, of which, 10.18 mi2 is land and 0.32 mi2 is water.
with an area exactly equivalent to the town.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 26,613 people, 8,594 households, and 6,540 families residing in the town. The population density
was 2,614.1 people per square mile (1,009.4/km²). There were 8,861 housing units at an average density of 870.4 per square mile (336.1/km²). According to a 2007 Census Bureau estimate, the racial makeup of the town was 84.6% White, 10.0% Asian, 2.2% Black, 0.01% Native American, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.4% from other races
, and 1.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.4% of the population.
There were 8,594 households out of which 39.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.2% were married couples
living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.9% were non-families. 20.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.1% under the age of 18, 13.9% from 18 to 24, 22.9% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 77.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 71.1 males.
In the 2007 estimate, the median income for a household was $125,814, and the median income for a family was $155,539. The per capita income
in the town was $61,332. Males had a median income of $100,000 versus $53,007 for females. About 2.4% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.0% of those under age 18 and 2.1% of those age 65 or over.
According to Boston Magazine's yearly "Best Places To Live", Wellesley ranks first in the United States in percentage of adults who hold at least one college degree. Over 66% of the households have at least one individual holding an advanced degree beyond a Bachelor's Degree. In 2009, Wellesley ranked #2 in "America's Most Educated Small Towns" according to Forbes.com.
The town government has been run by town meeting since the town's founding.
Since Proposition 2½
limited property tax
increases to 2.5% per year in 1980, the town has had to ask residents for a number of overrides to maintain funding for certain programs. Although the main 2005 override passed, a simultaneous supplemental override to preserve certain specific programs and services failed by 17 votes. The 2006 override passed with a large majority. Wellesley also receives funding from the state government. Local roads have been repaved several times in the 1990s and 2000s.
Wellesley opened its new Free Library building in 2003, which is part of the Minuteman Library Network
. Due to the structure of budget override votes and perhaps the size of the new main branch of the library, the two branch libraries—one in Wellesley Hills
, which was purpose-built to be a branch library in the 1920s, another in Wellesley Fells—closed in the summer of 2006. The branch libraries reopened in September, 2008.
(WMLP). It is one of only a handful of municipal light plants in the state of Massachusetts
.
The RDF also has a "Take it or Leave it" area where residents leave items they no longer want but that are in good repair. In 2004, the Town had to discontinue the "Take it or Leave it" because of funding cutbacks. However, within six months town residents reinstated it by means of a volunteer system. The section reopened with volunteers on duty at all times to organize the goods and ensure that only usable items were left there.
was ranked 70th best public high school in the U.S. by U.S. News & World Report
, and on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System
test the district regularly scores higher than the state average. The school system also contains a middle school and eight elementary schools.
The town contains a private elementary school, Tenacre Country Day School
, and Dana Hall School
a preparatory school for girls.
Wellesley also contains the main campus of 3 colleges, Wellesley College, a women's liberal arts college, Massachusetts Bay Community College
, a two-year public college, and Babson College
, a business college. According to Forbes.com, Wellesley College is the 6th best college in the country. According to US News & World Report, Babson College is the number one college in the country for entrepreneurship, receiving this distinction for the past fourteen years. In addition, The Financial Times ranked Babson College as the 5th best U.S. college for providing custom executive education programs. Part of main campus of Olin College, a private engineering school, is located in Wellesley, although its main entrance is located in Needham.
Wellesley has had rail service to Boston since 1833. These days rail service is provided through Wellesley's participation in the MBTA, which offers a total of 17 weekday Commuter Rail
trains inbound towards Boston
& outbound towards Framingham & Worcester
. Wellesley's stations are (east to west) Wellesley Farms, Wellesley Hills
, and Wellesley Square
. The Wellesley Farms station is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. MWRTA bus service also runs along Walnut Street, Cedar Street, and Route 9.
The highways I-95/Route 128 and Route 9 run through Wellesley.
For elders and people with disabilities there is a specific MBTA
-based service, The Ride, which offers free or low-cost door-to-door service by appointment.
From nearby Riverside MBTA Station
in Newton
, commuter express buses run to downtown Boston
, Newton Corner and Central Square, Waltham
. This is also a station for Greyhound Lines
and Peter Pan Bus Lines
with frequent service to Boston
, New York City, and other destinations.
Wellesley's Council on Aging contracts out a daily low-cost minibus service offering elderly access to several local medical facilities and the Woodland MBTA station
. Further afield is the Springwell Senior Medical Escort Program / Busy Bee Transportation Service for rides to medical & non-medical services in the area. There is also a monthly minibus to Natick Collection
(formerly Natick Mall).
For Amtrak service the nearest stations are west in Framingham
, east in Boston
at Back Bay
and South Station, and south in Route 128 Station
in Westwood
.
Those affiliated with Wellesley College can take advantage of their bus services to Cambridge
& Needham
. Wellesley College & Babson College
also both offer discounted Zipcar
service.
Also during the weeks before Christmas is the "Holly Trolley", a free seasonal trolley (a modified bus) sponsored by the Wellesley Chamber of Commerce that has two loops through town, bringing shoppers downtown for holiday shopping & home again.
presents classical, pops, and family concerts at Mass Bay Community College at its Wellesley Campus.
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 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:...
, 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. It is part of Greater Boston
Greater Boston
Greater Boston is the area of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts surrounding the city of Boston. Due to ambiguity in usage, the size of the area referred to can be anywhere between that of the metropolitan statistical area of Boston and that of the city's combined statistical area which includes...
. The population was 27,982 at the time of the 2010 census.
It is best known as the home of Wellesley College and Babson College
Babson College
Babson College is a private business school located in Wellesley, Massachusetts near Boston.- History :Babson College was founded by Roger Babson on September 3, 1919, as the Babson Institute. It was renamed "Babson College" in 1969...
. The Hunnewell Arboretum abuts the Wellesley campus, and the Elm Bank Horticulture Center
Elm Bank Horticulture Center
The Elm Bank Horticulture Center is the home of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, located at 900 Washington Street , Wellesley, Massachusetts, U.S....
has its entrance in Wellesley, although it is located across a small private bridge over the Charles River and is therefore in the neighboring town of Dover. The town is noted for being among the most expensive zip codes in the United States, and likewise for possessing the second greatest concentration of residents with advanced degrees in the country. The public education services of the town are very well regarded, especially Wellesley High School
Wellesley High School
Wellesley High School is a public high school in Wellesley, Massachusetts, executing grades 9 through 12. Its current principal is Dr. Andrew Keough, who assumed the position in 2007 after the retirement of Ms. Rena Mirkin. Its two assistant principals are Lynne Novogroski and Nora Curran...
; in 2007 it was ranked 70th best public high school in the nation by U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
, earning a Gold Medal.
History
Wellesley was settled in the 1630s as part of Dedham, MassachusettsDedham, Massachusetts
Dedham is a town in and the county seat of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 24,729 at the 2010 census. It is located on Boston's southwest border. On the northwest it is bordered by Needham, on the southwest by Westwood and on the southeast by...
. It was subsequently a part of Needham, Massachusetts
Needham, Massachusetts
Needham is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. A suburb of Boston, its population was 28,886 at the 2010 census.- History :...
called West Needham, Massachusetts. On Oct. 23, 1880, West Needham residents voted to secede from Needham and the town of Wellesley was later christened by the Massachusetts legislature on April 6, 1881.
Wellesley's population grew by over 80 percent during the 1920s.
Historic district
The town designated Cottage Street and its nearby alleys as the historic district in its zoning plan. Most houses in this district were built around the 1860s and qualify as protected buildings certified by the town's historic commission.Geography
Newton, Massachusetts
Newton is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States bordered to the east by Boston. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Newton was 85,146, making it the eleventh largest city in the state.-Villages:...
, on the north by Weston
Weston, Massachusetts
Weston is a suburb of Boston located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States in the Boston metro area. The population of Weston, according to the 2010 U.S. Census, is 11,261....
, on the south by Needham
Needham, Massachusetts
Needham is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. A suburb of Boston, its population was 28,886 at the 2010 census.- History :...
and Dover
Dover, Massachusetts
Dover is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,589 at the 2010 census.Located about southwest of downtown Boston, Dover is a residential town nestled on the south banks of the Charles River. Almost all of the residential zoning requires or larger...
and on the west by Natick
Natick, Massachusetts
Natick is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. Natick is located near the center of the MetroWest region of Massachusetts, with a population of 33,006 at the 2010 census. Only west from Boston, Natick is considered part of the Greater Boston area...
. According to the United States Census Bureau
United 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 10.49 mi2, of which, 10.18 mi2 is land and 0.32 mi2 is water.
Neighborhoods
- Wellesley Farms
- Wellesley Fells
- Wellesley Hills (02481)
- Wellesley Lower Falls
- Wellesley Square (02482)
- Babson Park (02457)
- Overbrook
- Sheridan Hills
Recent construction
The town's historic 19th century inn was demolished to make way for condominiums and mixed-use development in 2006. The Wellesley Country Club clubhouse, which is the building where the town was founded, was demolished in 2008. The town's pre-World War II high school building is being torn down & replaced, and the entire 1960s-style Linden Street strip-mall has been replaced by "Linden Square" – a shopping district that includes a flagship Roche Brothers supermarket, restaurants, cafes, clothing stores, along with a mixture of national chains and local shops.Demographics
The Census Bureau has also defined the town as a census-designated placeCensus-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...
with an area exactly equivalent to the town.
As of the census
Census
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 26,613 people, 8,594 households, and 6,540 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 2,614.1 people per square mile (1,009.4/km²). There were 8,861 housing units at an average density of 870.4 per square mile (336.1/km²). According to a 2007 Census Bureau estimate, the racial makeup of the town was 84.6% White, 10.0% Asian, 2.2% Black, 0.01% Native American, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.4% 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 1.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.4% of the population.
There were 8,594 households out of which 39.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.2% 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, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.9% were non-families. 20.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.1% under the age of 18, 13.9% from 18 to 24, 22.9% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 77.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 71.1 males.
In the 2007 estimate, the median income for a household was $125,814, and the median income for a family was $155,539. 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...
in the town was $61,332. Males had a median income of $100,000 versus $53,007 for females. About 2.4% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.0% of those under age 18 and 2.1% of those age 65 or over.
According to Boston Magazine's yearly "Best Places To Live", Wellesley ranks first in the United States in percentage of adults who hold at least one college degree. Over 66% of the households have at least one individual holding an advanced degree beyond a Bachelor's Degree. In 2009, Wellesley ranked #2 in "America's Most Educated Small Towns" according to Forbes.com.
Government
Since Proposition 2½
Proposition 2½
Proposition 2½ is a Massachusetts statute which limits property tax increases by Massachusetts municipalities. It was passed by ballot initiative, specifically called an initiative petition within Massachusetts state law, in 1980 and went into effect in 1982...
limited property tax
Property tax
A property tax is an ad valorem levy on the value of property that the owner is required to pay. The tax is levied by the governing authority of the jurisdiction in which the property is located; it may be paid to a national government, a federated state or a municipality...
increases to 2.5% per year in 1980, the town has had to ask residents for a number of overrides to maintain funding for certain programs. Although the main 2005 override passed, a simultaneous supplemental override to preserve certain specific programs and services failed by 17 votes. The 2006 override passed with a large majority. Wellesley also receives funding from the state government. Local roads have been repaved several times in the 1990s and 2000s.
Wellesley opened its new Free Library building in 2003, which is part of the Minuteman Library Network
Minuteman Library Network
The Minuteman Library Network, founded in 1984, is an organization of 41 public and academic libraries in eastern Massachusetts that share resources, patrons and services. The Network has over 1,171,000 titles and 622,000 members...
. Due to the structure of budget override votes and perhaps the size of the new main branch of the library, the two branch libraries—one in Wellesley Hills
Wellesley Hills Branch Library
Wellesley Hills Branch Library is a historic library at 210 Washington Street in Wellesley, Massachusetts.The library was built in 1927 and added to the National Historic Register in 2007....
, which was purpose-built to be a branch library in the 1920s, another in Wellesley Fells—closed in the summer of 2006. The branch libraries reopened in September, 2008.
Services
Wellesley residents receive all major services from their town government, with the exception of residential trash pick-up.Municipal light plant
Wellesley is serviced by the Wellesley Municipal Light PlantWellesley Municipal Light Plant
The Town of Wellesley Municipal Light Plant is a town department responsible for the transmission and supply of electricity to the residents and businesses in the town of Wellesley, Massachusetts...
(WMLP). It is one of only a handful of municipal light plants in the state of 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...
.
Recycling and disposal
Residents of Wellesley cart their own refuse to Wellesley's Recycling and Disposal Facility (RDF), a town-operated multi-use waste recycling site, where items are sorted by type, recyclability and potential reuse. Old books and magazines are available for town residents to take, which have their own shelving section.The RDF also has a "Take it or Leave it" area where residents leave items they no longer want but that are in good repair. In 2004, the Town had to discontinue the "Take it or Leave it" because of funding cutbacks. However, within six months town residents reinstated it by means of a volunteer system. The section reopened with volunteers on duty at all times to organize the goods and ensure that only usable items were left there.
Education
Wellesley's public school system is nationally well regarded. In 2007, Wellesley High SchoolWellesley High School
Wellesley High School is a public high school in Wellesley, Massachusetts, executing grades 9 through 12. Its current principal is Dr. Andrew Keough, who assumed the position in 2007 after the retirement of Ms. Rena Mirkin. Its two assistant principals are Lynne Novogroski and Nora Curran...
was ranked 70th best public high school in the U.S. by U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
, and on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System
Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System, commonly shortened to MCAS , is the Commonwealth's statewide standards-based assessment program developed in 1993, in response to the Massachusetts Education Reform Act of the same year...
test the district regularly scores higher than the state average. The school system also contains a middle school and eight elementary schools.
The town contains a private elementary school, Tenacre Country Day School
Tenacre Country Day School
Tenacre Country Day School is a co-educational elementary school in Wellesley, Massachusetts for children in Grades Pre-K through Grade 6.Founded in 1910 as part of the Dana Hall School, Tenacre separated from Dana Hall in 1972, and was chartered as an independent day school, with its own Board and...
, and Dana Hall School
Dana Hall School
Founded in 1881, Dana Hall School in Wellesley, Massachusetts, USA, is an independent boarding and day school for girls in grades 6-12.-History:...
a preparatory school for girls.
Wellesley also contains the main campus of 3 colleges, Wellesley College, a women's liberal arts college, Massachusetts Bay Community College
Massachusetts Bay Community College
Massachusetts Bay Community College is a two-year college in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. It has three campuses, in Wellesley, Ashland, and Framingham. The college is home to the Wellesley Symphony Orchestra.-External links:** Boston Globe, October, 2009...
, a two-year public college, and Babson College
Babson College
Babson College is a private business school located in Wellesley, Massachusetts near Boston.- History :Babson College was founded by Roger Babson on September 3, 1919, as the Babson Institute. It was renamed "Babson College" in 1969...
, a business college. According to Forbes.com, Wellesley College is the 6th best college in the country. According to US News & World Report, Babson College is the number one college in the country for entrepreneurship, receiving this distinction for the past fourteen years. In addition, The Financial Times ranked Babson College as the 5th best U.S. college for providing custom executive education programs. Part of main campus of Olin College, a private engineering school, is located in Wellesley, although its main entrance is located in Needham.
Transportation
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...
trains inbound towards 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...
& outbound towards Framingham & Worcester
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
. Wellesley's stations are (east to west) Wellesley Farms, Wellesley Hills
Wellesley Hills (MBTA station)
Wellesley Hills is a historic passenger rail station on MBTA Commuter Rail's Framingham/Worcester Line. It is located at 339 Washington Street in Wellesley, Massachusetts...
, and Wellesley Square
Wellesley Square (MBTA station)
Wellesley Square is a passenger rail station on MBTA Commuter Rail's Framingham/Worcester Line. It is officially located at 1 Grove Street in Wellesley, Massachusetts, which is north of the west end of the MA 16-135 multiplex and west of the historic Wellesley Town Hall. The station house was...
. The Wellesley Farms station is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. MWRTA bus service also runs along Walnut Street, Cedar Street, and Route 9.
The highways I-95/Route 128 and Route 9 run through Wellesley.
For elders and people with disabilities there is a specific MBTA
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...
-based service, The Ride, which offers free or low-cost door-to-door service by appointment.
From nearby Riverside MBTA Station
Riverside (MBTA station)
Riverside is the western terminus of the MBTA Green Line "D" Branch light rail line. It is located at 333 Grove Street, off Exit 22 on Interstate 95 , in Auburndale, a village of Newton, Massachusetts. Scheduled travel time to Park Street is 46 minutes. Riverside includes a parking...
in Newton
Newton, Massachusetts
Newton is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States bordered to the east by Boston. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Newton was 85,146, making it the eleventh largest city in the state.-Villages:...
, commuter express buses run to downtown 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...
, Newton Corner and Central Square, Waltham
Waltham
-Horology:* Waltham Watch Company, American watch manufacturer, pioneer in the industrialisation of the manufacturing of watch movements** Waltham International, Swiss subsidiary-Places:In Canada:*Waltham, QuebecIn England:...
. This is also a station for Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and...
and Peter Pan Bus Lines
Peter Pan Bus Lines
Peter Pan Bus Lines is a long-distance bus carrier headquartered in Springfield, Massachusetts. It operates in the northeastern United States. Over four million passengers per year travel on Peter Pan's bus routes....
with frequent service to 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...
, New York City, and other destinations.
Wellesley's Council on Aging contracts out a daily low-cost minibus service offering elderly access to several local medical facilities and the Woodland MBTA station
Woodland (MBTA station)
Woodland is a street-level station on the "D" branch of the MBTA Green Line. The station is located at 1940 Washington Street in Newton. The station is 42 minutes away from Park Street...
. Further afield is the Springwell Senior Medical Escort Program / Busy Bee Transportation Service for rides to medical & non-medical services in the area. There is also a monthly minibus to Natick Collection
Natick Collection
The Natick Mall, formerly named the Natick Collection from February 2007 to July 2011, is a large shopping mall owned by General Growth Properties . It is located between routes 9 and 30 in Natick, Massachusetts and is adjacent to Shoppers World in Framingham, Massachusetts...
(formerly Natick Mall).
For Amtrak service the nearest stations are west in Framingham
Framingham (MBTA station)
Framingham is an MBTA commuter rail and Amtrak station serving the town of Framingham, Massachusetts. The station is a well-patronized stop and former terminus on the Framingham/Worcester Line, served by 21 weekday round trips to South Station, Boston...
, east in 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...
at Back Bay
Back Bay (MBTA station)
Back Bay station, located at 145 Dartmouth Street, between Stuart Street and Columbus Avenue, is a train station in the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston...
and South Station, and south in Route 128 Station
Route 128 (MBTA station)
Route 128 is a station on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Providence/Stoughton MBTA Commuter Rail line, with inbound service to Back Bay and South Station in Boston and outbound service towards either Stoughton or TF Green Airport. It is also known as "University Park" station...
in Westwood
Westwood, Massachusetts
Westwood is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 14,618 at the 2010 census. In July 2005, CNN/Money and Money magazine ranked Westwood 13th on its list of the 100 Best Places to Live in the United States. Boston Magazine listed Gay Street in Westwood on its...
.
Those affiliated with Wellesley College can take advantage of their bus services to Cambridge
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
& Needham
Needham, Massachusetts
Needham is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. A suburb of Boston, its population was 28,886 at the 2010 census.- History :...
. Wellesley College & Babson College
Babson College
Babson College is a private business school located in Wellesley, Massachusetts near Boston.- History :Babson College was founded by Roger Babson on September 3, 1919, as the Babson Institute. It was renamed "Babson College" in 1969...
also both offer discounted Zipcar
Zipcar
Zipcar is an American membership-based car sharing company providing automobile reservations to its members, billable by the hour or day. Zipcar was founded in 2000 by Cambridge, Massachusetts residents Antje Danielson and Robin Chase, and is now led by Scott Griffith, Chairman and Chief Executive...
service.
Also during the weeks before Christmas is the "Holly Trolley", a free seasonal trolley (a modified bus) sponsored by the Wellesley Chamber of Commerce that has two loops through town, bringing shoppers downtown for holiday shopping & home again.
Wellesley's Wonderful Weekend
Each year the weekend before Memorial Day, The Town of Wellesley sponsors the annual Wellesley's Wonderful Weekend which includes the annual Veterans' Parade and Fireworks. The fireworks display is one of the most elaborate and spectacular shows that is done by local or town government in the United States. It is put on by Atlas Fireworks of Jaffrey, NH who also put on the Jaffrey Festival of Fireworks. On Sunday, May 18, 2008 the Beach Boys performed in a concert on the Wellesley High School athletic fields in front of an estimated 10,000 town residents and fans. The funds for the performance, an estimated 250 thousand dollars, were made as a gift by an anonymous donor and life long fan of the band.The Wellesley Symphony Orchestra
The Wellesley Symphony OrchestraWellesley Symphony Orchestra
The Wellesley Symphony Orchestra is an amateur American orchestra based in Wellesley, Massachusetts. It has presented classical, pops, and family concerts for 60 years. The Music Director is Max Hobart....
presents classical, pops, and family concerts at Mass Bay Community College at its Wellesley Campus.
Religious institutions
The town of Wellesley is home to several religious institutions. There is one temple, Temple Beth Elohim, and several churches: Wellesley Congregational Church, St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, St. Paul's Catholic Church, Christ Church United Methodist, Wellesley Hills Congregational Church (also known as The Hills Church), First Church of Christ-Scientist, St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, The Metrowest Baptist Church, Elmwood Chapel, and Unitarian Universalist Society of Wellesley Hills.Notable residents
- Danny AingeDanny AingeDaniel Ray "Danny" Ainge is an American basketball manager and retired professional basketball and baseball player, currently serving as President of Basketball Operations for the Boston Celtics....
, current executive director of basketball operations and general manager of the Boston CelticsBoston CelticsThe Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which... - Roger Nash BaldwinRoger Nash BaldwinRoger Nash Baldwin was one of the founders of the American Civil Liberties Union . He served as executive director of the ACLU until 1950....
, co-founder of the American Civil Liberties UnionAmerican Civil Liberties UnionThe American Civil Liberties Union is a U.S. non-profit organization whose stated mission is "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States." It works through litigation, legislation, and... - Katherine Lee Bates, author of America the Beautiful
- Gamaliel BradfordGamaliel Bradford (1863-1932)Gamaliel Bradford was an American biographer, critic, poet, and dramatist. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, the sixth of seven men called Gamaliel Bradford in unbroken succession, of whom the first, Gamaliel Bradford, was a great-grandson of Governor William Bradford of the Plymouth Colony.Bradford...
, poet, biographer - Dee Brown, former basketball player for the Boston CelticsBoston CelticsThe Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
- R. Nicholas BurnsR. Nicholas BurnsR. Nicholas Burns is a retired American diplomat. He is currently Professor of the Practice of Diplomacy and International Politics at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government and a member of the Board of Directors of the school's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs...
, former US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, U.S. Ambassador to NATO (2001–2005) and to Greece (1997–2001) and State Department Spokesman (1995–1997) - Greg ComellaGreg ComellaGregory F. Comella is a former professional American football fullback in the National Football League for the New York Giants, the Tennessee Titans, the Houston Texans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was the starting full back for the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXXV against the Baltimore...
, former professional football player with the New York Giants - Jane CurtinJane CurtinJane Therese Curtin is an American actress and comedienne. She is commonly referred to as Queen of the Deadpan.First coming to prominence as an original cast member on Saturday Night Live in 1975, she went on to win back-to-back Emmy Awards for Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Series on the 1980s...
, comedian, original cast member of Saturday Night Live - Richard DarmanRichard DarmanRichard Gordon Darman , known as Dick Darman, was an American economist and businessman who served under five U.S. presidents but is best remembered as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget during the administration of George H. W...
, economist and former head of the Office of Management and Budget - Dennis EckersleyDennis EckersleyDennis Lee Eckersley , nicknamed "Eck", is a former American Major League Baseball pitcher. Eckersley had success as a starter, but gained his greatest fame as a closer, becoming the first of only two pitchers in Major League history to have both a 20-win season and a 50-save season in a career .He...
, Former Pitcher for the Oakland A's - Carl EverettCarl EverettCarl Edward Everett III is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He is currently an outfielder for the Newark Bears of the independent Atlantic League. A switch hitter, he played with the Chicago White Sox on their 2005 World Series winning team...
, former center fielderCenter fielderA center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
for the Boston Red SoxBoston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"... - Ira GlassIra GlassIra Glass is an American public radio personality, and host and producer of the radio and television show This American Life.- Early life :...
, host of This American LifeThis American LifeThis American Life is a weekly hour-long radio program produced by WBEZ and hosted by Ira Glass. It is distributed by Public Radio International on PRI affiliate stations and is also available as a free weekly podcast. Primarily a journalistic non-fiction program, it has also featured essays,...
from WBEZ in Chicago - Curt GowdyCurt GowdyCurtis Edward "Curt" Gowdy was an American sportscaster, well known as the longtime "voice" of the Boston Red Sox and for his coverage of many nationally-televised sporting events, primarily for NBC Sports in the 1960s and 1970s.-Early years:The son of a manager for the Union Pacific railroad,...
, sports commentator - Michael S. GrecoMichael S. GrecoMichael Spencer Greco is a former President of the American Bar Association . He is currently a partner in the Boston office of Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Preston Gates Ellis LLP, and a former partner at the now-defunct Hill and Barlow.-ABA Presidency:As President of the American Bar Association,...
, President of the American, Massachusetts & New England Bar Associations - Ed HardingEd HardingEd Harding is the principal anchor on WCVB-TV in Boston, anchoring the 5, 6, and 11 PM editions of NewsCenter 5. He is a native of Newton, Massachusetts and lives in Wellesley with his wife and two children...
, News Anchor For WCVB Channel 5 - Phil LaakPhil LaakPhilip "Phil" C. Laak is a professional poker player, now residing in Los Angeles, California. Laak holds a World Poker Tour title, a World Series of Poker bracelet and has appeared on numerous nationally-aired television shows.-Early life:...
, professional pokerPokerPoker is a family of card games that share betting rules and usually hand rankings. Poker games differ in how the cards are dealt, how hands may be formed, whether the high or low hand wins the pot in a showdown , limits on bet sizes, and how many rounds of betting are allowed.In most modern poker...
player and winner of the 2004 World Poker TourWorld Poker TourThe World Poker Tour is a series of international poker tournaments and associated television series broadcasting the final table of each tournament. It was started in the United States by attorney/television producer Steven Lipscomb, who served as CEO of WPT Enterprises , the firm that... - Gregory Mankiw, Harvard Economics Professor
- Karl E. CaseKarl E. CaseKarl Case is Professor of Economics Emeritus at Wellesley College where he held the Coman and Hepburn Chair in Economics and taught for 34 years. He is a currently a Senior Fellow at the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University and was recently elected President of the Boston...
, developer of the Case-Shiller indexCase-Shiller indexThe Standard & Poor's Case–Shiller Home Price Indices are constant-quality house price indices for the United States. There are multiple Case–Shiller home price indices: A national home price index, a 20-city composite index, a 10-city composite index, and twenty individual metro area... - Nicole FreedmanNicole FreedmanNicole Freedman is an American Olympic cyclist.Freedman, who is Jewish, was born in Wellesley, Massachusetts. She attended MIT, and then Stanford University. Among the teams she has competed on are Shaklee , Charles Schwab , Credit Suisse First Boston , RONA , and Basis .In 1997, she was a US...
(born 1972), Olympic cyclist - Ossian Everett MillsOssian Everett MillsOssian Everett Mills was the founder of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts on October 6, 1898.-Life:...
, founder of Phi Mu Alpha SinfoniaPhi Mu Alpha SinfoniaPhi Mu Alpha Sinfonia is an American collegiate social fraternity for men with a special interest in music...
Fraternity of America - Bill MuellerBill MuellerWilliam Richard Mueller is a former Major League Baseball third baseman. Mueller's playing career was spent with the San Francisco Giants , Chicago Cubs , Boston Red Sox , and Los Angeles Dodgers . He won the American League batting title in 2003, and helped the Red Sox win the 2004 World Series...
, former third basemanThird basemanA third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
for the Boston Red SoxBoston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"... - Ray AllenRay AllenWalter Ray Allen is an American professional basketball player who is currently playing for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association. He has played professionally for the Milwaukee Bucks, Seattle SuperSonics, and the Boston Celtics; and collegiately for the University of...
, shooting guardShooting guardThe shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
for the Boston CelticsBoston CelticsThe Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which... - Daisuke MatsuzakaDaisuke Matsuzakais a Japanese professional baseball pitcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball in the United States. He previously played for the Seibu Lions in Japan's Pacific League. He was selected the MVP of the inaugural and the second World Baseball Classic, and is an Olympic bronze...
, pitcherPitcherIn baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
for the Boston Red SoxBoston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"... - Fred McLaffertyFred McLaffertyFred Warren McLafferty is an American chemist known for his work in mass spectrometry. He is best known for the McLafferty rearrangement reaction that was observed with mass spectrometry. WIth Roland Gohlke, he pioneered the technique of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry...
professor, analytical chemist, author, inventor, and a leading developer of mass spectrometryMass spectrometryMass spectrometry is an analytical technique that measures the mass-to-charge ratio of charged particles.It is used for determining masses of particles, for determining the elemental composition of a sample or molecule, and for elucidating the chemical structures of molecules, such as peptides and...
. - Joseph E. Murray, surgeon, winner of the Nobel Prize in Medicine, 1990
- Vladimir NabokovVladimir NabokovVladimir Vladimirovich Nabokov was a multilingual Russian novelist and short story writer. Nabokov wrote his first nine novels in Russian, then rose to international prominence as a master English prose stylist...
, Russian-American author - David George OuelletDavid George OuelletDavid George Ouellet was a US Navy seaman, and received the Medal of Honor for his actions in the Vietnam War.-Biography:...
, Medal of Honor recipient (Posthumously) - Sylvia PlathSylvia PlathSylvia Plath was an American poet, novelist and short story writer. Born in Massachusetts, she studied at Smith College and Newnham College, Cambridge before receiving acclaim as a professional poet and writer...
, poet and author The Bell JarThe Bell JarThe Bell Jar is American writer and poet Sylvia Plath's only novel, which was originally published under the pseudonym "Victoria Lucas" in 1963. The novel is semi-autobiographical with the names of places and people changed... - Richard PrestonRichard PrestonRichard Preston, born August 5, 1954 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S., is a New Yorker writer and bestselling author perhaps best-known for his books about infectious disease epidemics and bioterrorism, although he has written other non-fiction works...
and Douglas PrestonDouglas PrestonDouglas Preston is an American author who has written seventeen popular techno-thriller and horror novels, four alone and the rest with Lincoln Child...
, best-selling authors - James St. ClairJames D. St. ClairJames D. St. Clair was an American lawyer, and practiced law for many years in Boston with the firm of Hale and Dorr.He first gained notice while assisting Joseph Welch in the Army-McCarthy Hearings of 1954...
, defense lawyer for Richard NixonRichard NixonRichard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
during WatergateWatergate scandalThe Watergate scandal was a political scandal during the 1970s in the United States resulting from the break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., and the Nixon administration's attempted cover-up of its involvement... - Jack SanfordJack SanfordJohn Stanley Sanford was an American right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball, and later in his career a relief pitcher as well, for the Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants, and California Angels. He finished his career playing very briefly with the Kansas City...
, former MLB pitcher and 1957 MLB Rookie of the Year AwardMLB Rookie of the Year AwardIn Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year Award is annually given to one player from each league as voted on by the Baseball Writers Association of America . The award was established in 1940 by the Chicago chapter of the BBWAA, which selected an annual winner from 1940 through 1946...
recipient - Billy SquierBilly SquierWilliam Haislip "Billy" Squier is an American rock musician. Squier had a string of arena rock hits in the 1980s. He is best known for the song "The Stroke" on his 1981 album release Don't Say No...
, rock musician - Steven TylerSteven TylerSteven Tyler is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, best known as the frontman and lead singer of the Boston-based rock band Aerosmith, in which he also plays the harmonica, and occasional piano and percussion. He is known as the "Demon of Screamin'", due to his high screams...
, rock musician (Aerosmith) - Greg YaitanesGreg YaitanesGreg Yaitanes is an American television and film director.-Directing career:*Damages **"Jesus, Mary and Joe Cocker" **"A Pretty Girl in a Leotard" *Lost...
, actor, film director, writer - Rasheed WallaceRasheed WallaceRasheed Abdul Wallace is a retired American professional basketball power forward and center who played from 1995 to 2010 in the National Basketball Association...
, retired professional basketball player - Brian MoynihanBrian MoynihanBrian Thomas Moynihan is an American lawyer, businessman and the President and CEO of Bank of America. He also joined the Board of Directors, following his promotion to President and CEO. He resides with his family outside of Boston, Massachusetts.-Early life:Moynihan was born in Marietta, Ohio...
- CEO of Bank of America - Andrea JungAndrea JungAndrea Jung is a Canadian-American business executive. In 2001, she was named one of the 30 most powerful women in America by Ladies Home Journal....
- CEO of Avon Products - David G. WalkerDavid G. WalkerDavid G Walker is a British pianist, singer and composer based in London and sometime Victoria, Australia, known for his distinctive performances of rock and roll classics, original songs and church worship songs.-Biography:...
- CEO of Shreve, Crump & LowShreve, Crump & LowShreve, Crump & Low, a Boston, Massachusetts business in its third century of operation, is the oldest jeweler in North America and has built such prestigious trophies as the Davis Cup and the Cy Young Award...
Historic Bostonian Jewelry Store - Steven Ellis – Former pitcherPitcherIn baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
for the Chicago CubsChicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National... - Carl CrawfordCarl CrawfordCarl Demonte Crawford is an American professional baseball outfielder who plays for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. He bats and throws left-handed...
– Outfielder for the Boston Red SoxBoston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"... - Xihong LinXihong LinXihong Lin is an award-winning Chinese-American statistician. She is a Professor in the Department of Biostatistics and Coordinating Director of the Program in Quantitative Genomics at Harvard University. Lin has written many research papers about statistical genetics, linear mixed models, bias...
Harvard Medical Department Professor