Braintree
The Town of Braintree is a suburban city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Although officially known as a town, Braintree adopted a municipal charter, effective 2008, with a mayor-council form of government and is considered a city under Massachusetts law.[1] The population was 35,744 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Greater Boston area with access to the MBTA Red Line and is a member of the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission’s South Shore Coalition.[2] The first and current mayor of Braintree is Joe Sullivan.[3]
The town of Braintree was incorporated in 1640 and named after the English town of Braintree. It comprised land that was later split into Randolph, Holbrook, and Quincy, as well as parts of Weymouth and Milton, Massachusetts. The “North Precinct” of Braintree, which is now the bulk of the city of Quincy, was the birthplace of presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams, as well as statesman John Hancock and General Sylvanus Thayer, the “Father of West Point.”
Braintree is the site of the infamous 1920 murders that led to the trial of Sacco and Vanzetti. It was the retirement home of the co-inventor of the telephone Thomas A. Watson.
Braintree’s population grew by over 50% during the 1920s.[4]
In January 2008 Braintree converted from a representative town meeting form of government to a mayor-council government.
Neighborhoods
- East Braintree: East Braintree is considered anything bordering Weymouth or Quincy. Most of East Braintree borders the Fore River and follows until it reaches the Fore River Shipyard. Braintree’s Electric Company (BELD), Watson Park, The Braintree Yacht Club, East Braintree MBTA station, Pond Meadow Park, and the Watson Park branch of the Thayer Public Library are located in East Braintree.
- South Braintree: South Braintree is the part of the city which has the most business and industry. South Braintree is the location of South Braintree Square, Braintree Station, and Braintree High School. This part of town borders Randolph to the southwest.
- North Braintree: North Braintree is considered anything on the opposite side of Route 3 and & the MBTA ROW, any part which borders Quincy, and anything paralleling Interstate 93. The former Sheraton Hotel and South Shore Plaza are located in North Braintree as well as Wood Rd. industrial park.
- Braintree Highlands: The Highlands is the southernmost part of the city and borders Holbrook.The highlands is home to the Braintree Town Forest.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town had a total area of 14.5 square miles (37.6 km²). 13.9 square miles (36.0 km²) of it was land and 1.6 km² (0.6 sq mi/4.34%) of it was water. That water includes Pond Meadow Park and Sunset Lake to name a couple of bodies of water.
Demographics
| Historical populations | ||
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1850 | 2,969 | — |
| 1860 | 3,468 | +16.8% |
| 1870 | 3,948 | +13.8% |
| 1880 | 3,855 | −2.4% |
| 1890 | 4,848 | +25.8% |
| 1900 | 5,981 | +23.4% |
| 1910 | 8,066 | +34.9% |
| 1920 | 10,580 | +31.2% |
| 1930 | 15,712 | +48.5% |
| 1940 | 16,378 | +4.2% |
| 1950 | 23,161 | +41.4% |
| 1960 | 31,069 | +34.1% |
| 1970 | 35,050 | +12.8% |
| 1980 | 36,337 | +3.7% |
| 1990 | 33,836 | −6.9% |
| 2000 | 33,828 | −0.0% |
| 2001* | 33,699 | −0.4% |
| 2002* | 33,612 | −0.3% |
| 2003* | 33,343 | −0.8% |
| 2004* | 33,470 | +0.4% |
| 2005* | 33,295 | −0.5% |
| 2006* | 33,888 | +1.8% |
| 2007* | 34,293 | +1.2% |
| 2008* | 35,371 | +3.1% |
| 2009* | 35,488 | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 35,744 | +0.7% |
| * = population estimate.Source: United States Census records and Population Estimates Program data.[5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] | ||
As of the census[15] of 2000, there were 33,828 people, 12,652 households, and 8,907 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,434.4 people per square mile (939.6/km²). There were 12,973 housing units at an average density of 933.6 per square mile (360.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 93.96% White, 1.18% Black or African American, 0.11% Native American, 3.14% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.64% from other races, and 0.95% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.16% of the population.
There were 12,652 households out of which 29.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.4% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.6% were non-families. 24.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.16.
In the town the population was spread out with 22.5% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 89.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town is $74,360, and the median income for a family is $90,590 as of a 2007 estimate[16]). Males had a median income of $49,607 versus $36,034 for females. The per capita income for the town was $28,683. About 2.1% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.6% of those under age 18 and 3.3% of those age 65 or over.
Transportation
Braintree is situated in the Greater Boston Area, which has excellent rail, air, and highway facilities. State Route 128 and Interstate 95 divide the region into inner and outer zones, which are connected by numerous “spokes” providing direct access to the airport, port, and intermodal facilities of Boston.
Major highways
Principal highways in Braintree are Interstate 93 (which runs concurrently with U.S. 1) and Route 3, as well as 37, and 53. Entering Braintree from the north, I-93, Route 1, and Route 3 all run concurrently as the Southeast Expressway from Boston; in Braintree they diverge, with Route 3 heading south toward Cape Cod as the Pilgrims Highway, and I-93 and Route 1 heading west toward Route 128.
Rail
Commuter rail service to South Station, Boston, is available on the Middleboro & Plymouth lines from the Rail Station located on Union Street. The MBTA Red Line is also accessible at the same location. Rail service on the Greenbush line started up in late 2007 and is accessible from the Rail Station located on Quincy Avenue in East Braintree.
Bus
Braintree is a member of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) which provides fixed route service to Quincy Adams, Quincy Center, Braintree, and Ashmont stations. The MBTA also provides THE RIDE, a paratransit service for the elderly and disabled.
Commerce
Braintree is home to several large companies, including:, Greater Media, Haemonetics, and TopSource LLC.
Education
There are three high schools in Braintree: Braintree High School, a public school; Thayer Academy, a private school; and Archbishop Williams, a Roman Catholic private school.
Points of interest
Notable residents
- John Adams, signer of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, the first Vice President of the United States, served for eight years, and the second President of the United States, served four years.
- John Hancock, signer of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, fourth President of the Continental Congress, American diplomat and statesman.
- Abigail Adams, wife of President John Adams, mother of John Quincy Adams.
- John Quincy Adams, American diplomat, sixth President of the United States, served four years, member of the United States House of Representatives.
- Sylvanus Thayer, superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy, called “the Father of West Point“.
- Thomas A. Watson, primary assistant of Alexander Graham Bell, assisted in invention of the telephone; founder of Fore River Shipyard.
Modern era
- Joe Amorosino, reporter and sports director for WHDH-TV.
- Jim Calhoun, current head coach of University of Connecticut men’s basketball team.
- Chris Doherty, musician and recording artist from the band Gang Green.
- Tiffany Kelly, beauty pageant winner, Miss Massachusetts of 2006.
- Don McKenney, hockey center, captain of the Boston Bruins 1954–1963.
- William Rosenberg, creator of the Dunkin’ Donuts restaurant chain.
- Nick Santino, founder, lead vocalist, and rhythm guitarist for the band A Rocket to the Moon.
- Butch Stearns, sports anchorman on The Pulse Network.[17]
- Peter Kormann, American gymnast and winner of the bronze medal for Gymnastics at the 1976 Summer Olympics
Films shot in Braintree
- June 1969: Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon directed by Otto Preminger (sequence filmed in Bluehill Cemetery, 710 West Street)
- October 2006: The Departed directed by Martin Scorsese (sequence filmed in the Fore River Shipyard)
- April 2008: Paul Blart: Mall Cop directed by Steve Carr (sequence filmed in the South Shore Plaza)
- September 2009: What Doesn’t Kill You directed by Brent Munyon (sequence filmed at the Mobil station on Elm Street)
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Braintree, Massachusetts |
- Braintree Public Schools
- Town of Braintree
- Thayer Public Library, Braintree, MA
- Braintree Historical Society
- Historic letters written from Braintree
- Answer Book/Braintree: Everything you need to know
Notes and references
- Dennehy, John A. “Images of America: Braintree.” Arcadia Publishing, 2010. ISBN 9780738572475
- ^Braintree Town Charter and MGL 39: City and town forms of government
- ^MAPC South Shore Coalition
- ^The Patriot Ledger, 1/3/2008
- ^ Schaeffer, K. H. and Elliott Sclar. Access for All: Transportation and Urban Growth. Columbia University Press, 1980. Accessed on Google Books. 86. Retrieved on January 16, 2010. ISBN 0231051654, 9780231051651.
- ^“TOTAL POPULATION (P1), 2010 Census Summary File 1, All County Subdivisions within Massachusetts”. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 13, 2011.
- ^“Massachusetts by Place and County Subdivision – GCT-T1. Population Estimates”. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^“1990 Census of Population, General Population Characteristics: Massachusetts”. US Census Bureau. December 1990. Table 76: General Characteristics of Persons, Households, and Families: 1990. 1990 CP-1-23. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^“1980 Census of the Population, Number of Inhabitants: Massachusetts”. US Census Bureau. December 1981. Table 4. Populations of County Subdivisions: 1960 to 1980. PC80-1-A23. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^“1950 Census of Population”. Bureau of the Census. 1952. Section 6, Pages 21-10 and 21-11, Massachusetts Table 6. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1930 to 1950. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^“1920 Census of Population”. Bureau of the Census. Number of Inhabitants, by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions. Pages 21-5 through 21-7. Massachusetts Table 2. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1920, 1910, and 1920. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^“1890 Census of the Population”. Department of the Interior, Census Office. Pages 179 through 182. Massachusetts Table 5. Population of States and Territories by Minor Civil Divisions: 1880 and 1890. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^“1870 Census of the Population”. Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1872. Pages 217 through 220. Table IX. Population of Minor Civil Divisions, &c. Massachusetts. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^“1860 Census”. Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1864. Pages 220 through 226. State of Massachusetts Table No. 3. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c.. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^“1850 Census”. Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1854. Pages 338 through 393. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c.. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^“American FactFinder”. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=ChangeGeoContext&geo_id=06000US2502107665&_geoContext=&_street=&_county=braintree&_cityTown=braintree&_state=04000US25&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=ACS_2007_3YR_SAFF&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null®=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry=
- ^http://thepulsenetwork.com/Channel.aspx?c=sports The Pulse Network
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See more city of Braintree real estate.
(all data current as of
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$239,900 : 201 Allerton Commons Ln, Unit 201, Braintree2 beds, 2 full baths
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$229,900 : 286 Allerton Commons Ln, Unit 286, Braintree2 beds, 1 full, 1 part baths
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2 beds, 1 full bath
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$219,900 : 501 Commerce Dr, Unit 1105, Braintree2 beds, 2 full baths
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$336,590 : 414 John Mahar Highway, Unit 308, Braintree2 beds, 2 full baths
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$299,170 : 418 John Mahar Highway, Unit 307, Braintree1 bed, 1 full bath
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$249,900 : 6 Edgehill Road, Unit 6, Braintree3 beds, 2 full baths
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$269,900 : 614 Pond St, Unit 2104, Braintree2 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths
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$229,900 : 501 Commerce Dr, Unit 4208, Braintree2 beds, 2 full baths
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$115,800 : 614 Pond St, Unit 1-421, Braintree2 beds, 2 full baths
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$79,900 : 153 Commercial St., Unit 2, Braintree1 bed, 1 full bath
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$279,900 : 6 Royal Lake Drive, Unit 3, Braintree3 beds, 2 full baths
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$279,900 : 399 Pond Street, Unit C5, Braintree2 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths
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$248,000 : 313 Tilden Commons Lane, Unit 313, Braintree2 beds, 2 full baths
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$319,830 : 414 John Mahar Highway, Unit 305, Braintree2 beds, 2 full baths
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$360,900 : 418 John Mahar Highway, Unit 408, Braintree2 beds, 2 full baths
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$249,900 : 53 Bradford Commons Ln, Unit 53, Braintree2 beds, 2 full baths
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$289,900 : 26 Bradford Commons Ln, Unit 26, Braintree3 beds, 2 full baths
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$254,900 : 501 Commerce Drive, Unit 3-213, Braintree2 beds, 2 full baths
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$376,045 : 418 John Mahar Highway, Unit 104, Braintree2 beds, 2 full baths
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$234,045 : 414 John Mahar Highway, Unit 103, Braintree1 bed, 1 full bath
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$249,000 : 501 Commerce Drive, Unit 2-303, Braintree2 beds, 2 full baths
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$199,000 : 8 Hall Ave, Unit 1, Braintree3 beds, 1 full bath
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$274,900 : 185 Allerton Commons Ln, Unit 185, Braintree3 beds, 1 full, 1 part baths
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$239,900 : 100 Bradford Commons, Unit 100, Braintree2 beds, 1 full bath
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