Editing Rochester, Massachusetts (section)

==History==
Rochester was settled in 1679 on the lands called "Sippican" by the local [[Wampanoags]], along the coast of [[Buzzards Bay]].  (''Sippican'' was the name of the local tribe.<ref>[http://www.townofmarion.org/history.html Marion Town History] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070114122625/http://www.townofmarion.org/history.html |date=January 14, 2007 }}</ref>)  It originally included the lands of [[Mattapoisett, Massachusetts|Mattapoisett]], [[Marion, Massachusetts|Marion]] and parts of [[Wareham, Massachusetts|Wareham]] (which was lost when Wareham was founded in 1739).  The town was officially incorporated on June 4, 1686, as Rochester, and was named for [[Rochester, Kent|Rochester, England]], from which early settlers to the town came.  The town originally thrived with the early shipbuilding and whaling trade in Mattapoisett Harbor.  However, in 1852 and 1857 the towns of Marion and Mattapoisett, respectively, were separated and incorporated as separate towns, thus landlocking Rochester.  Since that time, the town has become mostly rural-residential, with some farms located in town.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20091027050335/http://geocities.com/rochestertownclerk/ Town of Rochester history]</ref> Rochester is a "[[Right-to-farm laws|Right to Farm]]" community.<ref name=zoninglaw>{{cite web|title=Town of Rochester MA Zoning By-Laws|url=http://www.townofrochestermass.com/bylaws.htm|website=Town of Rochester, MA|access-date=March 19, 2015|quote=This By-Law encourages the pursuit of agriculture, promotes agriculture-based economic opportunities, and protects farmlands within the Town of Rochester by allowing agricultural uses and related activities to function with minimal conflict with abutters and Town agencies, when done in compliance with applicable state laws, Town By-Laws and regulations. This By-Law shall apply to all jurisdictional areas within the Town.|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402164538/http://www.townofrochestermass.com/bylaws.htm|archive-date=April 2, 2015}}</ref>