Editing Halifax, Massachusetts

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name                   = Halifax, Massachusetts
| nickname                        = 
| motto                           = 
| image_skyline                   = Halifax_-_West_Monponsett_Pond.JPG
| imagesize                       = 250px
| image_caption                   = West Monponsett Pond
| image_seal                      = Seal of Halifax, Massachusetts.png
| image_flag                      = 
| image_map                       = Plymouth County Massachusetts incorporated and unincorporated areas Halifax highlighted.svg
| mapsize                         = 250px
| map_caption                     = Location in Plymouth County, Massachusetts
| image_map1                      = 
| mapsize1                        = 
| map_caption1                    = 
| subdivision_type                = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name                = United States
| subdivision_type1               = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1               = [[Massachusetts]]
| subdivision_type2               = [[List of counties in Massachusetts|County]]
| subdivision_name2               = [[Plymouth County, Massachusetts|Plymouth]]
| established_title               = Settled
| established_date                = 1670
| established_title2              = Incorporated
| established_date2               = 1734
| established_title3              = 
| established_date3               = 
| government_type                 = [[Open town meeting]]
| leader_title                    = <!--[[Executive Administrator]]-->
| leader_name                     = 
| leader_title1                   = <!--Board of <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Selectmen-->
| leader_name1                    = 
| area_magnitude                  = 
| area_total_km2                  = 44.9
| area_total_sq_mi                = 17.3
| area_land_km2                   = 41.8
| area_land_sq_mi                 = 16.2
| area_water_km2                  = 3.1
| area_water_sq_mi                = 1.2
| population_as_of                = 2020
| settlement_type                 = [[New England town|Town]]
| population_total                = 7749
| population_density_km2          = auto
| population_density_sq_mi        = 
| elevation_m                     = 27
| elevation_ft                    = 90
| timezone                        = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|Eastern]]
| utc_offset                      = -5
| timezone_DST                    = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|Eastern]]
| utc_offset_DST                  = -4
| coordinates                     = {{coord|41|59|28|N|70|51|45|W|region:US-MA|display=inline,title}}
| website                         = [http://www.halifax-ma.org/ www.halifax-ma.org]
| postal_code_type                = ZIP code
| postal_code                     = 02338
| area_code                       = [[Area code 339|339]] / [[Area code 781|781]]
| blank_name                      = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info                      = 25-27795
| blank1_name                     = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info                     = 0618340
| footnotes                       = 
| name                            = 
}}
'''Halifax''' is a [[New England town|town]] in [[Plymouth County, Massachusetts|Plymouth County]], [[Massachusetts]], United States. The population was 7,749 at the 2020 census.<ref>{{Cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Halifax_town,_Plymouth_County,_Massachusetts?g=060XX00US2502327795| title= Halifax town, Plymouth County, Massachusetts| publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]| access-date=August 18, 2023}}</ref>

== History ==
Halifax was first settled by Europeans, most notably the Bosworth family from Bosworth Fields in England, in 1669, growing with lumbering and agriculture. It was officially separated from the town of Plympton and incorporated in 1734, and was named for [[Halifax, West Yorkshire]], England.  The town was part of an early effort to create a canal between [[Buzzards Bay]] and [[Massachusetts Bay]], when in 1795 a canal was proposed between the [[Taunton River]] and [[North River (Massachusetts Bay)|North River]]; the plan never succeeded, although the town's sawmills continued to grow, as did cranberry production, iron furnaces and a wool mill.  The railroad came in the nineteenth century, providing access for people from the city to the shores of [[Silver Lake (Plymouth County, Massachusetts)|Silver Lake]] and the [[Monponsett Pond]]s.  Today the town is mostly residential, with a small retail area growing at the center of town.<ref>[http://www.mass.gov/dhcd/iprofile/118.pdf DHCD Profile - Halifax, Massachusetts (from Mass.gov)]</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|17.3|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|16.1|sqmi|km2}} is land and {{convert|1.2|sqmi|km2}}, or 6.81%, is water.  Statistically, Halifax is the 235th largest town in the Commonwealth by land area, and is eighteenth out of the twenty-seven communities in Plymouth County.  Halifax is bordered by [[Hanson, Massachusetts|Hanson]] to the north, [[Pembroke, Massachusetts|Pembroke]] to the northeast, [[Plympton, Massachusetts|Plympton]] to the southeast, [[Middleborough, Massachusetts|Middleborough]] to the southwest, and [[Bridgewater, Massachusetts|Bridgewater]] and [[East Bridgewater, Massachusetts|East Bridgewater]] to the west.  Halifax is approximately {{convert|12|mi}} west of [[Plymouth, Massachusetts|Plymouth]], {{convert|13|mi}} southeast of [[Brockton, Massachusetts|Brockton]], and {{convert|33|mi}} south-southeast of [[Boston]].

Much of Halifax's geography is dictated by water.  The town lies on the western banks of [[Silver Lake (Plymouth County, Massachusetts)|Silver Lake]], and is also the site of [[Robbins Pond (Massachusetts)|Robbins Pond]], Indian Trail Reservoir and Burrage Pond in the west of town, and East and West [[Monponsett Pond]]s near the center of town.  The two Monponsett Ponds are separated by a narrow strip of land, barely {{convert|150|ft|m}} wide in some spots, and this strip of land also accommodates part of [[Massachusetts Route 58|MA Route 58]].  Part of the town's border with Bridgewater is defined by the [[Taunton River]], which also spawns the [[Winnetuxet River]] and several other brooks into town.  And, on either side of the Monponsett Ponds lie swamps, with Great Cedar Swamp to the west and Peterson Swamp to the east.  The town also shares a small conservation area with neighboring Plympton and the larger [[Burrage Pond Wildlife Management Area]] with Hanson.

==Demographics==
{{See also|List of Massachusetts locations by per capita income}}
{{Historical populations | type=USA | align=left
 | 1850|784
 | 1860|766
 | 1870|619
 | 1880|542
 | 1890|562
 | 1900|522
 | 1910|550
 | 1920|563
 | 1930|728
 | 1940|867
 | 1950|944
 | 1960|1599
 | 1970|3537
 | 1980|5513
 | 1990|6526
 | 2000|7500
 | 2010|7518
 | 2020|7749
 | 2023*|7718
 | footnote=* = population estimate.  {{Historical populations/Massachusetts municipalities references}}<ref>{{cite web | title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2022| publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] | access-date=November 23, 2023 | url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=http://factfinder2.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=January 31, 2008|title=American FactFinder}}</ref> of 2000, there were 7,500 people, 2,758 households, and 2,054 families residing in the town.  The population density was {{convert|464.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 2,841 housing units at an average density of {{convert|175.9|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the town was 98.13% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.31% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.03% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.27% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.48% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.79% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.55% of the population.

There were 2,758 households out of which 34.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.5% were non-families. 21.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.18.

In the town, the population was spread out with 25.4% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 31.4% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.5 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $57,015, and the median income for a family was $65,461. Males had a median income of $47,788 versus $31,200 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $23,738.  About 1.8% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 4.5% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.

Statistically speaking, Halifax is the 204th largest community in the Commonwealth in terms of population, and 186th in terms of population density.  Both are below the state average and state median.

==Government==
[[Image:Halifax Town Hall, Massachusetts.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Halifax Town Hall]]

===Local government===
Halifax is governed by the [[open town meeting]] form of government, led by a [[board of selectmen]] and a town administrator. Halifax has its own police and fire departments, both of which are headquartered near the town center.  The town has its own ambulance service, with the nearest hospitals being in [[Plymouth, Massachusetts|Plymouth]] and [[Brockton, Massachusetts|Brockton]]. The town's post office is also located in the town center, as is the Holmes Public Library. The town also operates a beach on West Monponsett Pond, and one boat landing each on the two [[Monponsett Pond]]s.<ref>{{cite web|title=Board of Selectmen|url=http://www.town.halifax.ma.us/Pages/HalifaxMA_Bcomm/Selectmen/index|work=Town of Halifax|accessdate=November 10, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007005259/http://www.town.halifax.ma.us/Pages/HalifaxMA_Bcomm/Selectmen/index|archive-date=October 7, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Federal and state representation===
Halifax is a part of [[Massachusetts's 9th congressional district]], represented by Democrat [[William R. Keating]] since January 2013. The state's senior ([[Classes of United States Senators#Class I|Class I]]) senator, since January 2013, is Democrat [[Elizabeth Warren]].<ref>{{cite web|title=State & Federal Legislators|url=http://www.town.halifax.ma.us/Pages/HalifaxMA_Bcomm/Selectmen/reps|work=Town of Halifax|accessdate=November 10, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130821161132/http://www.town.halifax.ma.us/Pages/HalifaxMA_Bcomm/Selectmen/reps|archive-date=August 21, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> The state's junior ([[Classes of United States Senators#Class II|Class II]]) senator, since July 2013, is Democrat [[Ed Markey]].

Halifax is represented in the [[Massachusetts House of Representatives]] by the Twelfth Plymouth District; the Twelfth includes Kingston, Plympton and portions of Duxbury, Middleborough and Plymouth. The town is represented in the [[Massachusetts Senate]] as a part of the Second Plymouth and Bristol district, which includes Brockton, Hanover, Hanson, Whitman and portions of East Bridgewater and Easton.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.mass.gov/legis/citytown.htm |title=Index of Legislative Representation by City and Town, from Mass.gov |access-date=March 11, 2007 |archive-date=September 29, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929115141/http://www.mass.gov/legis/citytown.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>  The town is patrolled by the Fourth (Middleborough) Barracks of Troop D of the [[Massachusetts State Police]].<ref>[http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=eopsterminal&L=5&L0=Home&L1=Law+Enforcement+%26+Criminal+Justice&L2=Law+Enforcement&L3=State+Police+Troops&L4=Troop+D&sid=Eeops&b=terminalcontent&f=msp_divisions_field_services_troops_troop_d_msp_field_troop_d_station_d4&csid=Eeops Station D-4, SP Middleborough]</ref>

==Education==
Halifax is a member of the Silver Lake Regional School District, along with Plympton and Kingston.  The three towns operate their own elementary schools, with middle school students attending Silver Lake Regional Middle School and high school students attending [[Silver Lake Regional High School]], both of which are in Kingston.  Halifax Elementary School is located between the library and fire station in the town center, and serves students from [[kindergarten]] through sixth grade.  The high school operates its own vocational division, so there is no agreement with any regional vocational schools.  Halifax has no private schools; the nearest are in Kingston and Bridgewater.

==Transportation==
The two major routes through town are Routes [[Massachusetts Route 58|58]] and [[Massachusetts Route 106|106]], which meet just east of the town center and south of the Monponsett Ponds (Route 58, in fact, is the route which crosses the ponds).  To the east of East Monponsett Pond, [[Massachusetts Route 36|Route 36's]] southern terminus meets Route 106. [[Massachusetts Route 105|Route 105's]] northern terminus is 1½ miles west of the intersection of Routes 58 and 106, at Route 106.

Halifax is served by [[Halifax station (MBTA)|Halifax station]] on the [[Kingston Line]] of the [[MBTA Commuter Rail]] system. There is no air service in the town, although small [[seaplane]]s do land on East Monponsett Pond.  [[Cranland Airport]] is a small private air strip in neighboring Hanson. The nearest regional air service is at [[Plymouth Municipal Airport (Massachusetts)|Plymouth Municipal Airport]], and the nearest national and international air service is at [[Logan International Airport]] in Boston.

==Media==
* [http://www.thepatriotledger.com ''The Patriot Ledger'']
* [http://www.wickedlocal.com/halifax ''The Halifax/Plympton Reporter'']
* [http://www.plymptonhalifaxexpress.com ''Plympton-Halifax Express'']

==Notable people==
* [[Joshua Cushman]], congressman
* [[Alexander Parris]], architect
* [[Warren G. Phillips]], educator and author

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [https://www.halifax-ma.org Town of Halifax official website]
* [http://holmespubliclibrary.org/ Holmes Public Library]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120309030703/http://www.town.halifax.ma.us/Pages/HalifaxMA_Bcomm/Historical/index Halifax Historical Commission]
* [http://newenglandtowns.org/massachusetts/halifax Hayward's ''New England Gazetteer of 1839 -- Halifax, Massachusetts]
* Answer Book/Halifax: [https://web.archive.org/web/20120529084558/http://www.patriotledger.com/answerbook/halifax ''Everything you need to know'']

{{Plymouth County, Massachusetts}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Plymouth County, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Halifax, Massachusetts| ]]
[[Category:Towns in Massachusetts]]