Editing Mansfield, Massachusetts

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name            = Mansfield, Massachusetts
| nickname                 = 
| motto                    = 
| image_skyline            = North Main Street, Mansfield MA.jpg
| imagesize                = 250px
| image_caption            = North Main Street, Mansfield, MA
| image_seal               = Seal of Mansfield, Massachusetts.png
| image_flag               = 
| image_map                = Bristol County Massachusetts incorporated and unincorporated areas Mansfield highlighted.svg
| mapsize                  = 250px
| map_caption              = Location in Bristol County in 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        = [[Bristol County, Massachusetts|Bristol]]
| established_title        = Settled
| established_date         = 1658
| established_title2       = Incorporated
| established_date2        = 1775
| established_title3       = 
| established_date3        = 
| government_type          = [[Open town meeting]]
| leader_title             = [[Town Manager|Town<br />{{nbsp|3}}Manager]]
| leader_name              = Kevin Dumas
| leader_title1            = Select Board
| leader_name1             = Michael A. Trowbridge, Sr. (Chair)<br />Frank DelVecchio (Vice Chair)<br />Neil Rhein (Clerk)<br />Jess Aptowitz<br />Diana Bren
| area_magnitude           = 
| area_total_km2           = 53.7
| area_total_sq_mi         = 20.7
| area_land_km2            = 53.0
| area_land_sq_mi          = 20.5
| area_water_km2           = 0.7
| area_water_sq_mi         = 0.3
| population_as_of         = 2020
| settlement_type          = [[New England town|Town]]
| population_total         = 23860
| population_density_km2   = 450.19
| population_density_sq_mi = 1163.90
| elevation_m              = 49
| elevation_ft             = 160
| timezone                 = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|Eastern]]
| utc_offset               = −5
| timezone_DST             = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|Eastern]]
| utc_offset_DST           = −4
| coordinates              = {{Coord|42|02|00|N|71|13|10|W|region:US-MA_type:city(24,000)|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type         = ZIP Code
| postal_code              = 02048
| area_code                = [[Area code 508|508]]/[[Area code 774|774]]
| blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info               = 25-38225
| blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info              = 0618283
| website                  = [http://www.mansfieldma.com/ www.mansfieldma.com]
| footnotes                = 
}}

'''Mansfield''' is a [[New England town|town]] in [[Bristol County, Massachusetts]], United States. As of the [[United States 2020 Census]], the town population is 23,860.<ref>[https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0600000US2500538225 US 2020 Census. Retrieved October 6, 2021]</ref> Mansfield is 23 miles southwest of [[Boston]] and is 22 miles northeast of [[Providence, Rhode Island]]. The village of [[Mansfield Center, Massachusetts|Mansfield Center]] is located in the town. The town is [[sister city|twinned]] with [[Mansfield]] in [[Nottinghamshire]], England.

==History==
[[Image:Mansfield, Massachusetts (2673720087).jpg|thumb|left|View of Mansfield in 1888]]
[[Image:Panoramic_photo_of_Walter_Lowney's_factory,_Mansfield,_Mass_LCCN2007661046.tif|thumb|left|Walter Lowney's chocolate factory, Mansfield]]

The area to become Mansfield was first scouted in 1640 by Captain [[Miles Standish]],<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=History of Mansfield {{!}} Mansfield, MA|url=https://www.mansfieldma.com/303/History-of-Mansfield|access-date=October 25, 2020|website=www.mansfieldma.com}}</ref> settled in 1658 and was officially incorporated in 1775. It was named for [[William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield]], a pro-colonial member of the [[House of Lords]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Gannett|first=Henry|title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ|year=1905|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n197 198]}}</ref> Mansfield is the home of the [[Xfinity Center (Mansfield, Massachusetts)|Xfinity Center]] (formerly known as Great Woods, Tweeter Center and Comcast Center) concert venue, one of the most popular in New England. 

One of the oldest buildings in Mansfield is the [[Fisher–Richardson House]], built between 1743 and 1751, registered in the [[National Register of Historic Places]]. It was restored in 1930 and is a local history museum. 

Mansfield is also the birthplace of [[Honey Dew Donuts]],<ref name="Official Web Page">{{cite web|title=The Honey Dew Donuts Story|url=http://www.honeydewdonuts.com/about-us/honey-dew-donuts-story|publisher=Honey Dew Associates, Inc|access-date=September 11, 2012}}</ref> a regional New England chain of donut shops. The first Honey Dew was opened at 221 North Main Street on June 6, 1973.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thesunchronicle.com/a-sweet-th/article_f84ab3c7-cc5f-5ce5-9fb0-5876265233be.html |title=A Sweet 30th |last=Gelbwasser|first=Michael |date=October 5, 2003 |website=[[Sun Chronicle]] |access-date=March 15, 2019}}</ref>

[[Benjamin E. Bates]], an industrialist and philanthropist, who was the founder of [[Bates College]], was born in Mansfield in 1808.  Stove and furnace manufacturer and innovator Gordon Chilson (1804–1877) worked here.<ref>{{Cite Appletons'|wstitle=Chilson, Gordon|year=1900}}</ref>

==Geography==
[[Image:Norton Reservoir looking north, MA.jpg|thumb|left|[[Norton Reservoir]] within the towns of Mansfield and [[Norton, Massachusetts|Norton]], looking north]]

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|20.7|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|20.5|sqmi|km2}}  is land and {{convert|0.3|sqmi|km2}}  (1.25%) is water. There are five conservation areas in the town. They are, from largest to smallest: the Great Woods Conservation Area, Maple Park Conservation Area, York Conservation Area, Marie Strese Conservation Area, and Sweet Pond Conservation Area. The town is bisected by the Canoe, Rumford and Wading Rivers, as well as many small brooks which are all part of the [[Taunton River]] Watershed.

Mansfield's location is 28 miles south of [[Boston, Massachusetts|Boston]], 14 miles west of [[Brockton, Massachusetts|Brockton]], and 19 miles north of [[Providence, Rhode Island|Providence]], [[Rhode Island]]. It is bordered by [[Foxborough, Massachusetts|Foxborough]] and [[Sharon, Massachusetts|Sharon]] to the north, [[Easton, Massachusetts|Easton]] to the east, [[Norton, Massachusetts|Norton]] to the south, and [[North Attleborough, Massachusetts|North Attleborough]] and [[Attleboro, Massachusetts|Attleboro]] to the west. The town's northern border is also a portion of the northern border of Bristol County. Its neighborhoods include East Mansfield, Whiteville, Ginty Corner, Mansfield Center, Purdy Corner, Robinsonville and West Mansfield.

==Demographics==
[[Image:Jp49819980922-lilithfair.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Xfinity Center (Mansfield, Massachusetts)|Xfinity Center]] is a popular concert venue in the [[Boston]] area]]
{{Historical populations | type=USA
 | 1850|1789
 | 1860|2114
 | 1870|2432
 | 1880|2765
 | 1890|3432
 | 1900|4006
 | 1910|5183
 | 1920|6255
 | 1930|6364
 | 1940|6530
 | 1950|7184
 | 1960|7773
 | 1970|9939
 | 1980|13453
 | 1990|16568
 | 2000|22414
 | 2010|23184
 | 2020|23860
 | 2022|23816
 | footnote= {{Historical populations/Massachusetts municipalities references}}<ref>{{cite web | title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2022| publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] | access-date=November 10, 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=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 22,414 people, 7,942 households, and 5,861 families residing in the town. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1095.4|PD/sqmi|/km2}}. There were 8,120 housing units at an average density of {{convert|396.8|/sqmi|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the town was 94.30% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 2.18% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.21% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1.93% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.02% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.43% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.94% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.41% of the population.

There were 7,942 households, out of which 44.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.2% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.2% were non-families. Of all households, 21.1% were made up of individuals, and 5.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.34.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 31.4% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 38.1% from 25 to 44, 18.9% from 45 to 64, and 6.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $66,925, and the median income for a family was $78,058 (these figures had risen to $93,533 and $111,316 respectively as of a 2007 estimate<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=Search&geo_id=06000US0900934950&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US09%7C05000US09009%7C06000US0900934950&_street=&_county=mansfield&_cityTown=mansfield&_state=04000US25&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=060&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=ACS_2007_3YR_SAFF&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry= |title=American FactFinder - Community Facts |access-date=April 6, 2009 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200211181145/http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=Search&geo_id=06000US0900934950&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US09%7C05000US09009%7C06000US0900934950&_street=&_county=mansfield&_cityTown=mansfield&_state=04000US25&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=060&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=ACS_2007_3YR_SAFF&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null:null&_keyword=&_industry= |archive-date=February 11, 2020 |url-status=dead }}</ref>). Males had a median income of $52,416 versus $36,658 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $27,441. About 3.0% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 3.6% of those under age 18 and 12.9% of those age 65 or over.

==Government==
[[Image:Mansfield MA Town Hall.jpg|thumb|right|Mansfield Town Hall]]

The town is governed by an [[open town meeting]], and is managed by a [[select board]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Mansfield MA Town Charter - Select Board|url=https://ecode360.com/28866337|work=Town of Mansfield, MA|access-date=October 26, 2022}}</ref> and [[town manager]]. The Mansfield Public Safety Complex, completed in 2019, houses the police and fire departments and is located in Mansfield Center on Route 106. There is also a secondary fire station located in West Mansfield. The Mansfield Public Library is located at Memorial Park, and the post office is near the intersection of Routes 106 & 140. In addition to Memorial Park, the town also has the Magna-Vista Recreation Area.

On the state level, the town is represented in the State Senate as a portion of the Bristol and Norfolk district (represented by [[Paul Feeney]]), including Dover, Foxborough, Mansfield, Medfield, Norton, Rehoboth, Seekonk and Walpole, as well as parts of Attleboro and Sharon. The town is a part of three separate state representative districts, the First and Fourteenth Bristol and Eighth Norfolk districts. The First Bristol district is represented by Republican [[Michael Chaisson]]. The Fourteenth Bristol and Eighth Norfolk districts are represented by Democrats [[Adam Scanlon]] and [[Ted Philips]], respectively. The town is also patrolled by Troop H (Metro Boston region) of the Massachusetts State Police, 3rd District (Foxborough barracks). On the national level, the town is part of Massachusetts Congressional District 4, which is represented by [[Jake Auchincloss]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Find Your Representative|url=http://www.house.gov/htbin/findrep?ZIP=02048&Submit=FIND+YOUR+REP+BY+ZIP|work=United States House of Representatives|access-date=June 26, 2013}}</ref> The state's senior (Class II) Senator, elected in 2012, is [[Elizabeth Warren]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Senators of the 113th Congress|url=https://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm?State=MA|work=United States Senate|access-date=June 26, 2013}}</ref> and the state's junior (Class I) Senator, elected in 2013, is [[Ed Markey]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Levenson|first=Michael|title=US Rep. Edward J. Markey beats Gabriel E. Gomez in US Senate special election in Mass.|url=http://www.boston.com/politicalintelligence/2013/06/25/edward-markey-gabriel-gomez-face-moment-truth-senate-special-election-mass/Usgk0SJybrxtlFyMfIlFkK/story.html?s_campaign=ThisJustIn_Widget|access-date=June 25, 2013|newspaper=The Boston Globe|date=June 25, 2013}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible" style="float:center; margin:1em; font-size:95%;"
|+ Mansfield presidential election results<ref>{{cite web|url=https://electionstats.state.ma.us/elections/search/year_from:1970/year_to:1970/|title=Election Results}}</ref>
|- style="background:lightgrey;"
! Year
! [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
! [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
! [[Third party (United States)|Third parties]]
! Total Votes
! Margin
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[2020 United States presidential election in Massachusetts|2020]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''62.08%''' ''9,024''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|35.42% ''5,149''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|2.50% ''364''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|14,537
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|26.66%
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[2016 United States presidential election in Massachusetts|2016]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''53.73%''' ''6,879''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|39.62% ''5,073''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|6.65% ''851''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|12,803
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|14.11%
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[2012 United States presidential election in Massachusetts|2012]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''49.49%''' ''5,932''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|48.97% ''5,870''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|1.54% ''184''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|11,986
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|0.52%
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[2008 United States presidential election in Massachusetts|2008]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''52.77%''' ''6,052''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|45.13% ''5,176''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|2.10% ''241''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|11,469
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|7.64%
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[2004 United States presidential election in Massachusetts|2004]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''53.37%''' ''5,775''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|45.59% ''4,933''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|1.04% ''113''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|10,821
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|7.78%
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[2000 United States presidential election in Massachusetts|2000]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''53.66%''' ''5,168''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|39.90% ''3,843''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|6.44% ''620''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|9,631
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|13.76%
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[1996 United States presidential election in Massachusetts|1996]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''56.36%''' ''4,926''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|32.55% ''2,845''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|11.10% ''970''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|8,741
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|23.81%
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[1992 United States presidential election in Massachusetts|1992]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''38.40%''' ''3,356''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|33.27% ''2,908''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|28.33% ''2,476''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|8,740
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|5.13%
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[1988 United States presidential election in Massachusetts|1988]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|43.55% ''3,243''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''55.05%''' ''4,099''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|1.40% ''104''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|7,446
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|11.50%
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[1984 United States presidential election in Massachusetts|1984]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|36.78% ''2,164''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''62.78%''' ''3,694''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|0.44% ''26''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|5,884
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|26.00%
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[1980 United States presidential election in Massachusetts|1980]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|34.47% ''1,907''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''48.45%''' ''2,681''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|17.08% ''945''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|5,533
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|13.99%
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[1976 United States presidential election in Massachusetts|1976]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''51.32%''' ''2,780''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|45.17% ''2,447''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|3.51% ''190''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|5,417
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|6.15%
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[1972 United States presidential election in Massachusetts|1972]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|47.13% ''1,979''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''52.01%''' ''2,184''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|0.86% ''36''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|4,199
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|4.88%
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[1968 United States presidential election in Massachusetts|1968]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''55.16%''' ''2,191''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|40.79% ''1,620''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|4.05% ''161''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|3,972
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|14.38%
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[1964 United States presidential election in Massachusetts|1964]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''71.13%''' ''2,723''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|28.45% ''1,089''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|0.42% ''16''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|3,828
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|42.69%
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[1960 United States presidential election in Massachusetts|1960]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|49.11% ''1,957''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''50.82%''' ''2,025''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|0.08% ''3''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|3,985
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|1.71%
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[1956 United States presidential election in Massachusetts|1956]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|30.24% ''1,139''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''69.60%''' ''2,621''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|0.16% ''6''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|3,766
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|39.35%
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[1952 United States presidential election in Massachusetts|1952]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|36.13% ''1,431''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''63.52%''' ''2,516''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|0.35% ''14''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|3,961
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|27.39%
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[1948 United States presidential election in Massachusetts|1948]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|42.47% ''1,472''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''55.86%''' ''1,936''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|1.67% ''58''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|3,466
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|13.39%
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[1944 United States presidential election in Massachusetts|1944]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|40.60% ''1,236''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''59.13%''' ''1,800''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|0.26% ''8''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|3,044
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|18.53%
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[1940 United States presidential election in Massachusetts|1940]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|40.13% ''1,265''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''59.55%''' ''1,877''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|0.32% ''10''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|3,152
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|19.42%
|}

==Education==
The first school record in Mansfield is from 1719, when Thomas Skinner was chosen to be the first schoolmaster. School was taught out of people's homes until the first school building was built in 1793. The school was a small brick building and was in poor condition by 1850. Mansfield's first high school came to be in 1872 under the direction of Rev. A. F. Frost.<ref name=":0" />

Mansfield currently has its own school department, consisting of five schools, governed by a superintendent of schools (whose office is located directly adjacent to the town hall) and a school committee. (Coincidentally, the school department building was once the public library and before that, it was the town hall, and the town hall was once the high school.) There are five schools serving various levels within the town: the Roland Green Preschool, the Everett W. Robinson Elementary School (serving grades K–2), the Jordan-Jackson Elementary School (serving grades 3–5), the Harold L. Qualters Middle School (serving grades 6–8), and [[Mansfield High School (Mansfield, Massachusetts)|Mansfield High School]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=About Our Schools|url=http://mansfieldps.ss8.sharpschool.com/about/about_our_schools|access-date=October 25, 2020|website=mansfieldps.ss8.sharpschool.com|language=en-US}}</ref> Mansfield's teams are nicknamed the Hornets, and their colors are green and white. For many years in the 1980s and early 1990s, the school's marching band hosted the first event of the [[New England Scholastic Band Association]]'s fall field show competition season. Other than the Roland Green Preschool, all the town's schools are located on either side of East Street near the center of town.

In addition to the public schools within the town, Mansfield residents can also send their children to the Foxboro Regional Charter School free of charge.  High school students may also attend Southeastern Regional Vocational-Technical High School in Easton or Bristol County Agricultural High School in Dighton free of charge.  The town has one parochial school, Saint Mary's Catholic School, which serves grades Pre-K–8, and an Islamic high school, Al-Noor Academy, which opened in 2000 and serves the Islamic community along the I-95 corridor.

Mansfield is also known for its outstanding high school sports and music programs. Football, soccer, baseball, boys' and girls' basketball, lacrosse, track and field (Men), and Women's Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field teams have won multiple league, division, and all-state titles. In 2013 and 2019, the Mansfield Hornets football team won the Division 2 state title,<ref>Boston Globe</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2013/12/07/mansfield-overcomes-turnovers-win-division/aPr9lqS0nmj4ietcN7t1zJ/story.html|title = Mansfield overcomes turnovers to win Division 2 - the Boston Globe| website=[[The Boston Globe]] }}</ref> and in 2018, the boys' basketball team won the state Division 1 championship, defeating Hockomock League rival Franklin at the Mass Mutual Center in Springfield.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thesunchronicle.com/sports/local_sports/h-s-boys-state-final-mansfield-claims-school-s-first/article_50d8a79c-2a42-11e8-9778-47fd2c6718f9.html|title = H.S. BOYS' STATE FINAL: Mansfield claims school's first hoop title| date=March 18, 2018 }}</ref> Mansfield High football and girls' basketball coach Michael Redding was inducted into the state football coaches' hall of fame in 2019. The Mansfield music program has also won many awards over the years. The school's percussion ensemble has won many regional championships in the NESBA ([[New England Scholastic Band Association]]) circuit and the international championship held by [[Winter Guard International|WGI]] (Winter Guard International) in 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|date=July 19, 2012|title=Mansfield High School Percussion Ensemble|url=https://mansfieldbandparents.org/ensembles/mhs-percussion-ensemble/|access-date=October 25, 2020|website=Mansfield Band Parents Association|language=en}}</ref> The school also has a growing marching band (which competes in NESBA and [[USBands]]), concert band, choir, and orchestra.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mansfield Band Parents Association|url=https://mansfieldbandparents.org/|access-date=October 25, 2020|website=Mansfield Band Parents Association|language=en}}</ref>

<gallery widths="200px" heights="160px">
Image:Soldiers' Memorial Library, Mansfield Center MA.jpg|Superintendent of Schools
Image:MHSFront.JPG|[[Mansfield High School (Massachusetts)|Mansfield High School]]
</gallery>

==Library==
The Mansfield Public Library was established in 1884.<ref>C. B. Tillinghast. "The free public libraries of Massachusetts". [https://books.google.com/books?id=LusKAAAAYAAJ 1st Report of the Free Public Library Commission of Massachusetts]. Boston: Wright & Potter, 1891.</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sailsinc.org/mansfield/ |title=Mansfield – Teen Space |website=www.sailsinc.org |date=April 5, 2018 |access-date=September 28, 2023}}</ref> In fiscal year 2008, the town of Mansfield spent 0.86% ($605,929) of its budget on its public library—some $25 per person, per year ($30.62 adjusted for inflation in 2021).<ref>July 1, 2007, through June 30, 2008; cf. The FY2008 Municipal Pie: What's Your Share? Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Board of Library Commissioners. Boston: 2009. Available: [http://mblc.state.ma.us/advisory/statistics/public/repmunicpie/index.php Municipal Pie Reports] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120123010127/http://mblc.state.ma.us/advisory/statistics/public/repmunicpie/index.php |date=January 23, 2012 }}. Retrieved August 4, 2010</ref>

==Transportation==

[[File:Mansfield 1908.JPG|thumb|right|A 1908 view of the Mansfield station]]
One of the intersections of Interstates [[Interstate 95 in Massachusetts|95]] and [[Interstate 495 (Massachusetts)|495]] is located on the Mansfield-Foxborough town line, with both highways going through the town. Additionally, the town includes open and limited-access sections of [[Route 140 (Massachusetts)|Route 140]], as well as part of [[Route 106 (Massachusetts)|Route 106]]. The only exits off the interstates which are located within the town are I-495 Exit 31 (linking to a limited access section of Rt. 140 North from both directions of I-495) and I-95 Exit 13 (linking to Rt. 140 North / South and South Main Street).  The town also has [[Mansfield (MBTA station)|a stop]] along the [[Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority|MBTA's]] [[Providence/Stoughton Line|commuter line between Providence and Boston]], and is serviced by [[Mansfield Municipal Airport]], which serves smaller aircraft. Mansfield is effectively equidistant between two international airports, with parts of the town being closer to either [[Logan International Airport]] in [[Boston]] or [[T.F. Green Airport]] in Warwick, [[Rhode Island]], each of which is approximately 30 to 35 miles from the town.

==Mansfield Municipal Airport==
[[Mansfield Municipal Airport]] is a public airport located {{convert|2|mi|nmi km|abbr=on}} southeast of the central business district of Mansfield.  

==Notable people==
* [[Benjamin Bates IV]] (born 1808), American industrialist
* [[Don Currivan]] (born 1920), Football Player
* [[Tom Gilson]] (born 1988), Arena Football League player
* [[Jeff Hill]], played three seasons in the [[National Football League|NFL]] for the [[Cincinnati Bengals]]
* [[Shawnae Jebbia]] (born 1971), [[Miss Massachusetts USA]] 1998 and [[Miss USA 1998]]<ref>{{cite news|title=Mansfield woman wins Miss Massachusetts USA crown|publisher=Associated Press|date=August 31, 1997}}</ref>
* [[Frank Jerome Murray]] (born 1904), US federal judge
* [[Charlie Romero]] (born 1989), soccer player 
* [[Jen Royle]] (born 1974), former reporter turned chef
* [[Laban Wheaton]] (born 1846), US Representative from Massachusetts

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Wikivoyage|Mansfield (Massachusetts)|Mansfield, Massachusetts}}
* [http://www.mansfieldma.com Town of Mansfield Official Web Site]
* [http://www.mansfieldschools.com Mansfield Public Schools]
* [http://www.wickedlocalmansfield.com/ Mansfield News]

{{Bristol County, Massachusetts}}
{{Greater_Boston}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Mansfield, Massachusetts| ]]
[[Category:Providence metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Towns in Bristol County, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Towns in Massachusetts]]