Editing Mattapoisett, Massachusetts

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{For the|the river|Mattapoisett River}}{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Mattapoisett, Massachusetts
|nickname                 =
|motto                    =
|image_skyline            = 20210611 Ned Point Light-2.jpg
|imagesize                = 300px
|image_caption            = Ned's Point Light
|image_seal               = Seal of Mattapoisett, Massachusetts.png
|image_flag               =
|image_map                = Plymouth County Massachusetts incorporated and unincorporated areas Mattapoisett highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location in Plymouth County in Massachusetts
|image_map1               =
|mapsize1                 =
|map_caption1             =
|subdivision_type         = Country
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = State
|subdivision_name1        = [[Massachusetts]]
|subdivision_type2        = County
|subdivision_name2        = [[Plymouth County, Massachusetts|Plymouth]]
|established_title        = Settled
|established_date         = 1750
|established_title2       = Incorporated
|established_date2        =  May 21, 1857
|established_title3       =
|established_date3        =
|government_type          = Open town meeting
|leader_title             = <!--[[Town Administrator|Town<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Administrator]]-->
|leader_name              =
|leader_title1            = <!--Board of <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Selectmen-->
|leader_name1             =
|area_magnitude           =
|area_total_km2           = 62.6
|area_total_sq_mi         =
|area_land_km2            = 45.0
|area_land_sq_mi          =
|area_water_km2           = 17.6
|area_water_sq_mi         =
|population_as_of         = 2020
|settlement_type          = Town
|population_total         = 6508
|population_density_km2   = auto
|population_density_sq_mi =
|elevation_m              = 8
|elevation_ft             = 25
|timezone                 = Eastern
|utc_offset               = −5
|timezone_DST             = Eastern
|utc_offset_DST           = −4
|coordinates              = {{coord|41|39|30|N|70|49|00|W|region:US-MA|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = ZIP Code
|postal_code              = 02739
|area_code                = [[Area code 508|508]]/[[Area code 774|774]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 25-39450
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0619471
|website                  = [http://www.mattapoisett.net/ www.mattapoisett.net]
|footnotes                =
}}
'''Mattapoisett''' is a town in [[Plymouth County, Massachusetts]], United States. The population was 6,508 at the 2020 census.<ref name="Census 2020">{{Cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0600000US2502339450| title=Census - Geography Profile: Mattapoisett town, Plymouth County, Massachusetts| publisher=United States Census Bureau| access-date=November 10, 2021}}</ref> [[Mattapoisett Center, Massachusetts|Mattapoisett Center]] is located in the town.

Mattapoisett is a part of the [[South Coast (Massachusetts)|South Coast]] region of Massachusetts which encompasses the cities and towns that surround [[Buzzards Bay]] (excluding the [[Elizabeth Islands]], [[Bourne, Massachusetts|Bourne]] and [[Falmouth, Massachusetts|Falmouth]]), [[Mount Hope Bay]] and the [[Sakonnet River]].

== History ==
Governor [[William Brenton]] purchased Mattapoisett in 1664 from [[Wampanoag people|Wampanoag]] chief [[Metacomet]], also referred to as King Philip. Brenton left it to his son Ebenezer, who sold it.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Potter|first1=Elisha Reynolds|title=The Early History of Narragansett |date=1835 |publisher=Marshall |location=Providence |page=3:397|url=https://archive.org/details/earlyhistoryofna00pott_0|quote=major ebenezer brenton.|access-date=October 15, 2016}}</ref> The town of Mattapoisett was settled in 1750 and officially incorporated in 1857, originally a part of [[Rochester, Massachusetts|Rochester]]. There is evidence of prior Wampanoag Indian settlements throughout the town, including burial grounds. The name ''Mattapoisett'' is [[Massachusett language|Wampanoag]] for "a place of resting".<ref>{{cite book |last1=North Conway |first1=J. |last2=Dubuc |first2=Jesse |date=May 13, 2014 |title=Attack of the HMS Nimrod: Wareham and the War of 1812 |publisher=Arcadia |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J5GNCQAAQBAJ&pg=PT17|isbn=978-1625849458}}</ref>

Early industry included logging and farming, but Mattapoisett became best known for its role in the [[history of whaling]]. Some 400 ships were built in the town's shipyards from 1740 until the 1870s, including the ''Acushnet'', the ship that ''[[Moby-Dick]]'' author [[Herman Melville]] sailed on and later deserted. The town supplied many of the whalers used on the East Coast in the first half of the nineteenth century. The last one was the ''Wanderer'', built in 1878, shortly after the discovery of oil in [[Pennsylvania]] which led to the demise of commercial [[whaling in the United States]].

With the decline of whaling and associated shipbuilding, Mattapoisett transitioned into a popular summer vacation spot for prominent New York and Boston residents, including [[Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.]]  Today, the town is largely a suburban community, with most residents commuting to jobs in [[Fall River, Massachusetts|Fall River]], [[New Bedford, Massachusetts|New Bedford]], [[Worcester, Massachusetts|Worcester]], [[Providence, Rhode Island|Providence]], or [[Boston]], or operating businesses targeting summer tourism.<ref>[http://www.mattapoisetthistoricalsociety.org/Mattapoisett_history.htm Mattapoisett Town History] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071010145939/http://www.mattapoisetthistoricalsociety.org/Mattapoisett_history.htm |date=October 10, 2007 }} – Mattapoisett Historical Society</ref>

== Geography ==
[[File:Shipyard Park.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Mattapoisett Town Wharf]]
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|62.6|sqkm|disp=flip}}, of which {{convert|45.0|sqkm|disp=flip}} is land and {{convert|17.6|sqkm|disp=flip}}, or 28.18%, is water.<ref>{{Cite web| url=https://www.census.gov| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Mattapoisett town, Plymouth County, Massachusetts| publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]| access-date=March 20, 2012}}</ref> The [[Mattapoisett River]] begins in Rochester and flows through town, emptying into Mattapoisett Harbor, an arm of [[Buzzards Bay]].  Mattapoisett is home to Haskell Swamp in the Tinkham Hill area in the northern part of town. The center of the town around the harbor is known as The Village, and a rural area north of rte 195, along Acushnet Road, Tinkham Lane and Long Plain Rd, is known as Tinkhamtown. There is also a state-managed wildlife area, [[Nasketucket Bay State Reservation]], commonly known as Nunes Farm, along the waterfront near the Fairhaven line.  There are four beaches and two parks along the waterfront, as well as [[Ned Point Light]], which was built in 1837 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. The town is home to the Fin, Fur and Feather Club, a hunt club and shooting range located along the Mattapoisett River off Crystal Spring Road.

Mattapoisett is the southwesternmost town of Plymouth County.  It is bordered by [[Fairhaven, Massachusetts|Fairhaven]] to the southwest, [[Acushnet, Massachusetts|Acushnet]] to the northwest, [[Rochester, Massachusetts|Rochester]] to the north, and [[Marion, Massachusetts|Marion]] to the east.  [[Buzzards Bay]] lies to the south.  The town is {{convert|9|mi|0}} east of [[New Bedford, Massachusetts|New Bedford]], {{convert|38|mi|km}} east-southeast of [[Providence, Rhode Island]], and {{convert|60|mi|km}} south of [[Boston]].

== Transportation ==
[[Interstate 195 (Rhode Island–Massachusetts)|Interstate 195]] runs through the town, and [[U.S. Route 6 in Massachusetts|U.S. Route 6]], is the main local road through town.  I-195 has an exit for the town, Exit 31A/B, "Mattapoisett/N. Rochester," which accesses North Street.

Regional bus service can be reached in New Bedford, as can regional air service.  The nearest rail service is either in Providence or at the terminus of the New Bedford line of the [[Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority|MBTA's]] commuter rail service to Boston.  The nearest national airline service can be found at [[T. F. Green Airport]] in [[Warwick, Rhode Island]], and the nearest international service can be reached at [[Logan International Airport]] in Boston.

== Demographics ==
{{See also|List of Massachusetts locations by per capita income}}
{{Historical populations | type=USA | state=collapsed
 | 1860|1483
 | 1870|1361
 | 1880|1365
 | 1890|1148
 | 1900|1061
 | 1910|1233
 | 1920|1277
 | 1930|1501
 | 1940|1608
 | 1950|2265
 | 1960|3117
 | 1970|4500
 | 1980|5597
 | 1990|5850
 | 2000|6268
 | 2010|6045
 | 2020|6508
 | 2023*|6652
 | footnote=* = population estimate.  Source: [[United States Census]] records and [[Population Estimates Program]] data.<ref name="2010_Census">{{cite web | title=TOTAL POPULATION (P1), 2010 Census Summary File 1, All County Subdivisions within Massachusetts | publisher=United States Census Bureau | access-date=September 13, 2011 | url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/P1/0400000US25.06000 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212202839/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/P1/0400000US25.06000 | url-status=dead | archive-date=February 12, 2020 }}</ref><ref name="2000-2009_PopulationEstimates">{{cite web|title=Massachusetts by Place and County Subdivision – GCT-T1. Population Estimates |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=July 12, 2011 |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=04000US25&-_box_head_nbr=GCT-T1&-ds_name=PEP_2009_EST&-_lang=en&-format=ST-9&-_sse=on |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111103061111/http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=04000US25&-_box_head_nbr=GCT-T1&-ds_name=PEP_2009_EST&-_lang=en&-format=ST-9&-_sse=on |archive-date=November 3, 2011 }}</ref><ref name="1990_Census">{{cite web | title=1990 Census of Population, General Population Characteristics: Massachusetts | id=1990 CP-1-23 | at=Table 76: General Characteristics of Persons, Households, and Families: 1990 | publisher=US Census Bureau | access-date=July 12, 2011 | date=December 1990 | url=https://www.census.gov/prod/cen1990/cp1/cp-1-23.pdf | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131207032409/http://www.census.gov/prod/cen1990/cp1/cp-1-23.pdf | archive-date=December 7, 2013 }}</ref><ref name="1980_Census">{{cite web | title=1980 Census of the Population, Number of Inhabitants: Massachusetts | id=PC80-1-A23 | at=Table 4. Populations of County Subdivisions: 1960 to 1980 | publisher=US Census Bureau | access-date=July 12, 2011 |date=December 1981 | url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1980a_maABC-01.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100805234734/http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1980a_maABC-01.pdf |archive-date=August 5, 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="1950_Census">{{cite journal | title=1950 Census of Population | volume=1: Number of Inhabitants | at=Section 6, Pages 21-10 and 21-11, Massachusetts Table 6. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1930 to 1950 | publisher=Bureau of the Census | access-date=July 12, 2011 | year=1952 | url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/23761117v1ch06.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609073753/http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/23761117v1ch06.pdf |archive-date=June 9, 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="1920_Census">{{cite web | title=1920 Census of Population | at=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 | publisher=Bureau of the Census | access-date=July 12, 2011 | url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/41084506no553ch2.pdf}}</ref><ref name="1890_Census">{{cite web | title=1890 Census of the Population | at=Pages 179 through 182. Massachusetts Table 5. Population of States and Territories by Minor Civil Divisions: 1880 and 1890 | publisher=Department of the Interior, Census Office | access-date=July 12, 2011 | url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/41084506no553ch2.pdf}}</ref><ref name="1870_Census">{{cite web | title=1870 Census of the Population | at=Pages 217 through 220. Table IX. Population of Minor Civil Divisions, &c. Massachusetts | publisher=Department of the Interior, Census Office | access-date=July 12, 2011 | year=1872| url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1870e-05.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050126053910/http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1870e-05.pdf |archive-date=January 26, 2005 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="1860_Census">{{cite web | title=1860 Census | at=Pages 220 through 226. State of Massachusetts Table No. 3. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c. | publisher=Department of the Interior, Census Office | access-date=July 12, 2011 | year=1864 | url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1860a-08.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050121235809/http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1860a-08.pdf |archive-date=January 21, 2005 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020−2023| publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] | access-date=May 19, 2024 | url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html}}</ref>
}}
As of the 2010 [[census]], there were 6,045 people, 2,505 households, and 1,740 families residing in the town.  The [[population density]] was {{convert|380.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sigfig=4|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 3,262 housing units at an average density of {{convert|192.5|/sqmi|/km2|sigfig=3|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the town was 96.1% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 1.3% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.1% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.6% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 1.2% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.2% from two or more races.<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/cf/1.0/en/place/Mattapoisett|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=American FactFinder}}{{Dead link|date=March 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

There were 2,532 households, out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.7% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.1% were non-families. Of all households 25.5% were made up of individuals, and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.97.

Age distribution figures show 23.9% of the population under the age of 18, 4.5% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 29.0% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.0 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $101,487 as of 2021, and the per capita  income was 68,526.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/mattapoisetttownplymouthcountymassachusetts/INC110221 |website=US Census |access-date=December 1, 2023 |title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Mattapoisett town, Plymouth County, Massachusetts }}</ref>§ 

The median income for a family was $68,246. Males had a median income of $48,100 versus $35,938 for females.  About 2.8% of families and 2.1% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 2.5% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.

== Government ==
[[File:Mattapoisett Town Hall.JPG|thumb|right|Mattapoisett Town Hall]]
Mattapoisett is represented in the [[Massachusetts House of Representatives]] by Mark Sylvia,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Representative Mark D. Sylvia |url=https://malegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/MDS1 |access-date=2025-03-01 |website=malegislature.gov}}</ref> as a part of the Tenth Bristol district, and in the [[Massachusetts Senate]] by [[Mark Montigny]], as part of the Second Bristol and Plymouth district.<ref name=straus >{{cite web | title=William M. Straus | publisher=MA Legislature | access-date=December 1, 2017 | url=https://malegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/WMS1 }}</ref><ref name=montigney >{{cite web | title=Mark C. Montigney | publisher=MA Legislature | access-date=December 1, 2017 | url=https://malegislature.gov/People/Profile/MCM0 }}</ref>  In the [[United States House of Representatives|US House of Representatives]], Mattapoisett is a part of [[Massachusetts's 9th congressional district]], and is currently represented by [[William R. Keating]].<ref name=keating >{{cite web | title=Our District | date=December 4, 2012 | publisher=US House of Representatives | access-date=December 1, 2017 | url=https://keating.house.gov/our-district }}</ref>  In the [[United States Senate|US Senate]] is [[Elizabeth Warren]] and the junior senator is [[Ed Markey]].<ref name=warren >{{cite web | title=Elizabeth Warren | publisher=US Senate | access-date=December 1, 2017 | url=https://www.warren.senate.gov/ }}</ref><ref name=markey >{{cite web | title=About Ed | publisher=US Senate | access-date=December 1, 2017 | url=https://www.markey.senate.gov/about }}</ref>

Mattapoisett uses the [[open town meeting]] form of government, led by a [[board of selectmen]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mattapoisett.net/board-selectmen|title = Select Board &#124; Town of Mattapoisett MA}}</ref>  The town hall is located on Main Street, between Route 6 and the harbor. The town has its own highly educated full-time police department and on-call fire department, both headquartered on Route 6.  The Mattapoisett Police Department runs the emergency medical system (EMS) for the town with it being one of the last towns among the Commonwealth to have a police-based EMS system.{{citation needed|date=December 2017}} All police officers are required to be at minimum EMT-Basics while some members of the police are EMT-Paramedics. The EMS also has civilian EMT-Paramedic members who reside in the community. The Mattapoisett Free Public Library, located on Barstow Street, is a member of the [[SAILS Library Network]], the Southeastern Massachusetts Library System (SEMLS), and the Massachusetts Library Internet Network (MLIN).{{citation needed|date=November 2013}}

== Education ==
Mattapoisett is a member of the 2,700-student Old Rochester Regional School District. The town, along with Marion and Rochester, operate a single school system with each town having its own school subcommittee.  Mattapoisett operates the Center School for prekindergarten through third grade students, and the Old Hammondtown School for grades 4–6.  Seventh- and eighth-grade students attend Old Rochester Regional Junior High School, and high school students attend [[Old Rochester Regional High School]].  Both regional schools are located on Route 6 in Mattapoisett, near the Marion town line. The high school, commonly known as "O.R.R.,"  competes in the South Coast Conference for athletics.  Their mascot is the bulldog, and their colors are red and white. The town's [[Thanksgiving Day]] football rival is Apponequet Regional High School in Lakeville.

In addition to public schools, high school students may also choose to attend [[Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School]], located in Rochester. The nearest private schools are [[Tabor Academy, Massachusetts|Tabor Academy]] in Marion and [[Bishop Stang High School]] in Dartmouth.

Prior to the opening of the Old Rochester Regional High School in 1961, students in grades 10–12 attended [[Fairhaven High School]] in [[Fairhaven, Massachusetts|Fairhaven]].

== Notable people ==

* [[Robert Brink]] (1924–2014), violinist, conductor, and professor at the [[New England Conservatory]] in [[Boston]], [[Massachusetts]].
* [[Raymond Gilmartin]] (1929–2013), President and CEO of Merck & Co, Inc., 1994–2005.
* [[Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.]] (1841–1935), [[United States Supreme Court Justice]].
* [[Francis Davis Millet]] (1848–1912), artist born in Mattapoisett and who died on the [[Titanic]]''.''
* [[Milton Silveira]] (1929–2013), Chief Engineer of [[NASA]].
* [[Geoff Smith (long-distance runner)|Geoff Smith]] (1953), [[Boston Marathon]] winner, 1984–1985
* [[Rufus Albertson Soule]] (1839–1913), businessman and state politician.
* [[Elizabeth Drew Stoddard]] (1823–1902), American poet and novelist, author of [[The Morgesons]]. 
* [[Peter Uihlein]] (1989), 2010 U.S. Amateur Golf Champion. 
* [[Sam Waterston]] (born 1940), [[Academy Awards|Academy Award]] nominated and [[Golden Globe Awards|Golden Globe]] winning actor.
* [[Conrad Henri Roy III]] (1995–2014), American man who died by suicide at the age of 18 with encouragement from his girlfriend.
* [[Sarah Rogers Atsatt]] (1888 - 1971)  American [[Herpetology|herpetologist]].

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website|http://www.mattapoisett.net/|Town of Mattapoisett official website}}
*[http://www.mattapoisettpolice.com/ Mattapoisett Police Department]
* [http://www.mattapoisettlibrary.org/ Mattapoisett Free Public Library]
* [http://wanderer.com/ ''The Wanderer''], local weekly periodical
* [http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=TOWN08 SouthCoastToday.com: Mattapoisett]
* [http://www.danamorris.net/BB/mattapoisett.html Images of Mattapoisett]
* [http://www.socomagazine.com/ ''SOCO'' magazine]

{{Plymouth County, Massachusetts}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Mattapoisett, Massachusetts| ]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1750]]
[[Category:Towns in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Towns in Plymouth County, Massachusetts]]