Editing Wareham, Massachusetts

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Wareham, Massachusetts
|nickname                 =
|motto                    =
|image_skyline            = Wareham MA Gateway.jpg
|imagesize                = 250px
|image_caption            = "The Gateway to the Cape"
|image_seal               = Seal of Wareham, Massachusetts.png
|image_flag               =
|image_map                = Plymouth County Massachusetts incorporated and unincorporated areas Wareham 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        = [[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         = 1678
|established_title2       = Incorporated
|established_date2        = 1739
|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_total_km2           = 119.9
|area_land_km2            = 92.7
|area_water_km2           = 27.1
|area_total_sq_mi         = 46.3
|area_land_sq_mi          = 35.8
|area_water_sq_mi         = 10.5
|population_as_of         = 2020
|settlement_type          = [[New England town|Town]]
|population_total         = 23303
|population_density_km2   = auto
|population_density_sq_mi =
|elevation_m              = 6
|elevation_ft             = 20
|timezone                 = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|Eastern]]
|utc_offset               = −5
|timezone_DST             = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|Eastern]]
|utc_offset_DST           = −4
|coordinates              = {{coord|41|45|45|N|70|43|20|W|region:US-MA|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP Code]]s
|postal_code              = {{ubl|02571 (Wareham)|02532 ([[Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts|Buzzards Bay]])|02538 ([[East Wareham, Massachusetts|East Wareham]])|02558 ([[Onset, Massachusetts|Onset]])|02576 ([[West Wareham, Massachusetts|West Wareham]])}}
|area_code                = [[Area code 508|508]]/[[Area code 774|774]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 25-72985
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0618353
|website                  = {{URL|www.wareham.gov}}
|footnotes                =
}}

'''Wareham''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|w|ɛər|h|æ|m}} {{respell|WAIR|ham}}) is a [[New England town|town]] in [[Plymouth County, Massachusetts]], United States. As of the 2020 census, the town had a population of 23,303.<ref name="Census 2020">{{cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0600000US2502372985| title=Census - Geography Profile: Wareham town, Plymouth County, Massachusetts| publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]| access-date=November 10, 2021}}</ref>

Wareham is in the southern outskirts of [[Greater Boston]], and is a part of the [[South Coast (Massachusetts)|South Coast]] region of Massachusetts which encompasses the cities and towns that surround [[Buzzards Bay]] and [[Mount Hope Bay]].

== History ==
Wareham was first settled in 1678 by Europeans as part of the towns of [[Plymouth, Massachusetts|Plymouth]] and [[Rochester, Massachusetts|Rochester]]. It was officially incorporated in 1739 and named after the town of [[Wareham, Dorset|Wareham]] in England. Because of its geography, Wareham's early industry revolved around shipbuilding and the related industries.  It also served as a resort town, with many smaller resorts scattered around the town, especially in Onset.  Like [[Sandwich, Massachusetts|Sandwich]], its waterways, especially Buttermilk Bay, were considered as possible pathways for the [[Cape Cod Canal]].  Although the canal proper goes through [[Bourne, Massachusetts|Bourne]] and Sandwich, the southern approach to [[Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts|Buzzards Bay]] passes just south of the peninsulas that make up the topography of the town.

Wareham is home of the Tremont Nail Factory, the oldest nail manufacturer in the United States.  The factory was established in 1819.

For years the town was known by its slogan "Gateway to Cape Cod," but in January 2020 adopted a new slogan: "It's Better Before the Bridges."<ref name="CCT2020">{{cite news |last1=Genter |first1=Ethan |title=Wareham distances itself from Cape Cod with new slogan |url=https://www.capecodtimes.com/news/20200128/wareham-distances-itself-from-cape-cod-with-new-slogan |access-date=August 1, 2020 |publisher=Cape Cod Times |date=January 29, 2020}}</ref> The intent was to draw attention to the appeal of Wareham as a tourist destination itself, rather than as a conduit to somewhere else.<ref name="CCT2020" />

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|46.3|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|35.8|sqmi|km2}} is land and {{convert|10.5|sqmi|km2}} is water.  The total area is 22.64% water.  Wareham is bordered by [[Marion, Massachusetts|Marion]] to the southwest, [[Buzzards Bay]] to the southeast, [[Rochester, Massachusetts|Rochester]] to the west, [[Middleborough, Massachusetts|Middleborough]] to the northwest, [[Carver, Massachusetts|Carver]] and [[Plymouth, Massachusetts|Plymouth]] to the north, and [[Bourne, Massachusetts|Bourne]] to the east.  The town's localities are numerous, the most important being East Wareham, Onset, Point Independence, Wareham Center, and West Wareham.  The town is just west of [[Cape Cod]], and is {{convert|18|mi}} east of [[New Bedford, Massachusetts|New Bedford]], approximately {{convert|45|mi}} east of [[Providence, Rhode Island]] and {{convert|55|mi}} south-southeast of [[Boston]].

In recent years, the town has sought to use its location as part of Cape Cod as a marketing ploy.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 3, 2020 |title=Wareham Seeks Detachment from Cape Cod with New Slogan |url=https://www.capecod.com/newscenter/wareham-seeks-detachment-from-cape-cod-with-new-slogan/ |access-date=June 1, 2023 |website=CapeCod.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

Wareham is the innermost town on the north shore of [[Buzzards Bay]].  The [[Weweantic River]] empties in the southwestern corner of town, with the [[Sippican River]] and other brooks emptying into it.  The [[Wareham River]], which is formed at the confluence of the [[Wankinco River|Wankinco]] and [[Agawam River|Agawam]] rivers, flows into the harbor east of the Weweantic, and has brooks and the [[Mill Pond River]] as tributaries.  To the east lie Onset Bay and Buttermilk Bay, both of which empty into the head of the bay, at the right-of-way of the Cape Cod Canal.  Between these rivers and bays lie several points and necks, including Cromesett Point, Swift's Neck, Long Beach Point, Indian Neck, Stony Point, Cedar Island Point, Codman's Point, Sias Point and Whittemore's Point. The southern boundary of [[Myles Standish State Forest]] is concurrent with the town line between Wareham and Plymouth.

The town of Wareham encompasses a number of neighborhoods and named places, including [[Onset, Massachusetts|Onset]], [[Wareham Center, Massachusetts|Wareham Center]], [[West Wareham, Massachusetts|West Wareham]], East Wareham, and [[Weweantic, Massachusetts|Weweantic]].

There are a number of ponds and lakes in Wareham, including [[Blackmore Pond]], Horseshoe Pond, and Mill Pond.

==Demographics==
{{See also|List of Massachusetts locations by per capita income}}
{{Historical populations | type=USA
 | 1870|3186
 | 1880|3186
 | 1890|3098
 | 1900|2896
 | 1910|3451
 | 1920|3432
 | 1930|4102
 | 1940|6364
 | 1950|7569
 | 1960|9461
 | 1970|11492
 | 1980|18457
 | 1990|19232
 | 2000|20335
 | 2010|21822
 | 2020|23303 
 | 2022*|23151
 | 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=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 20,335 people, 8,200 households, and 5,338 families residing in the town.  The population density was {{convert|568.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 10,670 housing units at an average density of {{convert|298.1|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the town as of July 2019 was 85.7% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 2.7% [[African American]], Asian 0.6%, 5.1% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|two or more races]], 3.6% [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] and 0.6% American Indian.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/warehamtownplymouthcountymassachusetts| title= QuickFacts Wareham town, Plymouth County, Massachusetts |  date = July 1, 2019 |  access-date= October 26, 2020 | publisher= United States Census Bureau }}</ref>

There were 8,200 households, out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.4% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.9% were non-families. 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.5% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.5 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $40,422, and the median income for a family was $45,750. Males had a median income of $37,601 versus $28,306 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $21,312.  10.7% of the population and 8.1% of families were below the [[poverty line]]. Of those 16.6% under the age of 18 and 13.5% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

==Economy==
Today, Wareham is mostly residential, although it still has a strong summer tourism industry.<ref name="aboutwareham">{{cite web |url=http://www.wareham.ma.us/Public_Documents/WarehamMA_WebDocs/about |title=About Wareham |publisher=Town of Wareham |access-date=June 11, 2011}}</ref> It has retail centers along Routes [[U.S. Route 6 in Massachusetts|6]] and [[Route 28 (Massachusetts)|28]], including Wareham Crossing, opened in 2007.<ref name="wcrossing">{{cite web |url=http://www.warehamcrossing.com/ |title=About Warehma Crossing |access-date=June 11, 2011}}</ref>

Historically, the [[cranberry]] industry has dominated Wareham's economy, as evidenced by the fact that the main local road is known as Cranberry Highway (Route 28) and one of the world's largest cranberry growers,<ref>{{Cite web|title = A.D. Makepeace Company : Inspired by Nature|url = http://admakepeace.com/|website = admakepeace.com|access-date = January 7, 2016}}</ref> the A.D. Makepeace Company (a founder of the [[Ocean Spray (cooperative)|Ocean Spray]] growers' cooperative), is headquartered in Wareham. The [[University of Massachusetts]] Cranberry Research Station is also located in Wareham, as is the [[United States Department of Agriculture|U.S. Department of Agriculture's]] Cranberry Marketing Committee.

==Government==
[[File:Wareham Town Hall, Massachusetts.jpg|thumb|Wareham Memorial Town Hall]]
Wareham is represented in the [[Massachusetts House of Representatives]] as a part of the Second Plymouth district, which also includes Carver and part of Middleboro.  The town is represented in the [[Massachusetts Senate]] as a part of the First Plymouth and Bristol district, which also includes Berkley, Bridgewater, Carver, Dighton, Marion, Middleborough, Raynham and Taunton.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mass.gov/legis/citytown.htm |title=Index of Legislative Representation by City and Town, from |publisher=Mass.gov |access-date=September 5, 2012 |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 Seventh (Bourne) 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_d7&csid=Eeops Station D-7, SP Bourne] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111204093543/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_d7&csid=Eeops |date=December 4, 2011 }}</ref>

On the national level, Wareham is part of [[Massachusetts's 9th congressional district]] and is currently represented by [[William R. Keating]].  Its senators are currently [[Elizabeth Warren]] and [[Ed Markey]].

Wareham is governed by the [[open town meeting]] form of government, which is led by a [[town administrator]] and a [[board of selectmen]].

There is a central police station located along Route 28.  The Wareham Fire District (career/on-call) has stations located in Wareham Center (Station No. 1, Manned Career/on-call), East Wareham (Station No. 4, Unmanned On-call), West Wareham (Station No. 2, Unmanned On-call) and in White Island, near Glen Charlie Pond (Station No. 3, Unmanned On-call) in the northeast corner of town. The Onset Fire District (paid/on-call) has fire stations located in Onset Village and off Route 28/Cranberry Highway near the intersection of Main Avenue. Wareham EMS has a station located on Sandwich Road (Route 6).

There are four post offices for the town's four [[ZIP Code]]s, located in East Wareham (02538), West Wareham (02576), Wareham Center (02571) and a branch office in Onset (02558). The southeastern portion of Wareham is also covered by 02532 of Buzzards Bay.  The town's public library, located across the street from the town hall, is part of the [[SAILS Library Network]].

==Education==

===Public schools===
Wareham has a public school system. There is one elementary school, Wareham Elementary School; Wareham Middle School; and [[Wareham High School]]. The East Wareham Partnership houses the former West Wareham Academy and the Cooperative Junior-Senior High School.

Wareham High competes in the South Coast Conference for athletics.  Its nickname is the Vikings, and its colors are Blue, White, and Gold.  Wareham competes with Bourne High School in an annual [[Thanksgiving Day]] football game.

High school students may also choose to attend [[Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School]] in [[Bourne, Massachusetts|Bourne]].

===Private schools===
There are no private schools in the town, with the nearest being [[Tabor Academy, Massachusetts|Tabor Academy]] in [[Marion, Massachusetts|Marion]]. The nearest [[Roman Catholicism|Catholic]] high school is [[Bishop Stang High School]] in [[Dartmouth, Massachusetts|Dartmouth]].

==Infrastructure==

===Major highways===
The town has always been a vital transportation point, as the [[Bay Colony Railroad]] crosses through the town on its way to Cape Cod.  There is a rail station in the town center just behind Main Street. Next to the pond.  Interstates [[Interstate 495 (Massachusetts)|495]] and [[Interstate 195 (Rhode Island–Massachusetts)|195]] both terminate in the western part of town, with I-495's highway route continuing on as [[Massachusetts Route 25]], which passes through town and around Buttermilk Bay before ending at the [[Bourne Bridge]].  Additionally, [[U.S. Route 6 in Massachusetts|U.S. Route 6]] and [[Massachusetts Route 28]] meet in East Wareham and continue on towards Cape Cod.  [[Massachusetts Route 58|Route 58's]] southern terminus is at Route 28 in Rochester, near the Wareham town line.

===Rail===
The seasonal [[CapeFLYER]] service began stopping at [[Wareham Village station]] in June 2014.<ref name=opened>{{cite press release |url=http://www.mbta.com/about_the_mbta/news_events/?id=6442452504&month=&year= |title=New Wareham CapeFLYER Stop Opens |publisher=Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority |date=June 26, 2014 |access-date=June 26, 2014}}</ref> Based on the success of the CapeFLYER, commuter service to Wareham and Buzzards Bay is under consideration.<ref name=possibility>{{cite news |url=http://www.capenews.net/communities/sandwich/news/2650 |title=Cape Commuter Rail Is A Real Possibility |newspaper=Cape News |author=Kinsella, James |date=August 16, 2013 |access-date=August 18, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130819032715/http://www.capenews.net/communities/sandwich/news/2650 |archive-date=August 19, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.wickedlocal.com/wareham/newsnow/x1843596282/Chamber-Bring-on-commuter-rail-to-Wareham-Buzzards-Bay |title=Chamber: Bring on commuter rail to Wareham, Buzzards Bay |newspaper=Wicked Local Wareham |date=September 25, 2013 |access-date=September 28, 2013}}</ref>

The nearest inter-city ([[Amtrak]]) passenger rail stations are [[Route 128 station|Route 128]], [[Providence station|Providence]], and Boston's [[South Station]]. The nearest [[MBTA Commuter Rail]] station is [[Middleborough station]].

Freight rail service is provided by the [[Massachusetts Coastal Railroad]].

===Bus===
[[Peter Pan Bus Lines|Bonanza Bus Lines]] stops at the Mill Pond Diner daily. A local bus service, the OWL (Onset Wareham Link), operated by the [[Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority]] (GATRA), provides bus service around Wareham. The buses also have run to a Tedeschi store in Bourne for connection to Bonanza Buses and to the MBTA's Middleborough/Lakeville Station. Service to these locations is often changed.

===Air===
The nearest national and international flights can be reached at [[Logan International Airport]] in [[Boston]] or [[T. F. Green Airport]] in Rhode Island. [[Barnstable Municipal Airport]] is also a short trip away, although it only allows for national service.

===Health Care===
[[File:Tobey Hospital, Wareham, Massachusetts.jpg|thumb|Tobey Hospital]]
Tobey Hospital was funded by a bequest from the estate of Alice Tobey Jones. The hospital was opened in 1940 and includes a surgical wing and intensive care unit.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tobey Hospital |url=https://www.southcoast.org/locations/tobey-hospital/ |website=Southcoast Health |access-date=August 1, 2020}}</ref> In 2019, the town approved an expansion of the hospital, which resulted in the demolition of the historic Tobey Homestead.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Shelford |first1=Chloe |title=Tobey Hospital expansion gets historic review |url=https://wareham.theweektoday.com/article/tobey-hospital-expansion-gets-historic-review/41653 |access-date=August 1, 2020 |publisher=Wareham week |date=May 30, 2019}}</ref>

==Sports==
[[File:Mo Vaughn Wareham Gatemen.jpg |thumb|right|180px|[[Boston Red Sox]] All-Star [[Mo Vaughn]] played for the [[Wareham Gatemen]] in 1987 and 1988.]]
Wareham is home to the [[Wareham Gatemen]], an amateur [[collegiate summer baseball]] team in the [[Cape Cod Baseball League]]. The team plays its home games at [[Clem Spillane Field]], and has featured dozens of players who went on to careers in [[Major League Baseball]], such as [[Mo Vaughn]], [[Lance Berkman]], and [[Kyle Schwarber]].

Wareham has many town youth sports as well, including Wareham Little League, Wareham JBA, Gateway Babe Ruth, Pop Warner Wareham Tigers, Wareham Girls Softball (WGSA), and more.

==Points of interest==
* [[Tremont Nail Factory District]], a historic nail factory located at 21 Elm Street, which operated from 1819 to 2006 by the [[Tremont Nail Company]]
* [[Water Wizz]], water park in the area. It was a spot of filming for the 2010 film [[Grown Ups (film)|''Grown Ups'']] and the 2013 film ''[[The Way, Way Back]]''.
*The Glen Cove Hotel in Onset, MA.  A historic Victorian building built in the 1800s.  It's also the highest point in Onset.
*Onset beach adjoins the concrete pier.  It is a well protected beach in a broad cove.

==Notable people==
<!-- Please add new entries in alphabetical order by surname. List only people who qualify as notable under [[:Wikipedia:Notability|Wikipedia criteria]]. In general, either the person is already the subject of an article, or they are prominently named in an article (for example, as a member of a band), or you are getting started on writing that article. Include source citations, please. See talk page under "Notable people".-->

* [[Outram Bangs]] (1863–1932), zoologist
* [[Benjamin Briggs]] (1835–{{circa|1872}}), Captain of the merchant ship [[Mary Celeste]]
* [[Joe Campini]] (1920–2001), [[Negro league baseball]] player with the [[Baltimore Elite Giants]]
* [[Stephen Cooper (American football)|Stephen Cooper]] (born 1979), [[NFL]] Football player for the [[San Diego Chargers]]
* [[Geena Davis]] (born 1956), [[Academy Award]] and [[Golden Globe]]-winning actress
* [[Paul Fearing]] (1762–1822), a delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from the Territory Northwest of the River Ohio
* [[Greg F. Gifune]] (born 1963), Novelist, Editor
* [[John Kendrick (American sea captain)|John Kendrick]] (1740–1794), sea captain and explorer of the Pacific Northwest
* [[Eugene T. Maleska]] (1916–1993), ''New York Times'' crossword puzzle editor, had a home in town
* [[Donald W. Nicholson]] (1888–1968), congressman
* [[Joshua Onujiogu]] (born 1998), NFL linebacker
* [[Pebbles (radio personality)|Pebbles]] (Susan L. Samedo, born 1964), Boston radio personality
* [[Skipp Sudduth]] (born 1956), actor
* [[Samuel T. Wellman]] (1847–1919), steel industry pioneer, industrialist, and prolific inventor
* [[Brandon Westgate]] (born 1989), professional skateboarder

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{wikivoyage|Wareham (Massachusetts)}}
* [http://www.wareham.ma.us Town of Wareham official website]

{{Plymouth County, Massachusetts}}
{{Greater Boston}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Wareham, Massachusetts| ]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Towns in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Towns in Plymouth County, Massachusetts]]