This article is about the town of Walpole, Massachusetts. For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Walpole, please see the article Walpole (CDP), Massachusetts.
Walpole, Massachusetts
Main Street
Main Street
Location in Norfolk County in Massachusetts
Location in Norfolk County in Massachusetts
Coordinates: 42°08′30″N 71°15′00″W / 42.14167°N 71.25000°W / 42.14167; -71.25000
CountryUnited States
StateMassachusetts
CountyNorfolk
Settled1659
Incorporated1724
Government
 • TypeRepresentative town meeting
Area
 • Total21.0 sq mi (54.4 km2)
 • Land20.5 sq mi (53.2 km2)
 • Water0.5 sq mi (1.2 km2)
Elevation
150 ft (46 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total24,070
 • Density1,174.1/sq mi (452.4/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (Eastern)
ZIP code
02081 or 02032
Area code508 / 774
FIPS code25-72495
GNIS feature ID0618331
Websitewww.walpole-ma.gov

Walpole is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. It is located about 13 miles (21 km) south of Downtown Boston and 23.5 miles (37.8 km) north of Providence, Rhode Island. The population was 24,070 at the 2010 census. Walpole was first settled in 1659 and was considered a part of Dedham until officially incorporated in 1724. The town was named after Sir Robert Walpole, de facto first Prime Minister of Great Britain. Walpole has gained a reputation as a Republican stronghold in Massachusetts.[1]

History edit

 
Sir Robert Walpole, the town's namesake.

It started out as a territory that was claimed by the Neponset Native American tribe.[2] The Neponset tribe officially claimed the area that is now Walpole, and some of its surrounding territory in 1635. The town of Dedham was not included in this claim, so they began to negotiate with the Neponset tribe to gain land. In 1636, a deal was made between the town of Dedham and the Neponsets to grant Dedham an area of land now includes the towns of Walpole, Norwood, Westwood, Medfield, Norfolk and Dover as well as Dedham. The land given to Dedham in this deal currently includes parts of 16 different towns.[2]

After the territory was bought from Dedham, the saw mill industry began to rise in the area. The first saw mill in Walpole was built near what is now School Meadow Brook and the Neponset river. It was located in the area that is now the Walpole Town Forest. The mill was built and later owned by Joshua Fisher and Major Eleazer Lusher, two wealthy men of Dedham.[2]

Walpole soon wanted to sever its ties with Dedham, so its residents began to petition at Dedham town meetings to become a completely separate town. The request was granted by the town of Dedham in 1724, and the town was officially named Walpole, after Sir Robert Walpole.[2]

After its incorporation, Walpole had a role in the events leading up to the American Revolutionary War. The citizens agreed that the taxes imposed by the British government were unfair. They sent a representative, Joshua Clapp, to the state meetings at Faneuil Hall in Boston.[3] These meetings were to discuss how Massachusetts was going to keep its residents safe and peaceful during the events of the American Revolutionary War.[3] In 1775, Walpole sent 157 men to the Battle of Lexington and Concord. These men were led by Captain Seth Bullard.[4] In December 1777, a British fleet of ships came into Narragansett Bay and anchored in Newport Harbor in Rhode Island. Walpole sent two groups of minutemen, consisting of 65 men in total, to help with the situation. These men were led by Joshua Clapp, and Oliver Clapp. They stayed in Rhode Island to defend the port for three weeks.[3]

Walpole began to grow after the Revolutionary War. By 1860, the town had 1,935 residents.[5] Starting around this time, several mills began to be built, largely on the Neponset River in order to harness the power of falls. Over the years, these mills grew and mainly manufactured products such as cotton, lumber, and paper in its many mills.[5] The most notable of these was the Bird Company, which was comprised a large complex on the river in East Walpole. After the company ceased operations at the site in 1980, most of the buildings were razed over the years; a housing development now occupies a large portion of the old mill site and only a few remnants of the area's former use are still evident. The Neponset River was also used for transport between the close towns of Sharon Foxborough, MA and Medfield. It was also used as a water supply and for water power.[5] The Norfolk County railroad also connected the town. It was also part of a railroad network that connected Walpole to Boston and New York City.[5] Many churches were formed in Walpole at this time, including Trinitarian, Unitarian and Methodist ones.[5]

 
Blackburn Hall in was built by Harriet Nevins as a memorial to her parents

Walpole's first public library was founded in 1872. It was founded by Walpole resident Miss Mary R. Bird.[4] The first library in Walpole was actually founded in 1816 by a group known as "The Ladies' Literary, Moral Society." It was not public, and was built to provide books to Walpole that may, in the words of the society, "afford useful information to the mind and improvement to the heart."[4]

The town grew considerably throughout the 1900s, with an increase of over 3,000 by the 1920s.[6] At a town meeting in 1922, local resident Maude R. Greeves said:


In 1929, Harriet Nevins donated $50,000 for the erection of a public building as a memorial for her parents George Blackburn and Nancy H. Blackburn. Her father, a merchant from Bradford, England, had once lived and done on business in Walpole. Blackburn Memorial Building (more commonly known as "Blackburn Hall") was designed by the architectural firm of Putnam & Cox Company of Boston, built by the F.J. Tetreault Company of Walpole, and dedicated in 1932. The red brick building, which features a neo-classical façade with whitewashed pillars, is still owned by the Town of Walpole and is used for a variety of activities throughout the year including children's theater production.[7][8][9][10]

In keeping with her reputation as a noted animal lover, Harriet Nevins also left $2500 to fund the construction of a fountain for horses and dogs. The fountain is now dry but still stands on School Street in Walpole opposite the Town Hall.[7][8]

Demographics edit

Historical population
YearPop.±%
18501,929—    
18602,037+5.6%
18702,137+4.9%
18802,494+16.7%
18902,604+4.4%
19003,572+37.2%
19104,892+37.0%
19205,446+11.3%
19307,273+33.5%
19407,443+2.3%
19509,109+22.4%
196014,068+54.4%
197018,149+29.0%
198018,859+3.9%
199020,212+7.2%
200022,824+12.9%
201024,070+5.5%
* = population estimate.
Source: United States census records and Population Estimates Program data.[11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]

As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 22,824 people, 8,060 households, and 5,972 families residing in the town. The population density was 429.0/km² (1077.3/sq mi). There were 8,229 housing units at an average density of 400.7 per square mile (154.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.41% White, 1.59% Black or African American, 0.11% Native American, 1.13% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.12% from other races, and 0.64% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.02% of the population. The Census of 2010 shows very little variance in these figures. Only the Asian population has seen somewhat of a change.

There were 8,060 households out of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.2% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.9% were non-families. 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.5% 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 3.23.

In the town the population was spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 100.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $74,757, and the median income for a family was $84,458. Males had a median income of $54,243 versus $39,516 for females. The per capita income for the town was $32,117. About 1.5% of families and 2.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.8% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over.

Weather and climate edit

Walpole's climate is humid continental, which is the predominant climate for Massachusetts and New England. Walpole's inland location causes it to experience cooler temperatures than many coastal locations in New England.[21] Summers are typically hot and humid, while winters are cold, windy and often snowy.

Walpole's warmest month is July, with an average high temperature of 82.8 °F (28.2 °C) and an average low of 61.6 °F (16.4 °C). The coldest month is January, with an average high temperature of 36.0 °F (2.2 °C) and an average low of 17.7 °F (−7.9 °C).[22]

Much like the rest of the Northeastern seaboard, Walpole receives ample amounts of precipitation year-round. On average, summer months receive slightly less precipitation than winter months. Walpole averages about 46 in (116.8 cm) of rainfall a year. Walpole, like other Massachusetts towns, is very vulnerable to Nor'easter weather systems.[23] The town is sometimes vulnerable to Atlantic hurricanes and tropical storms, which infrequently threaten the New England region during the early autumn months.[24]

Education edit

 
Walpole High School, which is the only public high school in Walpole.

Walpole’s school system is run by a school committee made up of seven members.[25] The committee appoints a superintendent, who then appoints individual principals in each of Walpole’s public schools. The current school superintendent is Lincoln Lynch, III.[25] Walpole has seven public schools, which include four elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school. The school's sports teams are called the Rebels, although there has been some controversy associated with that mascot. [26]

There is also one private Catholic school located in Walpole, which is not under the jurisdiction of the Walpole School board. The town is also home to the Norfolk County Agricultural High School and the Longview Farm School.

The four elementary schools in Walpole include Old Post Road School, Elm Street School, Boyden School, and Fisher School. Old Post Road school is located in East Walpole. It has about 500 students attending and serves students in from kindergarten through grade five. Currently, there are three modular classrooms for the fourth grade to accommodate the growing student population.[27] Fisher School was the first to be established, on North Street, in 1790. It was a one room schoolhouse until 1914, when a modern building was built on Main Street. As of 2007, the school has about 470 students attending.[28] Boyden Elementary School was founded in 1854 by Jeremiah Boyden. It was first named South Primary School until 1902, when the town decided to name it after Boyden. It was closed between 1981 and 1988 and was used as a school for troubled boys. It reopened in 1990 and currently has about 460 students and 50 teachers.[29] Elm Street school is Walpole's newest school, which was opened in 1999, and renovated in 2004. It has about 520 students.[30]

Middle schools in Walpole include Johnson Middle School and Bird Middle School. Walpole High School is the only high school in the town.

Law and government edit

 
Nonviolent crime in Walpole as of 2005
 
Violent crime in Walpole as of 2005

Walpole, like most New England towns, has a board of selectmen.[31] In this form of government the adult voting population gathers annually in a town meeting to act as the local legislature, approving budgets and laws. Day-to-day operations were originally left to individual oversight, but when towns became too large for individuals to handle such work loads, they would elect an executive board of, literally, select(ed) men to run things for them. These men had charge of the day-to-day operations; selectmen were important in legislating policies central to a community's police force, highway supervisors, poundkeepers, field drivers, and other officials. However, the larger towns grew, the more power would be distributed among other elected boards, such as fire wardens, and police departments. For example, population increases led to the need for actual police departments, of which selectmen typically became the commissioners. The advent of tarred roads and automobile traffic led to a need for full-time highway maintainers and plowmen, leaving selectmen to serve as Supervisors of Streets and Ways.

In exchange for tax revenue, the city provides its residents with police and fire protection. For separate quarterly payments, the city provides garbage, recycling, water and sewer services.

Laws are enforced by the Walpole Police Department. In 2005, no murders were committed in Walpole. Despite having no homicides, nonviolent crime in the town rose in 2005 compared to 2004. As of 2005, there were 58 violent crimes per 100,000 people, a drop from 89 in 2004. There were 13 total violent crimes committed in Walpole in 2005. Eight of these were aggravated assault, one was a robbery, and four were forcible rapes. There were 1,216 non-violent crimes in Walpole per 100,000 people in 2005, which was a rise from 1,158 in 2004. There were 223 thefts, 27 burglaries, 23 motor vehicle thefts, and one arson.[32]

State prison edit

Walpole is the location of Massachusetts Correctional Institution – Cedar Junction, a maximum security prison for males that was originally named "MCI — Walpole" until town residents successfully lobbied in the mid-1980s for the change.[33]

Recreation edit

 
Francis William Bird Park, located in East Walpole.

Walpole has many parks and athletic fields, which are mostly active during the spring and summer months due to the cold winter climate of Walpole and the surrounding area. Francis William Bird Park is located in Walpole. It is an 89-acre (360,000 m2) landscaped park, owned and maintained by The Trustees of Reservations. Over three miles (5 km) of walking and biking paths wind through the park, traversing streams across old granite bridges and passing through rolling, grassy meadows punctuated with mature shade trees, tree groves, and ponds.[34]

Facilities at the park include bike racks, benches, trash receptacles, public restroom (open seasonally), a "tot lot" with children's play equipment, four tennis courts, a basketball backboard, and an outdoor stage.[35]

Bird Park was created and endowed in 1925 by local industrialist Charles Sumner Bird, Sr. and his wife Anna in memory of their eldest son, Francis William Bird who had died seven years earlier in the influenza epidemic of 1918. Landscape architect and town planner John Nolen designed the park. A social reformer, Nolen believed that parks were critical to the health of urban residents and should be designed to provide a place of respite and relaxation in nature. In his original design plan, Nolen wrote that this park should be

"...a sequestered breathing place in the heart of East Walpole...a combination of broad, sun-swept meadow lands, speckled with shadowed glades, higher tree-screened knolls for the lover of shade, the whole set to the music of a babbling stream."[35]

For most of its history, the park was owned and maintained by the Francis William Park Trust. By the later decades of the 20th century, parts of the park suffered badly from vandalism and neglect. The Trustees of Reservations gained possession of this property in 2002.[34] Today the park is in excellent condition and several young ornamental trees such as Cherry and Japanese Maple have been added to the landscape, as have flower beds.

Sports edit

  • All Walpole High School teams are nicknamed "Rebels" except for the girls field hockey team who are nicknamed "Porkers". In 2004, the Walpole Boys and Girls high school basketball teams captured the Massachusetts State Titles on the same day in the Fleet Center in Boston. In 2006, the girls field hockey team, the Porkers, won their 10th State Championship in a 1-0 win over Notre Dame Academy of Worcester. This win set the record for number of overall Championship titles for Massachusetts field hockey.[36]
  • The boys cross country team won the National Championship in 1932, 1934, 1957, 1958, 1966, 1970–77 and 1992.
  • Walpole Little League has won the state championship twice: 1991, and 2007. They went to the Little League World Series in 2007 with a record of 19-1. They defeated Shelton, CT 14-4 in five inning mercy rule to advance to the LLWS. In round robin play, Walpole was eliminated with a 1-2 record, after losing to Oregon and Georgia, 1-0 and 8-1 respectively, and finished 21-3.
  • The Walpole High School Football team has made USA Today's Top 25 list twice, in 1986 (#24), and 1989 (#15). They also won the 2008 Eastern Massachusetts Division 2 Super Bowl, defeating football powerhouse Mansfield by the score of 41-21. * The Football team has won 20 League Titles, 7 Eastern Massachusetts Super Bowl Titles, and captured 2 Massachusetts State Championships.
  • The Walpole High School Boys Lacrosse team won the 2009 Division 2 State Championship.
  • There are many youth sports leagues in Walpole providing youth athletes with a number of options throughout the year.
    • Walpole Recreation Department
    • Walpole Youth Basketball
      • The WYBA's High School Rec. league is renowned for being one of the top leagues in the state.
    • Walpole Youth Football
    • Walpole Youth Girls Softball
    • Walpole Youth Lacrosse
    • Walpole Little League Baseball
    • Walpole Youth Soccer
    • Walpole Swim Team
    • King-Philip Walpole Youth Hockey
  • There is also a Junior Hockey team called the Walpole Express which plays out of Iorio Areana. It has a Junior A and B team, The teams play in the Atlantic Junior Hockey League and Metropolitan Junior Hockey League. The Junior A has won League Titles in 2009-10 and 2010-11 and seeking their third straight League Title also won Bronze in the 2010-11 Junior TierIII Nationals. The Junior B team Won their Division in 2010-11 and third Place in the Metroplolitian Junior Hockey League in 2010-11. The Express are a powerhouse team in the United States Ranked 3rd for Junior A and 15th for Junior B.
  • The Express also have an Annual Pink Game to raise awareness for cancer were they wear pink uniforms and also the refs wear pink uniforms. The game has had ex Professional Referee Kevin Collins to do the ceremonial puck drop the previous two years.
    • Walpole Express: www.walpoleexpress.com

Media edit

Walpole is served by The Walpole Times, a weekly newspaper owned by GateHouse Media New England.[37] WDIS AM 1170 is a radio station located in Norfolk, a neighboring town. Walpole Community Television, established in 1984, airs programming of local interest to all Walpole cable subscribers.[38]

Transportation edit

Commuter rail service from Boston's South Station is provided by the MBTA with the Walpole and Plimptonville stops on its Franklin Line.

Walpole is bordered by: Norwood to the North, Westwood to the Northeast, Dover to the West, Medfield to the Northwest, Sharon to the East, Foxboro to the Southeast, Norfolk to the Southwest

Notable residents edit

Gallery edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Ferguson, Keith (2011-01-10). "Walpole's election trend - vote Republican". The Walpole Times. Retrieved 2012-11-04. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  2. ^ a b c d "History of Walpole, Massachusetts, 1635–". Walpole Historical Society. Archived from the original on 2008-06-10. Retrieved 2008-04-23. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  3. ^ a b c "Walpole in the Revolution". Walpole Historical Society. Archived from the original on 2008-06-10. Retrieved 2008-04-23. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  4. ^ a b c "Walpole Historical Events Timeline". Walpole Historical Society. Archived from the original on 2008-06-10. Retrieved 2008-04-23. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  5. ^ a b c d e "Walpole, Massachusetts in 1860". Walpole Historical Society. Archived from the original on 2008-06-10. Retrieved 2008-04-29. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  6. ^ a b Greaves, Maude. "History of Walpole". Archived from the original on 2008-06-10. Retrieved 2008-05-11. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  7. ^ a b [1] Walpole History Memorials and Statues
  8. ^ a b [2] History of Blackburn Hall
  9. ^ [3] The Arts in Walpole
  10. ^ Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of Boston and Eastern Massachusetts by William Richard Cutter, published by Lewis historical publishing company, 1908
  11. ^ "Total Population (P1), 2010 Census Summary File 1". American FactFinder, All County Subdivisions within Massachusetts. United States Census Bureau. 2010.
  12. ^ "Massachusetts by Place and County Subdivision - GCT-T1. Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  13. ^ "1990 Census of Population, General Population Characteristics: Massachusetts" (PDF). US Census Bureau. December 1990. Table 76: General Characteristics of Persons, Households, and Families: 1990. 1990 CP-1-23. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  14. ^ "1980 Census of the Population, Number of Inhabitants: Massachusetts" (PDF). US Census Bureau. December 1981. Table 4. Populations of County Subdivisions: 1960 to 1980. PC80-1-A23. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  15. ^ "1950 Census of Population" (PDF). Bureau of the Census. 1952. Section 6, Pages 21-10 and 21-11, Massachusetts Table 6. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1930 to 1950. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  16. ^ "1920 Census of Population" (PDF). Bureau of the Census. 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. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  17. ^ "1890 Census of the Population" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. Pages 179 through 182. Massachusetts Table 5. Population of States and Territories by Minor Civil Divisions: 1880 and 1890. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  18. ^ "1870 Census of the Population" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1872. Pages 217 through 220. Table IX. Population of Minor Civil Divisions, &c. Massachusetts. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  19. ^ "1860 Census" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1864. Pages 220 through 226. State of Massachusetts Table No. 3. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  20. ^ "1850 Census" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1854. Pages 338 through 393. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  21. ^ "USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map". US Department of Agriculture – The United States National Arboretum. March 2, 2006. Retrieved 2008-04-23.
  22. ^ "Walpole Climatological Data". Town of Walpole. Archived from the original on 2008-04-03. Retrieved 2008-05-26. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  23. ^ Multi-Community Environmental Storm Observatory (2006). "Nor'easters". Archived from the original on 2007-10-09. Retrieved 2008-01-22.
  24. ^ "Atlantic hurricane best track (HURDAT version 2)" (Database). United States National Hurricane Center. April 5, 2023. Retrieved May 7, 2024.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  25. ^ a b "Walpole Public Schools Central Administration". Walpole Public Schools. Archived from the original on 2008-03-23. Retrieved 2008-04-24. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  26. ^ Schworm, Peter (2010-05-28). "In Walpole, Rebels' pride still sparks a fight". Boston Globe. Retrieved 2012-11-11. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  27. ^ "Old Post Road School". Walpole Public Schools. Retrieved 2008-04-24. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  28. ^ "Fisher School History". Walpole Public Schools. Retrieved 2008-04-24. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  29. ^ "Boyden Elementary School — History". Walpole Public Schools. Retrieved 2008-04-24. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  30. ^ "Elm Street School". Walpole Public Schools. Retrieved 2008-04-24. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help) [dead link]
  31. ^ "Walpole board of selectmen". Town of Walpole. Retrieved 2008-04-24. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  32. ^ "Town of Walpole Annual Report". The Town of Walpole. Retrieved 2008-04-24. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  33. ^ "MCI - Cedar Junction". Mass.gov. Retrieved 2008-04-23. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  34. ^ a b "Francis William Bird Park". The Trustees of Reservations. Archived from the original on 2008-06-10. Retrieved 2008-04-23. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  35. ^ a b "Bird Park". The Trustees of Reservations. Archived from the original on 2008-06-09. Retrieved 2008-04-23. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  36. ^ "Walpole (Mass.) field hockey keeps dynasty intact". Sports Illustrated.com. 2007-09-20. Retrieved 2008-04-24. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  37. ^ "Walpole Times home". Walpole Times/Wicked Local Walpole. Perinton, New York: GateHouse Media. Retrieved 2008-04-24. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  38. ^ "Walpole Community Television Home". Walpole Community Television. Retrieved 2011-08-07. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  39. ^ http://www.myfoxboston.com/myfox/pages/InsideFox/Detail?contentId=30910&version=10&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=5.3.1
  40. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Morgan_(manager)

External links edit

Category:Populated places established in 1659 Category:Towns in Norfolk County, Massachusetts Category:Walpole, Massachusetts