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 | |||
|
|||
 |
|||
| Coordinates: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Country | United States | ||
| State | Massachusetts | ||
| County | Norfolk | ||
| Settled | 1659 | ||
| Incorporated | 1724 | ||
| Government | |||
| - Type | Representative town meeting | ||
| Area | |||
| - Total | 21.0 sq mi (54.4 km²) | ||
| - Land | 20.5 sq mi (53.2 km²) | ||
| - Water | 0.5 sq mi (1.2 km²) | ||
| Elevation | 150 ft (46 m) | ||
| Population (2000) | |||
| - Total | 22,824 | ||
| - Density | 1,111.2/sq mi (429.0/km²) | ||
| Time zone | Eastern (UTC-5) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | Eastern (UTC-4) | ||
| ZIP code | 02081 or 02032 | ||
| Area code(s) | 508 / 774 | ||
| FIPS code | 25-72495 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 0618331 | ||
| Website: http://www.walpole-ma.gov/ | |||
Walpole is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. It is about located 17.9 miles from Boston and 23.5 miles from Providence, Rhode Island. The population was 22,824 at the 2000 census.
Contents |
History
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 is known in Massachusetts as the location of MCI - Cedar Junction, a maximum security prison for males in Massachusetts. The prison was originally named MCI - Walpole, until town residents successfully lobbied in the mid-1980s for the change. During World War II, Walpole had a population of roughly 7,000 citizens. Approximately 1,100 of them served in the war effort.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 21.0 square miles (54.4 km²). 20.5 square miles (53.2 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.2 km²) of it (2.19%) is water. Walpole is bordered by Dover on the north, Medfield and Norfolk on the west, Foxborough on the south, Sharon and Norwood on the east, and Westwood on the northeast.
East Walpole
East Walpole is an area of Walpole that is neither separately incorporated nor census-designated; however, it has its own ZIP code, 02032. It is adjacent to the area of Norwood known as "South Norwood". Bird Park is located in East Walpole and is also the location of the old Danom Forge Blacksmith's Shop on what is now Washington Street.
South Walpole
South Walpole is an area of Walpole that is neither separately incorporated nor census-designated; however, it has its own ZIP code, 02071. South Walpole contains a town swimming pool named South Pool and Boyden Elementary School. South Walpole is adjacent to the area of Foxborough which contains Gillette Stadium.
Demographics
As of the census² 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 (1,111.2/sq mi). There were 8,229 housing units at an average density of 154.7/km² (400.7/sq mi). 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. 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.
Education
There are seven schools in the Walpole Public School system:
High Schools
- Walpole High School
Middle Schools
- Bird Middle School
- Johnson Middle School
Elementary Schools
- Boyden School
- Elm Street School
- Fisher School
- Old Post Road School
Private/Other Schools
- Blessed Sacrament School (PreK-8)
- Norfolk County Agricultural High School
2007 scandal
In early 2007, the town's high school made state history when a series of scandals involving many of the town's graduating class of 2007 made statewide news, including an article in one of the state's largest papers, the Boston Globe, reports on various local television news broadcasts, as well as being mentioned in conversation between DJ's such as Boston's R&B/HipHop station, Jamn' 94.5 FM. The most notable of these was an incident involving an unidentified 17 year old girl at whose home an alleged event took place that may have involved unsupervised underage consumption of alcohol. The event led to an investigation by the town's truency officer during which a large number of the town's graduating class were brought into school officials' offices for private interrogation sessions. Scandal arose when such meetings took place without any advance parental notification. Outrage continued when the unidentified "host" was suspended without a probationary period from her school's local National Honor Society chapter, and was warned that if she appealed her removal from the organization to the National level, the universities to which the student had applied would be informed of the event. More than 20 other members of the organization were granted clemency when disputes arose over their involvement in the event. The principal spearheading the investigation is not a stranger to school system scandal given his involvement in a statewide scandal in which he was accused of compromising the integrity of the state's MCAS standardized testing while principal of North Shore Technical Highschool in Middleton. The scandal led to his eventual resignation. The Principal attended the next National Honor Society meeting to offer an "open forum" shortly before graduation. He was looking to give such honorable students a "clean slate" and concentrate on the future. Many members of the school community saw this claim as hypocritical given his harsh treatment of the alleged "hostess." However, this hostess willingly handed over "evidence" of this under-aged drinking party, therefore incriminating herself and then handed over a list of almost 50 names, including a few who were not even in attendance, in hopes of lessening her own punishment. National Honor Society guidelines clearly state a zero tolerance policy for acts such as under-age drinking, therefore, this "hostess" set herself up. Community members also felt the principal had placed pressure upon the Chair of the school's National Honor Society not to discipline the other students who had confessed, ultimately resulting in the Chair's resignation after her public and inappropriate reprimanding of the Chapter. The fiasco also led to an amendment of the school system's chemical health policy, so as to absolve offenders, and grant the school more influence in the future. This policy also sparked controversy as parents did not understand the necessity of such a form following one that had previously been signed, and due to the new document's broad language.
Notable people
Walpole is home to more than a dozen people who went on to fame and fortune in various areas.
Sports
- The following athletes and coaches once lived, or now live, in Walpole:
NFL
- Todd Collins, NFL quarterback for the Washington Redskins and The University of Michigan
- Tom Coughlin, NFL head coach for the New York Giants
- Butch Songin, retired NFL quarterback
- Matt Rodgers, NFL quarterback for the Buffalo Bills and the Iowa Hawkeyes
- Danny Villa, NFL player who played for the New England Patriots, current Walpole High School athletic director and Football coach
- Kevin Faulk, NFL current running back for the New England Patriots
- Mike McKay, USFL player for the Memphis Showboats
- Steve Moore, NFL player for the New England Patriots
MLB
- Joe Morgan, former Boston Red Sox and Pawtucket Red Sox manager
- Richie Hebner, member of the 1971 World Series-winning Pittsburgh Pirates
NHL
- Mike Milbury, NHL hockey player, coach and executive
Butch Songin, Timmy Songin, Scotty Meehan; hockey players (Boston Bruins)
NBA
- Jimmy Rodgers, former Boston Celtics coach
Other
- Dina Rizzo, Member of Women's National Field Hockey team
- Len Ceglarski, Long time hockey coach at Boston College
- Also of note is the fact that the Walpole Americans, made up of all-stars from the town's individual little league teams, managed to play their way to the 2007 Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. This was the first time that Walpole had ever been represented in the LLWS, and several members of the team got their photos on the front pages of various major newspapers such as the Boston Globe, Boston Herald and the local newspaper, the Walpole Times.
Other Notable people
- Charles Farrell, the film actor and mayor of Palm Springs, California for seven years, was born in South Walpole and grew up in East Walpole.
- The Walpole Historical Society reports that Joseph Nye Welch, the US Army Counsel who, in 1954, asked Senator Joe McCarthy during the Army-McCarthy hearings: “...have you no sense of decency, sir?” was a Walpole resident.
- Charles S. Bird, who lived in East Walpole and built a multi-million dollar paper mill in the late 1800s and early 1900s, ran for Massachusetts governor several times and won the nomination as a Progressive candidate, but never won the general election. He went on to established Bird Machine Company in South Walpole.
- Elsie Taylor, of South Walpole, was chosen as Miss Massachusetts in 1933 when she was 23 years old.
- Mary Lavin, a famous prize-winning short story writer was born in East Walpole in 1912, before moving to Ireland to live the rest of her life there.
- Gene Lavanchy, Walpole native, is a local broacaster on WFXT, hosting its popular morning news show. Formerly, he was an award winning sportcaster on WHDH (NBC), Boston.
Sports
- Walpole High School teams have two nicknames. All teams are considered the Rebels, except for the girls field hockey team, who are called the Porkers.
- Some residents in Walpole wish to eradicate the "Rebel" mascot, due to its connections to its origins in the town in the 1960s, when symbols of the Confederacy (the Confederate Battle Flag) were used at sporting events. Some residents are offended by this association and its link, no matter how innocently, to America's racist past. They feel that using rebel symbols, logos, etc., trivializes the contribution made by numerous Walpole men during the American Civil War.
- 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, MA.
- 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.
- 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.
See also
External links
- Town of Walpole
- MCI - Cedar Junction
- Town of Walpole News Site
- Walpole Public School District site
- Data at citytowninfo.com
- Walpole, Massachusetts is at coordinates Coordinates:
