Waltham, Massachusetts

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Waltham, Massachusetts
Waltham on the banks of the Charles River
Waltham on the banks of the Charles River
Nickname: The Watch City
Location in Middlesex County in Massachusetts
Location in Middlesex County in Massachusetts
Coordinates: 42°22′35″N 71°14′10″W / 42.37639, -71.23611
Country United States
State Massachusetts
County Middlesex
Settled 1634
Incorporated 1738
Government
 - Type Mayor-council city
Area
 - Total 13.6 sq mi (35.2 km²)
 - Land 12.7 sq mi (32.9 km²)
 - Water 0.9 sq mi (2.4 km²)
Elevation 50 ft (15 m)
Population (2000)
 - Total 59,226
 - Density 4,663.4/sq mi (1,800.5/km²)
Time zone Eastern (UTC-5)
 - Summer (DST) Eastern (UTC-4)
ZIP code 02451-02454
Area code(s) 339 / 781
FIPS code 25-72600
GNIS feature ID 0612400
Website: http://www.city.waltham.ma.us/

One of the early centers of the Industrial Revolution in northern America, Waltham is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 59,226 at the 2000 census.

Waltham is home to The Sports Authority Training Center, which serves a dual role as practice facility/offices of the Boston Celtics.

Waltham is commonly referred to as Watch City because of its association with the watch industry. This is due to Waltham Watch Company, which opened its factory in Waltham in 1854. The American Waltham Watch Company, AWWCo Inc, was one of the pioneers of the Industrial Revolution. It was the first company to make watches on an assembly line. It won the gold medal in 1876 at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition. Over 40 million watches, clocks and instruments were produced by Waltham Watch Company until it closed in 1957.

Contents

[edit] Pronunciation

The name of the city is pronounced with the primary stress on the first syllable and secondary stress on the second syllable, although the name of the Waltham watch was pronounced with accent only on the first syllable. The second vowel is pronounced properly ("Wall-tham", to rhyme with tall-ham, IPA: /ˈwɔlθæm/), and not elided into a schwa ("Wall-thumb", IPA */ˈwɔlθəm/) as might be expected in American English.

[edit] History

Waltham was first settled in 1634 as part of Watertown and was officially incorporated as a separate town in 1738. The city is home to Gore Place, a mansion built in 1806 for former Massachusetts Governor Christopher Gore; The Robert Treat Paine Estate, a residence designed in collaboration between architect Henry Hobson Richardson and landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted for philanthropist Robert Treat Paine, Jr. (1810-1905); and the Lyman Estate, a 400-acre estate established in 1793 by Boston merchant Theodore Lyman.

[edit] National Register of Historic Places

[edit] Geography

Waltham is located at 42°22′50″N, 71°14′6″W (42.380596, -71.235005),GR1 about 10 miles (16.09 km) north-west of downtown Boston, Massachusetts.

The city stretches along the Charles River and contains several dams. These dams were used to power textile mills and other such endeavors, accounting for its early industrial activity.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 35.2 km² (13.6 mi²). 32.9 km² (12.7 mi²) of it is land and 2.4 km² (0.9 mi²) of it (6.69%) is water.

[edit] Adjacent towns

It is bordered to the west by Weston and Lincoln, to the south by Newton, to the east by Belmont and Watertown, and to the north by Lexington.

[edit] Demographics

As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 59,226 people, 23,207 households, and 12,462 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,800.6/km² (4,663.4/mi²). There were 23,880 housing units at an average density of 726.0/km² (1,880.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 82.98% White, 4.41% African American, 0.16% Native American, 7.29% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 3.20% from other races, and 1.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.49% of the population.

There were 23,207 households out of which 20.3% had children under the living with them, 41.3% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.3% were non-families. 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the city the population was spread out with 15.5% under the age of 18, 16.8% from 18 to 24, 34.4% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 97.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $54,010, and the median income for a family was $64,595. Males had a median income of $42,324 versus $33,931 for females. The per capita income for the city was $26,364. 7% of the population and 3.6% of families were below the poverty line. 4.8% of those under the and 8.4% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

[edit] Government

Waltham's form of government is comprised of a mayor and a city council.

[edit] Education

[edit] Public schools

The Waltham public school system includes eight elementary schools, two middle schools, and one senior high school. The High school's mascot is a hawk. Previously, Waltham used to be called the 'watchmen' until it changed to Hawks.

[edit] Private schools

[edit] Higher education

Waltham is home to:

[edit] Transportation

The city of Waltham is 10 miles west of Boston, Massachusetts on the Charles River, but only about 10-15 minutes drive from the closest point of Boston, which is Brighton, Massachusetts

Waltham is located near several important U.S. Interstate highways. Interstate 95 (which is also Route 128) runs through the western part of the city, Interstate 90 (also the Massachusetts Turnpike) is located just to south in Newton, Massachusetts, and Route 2 runs just to the north through Lexington, Massachusetts.

Waltham is partly surrounded by Interstate 95 (I-95), also called Route 128; hence Waltham is in the heart of Boston's Route 128 High Technology Corridor.

The MBTA commuter rail has two stops in Waltham as part of the Fitchburg-Boston Line, one in Central Square Waltham across from the City Hall, and one near Brandeis University.

MBTA Bus Service also covers the city (see WWW.MBTA.COM for specific lines, schedules etc.)

[edit] Media

Waltham is host to a daily newspaper, the Daily News Tribune. WCAC-TV provides local-interest television programming. Waltham news sometimes appears in the Boston Globe's GlobeWest section, as well.

[edit] Culture

Waltham Supermarket on Main Street, established in 1936, was a large historic grocery store that closed in the 1990s.
Waltham Supermarket on Main Street, established in 1936, was a large historic grocery store that closed in the 1990s.

Waltham is some distance from Boston proper and the surrounding cities, and maintains a distinctly different flavor. A number of high-tech companies have taken advantage of the lower cost of real estate to set up shop in the ring of office parks that dot the highway exits in Waltham, and swank restaurants and business-class hotels have sprung up to serve their needs.

Downtown Waltham's Moody Street offers its own brand of entertainment with a colorful assortment of shops, restaurants, and bars, including the Watch City Brewing Co., The Skellig, Jake's Dixie Roadhouse, The Lincoln (L), and the Embassy Cinema. Moody Street's booming night-life, convenience to the commuter rail and lower rents have attracted younger professionals to Waltham in growing numbers in recent years. Moody Street is also referred to as "Restaurant Row" because of the number, variety and quality of its restaurants.

For over 25 years, the Waltham Arts Council has sponsored "Concerts On Waltham Common", featuring a different musical act each week of the summer, free of charge to attendees. "Concerts On Waltham Common" was created and organized by Stephen Kilgore until his death in 2004.

Open space in the city is protected by the Waltham Land Trust.

[edit] Points of interest

[edit] Notable residents

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

[edit] See also


[edit] References

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[edit] External links


Coordinates: 42.380596° N 71.235005° W

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