Needham, Massachusetts
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| Needham, Massachusetts | |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country | United States |
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Norfolk |
| Settled | 1680 |
| Incorporated | 1711 |
| Government | |
| - Type | Representative town meeting |
| Area | |
| - Total | 12.7 sq mi (32.9 km²) |
| - Land | 12.6 sq mi (32.7 km²) |
| - Water | 0.1 sq mi (0.2 km²) |
| Elevation | 162 ft (49 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - Total | 28,911 |
| - Density | 2,292.7/sq mi (885.2/km²) |
| Time zone | Eastern (UTC-5) |
| - Summer (DST) | Eastern (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 02492 / 02494 |
| Area code(s) | 339 / 781 |
| FIPS code | 25-44105 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0618325 |
| Website: http://www.town.needham.ma.us/ | |
Needham is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States.
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[edit] History
Needham was first settled in 1680 and officially incorporated in 1711. Originally part of the Dedham Grant, Needham split from Dedham and was named after the village of Needham Market in Suffolk, England, a neighbor of the English town of Dedham. By the 1770s settlers in the western part of the town who had to travel a long distance to the meeting house on what is now Central Avenue sought to form a second parish in the town. Opposition to this desire created conflict, and in 1774 a mysterious fire destroyed the extant meeting house. Some time afterwards the West Parish was formed.
In 1881 the West Parish was separately incorporated as the town of Wellesley. The following year, Needham and Wellesley high schools began playing an annual football game on Thanksgiving, now the second-longest running high school football rivalry in the United States[1] (and longest such contest on Thanksgiving).
[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 12.7 square miles (32.9 km²), of which, 12.6 square miles (32.7 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (0.71%) is water.
Needham's area is roughly in the shape of an acute, northward-pointing triangle. The Charles River forms nearly all of the southern and northeastern boundaries, the town line with Wellesley forming the third, northwestern one. In addition to Wellesley on the northwest, Needham borders Newton and the West Roxbury section of Boston on the northeast, and Dover, Westwood, and Dedham on the south. The majority of Cutler Park is in Needham and is located along the Charles River and the border with Newton.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census‹The template GR is being considered for deletion.› GR2 of 2000, there were 28,911 people, 10,612 households, and 7,778 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,292.7 people per square mile (885.2/km²). There were 10,846 housing units at an average density of 860.1/sq mi (332.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 94.82% White, 0.70% Black or African American, 0.03% Native American, 3.54% Asian, 0.25% from other races, and 0.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.18% of the population.
There were 10,612 households out of which 37.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.9% were married couples living together, 6.9% have a female householder with no husband present and 26.7% were non-families. 23.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.2% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 90.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $88,079, and the median income for a family was $107,570. Males had a median income of $76,459 versus $47,092 for females. The per capita income for the town was $44,549. About 1.6% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.2% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Government
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[edit] Economy
Needham is the home to the largest Coca Cola plant in New England.[citation needed]
[edit] Education
Needham's public school system consists of five elementary schools (Broadmeadow, Eliot, Hillside, Mitchell, and the former junior high school Newman), a middle school (William Pollard Middle School), and a high school (Needham High School). The high school is undergoing extensive renovation. Both wings of the new school have been completed, with the historical facade under renovation, and a new gymnasium under construction.
There are also several private Catholic parochial schools: Saint Joseph Elementary School (grades K-5), Monsignor James J. Haddad Middle School (grades 6-8), and Saint Sebastian's School (grades 7-12).
Needham is home to Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering, chartered in 1997.
[edit] Transportation
Commuter rail service from Boston's South Station is provided by the MBTA with four stops in Needham on its Needham Line.[2]
[edit] Media
Needham is part of the Boston media market.
In addition to the Boston Globe and Boston Herald newspapers, there are two local weekly newspapers, Needham Times is published by Community Newspaper Company and Needham Hometown Weekly is published by Hometown Publications, LLC.
The studios of television stations WCVB (5/20 Boston, ABC) and WUNI (27/29 Worcester, Univision) are located in Needham, as are the transmitters of WCVB, WBZ-TV (4/30 Boston, CBS), WGBH-TV (2/19 Boston, PBS), WGBX-TV (44/43 Boston, PBS), WFXT (25/31 Boston, Fox), WSBK (38/39 Boston, independent), and WLVI (56/41 Cambridge, CW).
A local cable television channel provides local news such as town meeting information, school announcements, and local high-school sports.
Radio station WEEI (850 Boston) transmits from a three-tower site south of the town dump. Needham has no local radio but does have a television station of its own.
[edit] Notable residents
- Niia Bertino, Columbia recording artist featured on Wyclef Jean's Sweetest Girl single, grew up in Needham.
- Dave Cadigan, offensive lineman in the NFL, was born in Needham.
- Ananda Coomaraswamy, art historian, philosopher, and Indologist, died in Needham.
- Peter DeFazio, a United States Congressman from Oregon, was born in Needham.
- Elizabeth de la Vega, author of U.S. VS. Bush.
- Lee Eisenberg, writer for The Office was born in Needham.
- Robbie Ftorek, NHL coach, was born and raised in Needham. He attended Needham High School and was considered one of the best high school hockey players in the history of the state.[citation needed]
- Donald Yetter Gardner, writer of the song All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth, lived the end of his life in Needham.
- Edmund H. Garrett, prolific 19th- and 20th-century book illustrator.
- Nelson Goodman, philosopher, died in Needham.
- James S. Gracey, Commandant of the Coast Guard, lived in Needham and attended the high school.
- Steve Hely, writer of American Dad!, is a native of Needham.
- Eric Johnson, New Orleans Saints tight end, was born and raised in Needham and played football, basketball, and volleyball for Needham High School.
- Ben Karlin, executive producer of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report, grew up in Needham.
- Frank Malzone, former third baseman for the Boston Red Sox, lives in Needham.
- Rachel Mayer, US Olympic figure skater
- Joe McIntyre, singer-songwriter and actor, was born in Needham.
- Marissa Nadler, singer, grew up in Needham.
- Mia Matsumiya, violinist of the avant-rock band Kayo Dot, grew up in Needham.
- Pietro Pezzati, portrait artist, lived in Needham for about thirty years.
- Karl Ravech, ESPN Baseball Tonight anchor, was born and raised in Needham and attended Needham High School.
- Scott Rosenberg, screenwriter, was born and raised in Needham.
- Harold Russell, actor, lived in Needham.
- Mike Tannenbaum, General Manager NFL New York Jets, grew up in Needham
- Jeff Taylor, founder of Monster.com, attended Needham High School.
- N.C. Wyeth, artist, was born in Needham.
- The Jacobs brothers, creators of the Life Is Good clothing company, grew up in Needham.
- Sunita Williams, NASA Astronaut, considers Needham to be her home.
- Sarah Saltzberg, actress/singer, star of Broadway's The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, is originally from Needham.
Will Burke, writer for "Jimmy Kimmel Live", grew up in Needham
[edit] References
- ^ The oldest rivalry is that of New London, Connecticut vs. Norwich Free Academy, dating to 1875.[1]
- ^ MBTA website.mbta.com. Accessed August 31, 2007.
- Needham Historical Society
- History of Sports in Wellesley: Football
- 11-Man Football Miscellaneous Team Records, from NFLHS.com
Will Burke, writer for "Jimmy Kimmel Live" grew up in Needham.
[edit] External links
- Needham, Massachusetts is at coordinates Coordinates:
Categories: Articles with sections needing expansion | All articles with unsourced statements | Articles with unsourced statements since September 2007 | Articles with unsourced statements since February 2007 | 1711 establishments | Norfolk County, Massachusetts | Settlements established in 1680 | Towns in Massachusetts
