Southeastern Massachusetts
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Southeastern Massachusetts is a term that refers to those portions of Massachusetts which are, by their proximity, economically and culturally linked to Providence, Rhode Island as well as Boston.
[edit] Definition
As Southeastern Massachusetts is not an official designation, its borders are not exactly defined. Almost certainly, it includes all of Bristol County, Massachusetts as well as Norfolk County towns on the Rhode Island border such as Bellingham, Blackstone, Plainville and Wrentham.
Towns just a little closer to Boston, such as Foxboro (equidistant between Boston and Providence) would probably not be included. Much of Plymouth County might be excluded as well.
The terms "Southeastern Massachusetts," "Southeastern New England", and "Southern New England" are much-used by Providence-area broadcasters and other local companies and organizations but are not used as frequently in other parts of Massachusetts.
[edit] Characteristics
The Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD) task force, which concerns Southeastern Massachusetts in its broadest definition, describes:
For this effort, southeastern [sic] Massachusetts is defined as fifty-two cities and towns from Bristol, Plymouth and Norfolk Counties. The region is geographically defined by Massachusetts Bay, Buzzards Bay, The [sic] Taunton River watershed, and its location relative to Boston, Rhode Island and Cape Cod
...[it] is home to approximately one million people residing in over 1300 square miles. We have been adding 10,000 new residents and consuming 4.7 square miles of undeveloped land each year for the past thirty years, and new transportation improvements (commuter rail, Route 44 and Route 3 & 24 improvements) continue to attract more growth. Southeastern Massachusetts is comprised of several clearly defined sub-regions, including the South Shore, the South Coast and the Tri-City area around Brockton, Attleboro and Taunton. Despite the diversity within the region, the fifty-two cities and towns all have common concerns and opportunities.[1]
Brockton, New Bedford and Fall River are the largest cities in Southeastern Massachusetts and are close to one another in size.[2]
Like most of the state, Southeastern Massachusetts is ethnically and, to a lesser extent, linguistically diverse. However, Portuguese-speakers are especially well-represented in this area due to a pattern of immigration that began in the 19th century and was tied to the whaling industry. Today, many people in Southeastern Massachusetts trace their ancestry to mainland Portugal, the Azores and Cape Verde.[3][4]
[edit] References
- ^ (SRPEDD) task force
- ^ Largest Cities in Massachusetts
- ^ Massachusetts Alliance of Portugese Speakers
- ^ University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth
