Wakefield, Massachusetts
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| Wakefield, Massachusetts | |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country | United States |
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Middlesex County |
| Settled | 1639 |
| Incorporated | 1812 |
| Government | |
| - Type | Open town meeting |
| Area | |
| - Town | 7.9 sq mi (20.5 km²) |
| - Land | 7.5 sq mi (19.3 km²) |
| - Water | 0.4 sq mi (1.1 km²) |
| Elevation | 100 ft (30 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - Town | 24,804 |
| - Density | 3,321.6/sq mi (1,282.5/km²) |
| Time zone | Eastern (UTC-5) |
| - Summer (DST) | Eastern (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 01880 |
| Area code(s) | 339 / 781 |
| Website: http://www.wakefield.ma.us/ | |
Wakefield is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States located ten miles northeast of Boston. The population was 24,804 at the 2000 census.
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[edit] History
Wakefield was first settled in 1639 and was officially incorporated in 1812. Wakefield is made up of various parts including Greenwood, Montrose, and Westside. Originally part of Reading, it was set off as a separate community and originally known as South Reading until Cyrus Wakefield donated land for the construction of Town Hall and a grateful population renamed their community in his honor.
[edit] Geography
Wakefield is located at (42.501345, -71.071324)GR1
Reading, Massachusetts (West), Melrose, Massachusetts (South), Lynnfield, Massachusetts (North), and Saugus, Massachusetts (East) border Wakefield.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 20.5 km² (7.9 mi²). 19.3 km² (7.5 mi²) of it is land and 1.1 km² (0.4 mi²) of it (5.56%) is water.
Wakefield has two lakes: Crystal Lake and Lake Quannapowitt. Crystal Lake is used as a reservoir for some of the town's drinking water. Lake Quannapowitt is used for a wide variety of recreational activities, including boating, windsurfing and fishing.
In 1847, Lake Quannapowitt was named for the Indian, James Quannapowitt, one of the signers of the old Indian Deed of 1686. The earliest settlers referred to the lake simply as the "Greate Pond" or "Reading Pond."
Long regarded as "Wakefield's greatest natural resource," Lake Quannapowitt covers an area of 247 acres. Its outlet is the Saugus River to the Atlantic Ocean. Wakefield Common sits to the south of the lake, and is the site of many recreational activities and events throughout the year.
In 1991, a group of local citizens formed "The Friends of Lake Quannapowitt" to advocate for the lake and to educate the public about this natural resource. The group has also raises money for projects that benefit the lake and the surrounding areas.
[edit] Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 24,804 people, 9,747 households, and 6,608 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,282.0/km² (3,321.6/mi²). There were 9,937 housing units at an average density of 513.6/km² (1,330.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.94% White, 0.45% Black or African American, 0.08% Native American, 1.43% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.20% from other races, and 0.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.82% of the population.
There were 9,747 households out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.1% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.2% were non-families. 26.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the town the population was spread out with 22.6% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 32.7% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 90.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $66,117, and the median income for a family was $77,834. Males had a median income of $51,591 versus $39,327 for females. The per capita income for the town was $30,369. About 1.7% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.7% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Annual events
- Town Day
- Independence Day Parade
- Homecoming Celebration in Autumn
- Concerts on the Common (Summer)
[edit] Community facts
- In 1997, the boys' and girls' basketball teams from Wakefield High School won Division II state championships on the same night.
- On December 26, 2000, Michael McDermott, an employee at Edgewater Technology, fatally shot seven of his co-workers.
- Contains three High Schools: Wakefield High School, Northeast Vocational, Our Lady of Nazareth
- The town is covered by two daily newspapers, the locally owned Daily Item and an edition of the Daily Times Chronicle; and by one weekly newspaper, the Wakefield Observer.
- One of the oldest and largest manufacturers of flying model airplane toys in the world, Paul K. Guillow, Inc. is located in Wakefield. The company is particularly notable for it's extensive line of balsa wood model airplane kits.
