Middleborough, Massachusetts
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Middleborough (frequently written as Middleboro) is a town in Plymouth County,
Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...
, United States. The population was 24,245 at the 2020 census.


History

The town was first settled by
Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
ans in 1661 as Nemasket, later changed to Middlebury, and officially incorporated as Middleborough in 1669. The name Nemasket came from a Native American settlement along the small river that now bears the same name. ''Nemasket'' may have meant "place of fish", due to the large amount of
herring Herring are forage fish, mostly belonging to the family of Clupeidae. Herring often move in large schools around fishing banks and near the coast, found particularly in shallow, temperate waters of the North Pacific and North Atlantic Oceans, i ...
that migrate up the river each spring. There are no contemporary records that indicate the name Middlebury was taken from a place in England. The names Middlebury and Middleborough were actually derived from the city of
Middelburg Middelburg may refer to: Places and jurisdictions Europe * Middelburg, Zeeland, the capital city of the province of Zeeland, southwestern Netherlands ** Roman Catholic Diocese of Middelburg, a former Catholic diocese with its see in the Zeeland ...
,
Zeeland , nl, Ik worstel en kom boven("I struggle and emerge") , anthem = "Zeeuws volkslied"("Zeelandic Anthem") , image_map = Zeeland in the Netherlands.svg , map_alt = , m ...
, the westernmost province of the Netherlands. Middelburg was an international intellectual center and economic powerhouse. The English religious dissenters known as the
Brownist The Brownists were a group of English Dissenters or early Separatists from the Church of England. They were named after Robert Browne, who was born at Tolethorpe Hall in Rutland, England, in the 1550s. A majority of the Separatists aboard the ' ...
s developed their governing institutions in Middelburg before emigrating on the ''Mayflower'', and were the earliest settlers of Middleborough. During
King Philip's War King Philip's War (sometimes called the First Indian War, Metacom's War, Metacomet's War, Pometacomet's Rebellion, or Metacom's Rebellion) was an armed conflict in 1675–1676 between indigenous inhabitants of New England and New England coloni ...
(1675–1676), the town's entire populace took shelter within the confines of a fort constructed along the
Nemasket River The Nemasket or Namasket River is a small river in southeastern Massachusetts. It flows north U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed April 1, 2011 from Assawompset Pond in Lake ...
. The site is located behind the old Memorial High School (now a
kindergarten Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cent ...
), and is marked by a state historical commission marker along Route 105. Before long, the fort was abandoned and the population withdrew to the greater shelter of the
Plymouth Colony Plymouth Colony (sometimes Plimouth) was, from 1620 to 1691, the British America, first permanent English colony in New England and the second permanent English colony in North America, after the Jamestown Colony. It was first settled by the pa ...
. In their absence, the entire village was burned to the ground, and it would be several years before the town would be reestablished. Western Middleborough broke away on May 13, 1853 and formed the town of Lakeville, taking with it the main access to the large freshwater lakes there, including
Assawompset Pond Assawompset Pond is a reservoir/pond within the towns of Lakeville and Middleboro, in southeastern Massachusetts. It shares its waters with Long Pond and is openly connected with Pocksha Pond.USGS Quadrangle Map These lakes provide a source of ...
. Middleborough was once a large producer of shoes and is still home to the
Alden Shoe Company The Alden Shoe Company is an American shoe company founded in 1884 by Charles H. Alden in Middleborough, Massachusetts. Alden specializes in handcrafted men's leather boots and dress shoes, such as Oxfords, Blüchers, loafers, and Chukka boots. ...
, one of the last remaining shoe manufacturers in America. The local
Maxim Motors The Maxim Motor Company was an American automaker headquartered in Middleborough, Massachusetts, specializing in the manufacture of firefighting apparatus. From the time of its founding in 1920 to the end of operations in 1989, the company manuf ...
manufactured fire engines from 1914 to 1989. Middleborough has since become the location of the corporate headquarters of Ocean Spray Cranberries. Notable sights include the 1870s Victorian-style town hall and the Beaux Arts-style town library (1903). In the spring, the Nemasket River alewife and blueback herring run upstream to the Assawompset Ponds complex to spawn. Teams from Middleborough have twice reached the
Little League World Series The Little League World Series is an annual baseball tournament for children—typically boys—aged 10 to 12 years old, held in the Eastern United States. Originally called the National Little League Tournament, it was later renamed for the Wor ...
(LLWS) the only Little League in the state to reach twice in the International Era (1958+). Middleborough reached the 1994 edition by defeating Milburn-Short Hills, New Jersey, to take the East Region title. In
South Williamsport, Pennsylvania South Williamsport is a borough in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is famous for hosting the Little League World Series. The population was 6,259 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statis ...
, the team lost two games (to Virginia and California) and won one game (over Minnesota). They were one of only two Massachusetts Little League teams to win the East title (the other being from
Andover Andover may refer to: Places Australia * Andover, Tasmania Canada * Andover Parish, New Brunswick * Perth-Andover, New Brunswick United Kingdom * Andover, Hampshire, England ** RAF Andover, a former Royal Air Force station United States * Ando ...
in 1988) before it was split into the New England Region and Mid-Atlantic Region in 2001. Middleborough advanced to the 2022 edition of the LLWS with a 10-1 win over Maine. They were the first Massachusetts team to reach South Williamsport since Peabody in 2009. Middleboro lost each of its two games falling 5-3 to Southeast (Tennessee) and 7-5 to Mid-Atlantic (Pennsylvania). In the summer of 2007, Middleborough became the proposed location for a controversial future resort
casino A casino is a facility for certain types of gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos are also known for hosting live entertai ...
, sponsored by the
Wampanoag The Wampanoag , also rendered Wôpanâak, are an Indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands based in southeastern Massachusetts and historically parts of eastern Rhode Island,Salwen, "Indians of Southern New England and Long Island," p. 17 ...
Tribe of
Mashpee, Massachusetts Mashpee ( wam, Mâseepee) is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States, on Cape Cod. The population was 15,060 as of 2020. The town is the site of the headquarters and most members of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, one of two feder ...
. Image:South Main Street, Looking North, Middleborough, MA.jpg, South Main Street in 1912 Image:Webster Street, Middleborough, MA.jpg, Webster Street Image:Nemasket Mill, Middleborough, MA.jpg, Nemasket Mill in 1914 Image:Bank Building, Middleborough, MA.jpg, Bank building in 1910


Profanity ban controversy

On June 11, 2012, Middleborough made national headlines after residents approved an ordinance outlawing the use of
profanity Profanity, also known as cursing, cussing, swearing, bad language, foul language, obscenities, expletives or vulgarism, is a socially offensive use of language. Accordingly, profanity is language use that is sometimes deemed impolite, rud ...
in public, making it punishable by a $20 fine. It passed 183–50 in the town of over 23,000 residents. Many legal experts said the law violates the
First Amendment to the United States Constitution The First Amendment (Amendment I) to the United States Constitution prevents the government from making laws that regulate an establishment of religion, or that prohibit the free exercise of religion, or abridge the freedom of speech, the ...
. Dozens of residents on both sides of the issue attended a protest in front of the town hall. The Massachusetts state director for the
American Civil Liberties Union The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1920 "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States". T ...
said, "the Supreme Court has ruled that the government can't prohibit public speech just because it contains profanity." In October 2012, Massachusetts attorney general
Martha Coakley Martha Mary Coakley (born July 14, 1953) is an American lobbyist and lawyer who served as Attorney General of Massachusetts from 2007 to 2015. Prior to serving as Attorney General, she was District Attorney of Middlesex County from 1999 to 20 ...
blocked enforcement of the law, saying it was inconsistent with the Constitution, and the town ultimately backed off the profanity ban.


Geography

According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 4.27%, is water. Middleborough is the second largest municipality in Massachusetts in terms of area, smaller only than
Plymouth Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west. Plymouth ...
. Middleborough lies on the western border of Plymouth County. It is bordered by Bridgewater and Halifax to the north,
Plympton Plympton is a suburb of the city of Plymouth in Devon, England. It is in origin an ancient stannary town. It was an important trading centre for locally mined tin, and a seaport before the River Plym silted up and trade moved down river to Plym ...
and Carver to the east, Wareham and
Rochester Rochester may refer to: Places Australia * Rochester, Victoria Canada * Rochester, Alberta United Kingdom *Rochester, Kent ** City of Rochester-upon-Medway (1982–1998), district council area ** History of Rochester, Kent ** HM Prison ...
to the south, and Lakeville,
Taunton Taunton () is the county town of Somerset, England, with a 2011 population of 69,570. Its thousand-year history includes a 10th-century monastic foundation, Taunton Castle, which later became a priory. The Normans built a castle owned by the ...
and Raynham to the west. The town is approximately west of Plymouth, east of
Providence, Rhode Island Providence is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. One of the oldest cities in New England, it was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, a Reformed Baptist theologian and religious exile from the Massachusetts Bay ...
and south of
Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
. Middleborough's rivers and brooks feed in two directions. The
Taunton River The Taunton River (historically also called the "Taunton Great River"), is a river in southeastern Massachusetts in the United States. It arises from the confluence of the Town River and Matfield River, in the town of Bridgewater. From the ...
,
Nemasket River The Nemasket or Namasket River is a small river in southeastern Massachusetts. It flows north U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed April 1, 2011 from Assawompset Pond in Lake ...
and their tributaries flow southeastward as part of the
Taunton River Watershed An USGS map of the Taunton River Watershed The Taunton River watershed or ''Taunton River basin'' is made up of of rivers, lakes, ponds, streams, and wetlands in southeastern Massachusetts, US. It is the second largest watershed in the state. A ...
, which empties into
Narragansett Bay Narragansett Bay is a bay and estuary on the north side of Rhode Island Sound covering , of which is in Rhode Island. The bay forms New England's largest estuary, which functions as an expansive natural harbor and includes a small archipelago. Sma ...
. The other waterways of the town, including the
Weweantic River The Weweantic River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed April 1, 2011 river in southeastern Massachusetts. Its name means "crooked" or "wandering stream" in the Wampanoag ...
, flow southward into
Buzzards Bay Buzzards Bay is a bay of the Atlantic Ocean adjacent to the U.S. state of Massachusetts. It is approximately 28 miles (45 kilometers) long by 8 miles (12 kilometers) wide. It is a popular destination for fishing, boating, and tourism. Since ...
. Along Middleborough's border with Lakeville lie the Assawompset, Pocksha and Great Quittacas ponds. Tispaquin Pond, Woods Pond, and several other ponds make up the town's other bodies of water. Middleborough has four wildlife management areas, as well as the Beaver Dam and Great Cedar and Little Cedar Swamps. The town is also the site of several cranberry bogs, especially in the southeastern part of town along the Carver town line. Ocean Spray's headquarters are just over the town line in Lakeville.


Climate

According to the
Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
system, Middleboro has a
humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
, abbreviated Cfa"" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Middleboro was on July 10, 1911 and July 23, 2011, while the coldest temperature recorded was on January 5, 1904.


Transportation


Road

Interstate 495 runs through the town on its way to
Cape Cod Cape Cod is a peninsula extending into the Atlantic Ocean from the southeastern corner of mainland Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States. Its historic, maritime character and ample beaches attract heavy tourism during the summer mont ...
. The town is also crossed by
U.S. Route 44 U.S. Route 44 (US 44) is an east–west United States Numbered Highway that runs for through four states in the Northeastern United States. The western terminus is at US 209 and New York State Route 55 (NY 55) in Kerhonkson, ...
, as well as Massachusetts routes 18, 28, 105, and a short, section of
Route 58 The following highways are numbered 58: International * European route E58 Australia * Riverina Highway Canada * Alberta Highway 58 * Highway 58 (Ontario) * Saskatchewan Highway 58 Finland * Finnish national road 58 India * National Highway ...
which passes through the southeast corner of town. Route 79's eastern terminus is on the town line at Route 105. Routes 18, 28 and 44 meet at a two lane rotary adjacent to I-495 just west of the center of town. Two of I-495's four interchanges are located there. I-495's interchange with Route 24 is located just northwest of the town line. The
Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority The Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority (GATRA) oversees and coordinates public and medical transportation in the areas of Attleboro and Taunton, Massachusetts and 24 nearby areas. It operates daily (except on Sundays) fixed bus ...
provides public bus services along three routes in Middleboro, connecting to Wareham, Raynham, Taunton, and Lakeville, with stops including Morton Hospital, the Middleboro/Lakeville commuter rail station, and Onset beach.


Rail

Since the 1840s, Middleborough has served as a major rail transportation hub for
southeastern Massachusetts Southeastern Massachusetts consists of those portions of Massachusetts located along Buzzards Bay, including the cities of New Bedford and Fall River and their respective suburbs. Despite the location of Cape Cod and the islands to its south, ...
; at one time, five rail lines radiated out from the town. Today, three rail lines extend from Middleborough, toward
Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
,
Taunton Taunton () is the county town of Somerset, England, with a 2011 population of 69,570. Its thousand-year history includes a 10th-century monastic foundation, Taunton Castle, which later became a priory. The Normans built a castle owned by the ...
and
Cape Cod Cape Cod is a peninsula extending into the Atlantic Ocean from the southeastern corner of mainland Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States. Its historic, maritime character and ample beaches attract heavy tourism during the summer mont ...
. All three lines intersect at a junction near the center of town. Two rail freight companies serve Middleborough:
CSX Transportation CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Class I freight railroad operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The railroad operates approximately 21,000 route miles () of track. ...
, which runs along the Boston and Taunton lines, and
Massachusetts Coastal Railroad The Massachusetts Coastal Railroad is a Railroad classes, Class III railroad serving south-eastern Massachusetts. The railroad maintains track from Hyannis to Framingham, with the railroad operating its own trains on the 97 miles of lines betwe ...
, which runs along the Cape Cod and Taunton lines. The nearby
Middleborough/Lakeville station Middleborough/Lakeville station is an MBTA Commuter Rail station in Lakeville, Massachusetts, just south of the Middleborough border. It is the southern terminus of the Middleborough/Lakeville Line; it is also an intermediate stop for seasonal ...
of the MBTA's commuter rail system provides frequent direct rail service to Boston's
South Station South Station, officially The Governor Michael S. Dukakis Transportation Center at South Station, is the largest railroad station and intercity bus terminal in Greater Boston and New England's second-largest transportation center after Logan In ...
, and seasonal service to Cape Cod via the CapeFLYER train. Future expansion of commuter rail service to Buzzards Bay has been proposed, which would provide year-round direct connection between Middleboro and Buzzards Bay. A study investigating the feasibility of such service is being conducted by MassDOT as of fall 2020, and is expected to finish by summer 2021. It has been suggested that such expansions may warrant the construction of a new station in South Middleboro. Construction of a new train station in downtown Middleboro is also being planned as a major component of the first phase of the
South Coast Rail South Coast Rail is a project to build a new southern line of the MBTA Commuter Rail system along several abandoned and freight-only rail lines. The line has been planned to restore passenger rail service between Boston and the cities of Taunton, ...
project, which would provide direct connections from Middleboro to New Bedford and Fall River via Taunton by 2023. The current station would either be abandoned or reduced to shuttle service, which has drawn criticism from officials in both Middleboro and Lakeville. However, the connection would only last until 2030, at which point the second phase of the project would connect Fall River and New Bedford to the
Providence/Stoughton Line The Providence/Stoughton Line is an MBTA Commuter Rail service in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, primarily serving the southwestern suburbs of Boston. Most service runs entirely on the Northeast Corridor between South Station in Boston and Provi ...
instead. The nearest inter-city (
Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
) passenger rail stations are
Providence Providence often refers to: * Providentia, the divine personification of foresight in ancient Roman religion * Divine providence, divinely ordained events and outcomes in Christianity * Providence, Rhode Island, the capital of Rhode Island in the ...
,
Route 128 station Route 128 station (sometimes titled Route 128/University Park) is a passenger rail station located at the crossing of the Northeast Corridor and Interstate 95/US Route 1/Route 128 at the eastern tip of Dedham and Westwood, Massachusetts, Unit ...
in Westwood, and Boston's South Station, and the nearest rapid-transit station is Braintree.


Air

The nearest regional airports are
Taunton Municipal Airport Taunton Municipal Airport , also known as King Field, is a public use airport located three nautical miles (6 km) east of the central business district of Taunton, Massachusetts, Taunton, a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, Bristol Count ...
and Plymouth Municipal Airport, the nearest primary commercial airport is
New Bedford Regional Airport New Bedford Regional Airport is a Part 139 Commercial-Service Airport, municipally-owned and available for public use. The airport is located northwest of the City of New Bedford, a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The air ...
, and the nearest national and international airports are
T. F. Green Airport Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport is a public international airport in Warwick, Rhode Island, United States, south of the state's capital and largest city of Providence. Opened in 1931, the airport was named for former Rhode Islan ...
in
Warwick, Rhode Island Warwick ( or ) is a city in Kent County, Rhode Island, the third largest city in the state with a population of 82,823 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. It is located approximately south of downtown Providence, Rhode Island, sout ...
and
Logan International Airport General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport , also known as Boston Logan International Airport and commonly as Boston Logan, Logan Airport or simply Logan, is an international airport that is located mostly in East Boston and partially ...
in Boston. From 1954 to 1959, a small runway called North Middleboro Airpark was constructed. It was a 3,000 foot-long paved runway, although it was not depicted in the November 1954 Boston Sectional Chart. Sometime between 1982–1994 it was closed, as it was depicted simply as "Landing Strip" on the 1994 USGS topographic map. A small grassy, unpaved field in South Middleborough is also used for recreational aircraft, but not for transportation.


Demographics

As of the
census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2000, there were 19,941 people, 6,981 households, and 5,117 families residing in the town. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was 286.7 people per square mile (110.7/km). There were 7,249 housing units at an average density of 104.2 per square mile (40.2/km). The racial makeup of the town was 96.1%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 1.3%
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.3% Native American, 0.4%
Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, <0.1%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 0.6% from
other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 1.3% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...
of any race were 0.8% of the population. There were 6,981 households, out of which 38.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.4% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.7% were non-families. Of all households, 20.4% were made up of individuals, and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.23. The population was spread out, with 27.7% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 32.8% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.1 males. The median income for a household in the town was $52,755, and the median income for a family was $65,173. Males had a median income of $60,854 versus $40,570 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...
for the town was $75,000.


Government

Middleborough is represented in the
Massachusetts House of Representatives The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from 14 counties each divided into single-member ...
as a part of three separate districts: the Tenth and Twelfth Bristol and Twelfth Plymouth. The town is represented in the
Massachusetts Senate The Massachusetts Senate is the upper house of the Massachusetts General Court, the bicameral state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Senate comprises 40 elected members from 40 single-member senatorial districts in the ...
as a part of the First Plymouth and Bristol district, which also includes Berkley, Bridgewater, Carver, Dighton, Marion, Raynham, Taunton and Wareham. The town is home to the Fourth Barracks of Troop D of the
Massachusetts State Police The Massachusetts State Police (MSP) is an agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, responsible for criminal law enforcement and traffic vehicle regulation across the state. As of 10/4/2022, it ...
. On the national level, Middleborough is a part of
Massachusetts's 9th congressional district Massachusetts's 9th congressional district is located in eastern Massachusetts. It is represented by Democrat William R. Keating. The 9th district is the least Democratic congressional district in Massachusetts, according to the Cook Partisan Vot ...
, and is currently represented by
William R. Keating William Richard Keating (born September 6, 1952) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Massachusetts's 9th congressional district since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, he first entered Congress in 2 ...
. Middleborough is governed by the
open town meeting Town meeting is a form of local government in which most or all of the members of a community are eligible to legislate policy and budgets for local government. It is a town- or city-level meeting in which decisions are made, in contrast with ...
form of government, which is led by a
town manager A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city, in a "Mayor–council government" council–manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are sometimes referred to as the chief execu ...
and a board of selectmen. The town's services are centralized downtown, with the fire and police headquarters being southeast, and the central post office being northwest of it. The town library is also located downtown. A second part-time fire department is operated further south along Route 28 in South Middleboro. A third, temporary station was built in the 2000s as the surrogate home for the downtown facility, which was closed for substantial renovations. This third station, near the rotary north of the center of town, has subsequently been closed. Construction on a new police station began in July 2017, with an estimated budget of $9.14 million. The police station was finished early 2019 and is now in use.


Education

Middleborough has its own school system, headed by a school committee and superintendent. There is one school for kindergarten children, the Memorial Early Childhood Center, housed in the old junior high (previously the old high school). It opened in September 2007 after a $13 million renovation. The Mary K. Goode Elementary and the Henry B. Burkland Elementary Schools serve grades 1 through 5. The John T. "Tiger" Nichols, Jr. Middle School (1999) serves grades 6 through 8, and the
Middleborough High School Middleborough High School is a public high school located in Middleborough, Massachusetts, established in 1873. The school is located at 71 East Grove Street. Middleborough High has an approximate student enrollment of 850 students in grades 9–1 ...
serves grades 9 through 12. Middleborough High's mascot is the "
Sachem Sachems and sagamores are paramount chiefs among the Algonquians or other Native American tribes of northeastern North America, including the Iroquois. The two words are anglicizations of cognate terms (c. 1622) from different Eastern Al ...
", and their colors are black and orange. Other sports teams in town include the semi-pro football team the Middleborough Cobras and the middle school baseball team the Tigers. Middleborough is also home to the Frederick L. Chamberlain School, a private institution that serves students from around the world struggling with learning disabilities. In 1856, Middleborough-born,
Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
businessman-wholesale hardware merchant, banker, and steamship line owner,
Enoch Pratt Enoch Pratt (September 10, 1808 – September 17, 1896) was an American businessman in Baltimore, Maryland. Pratt was also a committed active Unitarian, and a philanthropist. He is best known for his donations to establish the Enoch Pratt Free ...
, (1808–1896), established as one of his first philanthropies in The Pratt Free School, later adding additional bequests upon its incorporation in 1865. It later became a grammar school, preparing students for entering the
Middleborough High School Middleborough High School is a public high school located in Middleborough, Massachusetts, established in 1873. The school is located at 71 East Grove Street. Middleborough High has an approximate student enrollment of 850 students in grades 9–1 ...
. Later in 1882–1886, he endowed the
Enoch Pratt Free Library The Enoch Pratt Free Library is the free public library system of Baltimore, Maryland. Its Central Library and office headquarters are located on 400 Cathedral Street (southbound) and occupy the northeastern three quarters of a city block bound ...
, the nation's first circulating, public library system (with a central library and five branches) and later further endowed a mental health institution, the
Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital The Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital, known to many simply as Sheppard Pratt, is a psychiatric hospital located in Towson, a northern suburb of Baltimore, Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1853, it is one of the oldest private psychiatric ...
. The Middleborough campus of
Massasoit Community College Massasoit Community College is a public community college in Brockton, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1966 and named for Massasoit, the Great Sachem of the Wampanoag. Massasoit Community College is accredited by the New England Commission of H ...
is also located here. In November 2017, "Middleboro voters approved a $103 million dollar plan to construct a new Middleborough High School building and campus." The project started in February 2019 and was completed in the spring of 2021.


Notable people

*
Isaac Backus Isaac Backus (January 9, 1724November 20, 1806) was a leading Baptist minister during the era of the American Revolution who campaigned against state-established churches in New England. Little is known of his childhood. In "An account of the lif ...
, Baptist pastor and founding father during American Revolution * Joseph Barker, minister and congressman * Samuel Breck, general * Ebenezer N. Briggs, Speaker of
Vermont House of Representatives The Vermont House of Representatives is the lower house of the Vermont General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Vermont. The House comprises 150 members, with each member representing around 4,100 citizens. Representatives ar ...
and President Pro Tem of
Vermont Senate The Vermont Senate is the upper house of the Vermont General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Vermont. The senate consists of 30 members. Senate districting divides the 30 members into three single-member districts, six two-m ...
* Wayne Maurice Caron, sailor,
Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...
recipient KIA *
Corey Carrier Corey Thomas Carrier (born August 20, 1980) is an American former child actor, also known as just "Core". He is best known as playing Indiana Jones (character), Indiana Jones, aged 8–10, in ''The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles''. Carrier was b ...
, child actor * Howard A. Coffin, congressman *
Rick Fuller Richard Fuller (born February 18, 1967) is an American retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling from 1997 to 2000. Early life Born in Middleborough, Massachusetts, Fuller graduated fr ...
, professional wrestler * Daniel J. Kelleher, banker and businessman *
Erik Lindgren Erik Lindgren (15 December 1954) is an American composer and pianist. He runs Arf! Arf! Records, and has led or been a member of several ensembles such as The Space Negros and Birdsongs of the Mesozoic. Early life Lindgren was born in Harrisb ...
, composer * Count Primo Magri, dwarf celebrity with entertainment shows and circuses of
P. T. Barnum Phineas Taylor Barnum (; July 5, 1810 – April 7, 1891) was an American showman, businessman, and politician, remembered for promoting celebrated hoaxes and founding the Barnum & Bailey Circus (1871–2017) with James Anthony Bailey. He was ...
*
Sean Newcomb Sean, also spelled Seán or Séan in Irish English, is a male given name of Irish language, Irish origin. It comes from the Irish versions of the Biblical Hebrew name ''Yohanan'' (), Seán (Anglicisation of names, anglicized as ''Shaun/Shawn (giv ...
, professional baseball player with
Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
, first-round selection (15th overall) in
2014 MLB Draft The 2014 Major League Baseball (MLB) First-Year Player Draft was held from June 5 through June 7, 2014, to assign amateur baseball players to MLB teams. The first two rounds were conducted on June 5, followed by rounds three through ten on June ...
; made MLB debut June 10, 2017 *
Enoch Pratt Enoch Pratt (September 10, 1808 – September 17, 1896) was an American businessman in Baltimore, Maryland. Pratt was also a committed active Unitarian, and a philanthropist. He is best known for his donations to establish the Enoch Pratt Free ...
, (1808-1896), businessman, industrialist, banker, founder 1856-1865 of Pratt Free School in Middleborough and
Enoch Pratt Free Library The Enoch Pratt Free Library is the free public library system of Baltimore, Maryland. Its Central Library and office headquarters are located on 400 Cathedral Street (southbound) and occupy the northeastern three quarters of a city block bound ...
in
Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
; endowed Sheppard-Pratt Hospital in
Towson, Maryland Towson () is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The population was 55,197 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Baltimore County and the second-most populous unincorpo ...
* Patrick Regan, army officer *
Deborah Sampson Deborah Sampson Gannett, also known as Deborah Samson or Deborah Sampson, was born on December 17, 1760 in Plympton, Massachusetts. She disguised herself as a man, and served in the Continental Army under the name Robert Shirtliff – sometimes ...
, female soldier of American Revolution who dressed as a man to serve in combat *
Jay Allen Sanford Jay Allen Sanford (born February 18, 1960) is an American author and cartoonist best known for his work with Revolutionary Comics, Carnal Comics, and Pacific Comics. He began writing the comic book '' Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics'' (created by Todd L ...
, co-creator of Rock 'N' Roll Comics,
Revolutionary Comics Revolutionary Comics was an American comic book publisher specializing in unauthorized profiles of entertainers and professional athletes, as well as a line of erotic comics. Its flagship series was ''Rock 'N' Roll Comics''. Founded by Todd Lore ...
,
Carnal Comics Carnal Comics is an adults-only comic book imprint created in 1992 which has so far been published by three companies: Revolutionary Comics, Re-Visionary Press, and Opus Graphics. Carnal Comics' flagship title is ''Carnal Comics: True Stories Of ...
, and columnist/cartoonist for
San Diego Reader The ''San Diego Reader'' is an alternative press newspaper in the county of San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a ...
*
Ebenezer Sproat Ebenezer Sproat (February 9, 1752 – January 7, 1805), surname also spelled Sprout, was an officer of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, a pioneer to the Ohio Country, and one of the founders of Marietta, Ohio, the ...
,
Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies (the Thirteen Colonies) in the Revolutionary-era United States. It was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and was establis ...
colonel, pioneer, surveyor and first sheriff of
Northwest Territory The Northwest Territory, also known as the Old Northwest and formally known as the Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, was formed from unorganized western territory of the United States after the American Revolutionary War. Established in 1 ...
and
Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
*
Cephas Thompson Cephas Thompson (July 1, 1775 – November 6, 1856) was a successful, largely self-taught, early nineteenth-century itinerant portrait painter in the United States. He was born, died, and lived most of his life in Middleborough, Massachusetts, b ...
, portrait painter *
General Tom Thumb Charles Sherwood Stratton (January 4, 1838 – July 15, 1883), better known by his stage name "General Tom Thumb", was an American dwarf who achieved great fame as a performer under circus pioneer P. T. Barnum. Childhood and early life Bo ...
, stage name of Charles Sherwood Stratton, dwarf celebrity with
P. T. Barnum Phineas Taylor Barnum (; July 5, 1810 – April 7, 1891) was an American showman, businessman, and politician, remembered for promoting celebrated hoaxes and founding the Barnum & Bailey Circus (1871–2017) with James Anthony Bailey. He was ...
*
Glenn Tufts Glenn A. Tufts (born December 2, 1954, in Middleboro, Massachusetts) is currently a scout for the San Francisco Giants. Previously, he played professionally and managed in the minor leagues. Playing career Prior to playing professionally, Tufts att ...
, pro baseball player and scout *
Walt Uzdavinis Walter Alfred Uzdavinis (June 9, 1911 – December 23, 1988) was an American football end who played one season with the Cleveland Rams of the National Football League. He played college football at Fordham University and attended Brockton High Sc ...
, football player *
Lavinia Warren Mercy Lavinia Warren Stratton ( Bump; October 31, 1841https://www.encyclopedia.com/women/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/warren-lavinia-1841-1919 – November 25, 1919) was an American proportionate dwarf, who was a circus perform ...
, dwarf with P.T. Barnum who married Gen. Tom Thumb and later Count Primo Magri *
Minnie Warren Huldah Pierce Warren Bump (June 2, 1849 – July 23, 1878), better known as Minnie Warren, was an American Dwarfism#Classification, proportionate dwarf and an entertainer associated with P. T. Barnum. Her sister Lavinia Warren was married to ...
, dwarf with P.T. Barnum


Points of interest

* Tom Thumb House, home of
General Tom Thumb Charles Sherwood Stratton (January 4, 1838 – July 15, 1883), better known by his stage name "General Tom Thumb", was an American dwarf who achieved great fame as a performer under circus pioneer P. T. Barnum. Childhood and early life Bo ...
and
Lavinia Warren Mercy Lavinia Warren Stratton ( Bump; October 31, 1841https://www.encyclopedia.com/women/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/warren-lavinia-1841-1919 – November 25, 1919) was an American proportionate dwarf, who was a circus perform ...
*
Middleborough Historical Museum The Middleborough Historical Museum is a museum located at 18 Jackson Street, Middleborough, Massachusetts, and maintained by the Middleborough Historical Association. It is sometimes known as the Tom Thumb Museum for its extensive holdings of perso ...
, with extensive collection of
Tom Thumb Tom Thumb is a character of English folklore. ''The History of Tom Thumb'' was published in 1621 and was the first fairy tale printed in English. Tom is no bigger than his father's thumb, and his adventures include being swallowed by a cow, tangl ...
and
Lavinia Warren Mercy Lavinia Warren Stratton ( Bump; October 31, 1841https://www.encyclopedia.com/women/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/warren-lavinia-1841-1919 – November 25, 1919) was an American proportionate dwarf, who was a circus perform ...
items * Robbins Museum of Archaeology, collections focused on the prehistory of New England's Native Americans


See also

* Pierce Academy


References


External links


Town of Middleborough official website

Middleborough Public Library

Friends of the Herring Run

Middleborough Tourism Committee
{{authority control Towns in Massachusetts Towns in Plymouth County, Massachusetts