Norwell is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2004 census, the town population was 10,388.

History

Norwell was first settled in 1634 as a part of the settlement of Satuit (later Scituate), which encompasses present day Scituate and Norwell. It was officially created, in 1849 and soon became known as South Scituate. The town changed its name to Norwell in 1888, named after Henry Norwell, a dry goods merchant who provided funds for the maintenance of the town roads. Early settlers were attracted to Norwell for agricultural reasons, with the town later developing a major shipbuilding industry, based on the North and Northwest rivers. Shipbuilding was a major industry on the 1700s through the early 1800s. Some of the finest frigates, schooners, whalers, and merchant vessels were produced in Norwell.

Today, Norwell is an affluent suburban community with over 9,000 residents that has modern schools, shopping, churches, libraries, health facilities, a wildlife preserve, and other support facilities as well as three large industrial parks.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 21.2 square miles (54.8 km²), of which, 20.9 square miles (54.1 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square miles (0.8 km²) of it (1.37%) is water. Located on the South Shore, Norwell is bordered by Hanover and Rockland on the west, Pembroke on the south, Marshfield and Scituate on the east and northeast, and Hingham on the north. Norwell is about 14 miles east of Brockton, 17 miles north of Plymouth and 20 miles south of Boston.

Much of Norwell's eastern border lies along the North River, where many shipbuilding companies once stood. There are many other brooks and ponds throughout the town, including Third Herring Brook, which constitutes much of the town's border with Hanover, Accord Pond at the junction of Norwell, Rockland and Hingham, and Jacobs Pond, along Route 123. The northern half of the town is hilly, and the southern end of Wompatuck State Park juts into the town.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 9,765 people, 3,250 households, and 2,710 families residing in the town. The population density was 467.8 people per square mile (180.7/km²). There were 3,318 housing units at an average density of 158.9/sq mi (61.4/km²).

There were 3,250 households out of which 42.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.6% were married couples living together, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.6% were non-families. 14.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.94 and the average family size was 3.27.

In the town the population was spread out with 28.6% under the age of 18, 4.3% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 28.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 95.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $87,397, and the median income for a family was $96,771. Males had a median income of $66,406 versus $40,625 for females. The per capita income for the town was $37,222. About 1.4% of families and 1.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.9% of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over.

Norwell is currently ranked the 52^nd wealthiest town in Massachusetts. (Plymouth County is ranked approximately the 150th wealthiest county in the United States.)

Government

On the national level, Norwell is a part of Massachusetts's 10th congressional district, and is currently represented by Bill Delahunt. The state's senior (Class I) member of the United States Senate, re-elected in 2006, is Ted Kennedy. The junior (Class II) Senator, up for re-election in 2008, is John Kerry.

On the state level, Norwell is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives as a part of the Fifth Plymouth district, which includes the neighboring towns of Hanover and Rockland. The town is represented in the Massachusetts Senate as a part of the Plymouth and Norfolk district, which includes the towns of Cohasset, Duxbury, Hingham, Hull, Marshfield, Scituate and Weymouth. The town is home to the First Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police.

Norwell is governed on the local level by the open town meeting form of government, and is led by an executive secretary and a board of selectmen. The town operates its own police and fire departments, both of which are headquartered near the town center. There is also a branch firehouse between Assinippi and Accord, in the western part of town. The town has an emergency services division within the fire department; all emergency room visits are brought to Brockton Hospital. The town has its own post office, also located at the town's center. There are three libraries throughout the town, two of which are independent. The Norwell Public Library is behind the high school near Assinippi, and belongs to the Old Colony Library Network (OCLN). The James Library and Center for the Arts is located near the town center, and is associated with the First Parish Church of Norwell. The South Shore Natural Science Center, located next to Jacobs Pond, also has a small nature library.

Education

Norwell has its own school department for its approximately 2,300 students. There are two elementary schools for students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, the Grace F. Cole Elementary School in the western part of town, and the William G. Vinal Elementary School in the eastern part. The Norwell Middle School, located near the modern Town Hall on Route 123, serves grades 6-8. Norwell High School is located near Assinippi and serves students from ninth through twelfth grade. Norwell High School is a competitive school, known for its academic excellence and outstanding curriculum. Norwell High's teams are known as the Clippers (in honor of the town's former shipbuilding industry), and their colors are blue and gold. The school's major rival is Hanover High, whom the football team plays in their annual Thanksgiving Day game.

Norwell is also home to the South Shore Charter Public School, a charter school which serves students from kindergarten through twelfth grade. There are no private schools in the town. High school students also have the option of attending South Shore Regional Vocational Technical High School in neighboring Hanover free of charge. The nearest college to the town is Massasoit Community College in Brockton.

Transportation

Route 3 passes through the town twice, across the southern portion of the town and another short portion near the west of the town. There are no exits in the town off this freeway, but there are exits in the interim space between the two portions and just north of the second portion. Both access routes which immediately enter the town. The major route through the town is Route 123, which passes from east to west through the town, just before its end at Route 3A in neighboring Scituate. Routes 53 and 228 also pass through the town, with Route 228 ending just over the town line in Rockland at its intersection with Route 3.

Norwell has no rail or air service within the town. The nearest rail service is the Greenbush line of the MBTA's commuter rail in neighboring Scituate, just one mile from the Norwell town line. The nearest regional airport is Marshfield Municipal Airport; the nearest national and international service can be reached at Logan International Airport in Boston.

Notable Residents

• John Cheever, author of Falconer and the Wapshot Chronicle, is buried in Norwell. John Updike gave his eulogy at First Parish Church in Norwell, just across the street from Cheever's burial site.
• Jennifer Coolidge, actress
• Jeff Corwin, television show host on Animal Planet
• Susan Tedeschi, blues musician
• Jan Brett, children's author
• Brad Whitford, Guitarist of the rock band Aerosmith lives in Norwell
• Tom Miller, Former assistant coach of Indiana University Basketball, former player at West Point
• P-Diddy (Sean Combs) rap producer/composer grew up in Norwell
• Ice Cube- Rap singer of N.W.A/ actor grew up in Norwell

Trivia

• The area in and around Norwell was significant during the 1670s King Philip's War
• The North River, which runs along Norwell's eastern border, was the location of many shipyards during the 18th century. The Space Shuttle Columbia was named after a ship which was constructed in such a North River shipyard. The Columbia River in the Pacific North West is named for the same ship.
• Norwell contains homes which participated in the Underground Railroad
• Zildjian Cymbals headquarters are in Norwell.