Swampscott, Massachusetts: Difference between revisions

|official_namename = Swampscott, Massachusetts

|image_seal = SwampscottMA-sealSeal of Swampscott, Massachusetts.png

|image_flag = Flag of Swampscott, Massachusetts.gif

The area in and around Swampscott, Massachusetts has been inhabited by indigenous people for 12,000 years.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brooks |first=Rebecca Beatrice |date=November 3, 2019 |title=Native American Tribes in Massachusetts |url=https://historyofmassachusetts.org/native-american-tribes/ |access-date=2023-02-February 24, 2023 |website=historyofmassachusetts.org}}</ref> Prior to European colonization, the town was inhabited by members of the [[Naumkeag people|Naumkeag]], [[Pennacook|Pennacook,]], and [[Pawtucket tribe|Pawtucket]] groups and [[Massachusett|Massachuset]]<nowiki/>t tribe.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |date=1985 |title=MCH Reconnaissance Town Survey: Swampscott |url=https://www.sec.state.ma.us/mhc/mhcpdf/townreports/essex/swa.pdf |journal=Massachusetts Historical CommissonCommission}}</ref> They spoke an [[Eastern Algonquian languages|Eastern Algonquin languaglanguage]]<nowiki/>e, and the Pawtucket migrated seasonally throughout the eastern coasts of [[Massachusetts]] and [[Rhode Island]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Roselieb |first=Abigail |title=Douglas D. Schumann Library & Learning Commons: Native American Heritage Month: Welcome |url=https://library.wit.edu/guides/native-american-heritage/welcome |access-date=2023-02-February 14, 2023 |website=library.wit.edu |language=en}}</ref> It's estimated that 50-100 indigenous individuals resided in the Swampscott area at the time of European colonization. A series of epidemics[[epidemic]]s following European settlement, including [[smallpox]], killed many of the indigenous people living in the area, and it's estimated that fewer than 50 individuals remained by the late 17th century.<ref name=":0" />

Indigenous people in the Swampscott area subsisted on seasonally determined activities, including hunting, fishing, collecting wild plants and [[shellfish]], and [[horticulture]]. They hunted [[Deer|deedeer]]<nowiki/>r, [[Marinemarine mammal|marine mammals]]s, [[Uplandupland game bird|upland game birds]]s, and [[Duck|ducksduck]]s, and cultivated crops like [[Maize|corn]], [[Bean|beansbean]]s, [[pumpkin]], [[Cucurbita|squash]], and [[tobacco]].<ref name=":0" />

Swampscott was first colonized by Europeans in 1629 when Francis Ingalls settled there and built the first [[Massachusetts Bay Colony]] tannery. Ingalls observed that the town's indigenous population lived in [[Wigwam|wigwamswigwam]]s extending from Black Will's Cliff along the entire north shore.<ref name=":0" /> The town was first settled as the eastern part (Ward One) of [[Lynn, Massachusetts|Lynn]], and was set off and officially incorporated in 1852.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=History of Swampscott {{!}} Swampscott, MA |url=https://www.swampscottma.gov/about-swampscott/pages/history-swampscott |access-date=2023-02-February 14, 2023 |website=www.swampscottma.gov}}</ref>

In 1857, a piece of the far western end of [[Salem, Massachusetts|Salem]], then known as the "Salem Finger", became part of Swampscott.<ref>{{Cite web|urlname=http"://www.town.swampscott.ma.us/about-swampscott/pages/history-swampscott|title1" = History of Swampscott &#124; Swampscott, MA}}</ref> A beach town north of Boston, measuring {{convert|3|sqmi|km2}} and abutting [[Salem, Massachusetts|Salem]], [[Marblehead, Massachusetts|Marblehead]] and Lynn, Swampscott was an important destination for the wealthy at the beginning of the 20th century. While [[Revere Beach]], which lies just several miles down the road, has the honor of technically being America's first public beach, Swampscott was the de facto first [[resort town]].{{cn|reason=Other North Shore towns have similar claims that predate Swampscott's|date=February 2024}} Lynn was the divider between the poor beach and the rich resort town.{{cn|reason=When?|date=February 2024}}

Swampscott's public school system includes three elementary schools: Hadley School, Clarke School, and Stanley School (demolished as of 2022) ; one middle school, Swampscott Middle School; and one high school, Swampscott High School.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home |url=https://www.swampscottps.org/ |date=2017 |publisher=Swampscott Public Schools |access-date=March 18, 2018}}</ref> The Machon elementary school was shut down in 2008–20092007, butand theis propertynow remainsa onmixed-income thesenior district'scommunity.<ref>{{cite rollsweb | url=https://www.peabodyproperties.com/communities/component/jea/195-the-machon.html | title=The Machon }}</ref> A new building was completed in 2007 for Swampscott High School. In 2011, Swampscott considered installing a wind turbine, with the approximate height of a 30-story building, on the property of the Swampscott Middle School, but ultimately rejected the project.<ref>{{cite news |first=Michael |last=Phillis |date=2011-08-August 19, 2011 |title=Turbine more powerful than thought |url=http://www.salemnews.com/local/x175567241/Turbine-more-powerful-than-thought |work=[[The Salem News]] |access-date=June 5, 2016-06-05}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |first=Neil |last=Zolot |date=January 6, 2012 |title=Swampscott Middle School wind turbine proposal rejected |url=http://swampscott.wickedlocal.com/x1468789775/Swampscott-Middle-School-wind-turbine-proposal-rejected |publisher=Wicked Local Swampscott |access-date=March 18, 2018}}</ref> In a special election on October 19, 2021, voters approved a new $98 million elementary school to be built on the site of the Stanley School. This new school will replace all three former schools and is set to be opened to students in September 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Swampscott voters OK $98 million elementary school in special election |url=https://www.wickedlocal.com/story/swampscott-reporter/2021/10/19/special-election-swampscott-voters-ok-98-m-elementary-school/8531341002/ |date=October 19, 2021 |publisher=Wicked Local Swampscott |access-date=August 5, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Frequently Asked Questions |url=https://swampscottsaysyes.org/faq/#hfaq-post-420 |date=2021 |publisher=Swampscott Says Yes |access-date=August 5, 2022}}</ref>

Swampscott is located at {{coord|42|28|27|N|70|54|21|W|type:city}} (42.474409, −70.905883).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2011-04-April 23, 2011|date=2011-02-February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of 6.7&nbsp;square miles (17.4&nbsp;km²), of which 3.0&nbsp;square miles (7.9&nbsp;km²) is land and 3.7&nbsp;square miles (9.6&nbsp;km²), or 54.83%, is water. Located beside Massachusetts Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, Swampscott lies along a mostly rocky shoreline, though there is enough clear shore for five beaches; Phillips which stretches into Preston and is by far the largest beach in town, Eisman's and Whales, Fisherman's, and a part of King's Beach, which extends into Lynn. There are several small parks, along with the small Harold King Forest in the northwest corner of town and the Tedesco Country Club which bisects part of the town. The town also has two small ponds, Foster Pond and Palmer Pond.

[[File:Swampscott .jpg|thumb|View of Boston from Swampscott shore]] [[File:Great Black-backed Gull Swampscott MA June 2024.jpg|thumb|Great Black-backed Gull Swampscott MA June 2024]]

| 20222023*|1542015487

| footnote=* = population estimate. Source: [[United States Census]] records and [[Population Estimates Program]] data.<ref name="2010_Census">{{cite web | title=TOTAL POPULATION (P1), 2010 Census Summary File 1, All County Subdivisions within Massachusetts | publisher=United States Census Bureau | access-date=September 13, 2011 | url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/P1/0400000US25.06000 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212202839/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/P1/0400000US25.06000 | url-status=dead | archive-date=February 12, 2020 }}</ref><ref name="2000-2009_PopulationEstimates">{{cite web | title=Massachusetts by Place and County Subdivision - GCT-T1. Population Estimates | publisher=United States Census Bureau | access-date=July 12, 2011 | url=http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=04000US25&-_box_head_nbr=GCT-T1&-ds_name=PEP_2009_EST&-_lang=en&-format=ST-9&-_sse=on | archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212040628/http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=04000US25&-_box_head_nbr=GCT-T1&-ds_name=PEP_2009_EST&-_lang=en&-format=ST-9&-_sse=on | archive-date=February 12, 2020 | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="1990_Census">{{cite web | title=1990 Census of Population, General Population Characteristics: Massachusetts | id=1990 CP-1-23 | at=Table 76: General Characteristics of Persons, Households, and Families: 1990 | publisher=US Census Bureau | access-date=July 12, 2011 | date=December 1990 | url=https://www.census.gov/prod/cen1990/cp1/cp-1-23.pdf | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030313100124/http://www.census.gov/prod/cen1990/cp1/cp-1-23.pdf | archive-date=March 13, 2003 }}</ref><ref name="1980_Census">{{cite web | title=1980 Census of the Population, Number of Inhabitants: Massachusetts | id=PC80-1-A23 | at=Table 4. Populations of County Subdivisions: 1960 to 1980 | publisher=US Census Bureau | access-date=July 12, 2011 |date=December 1981 | url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1980a_maABC-01.pdf}}</ref><ref name="1950_Census">{{cite journal | title=1950 Census of Population | volume=1: Number of Inhabitants | at=Section 6, Pages 21-10 and 21-11, Massachusetts Table 6. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1930 to 1950 | publisher=Bureau of the Census | access-date=July 12, 2011 | year=1952 | url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/23761117v1ch06.pdf}}</ref><ref name="1920_Census">{{cite web | title=1920 Census of Population | at=Number of Inhabitants, by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions. Pages 21-5 through 21-7. Massachusetts Table 2. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1900, 1910, and 1920 | publisher=Bureau of the Census | access-date=July 12, 2011 | url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/41084506no553ch2.pdf}}</ref><ref name="1890_Census">{{cite web | title=1890 Census of the Population | at=Pages 179 through 182. Massachusetts Table 5. Population of States and Territories by Minor Civil Divisions: 1880 and 1890 | publisher=Department of the Interior, Census Office | access-date=July 12, 2011 | url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/41084506no553ch2.pdf}}</ref><ref name="1870_Census">{{cite web | title=1870 Census of the Population | at=Pages 217 through 220. Table IX. Population of Minor Civil Divisions, &c. Massachusetts | publisher=Department of the Interior, Census Office | access-date=July 12, 2011 | year=1872| url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1870e-05.pdf}}</ref><ref name="1860_Census">{{cite web | title=1860 Census | at=Pages 220 through 226. State of Massachusetts Table No. 3. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c. | publisher=Department of the Interior, Census Office | access-date=July 12, 2011 | year=1864 | url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1860a-08.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020−2023| publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] | access-date=May 19, 2024 | url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html}}</ref>

}} As of the census of 2020,<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 1, 2020 |title=Swampscott town, Essex County, Massachusetts |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/swampscotttownessexcountymassachusetts |access-date=February 13, 2023 |website=United States Census Bureau}}</ref>, there were 15,111 people, with 6,093 households and 2.45 persons per household, residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|5,000.3 inhabitants per square mile (12,950.7|PD/km²)sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 91.5% [[White people|White]], 1.2% [[African Americans|Black or African American]], 0.2% [[Native Americans in the United States|American Indian]] or [[Alaska Natives|Alaska Native]], 2.6% [[Asian Americans|Asian]], 0.0% [[Pacific Islander]], and 3.7% from two or more races. [[Hispanic and Latino (ethnic categories)|Hispanic or Latino]] of any race were 5.6% of the population.

There were a total of 6,093 households, out of which 30% had children under the age of 18 living with thethem. 57% of households were married couples living together, 26.6% were a female householder with no spouse, and 10.3% were a male householder with no spouse. Of all households, 18.2% were made up of individuals, and 10.9% were individuals over the age of 65 living alone.

The median household income was $114,086, and the median income for a family was $143,320. Married-couple families had a median income of $156,341 and non-family households had a median income of $60,880. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $63,585. The town is ranked 54th on the [[List of Massachusetts locations by per capita income]]. About 5% of Swampscott residents were below the poverty line, including 4% of those under 18 years, 4.2% of those 18-64, and 9.1% 65 years and older. The homeownership rate was 73.4%, and the median value of owner-occupied housing units was $560,500.

The median home sale price for the town in 2007 was $565,894. Home values typically range from around $400,000 to upwards of $5 million for ocean front homes. These prices are comparable to other wealthy North Shore towns such as [[Marblehead, Massachusetts|Marblehead]] and [[Manchester-by-the-Sea]] which are located nearby. In upper class oceanfront neighborhoods and neighborhoods with ocean views or views of the Boston skyline, average home prices increase to as much as $1,038,569 and average household incomes can range upwards of $150,000.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.city-data.com/neighborhood/Phillips-Point-Swampscott-MA.html |title=Phillips Point (Phillip's Point) neighborhood in Swampscott, Massachusetts (MA), 01907 subdivision profile |website=City-data.com |access-date=June 5, 2016-06-05}}</ref> Larger oceanfront properties have recently been assessed at values greater than $5 million and in some cases upwards of $10 million.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zillow.com/homes/swampscott_rb/ |title=Swampscott Real Estate |website=Zillow.com |access-date=June 5, 2016-06-05}}</ref>

Swampscott was home to White Court, [[Calvin Coolidge]]'s [[Summer White House]], and later [[Marian Court College]] until the college's closure in 2015, and demolition in 2018-2019.<ref name="town.swampscott.ma.us">{{cite web|author=Swampscott, MA |url=http://www.town.swampscott.ma.us/Public_Documents/index |title=Swampscott, MA |website=Town.swampscott.ma.us |access-date=June 5, 2016-06-05}}</ref>

* [[Blondy Ryan]], World Series Champion, Major League Baseball shortstop for the New York Giants.

* Jim Smith, State Representative, MA House of Representatives.<ref>{{cite web |title=James Smith |url=http://www.publicpolicylaw.com/james-smith.html |website=Smith, Costello & Crawford |access-date=1 July 1, 2020 |language=en}}</ref>

* {{Portal-inline|United StatesMassachusetts}}

[[Category:1629 establishments in the Massachusetts Bay Colony]]