Wrentham, Massachusetts

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Wrentham, Massachusetts
nickname =
motto =


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mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location in Norfolk County in Massachusetts


mapsize1 =
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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Massachusetts
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Norfolk
established_title = Settled
established_date = 1660
established_title2 = Incorporated
established_date2 = 1673
established_title3 =
established_date3 =
government_type = Open town meeting
leader_title =
leader_name =
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area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 59.4
area_total_sq_mi = 22.9
area_land_km2 = 57.5
area_land_sq_mi = 22.2
area_water_km2 = 1.9
area_water_sq_mi = 0.7
population_as_of = 2007
settlement_type = Town
population_total = 11,116
population_density_km2 = 193.3
population_density_sq_mi = 500.7
elevation_m = 77
elevation_ft = 253
timezone = Eastern
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = Eastern
utc_offset_DST = -4
latd = 42 |latm = 04 |lats = 00 |latNS = N
longd = 71 |longm = 19 |longs = 43 |longEW = W
website = http://wrentham.ma.us/
postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 02093
area_code = 508 / 774
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 25-82315
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0618334
footnotes =

Wrentham is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 10,554 at the 2000 census. It is Governed by a five person Board of 'Selectmen' who are elected to serve staggered three year terms. [ [http://wrentham.ma.us/index.php?section=3 Wrentham Government] ]

History

Wrentham was first settled by the English in 1660 and was officially incorporated in 1673. It was burned down during King Philip's War 1675-1676. For a short time it was the residence of the 19th Century educational reformer Horace Mann. It is also known as one of the residences of Helen Keller. Plainville was a village of Wrentham until 1906 when it became an independent town.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 22.9 square miles (59.4 km²), of which, 22.2 square miles (57.5 km²) of it is land and 0.7 square miles (1.9 km²) of it (3.14%) is water. Bordered by Norfolk, MA on the north, Foxboro, MA on the east, Plainville, MA and Cumberland, RI on the south, Bellingham, MA on the southwest, and Franklin, MA on the west. It has two large lakes towards the center of town, Lake Pearl and Lake Archer, as well as Mirror Lake on the Wrentham/Norfolk border and numerous smaller lakes. Sheldonville, MA, or West Wrentham, is a rural section of Wrentham located on the western leg of town. Sheldonville still maintains a unique identity as the old farming section of Wrentham, and still has its own ZIP code (02070 rather than Wrentham's 02093).

Points of Interest

Wrentham Village Premium Outlets [ [http://www.myguidenewengland.com/wrentham-village-premium-outlets guide to visiting Wrentham village] ]
Wrentham State Forest
Sweatt/Knuckup Hill
Joe's Rock
Luciano's Restaurant
Luciano's Restaurant at Lake Pearl
Lake Pearl
Lake Archer
Mirror Lake
Nicky's Restaurant
Tom's Tavern
King Philip Regional High School
Wrentham Developmental Center
Wrentham District Court
Fiske Public Library
Rice Recreation Complex
Helen Keller's House
Cracker Barrel Fairgrounds
Town Common

Wrentham is a vibrant town that has easy access into Boston and Providence.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 10,554 people, 3,402 households, and 2,653 families residing in the town. The population density was 475.5 people per square mile (183.6/km²). There were 3,507 housing units at an average density of 158.0/sq mi (61.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.64% White, 0.61% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.80% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.32% from other races, and 0.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.79% of the population.

There were 3,402 households out of which 43.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.3% were married couples living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.0% were non-families. 17.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.89 and the average family size was 3.31.

In the town the population was spread out with 27.8% under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 31.4% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 95.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $78,043, and the median income for a family was $89,058. Males had a median income of $58,776 versus $37,219 for females. The per capita income for the town was $30,792. About 1.6% of families and 3.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.2% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The Wrentham Elementary School consists of three buildings (which separate the different grade levels). There is the Delaney Elementary School for the lowest grades, the Vogel Elementary School for a mix of lower grades and unified arts, and the Roderick Elementary School for the highest grades (up to grade 6). All 3 of these buildings are located on one Wrentham Elementary School campus located off of Taunton St & Randall Rd in the center of Wrentham. King Philip Regional High School is located on Franklin St and is the high school for students from Wrentham, Norfolk, and Plainville. Students in middle school attend King Philip Regional Middle School in Norfolk, MA.

Notable residents

*Helen Keller, author and public speaker
*Garth Snow, NHL player
*Mark Wahlberg (owns a summer home in Wrentham)

Trivia

*Wrentham, Massachusetts is the only town named Wrentham in the entire United States.

*It is considered to be the classic Massachusetts town because it has a church, school, and town common all located right in the center of town.

*Between Paissano's, Wrentham House of Pizza, Town Pizza, and Omega Pizza there are four different places in the center of town alone to get a sub.

*Before 1974 Wrentham's Kindergarten program was actually held in the Original Congregational Church located in the center of town

References

External links

* [http://wrentham.ma.us/ Wrentham's Home Page]
* [http://kingphilip.org/ King Philip Regional School District Home Page]
* [http://www.wrentham.k12.ma.us/ Wrentham Public Schools]