Easton, Massachusetts facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Easton, Massachusetts
Town
Oakes Ames Memorial Hall with Ames Free Library in background.
Seal
Nickname(s):  Shoveltown
Location in Bristol County in Massachusetts
Country	United States
State	Massachusetts
County	Bristol
Settled	1694
Incorporated	1725
Government
• Type	Open town meeting
Area
• Total	29.2 sq mi (75.5 km2)
• Land	28.4 sq mi (73.7 km2)
• Water	0.7 sq mi (1.9 km2)
Elevation	112 ft (34 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	25,058
• Density	882.3/sq mi (340.0/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (Eastern)
ZIP Codes	02334 (P.O. boxes) 02356 (North Easton) 02375 (South Easton)
Area code(s)	508/774
FIPS code	25-20100
GNIS feature ID	0619433
Website	www.easton.ma.us

Easton is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It's home to over 25,000 people, based on the 2020 census. Easton is part of the larger Greater Boston area.

The town is run by an elected Select Board. Important decisions are made at the Open Town Meeting, which is like the town's legislative branch. A Town Administrator is chosen by the Select Board to manage the town's daily activities.

Easton's History

A view from The Rockery showing Oakes Ames Memorial Hall (left) and Ames Free Library (center).

Easton was first settled by Europeans in 1694. It officially became a town in 1725.

In 1694, Clement Briggs was the first settler to build a home here. Before the settlers arrived, Native Americans used the area for hunting and as a burial ground. During King Philip's War, a Native American leader named Metacomet, also known as King Philip, used part of Easton as a base for his troops.

The area was first called the "East End" of the Taunton North Purchase. This name was later shortened to Easton when it became a town. During the American Revolutionary War, General George Washington visited Easton. He stayed at the Benjamin Williams Tavern while traveling to get cannonballs.

The Ames Family and Shovels

In 1803, the Ames Shovel Works opened in Easton. This company became very famous across the country. They made the shovels used to build the Union Pacific Railroad, which helped open up the western United States. By 1875, the Ames plant was making $1.5 million worth of shovels!

The Ames family was very important to Easton's growth and economy. They were responsible for many famous buildings in town. These buildings were designed by a well-known architect named H. H. Richardson. He created a special style called Richardsonian Romanesque.

Famous Buildings in Easton

Many of Easton's landmark buildings were designed by H. H. Richardson. These include:

• The Ames Free Library (the town's public library)
• Oakes Ames Memorial Hall
• The Old Colony Railroad Station (now home to the Easton Historical Society)
• The Ames Gate Lodge (a private home)
• The F. L. Ames Gardener's Cottage (another private home)

These buildings are all close together in an area called the H. H. Richardson Historic District. This area also includes The Rockery, a special park designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. He also designed the grounds around Oakes Ames Memorial Hall and the Ames Free Library.

Near this historic district is Unity Church, built by the Ames family in 1875. It has beautiful stained-glass windows and detailed carvings.

Easton's Geography

North Easton in 1891.

Easton covers about 29.2 square miles (75.5 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with about 0.7 square miles (1.9 square kilometers) being water.

The town has several natural areas. These include part of Borderland State Park, the Hockomock Swamp Wildlife Management Area, and the Wheaton Farm Conservation Area. All the waterways in Easton flow into the Taunton River Watershed.

Easton is in the northeastern part of Bristol County. It shares borders with several other towns. These include Brockton and West Bridgewater to the east, Taunton and Raynham to the south, Norton and Mansfield to the west, and Sharon and Stoughton to the north.

Easton's Population

In 2020, Easton had a population of 25,058 people. The town has grown steadily over the years.

About 24.4% of the population is under 18 years old. Around 13.1% are between 18 and 24, and 28.7% are between 25 and 44. About 9.4% of the people are 65 years or older.

Education in Easton

Easton has a great public school system for its students.

Public Schools

• Blanche A. Ames Elementary School: For students in kindergarten through second grade.
• Frederick Law Olmsted School and Henry Hobson Richardson School: These are now considered one school, known as "Richardson-Olmsted." They serve grades 3 through 5.
• Easton Middle School: For students in grades 6 through 8.
• Oliver Ames High School (OA): For high school students.

The sports teams at Oliver Ames High School are called the Tigers. Their school colors are orange and black. The girls' varsity basketball team won state championships in 2006 and 2010. The varsity baseball team won the Division II State Baseball Championship in 2007. In 2007, the girls' varsity soccer team won the Division II state championship, and the boys' soccer team won it in 2015.

Oliver Ames High School also has an excellent music department. It includes a jazz band, marching band, concert band, show choir, concert choir, and chamber orchestra. The marching band won the 2008 Division 2 New England championships.

Students in Easton can also choose to attend Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School. This school offers technical training and is free for Easton students.

Higher Education

Easton is also home to Stonehill College. This is a private, Catholic college that offers many different liberal arts programs. Their mascot is "Ace" the Skyhawk.

Getting Around Easton

Several main roads run through Easton, including Routes 106, 123, and 138. Two larger highways, Route 24 and Interstate 495, are also very close to the town's borders.

Easton has some bus service provided by the Brockton Area Transit Authority. There is also a commuter bus service that goes to Taunton and Boston.

There are plans for two new train stations in Easton for the MBTA Commuter Rail. These stations would be called North Easton and Easton Village. This project aims to connect Easton to Boston by train, but it is planned for a future phase, possibly by 2030.

Fun Places to Visit in Easton

• Ames Free Library
• Borderland State Park
• Governor Oliver Ames Estate
• Oakes Ames Memorial Hall
• Stonehill College
• The Rockery

Famous People from Easton

Athletes

• Jim Craig: Goaltender for the gold medal-winning 1980 "Miracle on Ice" U.S. Olympic hockey team.
• Corey Dillon: Former NFL football player.
• Irving Fryar: Former NFL football player.
• Scott Gordon: Former US Olympic and NHL hockey goalie, and a coach.
• Nick Green: Former baseball player for the Boston Red Sox.
• Russ Hochstein: Former NFL football player.
• Cedric Green: Former wide receiver for the Patriots.
• Ronnie Lippett: Former Patriots player who still lives in Easton.
• Stanley Morgan: Former Patriots player.
• Andre Tippett: Former Patriots player.
• Mo Vaughn: Former Red Sox first baseman.
• Erik Vendt: Three-time Olympic Medalist in swimming.
• Mike Vrabel: Former NFL linebacker.
• Brent Williams: Former Patriots player who lives in Easton.
• John Marino: NHL defenseman.
• David MacKinnon: Former MLB First Baseman.

Historical Figures

• Oakes Ames: An important manufacturer and U.S. Congressman.
• Oakes Ames: A specialist in orchids.
• Oliver Ames Sr. and Oliver Ames Jr.: Important figures in the Ames family and railroad history.
• Frederick Lothrop Ames and Frederick Lothrop Ames Jr.: Key figures in the Old Colony Railroad.
• Ruth Graves Wakefield: The amazing person who created the chocolate chip cookie!

Writers

• Joseph Nassise: An author.

Politicians

• Oliver Ames: A former governor of Massachusetts.
• Claire Cronin: The U.S. Ambassador to Ireland and a former Massachusetts state representative.
• George Van Ness Lothrop: A former Michigan Attorney General.
• Martin V. Pratt: A Wisconsin State Assemblyman.

Actors

• Kristian Alfonso: A soap opera star.

Easton in the News

Easton does not have its own daily newspaper. However, it is covered by The Enterprise from Brockton. There used to be a weekly newspaper called the Easton Journal, but it joined with other local papers to become the Journal News Independent.

Easton Community Access Television (ECAT) is the local public access station. They show town meetings and school events. Because Easton is close to both Boston and Providence, residents can watch TV channels from both cities.

Places of Worship

Easton has 13 different places of worship. These include Baptist churches, Catholic churches, Congregational churches, and Jewish temples.

See also

In Spanish: Easton (Massachusetts) para niños