Hanson, Massachusetts facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hanson, Massachusetts
Town
MA Route 58 Northbound entering Hanson
Seal
Nickname(s):  Cranberry City
Location in Plymouth County in Massachusetts
Country	United States
State	Massachusetts
County	Plymouth
Settled	1632
Incorporated	1820
Government
• Type	Open town meeting
Area
• Total	15.7 sq mi (40.6 km2)
• Land	15.0 sq mi (38.9 km2)
• Water	0.7 sq mi (1.7 km2)
Elevation	90 ft (27 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	10,639
• Density	677.6/sq mi (262.0/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (Eastern)
ZIP Codes	02341, 02350
Area code(s)	339/781
FIPS code	25-28495
GNIS feature ID	0619468
Website	www.hanson-ma.gov

Hanson is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the larger Greater Boston area. Hanson is about 20 miles (32 km) south of Boston. It is one of the towns in the South Shore region that is not directly on the coast. In 2020, about 10,639 people lived in Hanson.

History of Hanson

Hanson was first settled in 1632. Back then, it was the western part of Pembroke. The town became its own official town in 1820. It was named after Alexander Contee Hanson. He was a publisher and a U.S. Senator from Maryland.

Alexander Contee Hanson was a strong supporter of free speech and freedom of the press. He faced challenges because of his beliefs. His newspaper offices were attacked after he published an article that criticized the government during the War of 1812.

In its early days, Hanson's economy was based on farming. People also mined bog iron and quarried stone. Mills were built along the rivers in the 1800s. Today, Hanson is mostly a residential town. Some farming still happens, especially cranberry farming. The famous Ocean Spray company actually started with cranberry bogs in Hanson! It stayed headquartered here until 1977.

Hanson was also home to the Plymouth County Hospital. This hospital treated people with tuberculosis. It opened in 1919 and closed in 1992. The building was taken down in 2017.

Geography and Nature in Hanson

Hanson covers about 15.7 square miles (40.6 sq km). Most of this area, about 15.0 square miles (38.9 sq km), is land. The rest, about 0.7 square miles (1.7 sq km), is water. Hanson is the 250th largest town in Massachusetts. It is known as one of the inland towns of the South Shore.

Hanson shares borders with several other towns. These include Rockland and Hanover to the north. Pembroke is to the east, and Halifax is to the south. To the west is East Bridgewater, and to the northwest is Whitman. Hanson is about 9 miles (14 km) east of Brockton. It is also about 18 miles (29 km) south-southeast of Boston.

The land in Hanson is mostly flat. The highest point is Bonney Hill, which is 152 feet (46 meters) tall. This makes it one of the highest spots in Plymouth County. Another notable hill is Almshouse Hill. It is named after a home built in 1763 that was used as an almshouse until 1902.

Hanson has many lakes, rivers, and swamps. Some of the biggest ponds are Oldham Pond, Indian Head Pond, Maquan Pond, and Wampatuck Pond. Several brooks and rivers flow through the town. These include Indian Head Brook, the Shumatuscacant River, Poor Meadow Brook, and White Oak Brook. There is also the Little Cedar Swamp in the northern part of town.

Hanson has a small town forest. It is also home to two camps, Rainbow Camp and Camp Kiwanee. Part of the Burrage Pond Wildlife Management Area is located in Hanson. This area is great for enjoying nature.

Neighborhoods in Hanson

Hanson has always had different villages and neighborhoods. In the past, there were several post offices in places like Hanson Center, North Hanson, Bryantville, Monponsett, and South Hanson. Today, South Hanson and Monponsett are the most well-known neighborhoods.

• South Hanson: This area was once the center of town during the time of factories and businesses. It follows Massachusetts Route 27. South Hanson was home to the Plymouth County Hospital and the first Ocean Spray facility. The old South Hanson train station building is still there, next to the modern MBTA Hanson station. Some older buildings in the center of South Hanson are now seeing new small businesses open up.
• Monponsett: This neighborhood is on the southern border with Halifax. It has its own post office and zip code. Monponsett is named after the Monponsett Twin Lakes, which are along the border with Halifax.
• Burrage: Located in South Hanson, this area is named after Albert Burrage. He was an important businessman in the town. Burrage used to have a library and a hotel.
• Brentwood: This is the northeastern part of Hanson. It includes streets like Brook Street, State Street, and Gorwin Drive.

Population of Hanson

In 2000, there were 9,495 people living in Hanson. The town's population has grown steadily over the years. In 2020, the population reached 10,639 people. The average age of people in Hanson in 2000 was 36 years old.

Education in Hanson

Hanson shares a school district with the nearby town of Whitman. This is called the Whitman-Hanson Regional School District. It serves students from pre-kindergarten all the way through 12th grade.

Hanson has two elementary schools, Indian Head and Maquan. Maquan Elementary School has closed. Indian Head Elementary now teaches students from kindergarten through fourth grade. Hanson Middle School is for students in grades five through eight.

Students from Hanson attend Whitman-Hanson Regional High School. This high school is shared with Whitman. The school was recently rebuilt as part of a big project. The old building was replaced with new sports fields, including a football field with artificial turf. The school's sports teams are called the Panthers, and their colors are red and black. They have a big rivalry with Abington High, especially in their annual Thanksgiving Day football game.

Students can also choose to go to South Shore Vocational Technical High School in Hanover for free. This school offers training in different trades.

For college, the closest options to Hanson are Massasoit Community College in Brockton, Bridgewater State University in Bridgewater, and Quincy College in Quincy.

Transportation in Hanson

Hanson does not have any major highways passing through it. However, it is located between two important routes, Route 3 and Route 24. The main state roads that go through Hanson are Route 14 and Route 58. These two routes meet and run together for a short distance in the middle of town. Route 27 also passes through the southern part of Hanson.

The town has a stop on the MBTA's commuter rail service. This is part of the Kingston-Plymouth line, and the station is located along Route 27.

Hanson also has a small airport called Cranland Airport. This airport is only for small planes. For bigger flights, the closest major airport is Logan International Airport in Boston.

Notable People from Hanson

Many interesting people have connections to Hanson! Here are a few:

• John Delaney: A college baseball coach.
• Albert Hall: An American hammer throw champion who competed in the Olympics four times.
• Mimi Imfurst: A drag queen known for competing on RuPaul's Drag Race.
• Alex Karalexis: A professional fighter who competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
• Rocky Marciano: The only undefeated heavyweight boxing champion. He had a house in South Hanson.
• Kristen Merlin: A singer, songwriter, and guitarist.
• Kristie Mewis: A professional soccer player for West Ham United and the United States national soccer team.
• Samantha Mewis: A retired professional soccer player for the United States national soccer team.
• Maura Murray: A former resident of Hanson who went missing in 2004. Her case has received a lot of attention.
• Albert C. Read: A Rear Admiral who was the commander of the NC-4, the first aircraft to fly across the Atlantic Ocean in 1919.
• Tiffany Scott: An Olympic figure skater from 2002.
• Jimmy Slyde: A famous tap dancer.
• Billy Sweezey: A professional ice hockey player currently signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

See also

In Spanish: Hanson (Massachusetts) para niños