Lakeville, Massachusetts facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lakeville, Massachusetts
Town
Assawompset Pond, Lakeville
Seal
Location in Plymouth County in Massachusetts
Country	United States
State	Massachusetts
County	Plymouth
Settled	1717
Incorporated	May 13, 1853
Government
• Type	Open town meeting
Area
• Total	36.1 sq mi (93.6 km2)
• Land	29.6 sq mi (76.6 km2)
• Water	6.6 sq mi (17.0 km2)
Elevation	90 ft (27 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	11,523
• Density	318.85/sq mi (123.11/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (Eastern)
ZIP code	02347
Area code(s)	508 / 774
FIPS code	25-33920
GNIS feature ID	0618344
Website	www.lakevillema.org

Lakeville is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. In 2020, about 11,523 people lived there.

History of Lakeville

For thousands of years, Native American groups lived in southern Massachusetts. Lakeville has a very important history related to these first peoples.

A place called Soewampset was mentioned in 1634 as a settlement in New England. This might be why Assawompset Pond has a name similar to a former Wampanoag village. The Wampanoag Royal Cemetery, a burial ground for the Wampanoag people, is in Lakeville. It sits on a piece of land between Little and Great Quittacas Pond.

King Philip's War and Lakeville

In 1675, a man named John Sassamon was found dead in Assawompset Pond. He was an advisor to the governor. People believed he was murdered, and three Native American men were arrested. They were found guilty and sentenced to death.

This event, along with growing tensions, helped start King Philip's War. This was a big conflict between English colonists and Native American groups. During the war, the Wampanoag leader King Philip and his fighters found shelter in Lakeville near Assawompset Pond.

The Wampanoag people continued to live near Assawompset Pond until at least the early 1800s. This is known from burials in the Wampanoag Royal Cemetery.

From the 1700s to Today

The first non-Native American settlers arrived in Lakeville around 1705. The town was officially settled in 1717 as a part of Middleborough. Lakeville became its own separate town in 1853.

A famous resident from Lakeville was Benjamin Simonds, a Wampanoag man. He fought in the American Revolution and helped George Washington at Valley Forge. He was a local hero because of his service and because he was the last full-blooded Wampanoag person to live on Assawompset Pond.

Many men from Lakeville also fought in the American Civil War. Three churches have been built in the town over the years, with the first one in 1725. Today, the company Ocean Spray, known for its cranberry products, has its main office in Lakeville.

What's in a Name?

The town's name, Lakeville, comes from the many lakes found there. These include Assawompset Pond, Great Quittacas Pond, Little Quittacas Pond, Pocksha Pond, and Long Pond.

Long Pond is where the Acushnet River starts. Assawompset Pond is the source of the Nemasket River, which flows into the Taunton River. The original Native American name for this area was Soewampset.

Geography of Lakeville

Lakeville covers about 36 square miles (93.6 square kilometers). About 6.5 square miles (17.0 square kilometers) of this is water. The town has an unusual shape. It shares borders with Middleborough to the northeast, Rochester to the southeast, and Freetown to the south. It also borders Berkley and Taunton to the west.

Lakeville is in the middle of Southeastern Massachusetts. It's about 20 miles west of Plymouth and 40 miles south of Boston.

The town is famous for its many lakes, which locals often call "ponds." Besides the main lakes, there are smaller ponds, brooks, and swamps. The Cedar Swamp is a protected area. Lakeville also has several small nature areas, country clubs, and parks. One park, the Ted Williams Camp, was once a summer baseball camp run by the famous Boston Red Sox player Ted Williams.

People of Lakeville

In 2022, Lakeville had about 11,895 people living in 4,162 homes. The population density was about 329 people per square mile. Most people in Lakeville are White (92.8%). There are also people of African American, Native American, Asian, and other backgrounds. About 2.4% of residents are from two or more races. About 2.0% of the population is Hispanic or Latino.

Many families in Lakeville have Irish, English, French, Italian, and Portuguese roots. About 3.8% of Lakeville's residents were born in other countries.

In 2000, about 40% of homes had children under 18 living there. Most homes (69.7%) were married couples. The average household had about 2.91 people.

The median age in Lakeville was 38 years old. This means half the people were older than 38 and half were younger. About 27.4% of the population was under 18. Most adults in Lakeville (87.2%) have a high school degree or higher. Many also have college degrees.

Education in Lakeville

Since 1959, Lakeville has worked with Freetown to run their schools. This is called the Freetown-Lakeville Regional School District.

• Assawompset Elementary School is for students in kindergarten through 3rd grade.
• The George R. Austin Intermediate School is for 4th and 5th graders.
• Freetown-Lakeville Middle School teaches grades 6 through 8.
• Apponequet Regional High School is for students in grades 9 through 12.

The Apponequet High School teams are called the "Lakers." Their colors are navy, white, and red. The school's mascot used to be a Wampanoag brave, but it was changed to an "A" to be more respectful. Their sports teams play in the South Coast Conference. Their main sports rival is Old Rochester Regional High School.

Getting Around Lakeville

Several main roads pass through Lakeville. Massachusetts Route 140 is a four-lane highway that connects to other major roads. Other routes like Route 18, Route 79, and Route 105 also cross the town. A small part of .S. Route 44 is in the northern part of Lakeville.

Lakeville also has a train station for the MBTA commuter rail. This train line connects Lakeville to other towns and cities. There are no airports directly in Lakeville. The closest small airport is in Taunton. For bigger flights, you can go to New Bedford or T. F. Green Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island.

Images for kids

• 

  Ancient House in Lakeville

See also

In Spanish: Lakeville (Massachusetts) para niños