Pembroke, Massachusetts facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pembroke, Massachusetts
Town
Pembroke Town Hall
Flag Seal
Location in Plymouth County in Massachusetts
Country	United States
State	Massachusetts
County	Plymouth
Settled	1650
Incorporated	1712
Named for	Pembroke, Wales
Government
• Type	Open town meeting
Area
• Total	23.5 sq mi (60.8 km2)
• Land	21.8 sq mi (56.6 km2)
• Water	1.6 sq mi (4.2 km2)
Elevation	70 ft (21 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	18,361
• Density	842.2/sq mi (324.4/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (Eastern)
ZIP Codes	02359, 02327, 02358
Area code(s)	339/781
FIPS code	25-52630
GNIS feature ID	0618348
Website	www.townofpembrokemass.org

Pembroke is a town with a lot of history in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. It's part of the Boston area, located about halfway between Boston and Cape Cod. Pembroke feels like a mix of country and suburban areas.

In 2020, about 18,361 people lived here. The town has different neighborhoods like Bryantville, North Pembroke, and East Pembroke.

History of Pembroke

Early Settlers and Native Americans

The first European settlers, Robert Barker and Dolor Davis, arrived around 1650. They settled near Herring Brook. Before them, the Wampanoag and Massachusett people lived here. They called the area Mattakeesett, which means "place of much fish." This was because of the many herring that swam in the rivers each spring.

The land was bought from Josias Wampatuck by English investors. Pembroke became its own town in 1712. It was named after Pembroke, Wales. The name Brookfield was already taken by another town.

Water Resources and Industries

Pembroke is known for its many water resources. These include the North River, Indian Head River, and several ponds. Some of these ponds are Oldham, Furnace, Great Sandy Bottom, Little Sandy Bottom, and Stetson Ponds. Silver Lake is also important.

The town's ponds and rivers were home to many herring. These fish were so important that in 1741, the town started making rules about catching them. Today, Pembroke celebrates these fish every year at the "Grande Old Fish Fry."

In 1720, the Pembroke Iron Works started. They used iron found at the bottom of the ponds. People also cut ice from the ponds to store food in the summer. The rivers and ponds also powered mills for grinding grain and cutting wood. Later, building ships and making boxes became important jobs.

Shipbuilding and the Revolution

Pembroke had many forests, which provided wood for homes and industries. Because of its wood and river location, shipbuilding was a big industry. Five shipyards were located along the North River. From 1678 to 1871, over 1,000 ships were built here.

Just before the American Revolution, a local minister named Reverend Gad Hitchcock spoke out against the British. He was even rewarded by Samuel Adams for his strong words. Pembroke residents bravely served in the war from the very beginning in 1775.

Town Changes and Modern Growth

In 1820, the western part of Pembroke became a separate town called Hanson. Shipbuilding continued to be important. Famous ships like the Beaver, known for its role in the Boston Tea Party, were built here. The Maria, shown on Pembroke's town seal, was also built here.

By the early 1900s, mills were common along the river. The town's ponds helped grow cranberry bogs. Train service from Brockton also made the ponds popular vacation spots.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the ponds attracted summer visitors. Trolley service made it easy for people from cities to visit places like Mayflower Grove. This led to many small cottages being built along the pond shores. Today, the ponds are still used for fun, drinking water, and watering cranberry bogs.

Pembroke's population stayed about the same until the 1960s. Then, many people moved from Boston to the suburbs, and the town grew a lot. Now, Pembroke is mostly a suburban town. Most people work in the Greater Boston area. It has become a popular place to live, with many new homes.

In 2009, CNN Money even considered Pembroke one of the "Best Places to Live."

Geography of Pembroke

Pembroke covers about 23.5 square miles (60.8 square kilometers). Most of this is land (21.8 sq mi or 56.6 sq km), and a smaller part is water (1.6 sq mi or 4.2 sq km). Pembroke is a bit smaller than the average town in Massachusetts.

Pembroke is surrounded by several other towns. These include Norwell to the north, Marshfield to the northeast, and Duxbury to the east.

Natural Features

The northern part of Pembroke has many rivers and streams. These flow through thick forests. These forests once provided wood for the shipbuilding industry along the North River.

The southern part of town has several ponds. Silver Lake is a large pond where Pembroke meets Kingston, Plympton, and Halifax. Pembroke also has its own town forest, which is split into different areas.

Great Sandy Bottom Pond is a notable water source in Pembroke. Its water is used by other towns. This area is home to many plants and animals, like eagles, herons, turtles, and foxes.

Transportation in Pembroke

Massachusetts Route 3 runs along the northeastern edge of Pembroke. There's an exit from Route 3 that also connects to Route 139. Other state roads in town include Routes 14, 27, 36, and 53. Route 14 goes through the center of town.

Pembroke does not have its own train station or airport. The MBTA Commuter Rail has stops nearby in Hanson and Halifax. For air travel, there are small public airports in Hanson and Marshfield. The closest major airport is Logan International Airport in Boston.

Demographics of Pembroke

As of 2007, Pembroke had about 18,549 people living in 5,750 households. Many households (40.8%) had children under 18. Most households (66.7%) were married couples.

The population was spread out by age. About 28.6% were under 18, and 8.3% were 65 or older. The average age was 37.2 years.

In 2020, the average household income in Pembroke was $119,827. Only about 2.5% of the population lived below the poverty line.

Education in Pembroke

School Districts

In 1952, Pembroke helped start the Silver Lake Regional School District. This district included Kingston, Halifax, and Plympton. Because of too many students, Pembroke built its own high school campus in 1976.

In 2002, Pembroke decided to create its own school district. Students still went to Silver Lake RHS until 2004. The old campus was updated and became Pembroke High School. It serves students from ninth to twelfth grade.

Pembroke High School

Pembroke High School's sports teams are called the Titans. Their colors are blue and white. They play in the Patriot League. The Titans have a big Thanksgiving Day football game rivalry with Silver Lake Regional High School.

Other Schools

The town has three elementary schools: Bryantville, Hobomock, and North Pembroke. These schools teach students from kindergarten to sixth grade. North Pembroke also has pre-kindergarten classes.

The Pembroke Community Middle School is for seventh and eighth graders. It's located in the building that used to be Silver Lake Regional Junior High School.

Pembroke does not have its own vocational school. The closest one is South Shore Vocational Tech in Hanover. For college, Bridgewater State University is nearby. There are also community colleges in Plymouth and Brockton.

Arts and Media in Pembroke

Pembroke is part of the Boston area's media coverage. Local newspapers include the Quincy Patriot Ledger and the Brockton Enterprise. The town also has its own weekly paper, The Pembroke Mariner & Express.

PACTV is the public access TV organization for Pembroke. It's located in Plymouth. Residents can watch public access channels (13, 14, and 15). Channel 15 shows local government meetings and other government programs. PCN (PACTV Community News) is a local news show on channel 13. The education channel (14) shows arts programs and Titan TV News, made by Pembroke High School students.

Pembroke supports many arts programs. One example is the Pembroke Imperials Drum & Bugle Corps, which has been active since the 1960s. The Pembroke Association of Performing Arts (PAPA) also helps promote the performing arts in Pembroke schools.

Points of Interest in Pembroke

Pembroke Friends Meetinghouse (1706)

Pembroke Country Club

The Pembroke Country Club is an 18-hole golf course. It was bought by former NHL player Jeremy Roenick. The course is 6,532 yards long and has a par of 71. It was designed by Philip A. Wogan and opened in 1973.

Pembroke Historical Society

The Pembroke Historical Society runs a museum. It's made up of two old one-room school buildings. The Bryantville School, built in 1847, was moved here in 1952. The "Cedar Swamp Schools" building was moved in 1968. In 1976, a Tool Museum was added in the museum building's lower level.

Pembroke Friends Meetinghouse

The Pembroke Friends Meetinghouse was built in 1706. It's located at Routes 139 and 53. Inside, the building is split in half, with women sitting on one side and men on the other. Many important citizens in the 1700s and 1800s were Quakers. This meetinghouse is one of the oldest Quaker sites in America. It was given to the Historical Society in 1973.

Grand Old Fish Fry

The Grand Old Fish Fry usually happens on the first weekend in May. It's held at the Thomas Reading Herring Run Park on Route 14. For over 30 years, the Historical Society has invited everyone to the herring run. It's a day for great food, music, and duck races. In the past, herring were caught and cooked right there. Now, because there are fewer herring, fish cakes are served instead. This event is a main fundraiser for the Historical Society. The money helps take care of their three properties: the Friends Meeting House, Adah Hall House, and the museum building.

Notable people

• Gleason Archer, Sr., founder of Suffolk University, author
• Thomas Humphrey Cushing, Revolutionary War officer and Adjutant General of the U.S. Army
• Sammy Davis, professional ice hockey player
• Ben Edlund, creator of The Tick and TV producer
• Eric Flaim, Olympic silver medalist in speed skating
• Stephen N. Gifford, politician and longtime Clerk of the Massachusetts Senate
• Duane Joyce, professional hockey player
• Joseph Leavitt, Revolutionary War conscientious objector
• Alexander Parris, architect
• Dwight E. Sargent, journalist
• Pat Seltsam, Olympic speedskater, 1990 national champion and World Cup medalist in 1989
• Dave Shea, former Boston Bruins play-by-play announcer
• Josiah Smith, United States congressman
• Kevin Stevens, National Hockey League All-Star left winger
• Buddy Teevens, football coach for Dartmouth College
• Harry Irving Thayer, United States congressman
• Nora Vasconcellos, professional skateboarder for Adidas and Welcome brand skateboards
• Luke Vercollone, professional soccer player
• Harry M. Woods, lyricist and composer of "When the Red Red Robin Comes Bobbin' Along" and "Try a Little Tenderness"

See also

In Spanish: Pembroke (Massachusetts) para niños