Randolph, Massachusetts facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Town of Randolph
City (de facto)
Randolph Town Hall
Seal
Motto(s):  Latin: Fari Quae Sentiat "To Say What One Feels"
Location in Norfolk County in Massachusetts
Country	United States
State	Massachusetts
County	Norfolk
Settled	1710
Incorporated	1793 (T) 2010 (C)
Government
• Type	Council-manager
Area
• Total	10.5 sq mi (27.2 km2)
• Land	10.1 sq mi (26.1 km2)
• Water	0.4 sq mi (1.1 km2)
Elevation	184 ft (56 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	34,984
• Density	3,332/sq mi (1,286.2/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (Eastern)
ZIP Code	02368
Area code(s)	781/339
FIPS code	25-55955
GNIS feature ID	0618328
Randolph charter of 2009

The Town of Randolph is a suburban city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. It's a place where many people live and work. In 2020, about 34,984 people called Randolph home.

Randolph changed its government in 2010. It now uses a council-manager system. This is different from the older "town meeting" style. Randolph is one of a few places in Massachusetts that are officially cities but still like to be called "The Town of" in their name.

History of Randolph

Randolph in 1839

Before Europeans arrived, the area of Randolph was home to Native American tribes. These included the Massachusett, Wampanoag, and Pokanoket tribes. They called this land Cochaticquom.

Randolph became its own town in 1793. Before that, it was part of Braintree. The town was named after Peyton Randolph. He was the first president of the Continental Congress.

Randolph's Shoe Industry

For a long time, Randolph was famous for making shoes. Many popular shoe styles were made right here. In 1793, local farmers started making shoes to earn extra money. This soon became the town's main business.

Workers came from all over to help. They came from New England, Canada, Ireland, Italy, and Eastern Europe. By 1850, Randolph was a top boot maker in the country. They even sent boots to places like California and Australia!

Changes Over Time

The shoe industry started to decline in the early 1900s. Randolph then changed into a place where people lived but often worked elsewhere. Light manufacturing and service jobs replaced shoe making.

Many families moved to Randolph from Boston and other areas. They liked that the town was close to major roads. This made it easy to travel to jobs in the bigger city area.

Starting in the 1950s, many Jewish families moved to Randolph. They came from Boston neighborhoods like Dorchester and Mattapan. By 1970, Randolph had about 7,000 Jewish residents. This grew to about 9,000 by 1980. At its busiest, Randolph had special shops for the Jewish community. These included a kosher butcher and a kosher bakery.

The Great American Smokeout Idea

The idea for the Great American Smokeout came from Randolph. A guidance counselor at Randolph High School had an idea in 1969. He told students he could send them to college if he had a nickel for every cigarette butt he found.

This sparked an effort by the Randolph High School class of 1970. They asked local smokers to quit for a day. The money saved would go to a college scholarship fund. This event became a national effort in 1977.

Historic Places in Randolph

The Jonathan Belcher House

Randolph has four places listed on the Nationally Registered Historic Places list:

• Jonathan Belcher House: This house was built in 1806. It has been home to the Randolph Women's Club since 1911.
• Stetson Hall: This building was the old Town Hall. It was built in 1842.
• Ponkapoag Camp of Appalachian Mountain Club: This is a camp area.
• Gills Farm Archaeological District: This area is important for studying old human history.

Geography and Location

Randolph is located at 42°09′24″N 71°2′56″W / 42.15667°N 71.04889°W / 42.15667; -71.04889. It is about 15 miles south of Boston. The town is at the meeting point of Routes 128 and 24. This location has been very important for Randolph's growth.

Randolph is in eastern Massachusetts. It shares borders with several other towns:

• North: Milton and Quincy
• East: Braintree and Holbrook
• West: Canton
• South: Avon and Stoughton

The town covers about 10.5 square miles (27.2 km²). Most of this is land, about 10.1 square miles (26.1 km²). The rest is water, about 0.4 square miles (1.1 km²). The Cochato River and Blue Hill River flow through Randolph. They both flow into the Neponset River.

People of Randolph

In 2010, there were 32,158 people living in Randolph. There were 11,564 households, which are groups of people living together. The population density was about 3,184 people per square mile (1,229 per km²).

Randolph is known for its diverse population. In 2010, the racial makeup included:

• 41.6% White
• 38.3% Black or African American
• 12.4% Asian (including Vietnamese, Chinese, Filipino, and Indian)
• 3.7% from other races
• 3.5% from two or more races

About 6.4% of the people were Hispanic or Latino. Randolph is one of the fastest-growing diverse towns in the U.S. For example, 60% of elementary school students are of African descent.

The average household had 2.75 people. The average family had 3.31 people. About 29.4% of households had children under 18. The median age in Randolph was 38 years old.

Getting Around Randolph

Randolph is part of the larger Boston area. This means it has good ways to travel. There are train, air, and highway options. Major roads like Route 128 and Interstate 24 help connect Randolph to Boston.

Main Roads

The main highways near Randolph are Interstate 93 and U.S. Route 1. These roads pass along the northern edge of the town. Other important roads include Massachusetts Route 24 (Fall River Expressway) and Massachusetts Route 28. Massachusetts Route 139 runs east-west through Randolph.

Train Service

You can take a commuter train to South Station, Boston. This service is on the Middleborough line. The train station is called Holbrook/Randolph Rail Station. It's on the border of Holbrook and Randolph. You can also get to the MBTA Red Line in nearby Braintree and Quincy.

Bus Service

Randolph is part of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). Buses run from Randolph to Quincy Adams, Quincy Center, and Ashmont Stations. Bus 240 goes from Ashmont Station. Bus 238 goes from Quincy Center Station. The MBTA also has a special service called THE RIDE for older or disabled people.

The Brockton Area Transit Authority (BAT) also provides bus service. You can take a BAT bus to Brockton from Ashmont.

Airport Access

Most people in the area use Logan International Airport for air travel. It's a major airport. Closer by, there's Norwood Memorial Airport. It has two runways, each about 4,000 feet (1,219 m) long.

Schools in Randolph

Randolph has a public school system. It includes schools for all ages:

• Randolph High School: This school is for grades 9-12.
• Randolph Community Middle School: This school serves grades 6, 7, and 8.
• Four elementary schools: These schools are for grades K-5.
  • John F. Kennedy Elementary School
  • Margaret L. Donovan Elementary School
  • Martin E. Young Elementary School
  • Elizabeth G. Lyons Elementary School (A new school, North Randolph Elementary School, will replace this one in 2024.)

Kindergarten is offered at the elementary schools. Students entering ninth grade have other options too. They can choose to go to Blue Hills Regional Technical School. Or they can attend the Norfolk County Agricultural High School. The School Committee manages the school system.

Notable People from Randolph

Many interesting people have come from Randolph, including:

• Ebenezer Alden, a doctor and writer
• Rich Amiri, a rapper
• Audie Cornish, a journalist
• Danny Davis, a bandleader
• Mary E. Wilkins Freeman, an author
• Bill Kenney, a football coach
• Rod Langway, a famous hockey player
• Robert C. Long, a baseball umpire
• Gene McAuliffe, a baseball player
• Shabazz Napier, an NBA basketball player
• Liam O'Donnell, a director and film producer
• Jordan Rich, a radio talk show host
• William Rimmer, a painter and sculptor
• Sergeant Dennis "DJ" Simmonds, a Boston Police officer
• Mark Snyder, a radio host and writer
• Clinton Sparks, a music producer and DJ
• Scott D. Tingle, a NASA astronaut
• Touré (né Touré Neblett), a writer and TV personality

See also

In Spanish: Randolph (Massachusetts) para niños