Rehoboth is a historic town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It was settled in 1643 and became an official town in 1645. This makes Rehoboth one of the oldest towns in Massachusetts.

In 2020, about 12,502 people lived here. Rehoboth is mostly a rural area with many old places. It has 53 historic cemeteries.

Rehoboth's Early History
Rehoboth's Geography
Conservation Areas to Explore
Rehoboth's Population
Arts and Culture in Rehoboth
Education in Rehoboth
Transportation in Rehoboth
Notable People from Rehoboth
See also

Rehoboth's Early History

First Congregational Church, Rehoboth

Rehoboth was founded in 1643 by Walter Palmer and William Sabin. It officially became a town in 1645. The town's name comes from a Hebrew word meaning "enlargement" or "broad places." This name showed that the early settlers felt they had found plenty of space.

Long ago, "Old Rehoboth" was much larger than it is today. It included all of what is now Seekonk and East Providence. It also covered parts of other nearby towns like Attleboro and Swansea in Massachusetts. In Rhode Island, it included parts of Barrington and Pawtucket. Rehoboth was an important crossroads, connecting places like Taunton and Providence.

Founding Families and Leaders

One of the key founders of Rehoboth was Samuel Newman. He was a clergyman who moved to the area. Samuel Newman and his followers created a large town common, which is now in Rumford, Rhode Island. They called this area "The Ring of the Green." The Newman Congregational Church, founded in 1643, still stands there today.

Samuel Newman was well-known for his bible concordance. This was a book that helped people find words in the Bible. He worked on updating it in Rehoboth. People say he used burning pine knots for light instead of candles. His concordance was very popular and was reprinted for nearly 250 years.

Headstone of Capt. Samuel Peck, son of Joseph Peck, one of the original settlers of Rehoboth. Peck Burial Yard, Historic Cemetery #13

The Peck family was also important in founding Rehoboth. Joseph Peck bought large areas of land from the Native Americans. He later left this land to his son, Samuel. Samuel Peck became a leader in the community. He was the first representative from Rehoboth to the General Court. The area known as Pecks Corner in Rehoboth is named after this family.

King Philip's War in Rehoboth

Rehoboth played a role in King Philip's War, which happened from 1675 to 1676. On June 30, 1675, King Philip led an attack on Rehoboth. Settlers were killed, and homes were burned. People lived in fear of more attacks.

Later, on March 28, 1676, Canonchet led another attack. This time, 42 homes, 21 barns, and several mills were destroyed.

The war ended in southeastern Massachusetts with an event near Rehoboth. On August 28, 1676, Captain Benjamin Church captured Anawan. Anawan was a leader of the Wampanoag tribe. He became chief after King Philip died. Anawan Rock, a large stone, marks the spot where Anawan was captured. This event effectively ended the war in the area.

Public Education's Beginnings

Rehoboth is proud to be a place where public education may have started in North America. When the town was formed, people decided to collect money to pay a teacher. This teacher would teach all the children in the community. This meant that education was available to everyone, not just the wealthy.

Another important place for education is the historic Hornbine School. It was built in 1845. This old schoolhouse is open to visitors from May to September.

Celebrating 350 Years

In 1992, Rehoboth celebrated its 350th anniversary. For this event, the town did something fun. They asked the communities that were once part of "Old Rehoboth" to "give back" their land for the celebration year. Many towns agreed to this symbolic return of land.

Rehoboth Today

Rehoboth is a Right to Farm community

Today, Rehoboth is a mostly rural and suburban town. It still has many historic sites, including 53 old cemeteries. Rehoboth is a "Right to Farm Community." This means there are rules to help protect farmers. These rules stop lawsuits against farms.

Rehoboth farms sell many things. You can find vegetables, fruits, hay, Christmas trees, and dairy products. They also sell eggs, meat, and farm animals. There are also many horse farms and riding places in Rehoboth.

Historic Places to Visit

Anawan Rock
Briggs Tavern (built 1780)
Brown House (built 1700)
Col. Thomas Carpenter III House (built 1755)
Carpenter House (built 1789)
Hornbine Baptist Church (built 1753)
Martin Farm (built 1750)
Nathan Bowen House
Sylvester Round House (built 1782)

Rehoboth's Geography

Rehoboth covers about 46.8 square miles (121.1 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, about 46.5 square miles (120.4 square kilometers). A small part, about 0.3 square miles (0.7 square kilometers), is water. The land in Rehoboth has hills and swamps. Many small streams and swamps flow into the Palmer River. This river then flows into Narragansett Bay.

Rehoboth shares its western border with Seekonk. It is also next to Attleboro and Norton to the north. To the east are Taunton and Dighton. Swansea is to the south.

Rehoboth is about 11 miles (18 km) east of Providence, Rhode Island. It is about 50 miles (80 km) south of Boston.

Conservation Areas to Explore

Rehoboth has several natural areas where you can enjoy nature:

Rehoboth State Forest (off Peck Street) has hiking trails.
The Ephraim Hunt Ministerial Land Conservation Area (55 Pond Street).
The Mason Street Conservation Area (off Mason Street) is open to the public.
Shad Factory Conservation Area (on Reed Street) has hiking trails.
Miller Bird Sanctuary (88 Winter Street).
Fox Lea (67 River Street).
Redway Plain (off Route 44 and Bay State Road).
Warren Upper Reservoir (off Reservoir Street).

Rehoboth's Population

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1850	2,104	—
1860	1,932	−8.2%
1870	1,895	−1.9%
1880	1,891	−0.2%
1890	1,786	−5.6%
1900	1,840	+3.0%
1910	2,001	+8.7%
1920	2,065	+3.2%
1930	2,610	+26.4%
1940	2,736	+4.8%
1950	3,700	+35.2%
1960	4,953	+33.9%
1970	6,512	+31.5%
1980	7,570	+16.2%
1990	8,656	+14.3%
2000	10,172	+17.5%
2010	11,608	+14.1%
2020	12,502	+7.7%
2023	13,313	+6.5%
Source: United States Census records and Population Estimates Program data.

This banner across U.S. Route Route 44 commemorates the town's 375th anniversary in 2018.

According to the 2000 census, there were 10,172 people living in Rehoboth. About 3,523 households were in the town. Most households (70.8%) were married couples living together.

About 26.2% of the population was under 18 years old. The average age in Rehoboth was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were about 98 males.

Arts and Culture in Rehoboth

The Rehoboth Antiquarian Society (RAS) helps preserve the town's history and culture. They run the Carpenter Museum and the Blanding Free Public Library. The RAS also hosts music concerts called "Arts in the Village."

The Carpenter Museum has several events each year. These include the Folk Art & Artisans Show in November. In 2013, the museum won an award for its program "Remembering Rehoboth School Days." The Antiquarian Society also holds a traditional Clam Bake every summer. This tradition started way back in 1884.

The Blanding Free Public Library offers programs for kids and adults. They have a book club and activities for preschoolers and older children. These include reading, crafts, and summer programs.

Many cultural events in Rehoboth get support from the Rehoboth Cultural Council. This group helps fund local arts and culture.

The Rehoboth Country Dance Society holds public contra dances. These dances happen at Goff Memorial Hall at least twice a month.

For history fans, there's the 13th Continental Regiment Rehoboth Minute Company. This group recreates a unit from 1774. They dress in old civilian clothes and use old firearms. Men, women, and children can join. They participate in parades, ceremonies, and battle re-enactments. They also visit schools to teach about history.

Every September, the town hosts the "Larry Procopio" Harvest Block Party. This is a free event held on the Redway Plain field. It's named after Larry Procopio, who first organized the event.

The historic one-room Hornbine School is open for visits in the spring and summer. This school operated from 1848 to 1937. It was restored in 1969 and is now cared for by a non-profit group.

Hornbine School

Education in Rehoboth

Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School

Rehoboth's school system has a long history. The Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School District was created in 1958. It includes schools in both Rehoboth and the nearby town of Dighton.

Rehoboth has two main schools:

Palmer River Elementary School (on Winthrop Street)
D. L. Beckwith Middle School (next to the elementary school)

Both schools offer special education support for students who need it. The Rehoboth Parent-Teacher-Student Association (PTSA) supports students at both schools.

Students in high school attend Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School. This school is located in North Dighton. It offers advanced classes, college preparation, and career training. The high school also has a program for special education students aged 18 to 22. This program helps them with academics and life skills.

The Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School sports teams are called the "Falcons." They play in the South Coast Conference. Sports include soccer, football, volleyball, baseball, basketball, and more.

The Dighton-Rehoboth Marching Band is a large group of students. They perform at sports games, parades, and special events. The band has even performed at Walt Disney World. In 2014, they represented Massachusetts in the National Independence Day Parade.

For students who want to learn a trade, there are vocational-technical schools. Rehoboth students can attend Bristol Plymouth Regional Technical School. They can also go to Bristol County Agricultural High School in Dighton.

Rehoboth also has two private elementary schools:

Cedar Brook School (for Pre-K to 10th grade)
Pinecroft School (for Kindergarten to 5th grade)

Transportation in Rehoboth

A remaining streetcar bridge abutment from the Providence–Taunton interurban line on the Palmer River in Rehoboth

Rehoboth has many winding country roads. The main state routes are U.S. Route 44 and Massachusetts Route 118. These two roads meet near the center of town. U.S. Route 6 and Interstate 195 also pass through a small part of the town.

Rehoboth is part of the Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority (GATRA). This group provides bus service to towns in the area.

Rehoboth is one of the few towns in Massachusetts that never had main train lines. In the past, only a single streetcar line ran through town. This trolley service started in 1891 along what is now U.S. Route 44. It was later replaced by buses in the late 1920s.

Today, the closest train service is in Attleboro. You can find two stops there on the MBTA's Providence/Stoughton Line.

For air travel, small airports are in Taunton and Mansfield. T. F. Green Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island, is less than 20 miles (32 km) away. The closest international airport is Logan International Airport in Boston, about 53 miles (85 km) away.

Notable People from Rehoboth

Fanny Alger, possibly the first plural wife of Joseph Smith
Roger Amidon, early settler
Mary Butterworth, a colonial American who ran a counterfeiting ring
Isaac Case, traveling Baptist pastor and church founder
John W. Davis, former Rhode Island governor
Michael Glancy, a modern glass artist
Darius Goff, mill owner whose family were early settlers
Jason Hammel, former professional baseball pitcher
Wayne Webb, professional ten-pin bowler and Hall of Fame member
Nate DiMeo, podcaster and author

Rehoboth, Massachusetts facts for kids

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