Sharon, Massachusetts facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sharon, Massachusetts
Town
Downtown Sharon in July 2009
Flag Seal
Location in Norfolk County in Massachusetts
Country	United States
State	Massachusetts
County	Norfolk
Settled	1650
Incorporated	1775
Government
• Type	Open town meeting
Area
• Total	62.6 km2 (24.2 sq mi)
• Land	60.4 km2 (23.3 sq mi)
• Water	2.2 km2 (0.9 sq mi)  3.56%
Elevation	76 m (249 ft)
Population  (2020)
• Total	18,575
• Density	307.5/km2 (797.2/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (Eastern)
ZIP code	02067
Area code(s)	339 / 781
FIPS code	25-60785
GNIS feature ID	0618329

Sharon is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. It is home to 18,575 people, according to the 2020 census. Sharon is part of Greater Boston, located about 17 miles (27 km) southwest of downtown Boston. It is connected to both Boston and Providence by a train line.

History of Sharon, Massachusetts

Statue of Deborah Sampson

Sharon was first settled in 1637 as part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. It became its own district, called Stoughtonham, in 1765. The town was officially named Sharon in 1783. This name came from the Sharon plain in Israel, because the area had many forests. Many towns in New England share this name.

Sharon's Role in the American Revolution

During the American Revolution, the people of Sharon helped the Continental Army. They made cannonballs and cannons at a local factory called the Stoughtonham Furnace Site.

Who Was Deborah Sampson?

One of Sharon's most famous heroes is Deborah Sampson. She was a woman who disguised herself as a man to fight in the Revolutionary War. After the war, she married Benjamin Gannett and lived in Sharon.

Deborah Sampson worked hard to get a pension (money) for her service in the war. Famous people like Paul Revere supported her. In 1804, Paul Revere visited her farm in Sharon. He wrote to a congressman, saying she deserved a pension more than many others. A year later, she received an annual payment. Deborah Sampson is buried in Rock Ridge Cemetery in Sharon. There is also a street named after her. In 1983, Massachusetts officially named her the State Heroine.

Historical Landmarks and Sites

Sharon has several important historical places. The Unitarian and Congregational churches in the town center have church bells made by Paul Revere.

The Kendall Whaling Museum used to be in Sharon. It was founded by Henry P. Kendall in 1955. In 2001, its collection became part of the New Bedford Whaling Museum. However, the museum's old records are still kept in Sharon.

Sharon has six historical properties or areas recognized by the state. Five of these are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Some notable ones include:

• The First Historic District (1970): This area includes the Library and the Unitarian and Congregational Churches.
• Cobb's Tavern (1974): A National Historic Landmark located on Bay Road.
• Stoneholm (1980): Another National Historic Landmark on Ames Street.
• The Stoughtonham Furnace Site (1984): Where cannons were made during the Revolution.
• Borderland State Park (1997): A beautiful park partly in Sharon.
• The Third Historic District (2004): Includes the Charles R. Wilber School and Kate Morrell Park.

Geography and Climate

Sharon covers about 24.2 square miles (62.6 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, but about 0.9 square miles (2.2 square kilometers) is water.

Lake Massapoag

One of Sharon's most important features is Lake Massapoag. This lake is a popular spot for swimming and boating. It played a big role in Sharon becoming a summer resort town in the past. The town is also drained by the Canoe River and Massapoag Brook.

What is Sharon's Climate Like?

Sharon has a continental climate, similar to much of New England. This means it has warm to hot summers and cold winters. It can often be humid in the summer. Sharon receives about 50 inches (127 cm) of rain and snow each year.

People of Sharon

In 2010, there were 17,612 people living in Sharon. The population density was about 747 people per square mile (288 people per square kilometer).

Diversity in Sharon

Sharon is a diverse town. In 2010, about 82.3% of the people were White, and 10.9% were Asian. About 4.2% were African American. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up 2.1% of the population.

Many people in Sharon speak a language other than English at home (22.5%). Also, 19.2% of the population was born outside the United States. Sharon has the highest percentage of Russian immigrants in Massachusetts.

Families and Education

Many households in Sharon have children under 18 (42.4%). Most families are married couples living together (70.7%). The average household has about 2.82 people.

The median age in Sharon is 43.3 years. About 27.3% of the population is under 18 years old.

Sharon has a highly educated population. In 2014, 97.6% of adults had graduated from high school. Also, 72.8% had a bachelor's degree or higher.

Sharon is home to many different religious groups. There are seven synagogues, nine churches, and one of the largest mosques in New England, the Islamic Center of New England.

Parks and Recreation

Sharon has many beautiful trails for walking and exploring nature. This is because a large part of the town is protected conservation land. Some popular trails include:

• The Massapoag Trail
• The Warner Trail
• The Bay Circuit Trail (also called the Beaver Brook Trail in Sharon)
• The King Philip's Rock Trail

You can also find many trails at Borderland State Park and at Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary.

Education in Sharon

Sharon High School

The Sharon Public Schools system has five schools.

• Elementary Schools: Students in kindergarten through 5th grade attend one of three elementary schools: Cottage Street School, East Elementary School, or Heights Elementary School.
• Middle School: Grades 6-8 attend Sharon Middle School.
• High School: Grades 9-12 attend Sharon High School.

The Charles R. Wilber School used to be Sharon's high school until 1957. Later, it became an intermediate school. In 2009, a new part was added, and it was changed into homes.

A brand new high school building was built in 2020 and finished before the 2022-2023 school year. The old high school building, which was over sixty years old, was taken down during the 2022-2023 school year. The new Sharon High School opened for students at the start of the 2023-2024 school year.

Transportation

Mini-high platforms at Sharon Station

Sharon has a train station that offers commuter rail service to Boston's South Station. This service is provided by the MBTA on its Providence/Stoughton Line.

The Boston and Providence Railroad began operating trains between Boston and Providence in June 1835. A station was built in Sharon around that time. In 1871, a larger station building replaced the original one.

Massachusetts Route 27 runs through the center of Sharon. This road connects to Route 1, a major highway.

Notable People from Sharon

Many interesting people have lived in Sharon, including:

• Tully Banta-Cain, an NFL player
• Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990), a famous composer (he spent summers here)
• John Brebbia (born 1990), an MLB pitcher
• Sarah Palfrey Cooke, a US tennis champion
• Arthur Vining Davis, an important industrialist
• Jake Fishman (born 1995), an American-Israeli MLB baseball player
• Tommy Harper, a baseball player
• Roland James, a football defensive back
• Bill Keating, a congressman
• Henry Way Kendall, a physicist and Nobel Prize winner
• Ty Law, a football cornerback and three-time Super Bowl winner
• Bruce Pearl (born 1960), a basketball coach
• Deborah Sampson, a heroine from the Revolutionary War
• Andre Tippett (born 1959), an NFL football linebacker in the Hall of Fame
• Nick Zinner, a guitarist

See also

In Spanish: Sharon (Massachusetts) para niños