Squantum facts for kids
Squantum is a neighborhood in Quincy, Massachusetts. It's connected to the main land by a special road called a causeway. This causeway goes over a wet, marshy area of the bay. Many people think Squantum is a peninsula, which is land surrounded by water on three sides. But it's actually a "barrier island." This means it's completely surrounded by water and only connected to other land by these causeways.
Squantum is in the northern part of Quincy. To the north, it has Dorchester Bay and Boston Harbor. To the east, you'll find Moon Island and Quincy Bay. To the south, it's bordered by Quincy Bay and North Quincy. On the west, it's next to the Marina Bay area. In 2010, about 2,365 people lived in Squantum.
This neighborhood offers amazing views of Boston Harbor and the city skyline. It's known for having some of Quincy's most expensive homes. Most people in Squantum own their homes, about 92% of them. The streets are lined with trees, giving it a calm, "island getaway" feeling. It's a close-knit community that holds an annual Fourth of July Parade. One book even described it as "a playground for children and a haven for adults." Squantum also has one of the largest Irish populations in the United States, compared to its size.
Squantum has two public beaches: Nickerson Beach and Orchard Beach. It's also home to Squantum Point Park, which is owned by the state. This park has walking trails and places where you can go canoeing or kayaking. You'll also find Squantum Elementary School and the First Church of Squantum here.
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A Look Back: Squantum's History
Before English settlers arrived in the 1600s, Native American tribes lived in Squantum. They valued the area for its rich supply of shellfish like clams and mussels. A hill called Moswetuset Hummock, near the start of today's causeway, is said to be where the name of the Massachusett tribe came from. The state of Massachusetts is named after this tribe.
In 1621, the tribe's chief, Chickatawbut, was visited there by Plymouth Colony leader Myles Standish. They were guided by Squanto, a Native American who helped the Pilgrims. The peninsula and neighborhood of Squantum are named after him. In its early days, Squantum was part of Dorchester. Later, in 1792, it became part of Quincy when Quincy separated from Braintree.
Squantum's Growth and Aviation History
By the mid-1700s, Squantum became a popular vacation spot. It was even connected to the area's trolley system, making it easy to visit. By the end of World War I, Squantum had become a place where people lived all year round.
Around this time, Squantum also played a part in early aviation. In 1910, Harvard University's Aeronautical Society held an airshow there. On July 1, 1912, during the third annual Boston aviation meet in Squantum, Harriet Quimby died while flying. She was the first woman pilot in the United States.
In 1927, Dennison Airport opened at the lower end of the Squantum Peninsula. Famous pilot Amelia Earhart worked there as a chief employee and pilot. The Naval Air Station Squantum also started operating in the 1920s. It was a training base for naval reserves until it closed in 1954. This base eventually became the Marina Bay area of Quincy in the 1980s. Some Squantum residents were worried about this new development. They feared more traffic congestion, noise pollution, and harm to the environment. Today, Marina Bay has many restaurants, businesses, homes, and a popular boardwalk.
Famous People from Squantum
- Lotta Crabtree
- Bill Chase
- Harriet Quimby (Died in Squantum)
Getting Around Squantum
East Squantum Street is the only road that connects Squantum to the mainland. It becomes a causeway, with the Squantum Marshes and Boston Harbor on either side, as it enters the neighborhood from North Quincy. This road heads northeast before turning south into the neighborhood at Dorchester Street. Dorchester Street continues northeast to the Moon Island Road causeway, which leads to Moon Island. However, Moon Island is controlled by the city of Boston and is not open to the public.
Squantum is served by bus route 211 of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). This bus connects to the subway system at North Quincy station, which is on the MBTA Red Line.
Images for kids
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Squantum in May 2020. View from Bayside Rd., overlooking the Boston Harbor
