Stoughton, Massachusetts facts for kids

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Stoughton, Massachusetts

Town

Town center

Seal

Nickname(s):

"Birthplace of American Liberty"

Location in Norfolk County in Massachusetts

United States

Settled

1713

Incorporated

1726

Government

• Type

Representative town meeting

Area

• Total

42.1 km² (16.3 sq mi)

• Land

41.5 km² (16.0 sq mi)

• Water

0.6 km² (0.2 sq mi)

Elevation

72 m (236 ft)

Highest elevation

110 m (350 ft)

Population

(2020)

• Total

26,962

• Density

705.6/km² (1,830.1/sq mi)

Time zone

UTC−5 (Eastern)

• Summer (DST)

UTC−4 (Eastern)

ZIP Code

02072

Area code(s)

781

FIPS code

25-67945

GNIS feature ID

0618330

Website

www.stoughton-ma.gov

Stoughton (pronounced STOH-tən) is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. It's officially called the Town of Stoughton. In 2020, about 29,281 people lived there. The town is located about 17 miles (27 km) from Boston. It's also about 31 miles (50 km) from Providence, Rhode Island. And it's 35 miles (56 km) from Cape Cod.

History of Stoughton
Geography of Stoughton
People of Stoughton
Economy of Stoughton
Arts and Culture in Stoughton
Parks and Recreation in Stoughton
Education in Stoughton
Transportation in Stoughton
Notable People from Stoughton
Images for kids
See also

History of Stoughton

Stoughton was first settled in 1713. It became an official town in 1726. It was created from the southwestern part of a larger town called Dorchester. When it was founded, Stoughton included the areas that are now Sharon, Canton, and Avon. These towns later became separate.

The town was named after William Stoughton. He was the first chief justice of the Colonial Courts.

Important Events in Stoughton's Past

The Suffolk Resolves were important papers written in Old Stoughton. These papers helped lead to the American Revolution. Famous people like Paul Revere and Samuel Adams were involved in writing them.

Stoughton started as a farming community. But it grew into a major center for making shoes. The Stoughton Public Library was opened in 1874.

The oldest singing group in the United States is in Stoughton. It's called the Old Stoughton Musical Society. It was started in 1786. This group has the oldest rules (constitution) of any musical society in the U.S. Their rules were written just weeks after the United States Constitution in 1787. In 1893, the group performed at a big event in Chicago. They sang for thousands of people.

In the 1980s, a group called "Save Our Stoughton" gained national attention. They worked to improve their community. More recently, Stoughton became the first town in Massachusetts to be a "No Place for Hate" town. This means the town works to be welcoming to everyone.

Stoughton's Train Station

Stoughton's train station was built in 1888. It is special because it's the only one in Massachusetts with a clock tower. The station was built using stones from a local quarry. In 1974, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list recognizes important historical places.

Over a million dollars were raised to fix up the station. This was done for its 100th anniversary. However, the MBTA closed the station in 2009. The building is still there but is not open to the public. In 2015, the town decided to buy the station from the state. They are now planning what to do with the building.

Recent History

On May 9, 2013, a small tornado touched down in Stoughton. It caused only minor damage. Weather experts confirmed it was an EF0 tornado.

Geography of Stoughton

Stoughton covers about 16.3 square miles (42.1 km2). Most of this area is land, about 16.0 square miles (41.5 km2). A small part, about 0.2 square miles (0.6 km2), is water.

Stoughton shares its borders with several other towns. To the north is Canton. To the northeast is Randolph. Avon is to the east. Brockton is to the southeast. Easton is to the south. And Sharon is to the west.

The highest point in Stoughton is a hill in the southwestern part of town. It is about 350 feet (106.7 meters) above sea level.

People of Stoughton

In 2010, there were 26,962 people living in Stoughton. There were 10,295 households. About 27.9% of these households had children under 18 living with them. Most households (51.5%) were married couples.

The people in Stoughton come from many different backgrounds. In 2010, about 80.2% of the people were White. About 11.1% were African American. And 2.3% were Asian. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up 3.2% of the population.

The average age of people in Stoughton was 42.9 years.

Stoughton has a history of manufacturing. It also has many stores and businesses. There are also large areas set aside for businesses and factories. The town has many protected open spaces. These include the Bird Street Sanctuary and town parks. Stoughton is easy to get to by major roads. It also has public transportation like buses and a commuter rail line to Boston.

Economy of Stoughton

In 2018, the total value of all taxable property in Stoughton was over $4 billion. This value increased by 6% from the year before. This was because of new homes, businesses, and factories being built. Property taxes made up 55% of the town's budget in 2018.

Arts and Culture in Stoughton

Stoughton has many fun events and activities.

An annual 4th of July fireworks show takes place at the high school.
Local drama groups put on plays.
There are outdoor concerts in the summer.
The town holds annual parades to honor veterans.
Every year on the 4th of July, Stoughton has a parade.
There is also a Holiday Parade of Lights in December.

The town of Stoughton offers swimming programs at Ames Long Pond. Halloran Park has a public basketball court, barbecue spots, and picnic areas.

Parks and Recreation in Stoughton

Many groups in Stoughton offer sports and fun activities.

The Recreation Department has many activities for both kids and adults all year long.

The Stoughton Youth Athletic Club (STOYAC) offers:

Girls softball
Boys and girls basketball
Football
Cheering

The Stoughton Youth Soccer League (SYSL) has soccer programs for different age groups. They have both in-town and travel teams. Their main fields are at the Kolz Soccer Complex on West Street.

Stoughton Youth Baseball is part of Cal Ripken Baseball and Babe Ruth Baseball. They have programs for kids as young as 5 years old. They offer t-ball and different leagues for older kids.

Stoughton Lacrosse has programs and leagues for both boys and girls. They have teams for different age groups.

Education in Stoughton

Stoughton Public Schools runs the public schools in town. Stoughton has one public high school and one public middle school. There are also five elementary schools. Some private schools are in nearby towns.

The town recently built a new high school. It was ready for students in the 2019–2020 school year. The old high school was taken down. New sports fields were built where the old school used to be. Some parts of the old high school were used to create a wall at the entrance of the new school.

Transportation in Stoughton

Stoughton is on an MBTA commuter rail line. This train line goes to South Station in Boston. It is part of the Providence/Stoughton Line. The Brockton Area Transit Authority (BAT) also provides local bus service in Stoughton.