Taunton is a city located in Bristol County, Massachusetts. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 55,976. It is the county seat of Bristol County. Hub of the Greater Taunton Area, Taunton is currently the largest city, geographically, in Massachusetts.
Taunton is located at 41°54'5" North, 71°5'37" West (41.901491, -71.093628). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 124.2 km2 (48.0 mi2). 120.7 km2 (46.6 mi2) of it is land and 3.5 km2 (1.4 mi2) of it is water. The total area is 2.81% water.
Taunton has one major river, the Taunton River, alongside with its tributaries such as Mill River. These rivers are within the Taunton River Watershed. Another river in Taunton is the Three Mile River.
In October, 2005, Taunton made national and international news when the Whittenton Pond Dam threatened to fail following a week that brought nine inches of rain to the city. It is estimated that if the dam failed, the Mill River could send up to six feet of water into the downtown area. In response, Governor Mitt Romney ordered an immediate inspection of high-risk dams throughout the Commonwealth.
There are nine designated historic districts within the city:
As of the census of 2000, there are 55,976 people, 22,045 households, and 14,483 families residing in the city. The population density is 463.7/km2 (1,201.1/mi2). There are 22,908 housing units at an average density of 189.8/km2 (491.5/mi2). The racial makeup of the city is 91.67% White, 2.74% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.60% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.59% from other races, and 2.21% from two or more races. 3.93% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 22,045 households out of which 32.3% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.0% are married couples living together, 13.4% have a female householder with no husband present, and 34.3% are non-families. 28.2% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.9% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.50 and the average family size is 3.09.
In the city the population is spread out with 24.9% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 33.2% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 36 years. For every 100 females there are 92.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 89.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $42,932, and the median income for a family is $52,433. Males have a median income of $36,895 versus $27,686 for females. The per capita income for the city is $19,899. 10.0% of the population and 8.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 13.9% of those under the age of 18 and 11.3% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
The neighborhoods in Taunton are East Taunton, Oakland, the Weir, Westville, and Whittenton.
Taunton is famous for its long history of fine silversmithing. The city was once known for its shipbuilding. The renowned Reed & Barton produced the 1996 Summer Olympics medals and exclusively-used silverware for the White House. Also, the city produced the anchor for the USS Constitution. The nearby town of Raynham produced the anchor for the Civil War-era ironclad USS Monitor.
Today, the city has a been a semiconductor, silicon, and electronics hub in the region and is one of the most industrially diverse areas of the state. It is home to corporate headquarters of many leading corporations in various industries. Currently, the city is trying to attract bio-research companies to its industrial parks.
Taunton was founded in 1637 by Elizabeth Poole, and officially incorporated as a town on March 3, 1639. Most of the town's settlers were from Taunton, Somerset County, England. This led these early settlers to name the settlement after its (present-day) sister city. At the time of Taunton's incorporation, they explained their choice of name as being
Taunton was incorporated as a city in 1864. The city once included many surrounding towns, including Norton, Easton, Mansfield, Dighton, Raynham, and Berkley. Possession of the latter is still noted by the naming of Taunton Hill in Assonet, which is now North Main Street and heads into Berkley.
Prior to 1640, the Taunton area was called Cohannet. The British founders of Taunton purchased the land from the native Wampanoags.
The Taunton area was the site of battles (on its soil or the surrounding area) during various conflicts, including King Philip's War and the American Revolution.
Once a great industrial city, the "Silver City" was home to many silversmithing operations, including the Taunton Silversmiths and the F.B. Rogers Silver Co. Various other industries operated throughout the city into the third quarter of the 20th century.
Source:
TauntonMassachusetts.com
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