Wikipedia

Swampscott, Massachusetts

Swampscott(/ˈswɒmpskət/)[1]is atowninEssex County, Massachusetts,United States, located 15 miles (24 km) up the coast fromBostonin an area known as theNorth Shore.The population was 15,111 as of the2020 United States Census.[2]A former summer resort onMassachusetts Bay,Swampscott is today a fairly affluent residential community and includes the village of Beach Bluff, as well as part of the neighborhood ofClifton.

Swampscott, Massachusetts
Town
Swampscott Town Hall, 22 Monument Ave
Swampscott Town Hall,22 Monument Ave
Flag of Swampscott, Massachusetts
Flag
Official seal of Swampscott, Massachusetts
Seal
Location in Essex County and the state of Massachusetts
Location inEssex Countyand the state ofMassachusetts
Coordinates: 42.4709° N, 70.9176° W42°28′15″N70°55′05″W/ 42.47083°N 70.91806°W/42.47083; -70.91806
CountryUnited States
StateMassachusetts
CountyEssex
Settled1629
Incorporated1852
Government
• TypeTown Manager/Representative town meeting
•Town
Administrator		Sean Fitzgerald
Area
• Total
6.7 sq mi (17.4 km2)
• Land3.1 sq mi (7.9 km2)
• Water3.7 sq mi (9.6 km2)
Elevation
45 ft (14 m)
Population
(2020)
• Total
15,111
• Density4,874.5/sq mi (1,912.8/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5(Eastern)
• Summer (DST)UTC-4(Eastern)
ZIP code
01907
Area code339/781
FIPS code25-68645
GNISfeature ID0618311
WebsiteTown of Swampscott, Massachusetts, Official Web Site

History

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The area in and around Swampscott, Massachusetts has been inhabited by indigenous people for 12,000 years.[3]Prior to European colonization, the town was inhabited by members of theNaumkeag,Pennacook,andPawtucketgroups andMassachusetttribe.[4]They spoke anEastern Algonquin language,and the Pawtucket migrated seasonally throughout the eastern coasts ofMassachusettsandRhode Island.[5]It's estimated that 50-100 indigenous individuals resided in the Swampscott area at the time of European colonization. A series ofepidemicsfollowing European settlement, includingsmallpox,killed many of the indigenous people living in the area, and it's estimated that fewer than 50 individuals remained by the late 17th century.[4]

Wood'sNew England Prospectlists "Swampscott" as a noted habitation in 1633 before extensiveEuropean settlement.[6]According to an early twentieth century source, the name "Swampscott" is variously said to mean "at the red rock", "broken waters", or "pleasant water place".[7]

Indigenous people in the Swampscott area subsisted on seasonally determined activities, including hunting, fishing, collecting wild plants andshellfish,andhorticulture.They hunteddeer,marine mammals,upland game birds,andducks,and cultivated crops likecorn,beans,pumpkin,squash,andtobacco.[4]

Swampscott was first colonized by Europeans in 1629 when Francis Ingalls settled there and built the firstMassachusetts Bay Colonytannery. Ingalls observed that the town's indigenous population lived inwigwamsextending from Black Will's Cliff along the entire north shore.[4]Swampscott has an important Revolutionary War site: the final home of General John Glover in Vinnin Square. During the War, the property was seized from Loyalist William Browne; Glover bought the land in 1781. The 1750s era Glover farmhouse, embedded in a former restaurant, is threatened with demolition for new development.

The town was first settled as the eastern part (Ward One) ofLynn,and was set off and officially incorporated in 1852.[8]

In 1867, a piece of the far western end ofSalem,then known as the "Salem Finger", became part of Swampscott.[8]A beach town north of Boston, measuring 3 square miles (7.8 km2) and abuttingSalem,Marbleheadand Lynn, Swampscott was an important destination for the wealthy at the beginning of the 20th century. WhileRevere Beach,which lies just several miles down the road, has the honor of technically being America's first public beach, Swampscott was the de facto firstresort town.[citation needed]Lynn was the divider between the poor beach and the rich resort town.[citation needed]

Swampscott Public Library

Education

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The community lies within the Swampscott School District.[9]

Swampscott's public school system includes one elementary school, Swampscott Elementary School; one middle school, Swampscott Middle School; and one high school, Swampscott High School.[10]The Machon elementary school was shut down in 2007, and is now a mixed-income senior community.[11]After construction of Swampscott Elementary School was completed in 2024, the Hadley Elementary School was shut down.[12]Stanley Elementary School and Clarke Elementary School are also located in Swampscott. A new building was completed in 2007 for Swampscott High School. In 2011, Swampscott considered installing a wind turbine, with the approximate height of a 30-story building, on the property of the Swampscott Middle School, but ultimately rejected the project.[13][14]In a special election on October 19, 2021, voters approved a new $98 million elementary school to be built on the site of the Stanley School. This new school replaced all former schools and opened to students in September 2024.[15][16]

Geography and transportation

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Swampscott is located at42°28′27″N70°54′21″W/ 42.47417°N 70.90583°W/42.47417; -70.90583(42.474409, −70.905883).[17]According to theUnited States Census Bureau,the town has a total area of 6.7 square miles (17.4 km2), of which 3.0 square miles (7.9 km2) is land and 3.7 square miles (9.6 km2), or 54.83%, is water. Located beside Massachusetts Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, Swampscott lies along a mostly rocky shoreline, though there is enough clear shore for five beaches; Phillips which stretches into Preston and is by far the largest beach in town, Eisman's and Whales, Fisherman's, and a part of King's Beach, which extends into Lynn. There are several small parks, along with the small Harold King Forest in the northwest corner of town and the Tedesco Country Club which bisects part of the town. The town also has two small ponds, Foster Pond and Palmer Pond.

View of Boston from Swampscott shore
Great Black-backed Gull Swampscott MA June 2024

Swampscott is mostly suburban, with most of the clear land in the northwest corner of town. There are three villages within town, Beach Bluff to the east, Phillips Point to the south, and Phillips Beach inland between the two. The town is centered around Monument Square, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted;[18]which is 4 miles (6 km) south ofSalem,12 miles (19 km) northeast ofBoston,and 20 miles (32 km) southwest ofCape Ann.The town is 23 miles (37 km) to the nearest point inNew Hampshire,in the town ofSalem.Swampscott is bordered byMarbleheadto the northeast, Salem to the northwest, andLynnto the southwest. The water rights of the town extend into Massachusetts Bay, bordered by those of Marblehead and Lynn.

Demographics

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See also:List of Massachusetts locations by per capita income
Historical population
YearPop.±%
18601,530—
18701,846+20.7%
18802,500+35.4%
18903,198+27.9%
19004,548+42.2%
19106,204+36.4%
19208,101+30.6%
193010,346+27.7%
194010,761+4.0%
195011,580+7.6%
196013,294+14.8%
197013,578+2.1%
198013,837+1.9%
199013,650−1.4%
200014,412+5.6%
201013,787−4.3%
202015,111+9.6%
2023*15,487+2.5%
* = population estimate. Source:United States Censusrecords andPopulation Estimates Programdata.[19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28]

As of the census of 2020,[29]there were 15,111 people, with 6,093 households and 2.45 persons per household, residing in the town. The population density was 5,000.3 inhabitants per square mile (1,930.6/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 91.5%White,1.2%Black or African American,0.2%American IndianorAlaska Native,2.6%Asian,0.0%Pacific Islander,and 3.7% from two or more races.Hispanic or Latinoof any race were 5.6% of the population.

There were a total of 6,093 households, out of which 30% had children under the age of 18 living with them. 57% of households were married couples living together, 26.6% were a female householder with no spouse, and 10.3% were a male householder with no spouse. Of all households, 18.2% were made up of individuals, and 10.9% were individuals over the age of 65 living alone.

In town, the population was spread out, with 5.4% under 5 years, 20.5% under 18, 55.5% between the ages of 18 and 64, and 18.6% 65 years and over. The median age of residents was 45 years. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.2 males.

The median household income was $114,086, and the median income for a family was $143,320. Married-couple families had a median income of $156,341 and non-family households had a median income of $60,880. Theper capita incomefor the town was $63,585. The town is ranked 54th on theList of Massachusetts locations by per capita income.About 5% of Swampscott residents were below the poverty line, including 4% of those under 18 years, 4.2% of those 18-64, and 9.1% 65 years and older. The homeownership rate was 73.4%, and the median value of owner-occupied housing units was $560,500.

The median home sale price for the town in 2007 was $565,894. Home values typically range from around $400,000 to upwards of $5 million for ocean front homes. These prices are comparable to other wealthy North Shore towns such asMarbleheadandManchester-by-the-Seawhich are located nearby. In upper class oceanfront neighborhoods and neighborhoods with ocean views or views of the Boston skyline, average home prices increase to as much as $1,038,569 and average household incomes can range upwards of $150,000.[30]Larger oceanfront properties have recently been assessed at values greater than $5 million and in some cases upwards of $10 million.[31]

Historic buildings and sites

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Marian Court College

Swampscott was home to White Court,Calvin Coolidge'sSummer White House,and laterMarian Court Collegeuntil the college's closure in 2015, and demolition in 2018-2019.[32]

Transportation

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Swampscott Railway Depot

TheMBTAprovidespassenger railservice from Boston'sNorth Stationwith theSwampscottstation on itsNewburyport/Rockport Line,as well as severalbus lines.An abandoned 4-mile branch of theBoston & Maine Railroadoriginating in Swampscott serves as theMarblehead Rail Trail.

Swampscott is located alongMassachusetts Route 1AandRoute 129.Both routes enter from Lynn, with Route 1A passing north of the town center towards Salem, and Route 129 following the coast for a half mile before going inland north of Phillips Point and returning to the coast before heading into Marblehead. There is no highway within town, which lies well south ofMassachusetts Route 128andInterstate 95.The town is served by numerousMBTA busroutes which lead into the surrounding towns.

The nearest air service can be reached atBeverly Municipal Airport,and the nearest national and international air service can be found at Boston'sLogan International Airport.

Notable people

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Whale Beach in 1909
The Boulevard in 1910
The New Ocean HouseHotelc. 1920

See also

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References

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  1. ^"Swampscott".Dictionary.com Unabridged(Online). n.d.RetrievedMay 16,2020.
  2. ^"Census - Geography Profile: Swampscott town, sex County, Massachusetts".United States Census Bureau.RetrievedSeptember 29,2021.
  3. ^Brooks, Rebecca Beatrice (November 3, 2019)."Native American Tribes in Massachusetts".historyofmassachusetts.org.RetrievedFebruary 24,2023.
  4. ^abcd"MCH Reconnaissance Town Survey: Swampscott"(PDF).Massachusetts Historical Commission.1985.
  5. ^Roselieb, Abigail."Douglas D. Schumann Library & Learning Commons: Native American Heritage Month: Welcome".library.wit.edu.RetrievedFebruary 14,2023.
  6. ^Wood, William (2002).Wood's Vocabulary of Massachusett.Merchantville, NJ: Evolution Publishing American Language Reprints. p. 14.ISBN978-1-889758-97-8.
  7. ^Douglas-Lithgow, R. A. (1909).Dictionary of American-Indian Place and Proper Names in New England.Salem, MA: Salem Press. p. 164.
  8. ^ab"History of Swampscott | Swampscott, MA".www.swampscottma.gov.RetrievedFebruary 14,2023.
  9. ^"2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Essex County, MA"(PDF).U.S. Census Bureau.RetrievedApril 16,2023.-Text list
  10. ^"Home".Swampscott Public Schools. 2017.RetrievedMarch 18,2018.
  11. ^"The Machon".
  12. ^http://www.swampscottps.org
  13. ^Phillis, Michael (August 19, 2011)."Turbine more powerful than thought".The Salem News.RetrievedJune 5,2016.
  14. ^Zolot, Neil (January 6, 2012)."Swampscott Middle School wind turbine proposal rejected".Wicked Local Swampscott.RetrievedMarch 18,2018.
  15. ^"Swampscott voters OK $98 million elementary school in special election".Wicked Local Swampscott. October 19, 2021.RetrievedAugust 5,2022.
  16. ^"Frequently Asked Questions".Swampscott Says Yes. 2021.RetrievedAugust 5,2022.
  17. ^"US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990".United States Census Bureau.February 12, 2011.RetrievedApril 23,2011.
  18. ^"Archived copy"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on July 16, 2011.RetrievedFebruary 28,2010.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  19. ^"TOTAL POPULATION (P1), 2010 Census Summary File 1, All County Subdivisions within Massachusetts".United States Census Bureau. Archived fromthe originalon February 12, 2020.RetrievedSeptember 13,2011.
  20. ^"Massachusetts by Place and County Subdivision - GCT-T1. Population Estimates".United States Census Bureau. Archived fromthe originalon February 12, 2020.RetrievedJuly 12,2011.
  21. ^"1990 Census of Population, General Population Characteristics: Massachusetts"(PDF).US Census Bureau. December 1990. Table 76: General Characteristics of Persons, Households, and Families: 1990. 1990 CP-1-23. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on March 13, 2003.RetrievedJuly 12,2011.
  22. ^"1980 Census of the Population, Number of Inhabitants: Massachusetts"(PDF).US Census Bureau. December 1981. Table 4. Populations of County Subdivisions: 1960 to 1980. PC80-1-A23.RetrievedJuly 12,2011.
  23. ^"1950 Census of Population"(PDF).1: Number of Inhabitants. Bureau of the Census. 1952. Section 6, Pages 21-10 and 21-11, Massachusetts Table 6. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1930 to 1950.RetrievedJuly 12,2011.{{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal=(help)
  24. ^"1920 Census of Population"(PDF).Bureau of the Census. Number of Inhabitants, by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions. Pages 21-5 through 21-7. Massachusetts Table 2. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1900, 1910, and 1920.RetrievedJuly 12,2011.
  25. ^"1890 Census of the Population"(PDF).Department of the Interior, Census Office. Pages 179 through 182. Massachusetts Table 5. Population of States and Territories by Minor Civil Divisions: 1880 and 1890.RetrievedJuly 12,2011.
  26. ^"1870 Census of the Population"(PDF).Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1872. Pages 217 through 220. Table IX. Population of Minor Civil Divisions, &c. Massachusetts.RetrievedJuly 12,2011.
  27. ^"1860 Census"(PDF).Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1864. Pages 220 through 226. State of Massachusetts Table No. 3. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c.RetrievedJuly 12,2011.
  28. ^"City and Town Population Totals: 2020−2023".United States Census Bureau.RetrievedMay 19,2024.
  29. ^"Swampscott town, Essex County, Massachusetts".United States Census Bureau.April 1, 2020.RetrievedFebruary 13,2023.
  30. ^"Phillips Point (Phillip's Point) neighborhood in Swampscott, Massachusetts (MA), 01907 subdivision profile".City-data.com.RetrievedJune 5,2016.
  31. ^"Swampscott Real Estate".Zillow.com.RetrievedJune 5,2016.
  32. ^Swampscott, MA."Swampscott, MA".Town.swampscott.ma.us.RetrievedJune 5,2016.
  33. ^"He takes all the credits".
  34. ^Carr, David(April 5, 2003)."Michael Kelly, 46, Editor and Columnist, Dies in Iraq".The New York Times.RetrievedJanuary 11,2025.
  35. ^Kurtz, Howard(April 4, 2003)."PostColumnist Dies in Wreck Near Baghdad ".The Washington Post.RetrievedJanuary 11,2025.
  36. ^"James Smith".Smith, Costello & Crawford.RetrievedJuly 1,2020.
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