Stoneham, Massachusetts facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Stoneham, Massachusetts
Town
Welcome to Stoneham, Massachusetts
Seal
Location in Middlesex County in Massachusetts
Country	United States
State	Massachusetts
County	Middlesex
Region	New England
Settled	1645
Incorporated	1725
Government
• Type	Open town meeting
Area
• Total	17.4 km2 (6.7 sq mi)
• Land	15.9 km2 (6.2 sq mi)
• Water	1.5 km2 (0.6 sq mi)
Elevation	47 m (155 ft)
Population  (2020)
• Total	23,244
• Density	1,336/km2 (3,469/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (Eastern)
ZIP code	02180
Area code(s)	339 / 781
FIPS code	25-67665
GNIS feature ID	0618235
Website	https://www.stoneham-ma.gov

1852 map of Boston area showing Stoneham

Main Street at the Stoneham Theatre

Stoneham ( STO-nəm) is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, nine miles (14.5 km) north of downtown Boston. Its population was 23,244 at the 2020 census. Its proximity to major highways and public transportation offer convenient access to Boston and the North Shore coastal region and beaches of Massachusetts. The town is the birthplace of the Olympic figure-skating medalist Nancy Kerrigan and is the location of the Stone Zoo.

History

The earliest documented mention of the territory now called Stoneham dates to the year 1632, when on February 7 Governor Winthrop and his party came upon this area. They found Spot Pond and ate their lunch on a place they called Cheese Rock, now known as Bear Hill.

Stoneham was first settled in 1634 and was originally a part of Charlestown. The original settlers of the area were Whigs. In 1678, there were six settlers with their families, all in the northeast part of the town, probably because of its proximity to the settlement in Reading (now Wakefield).

By 1725, the population of the area, called "Charlestown End", had increased until there were sixty-five male inhabitants paying taxes; however, they were miles away from the settlement in Charlestown and could not conveniently reach its church or school. For this reason, Captain Benjamin Geary and fifty-three other residents of the area petitioned Charlestown to allow them to be separated. The town refused their petition at first, but on December 17, 1725, the General Court passed an act to establish the new township of Stoneham, separating it from Charlestown, and releasing its residents from the obligation to pay taxes to Charlestown, provided that within two years they would erect a suitable church and hire a minister and a schoolmaster.

Stoneham Public Library

The town's first meeting-house was erected in 1726, and the first church was organized in 1729, with members being released from the congregations in Reading and Melrose to form it. In that same year, the town voted to raise ₤9 for the building of a school, and chose a committee to hire a schoolmaster. Stoneham remained a small town during the colonial era; traces of its colonial history are still to be seen in the Spot Pond Archeological District of the Middlesex Fells Reservation. During the Industrial Revolution, Stoneham prospered as a major shoe-manufacturing center.

Geography

Stoneham is located at 42°28′48″N 71°5′54″W / 42.48000°N 71.09833°W / 42.48000; -71.09833 (42.480145, −71.098352).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 6.7 square miles (17.4 km²), of which 6.2 square miles (15.9 km²) is land and 0.6 square miles (1.5 km²), or 8.36%, is water.

Stoneham has two exits off Interstate 93, Route 28 and Winchester Highlands.

Stoneham borders the following cities or towns: Woburn, Winchester, Medford, Melrose, Wakefield, Reading, and Malden.

Demographics

At the 2000 census, there were 22,219 people, 9,050 households and 5,873 families residing in the town. The population density was 3,614.1 per square mile (1,394.9/km²). There were 9,289 housing units at an average density of 1,510.9 per square mile (583.2/km²). The racial makeup was 95.01% White, 2.61% Asian, 0.89% Black or African American, 0.05% Native American, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.59% from other races, and 0.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.79% of the population.

There were 9,050 households, of which 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.1% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.1% were non-families. 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.07.

21.0% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.6 males.

The median household income was $56,605 and the median family income was $71,334. Males had a median income of $46,797 and females $37,274. The per capita income was $27,599. About 3.0% of families and 4.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.7% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Stoneham is inside the Route 128 belt that delineates the core of metropolitan Boston. Public transportation is available in or near Stoneham. The Tri-Community Greenway path goes through Stoneham accessible to walkers/bikers. The Oak Grove subway station is 3.8 miles (6.1 km) from Stoneham Center, in Malden, and is the northern terminus of the MBTA's Orange Line. Several commuter rail stations are in bordering communities of Melrose, Winchester, Wakefield, Reading, Medford, Woburn and Malden, each providing transportation to Boston's North Station. The MBTA's 132 bus route travels through Stoneham Center, offering transportation to the Orange Line at Oak Grove and Malden Station. And the MBTA's 325 Express Bus to downtown Boston offers limited service. Interstate 93 passes through Stoneham, and Route 128/Interstate 95 passes just to the north of the town.

Sports

In addition to the high school sports programs at Stoneham High School, Stoneham also has the Stoneham Sabers amateur team in the Yawkey Baseball League of Greater Boston.

Education

Stoneham has one public high school (Stoneham High School) and one public middle school (Stoneham Central Middle School). There are also three public elementary schools (Colonial Park School, Robin Hood School and South School) in the town.

The private Seventh-day Adventist school Greater Boston Academy offers programs for Pre-K to grade 8, and Saint Patrick School, a Catholic school, conducts programs from Pre-K level to grade 8.

Notable people

• Harland Bartholomew, urban planner, active 1911–1962
• Mario Cantone (born 1959), comedian and actor
• Mike Colman, ice hockey player for the 1991–1992 San Jose Sharks
• Elisha S. Converse (1820–1904), inventor, manufacturer, philanthropist
• Sandro Corsaro, American animator and author, active from 2002
• Tom Dockrell, ice hockey player and coach for Colgate Raiders, 1950–1951
• Richard B. Fitzgibbon Jr. (1920–1956), among the first Americans killed in the Vietnam War
• Charles Gibbons (1901–1968), Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and 1958 candidate for governor
• Jonathan Goff, linebacker for the New York Giants, 2008–2011
• Josh Gondelman (born 1985), comedian, writer for HBO's Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
• George J. Hall (1921–1946), U.S. Army soldier and Medal of Honor recipient in World War II
• Nathaniel Hayward (1808–1865), inventor and manufacturer
• Chris J. Johnson (born 1977), actor
• Nancy Kerrigan, figure skating medalist at the 1992 and 1994 Olympic Games
• Jay Larson, comedian, actor
• John "Pie" McKenzie, National Hockey League player; member of the 1970 and 1972 Stanley Cup-winning Boston Bruins
• Joe McLaughlin, American football player 1979–1984, linebacker for the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants
• Matt Mira (born 1983), comedian and podcaster
• Carol Sloane (born 1937), jazz singer
• Joe Vitiello, Major League Baseball player from 1995–2003
• Taylor von Kriegenbergh (born 1988), professional poker player
• Steve Yarbrough (born 1956), novelist and professor

See also

In Spanish: Stoneham (Massachusetts) para niños