Milton, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia : M : MI : MIL : Milton, Massachusetts
Milton is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 26,062 at the 2000 census. It is the home of the prestigious secondary school Milton Academy, the liberal arts college Curry College, and the birthplace of former President George H. W. Bush and Buckminster Fuller. Milton is also the most Irish town in the United States per capita, with 43% of its residents being of Irish descent. East Milton, or "the E" as it is known to many, is home to the EMM, a highly influencial and sophisticated social network of young Irish men and women.
History
Milton is a community between the Neponset River and the Blue Hills. It is bordered by Boston to the north, Quincy to the south, Canton to the west, and Boston Harbor to the east. Although the first English traders used Milton in the 1620's, the earliest permanent settlement occurred in 1634* when colonists created an agricultural community growing barley, rye and Indian corn. The town itself was incorporated in 1662. A powder mill established in 1674 is thought to be the earliest in the colonies, taking advantage of the town's valuable water power sites. Boston investors, seeing the potential of the town and its proximity to the city, provided the capital to develop 18th century Milton as an important industrial site with an iron slitting mill, paper and sawmills, and the first chocolate factory in New England (the Baker chocolate factory) in 1764. Laying of streetcar lines fueled the rapid expansion of residential development. Between 1870 and 1915 Milton grew into essentially the community it is now, a streetcar suburb with only some chocolates, biscuits and market produce to remind residents of the past. By 1929 many of the big estates were broken up into subdivisions, continuing the town's residential growth. Milton now retains a good many 19th century country houses and estates and 19th century workers' housing.The Suffolk Resolves were signed in Milton. The town was home to America's first piano factory, and America's first railroad ran through the town. Revolutionary Milton is the setting of the opening of the 1940 bestselling historical novel "Oliver Wiswell" by Kenneth Roberts. Curry College is located in the town, as is the Blue Hill Meteorological Observatory, home of the nation's oldest continuously kept meteorological records.
(* Note: The exact year Milton was settled is debated, but it is believed to be sometime before 1640 and after the mid - 1630's. The town seal says 1640, as well as several other town monuments.)
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 34.4 km² (13.3 mi²). 33.8 km² (13.0 mi²) of it is land and 0.6 km² (0.2 mi²) of it (1.81%) is water.Great Blue Hill in Milton, the highest hill within the Blue Hills Reservation at 635 feet (194 m), is the highest point within 10 miles of the Atlantic coast south of central Maine, making it an important weather observatory and radio/TV transmitter site.
Transportation
Milton is in the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority district. Fixed-route service includes the Ashmont-Mattapan High Speed Line, a light rail extension of the Red Line. Milton has 4 stops: Milton, Central Avenue, Valley Road, and Capen Street. Automobile routes 28 and 138 emanate from Boston and run south. Interstate 93, also U.S. Route 1, cuts across Milton's southern and eastern tips. (For the eastern incursion, it is also Route 3.) [link]Demographics
As of the census[Geographic references#2GR2] of 2000, there were 26,062 people, 8,982 households, and 6,754 families residing in the town. The population density was 771.7/km² (1,999.1/mi²). There were 9,161 housing units at an average density of 271.2/km² (702.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 85.38% White, 10.23% Black or African American, 0.07% Native American, 2.04% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.63% from other races, and 1.62% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.73% of the population.The top five ancestries of Milton are Irish (43.0%), Italian (11.3%), English (8.6%), West Indian (4.8%), and German (4.7%). [[Citing sources citation needed]]
There were 8,982 households out of which 37.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.1% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.8% were non-families. 21.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.27.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 89.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $78,985, and the median income for a family was $94,359. Males had a median income of $61,194 versus $40,875 for females. The per capita income for the town was $37,138. About 1.6% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.2% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.
Milton Schools
There are six public schools in Milton, including four elementary schools (Collicot, Cunningham, Glover, and Tucker), one middle school (Charles S. Pierce), and the Milton High School. There are also private high schools and elementary/middle schools (Fontbonne Academy, St. Mary of the Hills, St. Agatha's and Milton Academy).Curry College is also located in Milton.
Notable figures
- Dana Barros (former NBA star)
- Mark Vonnegut (son of American author Kurt Vonnegut, and celebrated writer himself)
- George Herbert Walker Bush (born in Milton 1924)
- Jill Ker Conway (Australian-born novelist)
- Grace Phillips actress (graduated Milton Academy in 1982)
- George V Higgins attorney, writer
- Chris O'Malley reality TV; The Real Gilligan's Island
- Buckminster Fuller
Filming Locations featuring Milton
- Myopia vs. Dedham (1899)
- The Thomas Crown Affair (1968)
- Love Story (1970)
- The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973)
- "This Old House" TV Series
- Three Sovereigns for Sarah (1985)
- The Witches of Eastwick (1987)
- What's the Worst That Could Happen? (2001)
- Freedom Park (2004)
- Spartan (2004)
External links
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