Reading, Massachusetts
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| Reading, Massachusetts | |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country | United States |
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Middlesex County |
| Settled | 1639 |
| Incorporated | 1644 |
| Government | |
| - Type | Representative town meeting |
| Area | |
| - Town | 9.9 sq mi (25.7 km²) |
| - Land | 9.9 sq mi (25.7 km²) |
| - Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km²) |
| Elevation | 129 ft (39 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - Town | 23,708 |
| - Density | 2,388.3/sq mi (922.1/km²) |
| Time zone | Eastern (UTC-5) |
| - Summer (DST) | Eastern (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 01867 |
| Area code(s) | 339 / 781 |
| Website: http://www.ci.reading.ma.us/ | |
Reading is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 23,708 at the 2000 census.
Contents |
[edit] History
[edit] Geography
Reading is located at (42.52585, -71.109939).GR1
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 25.7 km² (9.9 mi²). None of the area is covered with water.
[edit] Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 23,708 people, 8,688 households, and 6,437 families residing in the town. The population density was 921.8/km² (2,388.3/mi²). There were 8,823 housing units at an average density of 343.1/km² (888.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.47% White, 0.36% Black or African American, 0.06% Native American, 2.21% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.21% from other races, and 0.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.84% of the population.
There were 8,688 households out of which 36.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.5% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.9% were non-families. 22.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.22.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.3% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $77,059, and the median income for a family was $89,076. Males had a median income of $61,117 versus $39,817 for females. The per capita income for the town was $32,888. About 1.7% of families and 2.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.7% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Community facts
- The Burbank Arena skating rink and the Bear Hill condos are built on top of decommissioned missile silos.
- Reading was an early and active participant in Boston's METCO program, which brought African-American and inner-city students from Boston to attend grades K-12.
- Reading is home to the Burbank Ice Arena where, in July 2000, youth hockey dad Tom Junta engaged in a fight with a Lynnfield hockey dad Michael Costin, over his son's stick practice, resulting in Costin's death. On January 11, 2002, Junta was convicted of involuntary manslaughter, which carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
- African American Basketball player Bill Russell lived in Reading in the 1960s next to a gas station on Main Street, but later moved a more upperclass part of town. Due to his race, vandals broke into the basketball player's home and damaged his property. Russell left Reading after his playing and coaching career ended in 1969.
- Reading town officials raised a national controversy in the late 1970s when they refused an operating license to the Sambo's Restaurant chain on the ground that its name was based on racial stereotyping. A Superior Court judge ruled in favor of the chain, but the restaurant opened and failed. The chain subsequently filed for bankruptcy protection and liquidated its assets in the Eastern United States.
- The building that housed the library from 1918 to 1984, located at 16 Lowell Street, was founded by Andrew Carnegie. The old building is now a part of Reading Town Hall, and the Reading Public Library is now located in a former school at 64 Middlesex Avenue.
- The roof of the St. Athanasius Parish, on Haverhill St., was designed by Louis A. Scibelli and Daniel F. Tulley, and is one of the largest hyperbolic paraboloids in the Western Hemisphere
[edit] Notable residents
- Hal Croft, coach of the Reading Memorial High School Boys Track and Field Team, holder of a 35 year undefeated streak
- Mark Erelli, folk musician
- Walter F. MacConaway, biographer of explorer James Michael Prescott
- JoAnne McGee, actress
- Moses Nichols, officer during the American Revolutionary War
- Eddie Peabody, banjo player
- Charles Stuart, murderer of his wife, Carol DiMaiti Stuart
- Brad Whitford, who replaced Ray Tabano (aka Crazy Raymond) as the second guitarist of Aerosmith
[edit] External links
- Town of Reading website
- Reading Public Library
- Reading Public School System
- Reading Neighborhood Website
- Reading Community Bulletin Board
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
- Informed Residents Of Reading website
