Bristol County, Massachusetts
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Bristol County, Massachusetts | |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of Massachusetts |
|
 Massachusetts's location in the U.S. |
|
| Statistics | |
| Founded | June 2, 1685 (from Plymouth Colony) |
|---|---|
| Seat | Taunton |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
691 sq mi (1,790 km²) 556 sq mi (1,440 km²) 135 sq mi (350 km²), 19.56% |
| Population - (2000) - Density |
534,678 962/sq mi (371/km²) |
| Website: www.countyofbristol.net | |
Bristol County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, adjacent to the state of Rhode Island. As of 2005, the population was estimated at 546,331. The county level of government is currently of diminishing importance in Massachusetts, with most governmental functions being performed at the state or local level. See Administrative divisions of Massachusetts. Despite multiple seats being displayed on some maps, the formal county seat is Taunton[1]; Fall River and New Bedford are not county seats, but there are some courthouses and other county-operated facilities in those two places.
The county offices are located in the Taunton Superior Courthouse in Taunton.
Contents |
[edit] Elected County Officials
- Maria Lopes - County Chairwoman
- Arthur Machado - Commissioner
- Christopher Saunders - Commissioner
- C. Samuel Sutter - District Attorney
- Thomas M. Hodgson - Sheriff
- Kevin Finnerty - County Treasurer
- Barry Amaral - Register of Deeds
- Bernard McDonald - Register of Deeds
- J. Mark Treadup - Register of Deeds
- Marc Santos - Clerk of Courts
[edit] History
The land that is now Bristol County was part of the Plymouth Colony, which pre-dates the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Part of the county's land has been transferred to Rhode Island over time; see History of Massachusetts.
[edit] Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 691 square miles (1,790 km²), of which, 556 square miles (1,440 km²) of it is land and 135 square miles (350 km²) of it (19.56%) is water. The highest point in Bristol County is Sunrise Hill (Watery Hill) at 390 feet above sea level located in World War I Memorial Park in North Attleborough.
[edit] Adjacent counties
- Norfolk County (north)
- Plymouth County (northeast)
- Newport County, Rhode Island (southwest)
- Bristol County, Rhode Island (west)
- Providence County, Rhode Island (northwest)
[edit] National protected area
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 534,678 people, 205,411 households, and 140,706 families residing in the county. The population density was 962 people per square mile (371/km²). There were 216,918 housing units at an average density of 390 per square mile (151/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 90.98% White, 2.03% Black or African American, 0.24% Native American, 1.26% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 3.12% from other races, and 2.34% from two or more races. 3.60% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race. 29.7% were of Portuguese, 13.0% Irish, 8.9% French, 8.2% English, 6.8% Italian and 6.4% French Canadian ancestry according to Census 2000. 79.1% spoke English, 13.9% Portuguese, 2.9% Spanish and 1.6% French as their first language. The United States Census Bureau reported Bristol County as being one of two counties in the United States with a plurality of people of Portuguese ancestry (the other being the contiguous Bristol County Rhode Island).
There were 205,411 households out of which 33.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.60% were married couples living together, 13.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.50% were non-families. 26.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the county the population was spread out with 24.60% under the age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 30.50% from 25 to 44, 22.20% from 45 to 64, and 14.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 92.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $43,496, and the median income for a family was $53,733. Males had a median income of $39,361 versus $27,516 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,978. About 7.80% of families and 10.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.00% of those under age 18 and 12.00% of that age 65 or over.
[edit] Cities, towns, and villages*
- Acushnet
- Acushnet Center (a village of Achusnet)
- Attleboro
- South Attleboro (a village of Attleboro)
- Berkley
- Dartmouth
- Bliss Corner (a village of Dartmouth)
- Smith Mills (a village of Dartmouth)
- Padanaram (a village of Dartmouth)
- Dighton
- North Dighton (a village of Dighton)
- Easton
- Fairhaven
- Fall River
- Flint Village (a village of Fall River)
- Bowensville (a village of Fall River)
- North Watuppa Pond (a village of Fall River)
- Fighting Rock Corner (a village of Fall River)
- Highlands (a village of Fall River)
- Fall River Station (a village of Fall River)
- Steep Brook (a village of Fall River)
- Globe Village (a village of Fall River)
- South Watuppa Pond (a village of Fall River)
- Slade's Ferry (a village of Fall River)
- Copicut Reservoir (a village of Fall River)
- Freetown
- Assonet (a village of Freetown)
- East Freetown (a village of Freetown)
- Mansfield
- Mansfield Center (a village of Mansfield)
- New Bedford
- North Attleborough
- North Attleborough Center (a village of North Attleborough)
- Norton
- Norton Center (a village of Norton)
- Raynham
- Raynham Center (a village of Raynham)
- Tracy Corner (a village of Raynham)
- North Raynham (a village of Raynham)
- Squawbetty (a village of Raynham)
- Prattville (a village of Raynham)
- Gushee Pond (a village of Raynham)
- Rehoboth
- Four Corners (a village of Rehoboth)
- Hornbine (a village of Rehoboth)
- Kingmans Corner (a village of Rehoboth)
- North Rehoboth (a village of Rehoboth)
- Pecks Corner (a village of Rehoboth)
- Perrys Corner (a village of Rehoboth)
- Perryville (a village of Rehoboth)
- Rehoboth Village (a village of Rehoboth)
- South Rehoboth (a village of Rehoboth)
- Seekonk
- North Seekonk (a village of Seekonk)
- Somerset
- Pottersville (a village of Somerset)
- Swansea
- Ocean Grove (a village of Swansea)
- Taunton
- East Taunton (a village of Taunton)
- Weir Village (a village of Taunton)
- Whittenton Junction (a village of Taunton)
- Britannia Village (a village of Taunton)
- Lake Sabatia (a village of Taunton)
- Oakville (a village of Taunton)
- Westville (a village of Taunton)
- Wade's Corner (a village of Taunton)
- Whittenton (a village of Taunton)
- Westport
- North Westport (a village of Westport)
* Villages are census division, but have no separate corporate existence from the towns they are in.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Find a County. National Association of Counties. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
[edit] External links
- Bristol Community College's Home Page
- Bristol County Convention & Visitors Bureau's Official Home Page
- Bristol County Superior Courthouse (in Taunton)
- National Register of Historic Places listing for Bristol Co., Massachusetts
- Map of cities and towns of Massachusetts
- Southeastern Regional Planning & Economic Development's Official Home Page
- Taunton River Stewardship Program: The Wildlands Trust of Southeastern Massachusetts' Official Home Page
- Taunton River Watershed Alliance's Official Home Page
- Bristol County Quidditch Club
- Bristol County Sheriff's Office
- Taunton Northern District Registry of Deeds
- Fall River Southwest District Registry of Deeds
- New Bedford Southeast District Registry of Deeds
- Bristol County Retirement System
- Wall & Gray. 1871 Atlas of Massachusetts. Map of Massachusetts. USA. New England. Counties - Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden, Worcester, Middlesex, Essex and Norfolk, Boston - Suffolk,Plymouth, Bristol, Barnstable and Dukes (Cape Cod). Cities - Springfield, Worcester, Lowell, Lawrence, Haverhill, Newburyport, Salem, Lynn, Taunton, Fall River. New Bedford. These 1871 maps of the Counties and Cities are useful to see the roads and rail lines.
- Beers,D.G. 1872 Atlas of Essex County Map of Massachusetts Plate 5. Click on the map for a very large image.
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