Waltham, Massachusetts

Waltham, Massachusetts
Waltham, Massachusetts
	— City —
	Waltham on the banks of the Charles River
	Nickname(s): The Watch City
	Location in Middlesex County in Massachusetts
	Coordinates: 42°22′35″N 71°14′10″W / 42.37639°N 71.23611°W
Country	United States
State	Massachusetts
County	Middlesex
Settled	1634
Incorporated	1738
	Government
- Type	Mayor-council city
- Mayor	Jeannette A. McCarthy
	Area
- Total	13.6 sq mi (35.2 km2)
- Land	12.7 sq mi (32.9 km2)
- Water	0.9 sq mi (2.4 km2)
Elevation	50 ft (15 m)
	Population (2007)
- Total	59,758
- Density	4,705.4/sq mi (1,816.4/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	Eastern (UTC-4)
ZIP code	02451-02454
Area code(s)	339 / 781
FIPS code	25-72600
GNIS feature ID	0612400
Website	http://www.city.waltham.ma.us/

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Waltham is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, billed by the Chamber of Commerce as the "birthplace of the American industrial revolution", and an early center for the labor movement. The original home of the Boston Manufacturing Company, the city was a prototype for 19th century industrial city planning. The city is now a center for research and higher education, home to Brandeis University and Bentley University. The population was 59,226 at the census in 2000.

Waltham is commonly referred to as Watch City because of its association with the watch industry. Waltham Watch Company opened its factory in Waltham in 1854 and was the first company to make watches on an assembly line. It won the gold medal in 1876 at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition. The company produced over 40 million watches, clocks and instruments before it closed in 1957.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Pronunciation

The name of the city is pronounced with the primary stress on the first syllable and a full vowel in the second syllable, /ˈwɔːlθæm/ "wall-tham", though the name of the Waltham watch was pronounced with a reduced schwa in the second syllable: /ˈwɔːlθəm/.

[edit] History

Boston Manufacturing Company

Waltham was first settled in 1634 as part of Watertown and was officially incorporated as a separate town in 1738.

In the early 19th century, Francis Cabot Lowell and his friends and colleagues established in Waltham the Boston Manufacturing Company - the first integrated textile mill in the United States.

The city is home to a number of large estates, including Gore Place, a mansion built in 1806 for former Massachusetts governor Christopher Gore; the Robert Treat Paine Estate, a residence designed by architect Henry Hobson Richardson and landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted for philanthropist Robert Treat Paine, Jr. (1810-1905); and the Lyman Estate, a 400-acre (1.6 km²) estate built in 1793 by Boston merchant Theodore Lyman.

In the late 19th and early 20th century, Waltham was home to the brass era automobile manufacturer Metz, where the first production motorcycle in the U.S. was built. Waltham is the best city ever created.

[edit] Geography

Waltham is located at 42°22′50″N 71°14′6″W / 42.38056°N 71.235°W / 42.38056; -71.235 (42.380596, -71.235005),^[1] about 10 miles (16.09 km) north-west of downtown Boston, Massachusetts, and approximately 3 miles north-west of Boston's Brighton neighborhood.

The city stretches along the Charles River and contains several dams. The dams were used to power textile mills and other endeavors in the early years of the industrial activity.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 13.6 square miles (35.2 km²), of which 12.7 square miles (32.9 km²) is land and 0.9 square miles (2.4 km²) (6.69%) is water.

[edit] Neighborhoods

Waltham has several neighborhoods or villages, including:^[2]

Angleside
Banks Square
The Bleachery
Cedarwood
The Chemistry
The Highlands
The Island (formerly Morse Meadow Island)
Kendal Green (mostly in Weston)
Lakeview
The Lanes
Northeast
Piety Corner
Pigeon Hill
Prospectville (defunct in 1894, now under Cambridge Reservoir)
Ravenswood
Robert's
Rock Alley
Southside
Warrendale

[edit] Adjacent towns

It is bordered to the west by Weston and Lincoln, to the south by Newton, to the east by Belmont and Watertown, and to the north by Lexington.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^[3] in 2000, there were 59,226 people, 23,207 households, and 12,462 families in the city. The population density was 4,663.4/mile² (1,800.6/km²). There were 23,880 housing units at an average density of 1,880.3/sq mi (726.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 82.98% White, 4.41% African American, 0.16% Native American, 7.29% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 3.20% from other races, and 1.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.49% of the population. Guatemalans have recently surpassed Puerto Ricans as the dominant Latino population. Guatemalan businesses and establishments have sprung up in Moody Street and other parts of the city.

There were 23,207 households, of which 20.3% included those under the age of 18, 41.3% were married couples living together, 8.9% were headed by a single mother, and 46.3% were non-families. 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 3.01.

The age distribution is as follows: 15.5% under 18, 16.8% from 18 to 24, 34.4% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% 65 or older. The median age was 34. For every 100 females, there were 97.2 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 95.6 males.

The median income for a household was $54,010, and the median income for a family was $64,595. These figures increased to $60,434 and $79,877, respectively, according to an estimate in 2007.^[4] Males had a median income of $42,324, as opposed to $33,931 for females. The per capita income was $26,364. 7% of the population and 3.6% of families lived below the poverty line. 4.8% of those under 18 and 8.4% of those 65 and older lived below the poverty line.

Waltham is the home town of Bob Dacey.

[edit] Government

Waltham is governed by a mayor and a city council. The current mayor is Jeanette A. McCarthy. There are 15 members of the city council, each elected to two-year terms in non-partisan elections. The current president of the city council is Thomas J. Curtin.

The city is in Massachusetts's 7th congressional district and is currently represented in the United States House of Representatives by Edward J. Markey.

[edit] Education

[edit] Public schools

The Waltham public school system includes six elementary schools (Northeast, Fitzgerald, MacArthur, Plympton, Whittemore, Stanley), two middle schools (McDevitt, Kennedy), and one senior high school (Waltham High School).[1]

Waltham High School's sports teams had been referred to as the Watchmen and the Crimson, before they changed the name to the Hawks.

[edit] Private schools

Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall School
Gann Academy
Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted School (Pre-K through 8)
Saint Jude School (K through 8)
Bartlett Elementary

[edit] Higher education

Waltham is home to:

[edit] Media

Waltham is home to a daily newspaper, the Daily News Tribune. WCAC-TV provides local-interest television programming. Waltham news sometimes appears in the Boston Globe's GlobeWest section, as well.

[edit] Culture

Waltham Supermarket on Main Street, established in 1936, was a large historic grocery store that closed in the 1990s. However, the building continues to be a supermarket, occupied by Shaw's, then Victory, and now Hannaford.

Moody Street in downtown Waltham offers its own brand of entertainment with a colorful assortment of shops, restaurants, and bars, including the Watch City Brewing Co., The Skellig, Jake's Dixie Roadhouse, The Lincoln (L), Gourmet Pottery, and the Embassy Cinema. Moody Street's booming nightlife, convenience to the commuter rail and lower rents have attracted younger professionals to Waltham in growing numbers in recent years. Moody Street is also referred to as "Restaurant Row" because of the number, variety and quality of its restaurants.

For over 25 years, the Waltham Arts Council has sponsored "Concerts On Waltham Common", featuring a different musical act each week of the summer, free of charge to attendees. "Concerts On Waltham Common" was created and organized by Stephen Kilgore until his death in 2004.

Waltham's cultural life is enriched by the presence of two major universities and a number of arts organizations throughout the city.

The Waltham Philharmonic Orchestra, a civic symphony of the MetroWest area, began in 1985 under the direction of local musicians David J. Tierney and Harold W. McSwain, Jr. With almost 60 professional, semi-professional, and amateur musicians, the orchestra's mission is to provide the Waltham community with the opportunity to perform in and attend classical concerts of the highest quality. WPO musicians come from Waltham as well as from Boston and surrounding communities. The ensemble includes players of a wide range of ages and professions.

There are five to six concerts throughout the season, including one that features the winner of the annual Youth Concerto Competition, which provides opportunities for young musicians to perform solo works with the WPO. Annual concerts have included summer Concerts on the Common and the December Holiday Pops.

Waltham is home to the Waltham Symphony Orchestra, a high-level semi-professional civic orchestra. The 55 piece orchestra performs five concerts each season at the Kennedy Middle-school Auditorium. Its music director is French-born American conductor, Patrick Botti.

Open space in the city is protected by the Waltham Land Trust.

[edit] Points of interest

Gore Place
Lyman Estate
Robert Treat Paine Estate
Charles River Museum of Industry
Prospect Hill - second highest point in the region after Blue Hills
Charles River - Riverwalk on Moody St.
Embassy Cinema
A. Wherehouse
Rose Art Museum

[edit] Notable residents

Aerosmith-- During the 70's Boston area rock band Aerosmith had a studio in Waltham known as "The Wherehouse". It was located off of Lexington Street behind now defunct hardware store "Moe Blacks". The Wherehouse is credited on Aerosmiths 1978 album "Live Bootleg" as the recording site for "Come Together".^{[citation needed]}
Keith Aucoin -- Current forward on the Washington Capitals who starred at Norwich University, where he graduated in 2001 as the school's all-time leading scorer in ice hockey, was named U.S. College Hockey Online National Player of the Year in 1998-1999, helped Norwich win the NCAA Division III National Championship in 1999-2000 and was named ECAC East Player of the Year and First-Team All-American; Waltham native
F. Lee Bailey -- lawyer
Mackenzy Bernadeau, Waltham native, rookie guard for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League.
JP Dellacamera, play-by-play commentator of Major League Soccer for ABC and ESPN.
Annie Payson Call -- author.
Arthur A. Carey—co-founder of Sea Scouting in the United States.
Ryan Gallant -- Professional Skateboarder
James N. Hallock -- Scientist, known for his work on the CAIB.
Abbie Hoffman -- Bestselling author, radical political activist, founder of the Youth International Party
C.D. Howe -- WWII and Postwar Canadian politician; Waltham native
Jeff Lazaro -- Former Boston Bruins forward notched 14 goals and 23 assists in 3-year NHL career with the Bruins and Ottawa Senators; 1986 Waltham High School graduate
John Lynch -- Current Governor of New Hampshire; Waltham native, attended Waltham public schools
Abraham Maslow -- Father of Humanistic and Transpersonal Psychology.
Tony Massarotti -- Boston Globe sportswriter, book author and part-time co-host on Sportsradio WEEI 850AM in Boston graduate of Waltham High School
Shawn McEachern -- Boston Bruins forward has tallied 254 goals and 317 assists during 13-year NHL career with the Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins, Los Angeles Kings, Ottawa Senators and Atlanta Thrashers; Waltham native
Pat Metheny -- jazz guitar player was a former resident
Angelo Mosca-- former Canadian Football League player and professional wrestler. He is also known by the wrestling nicknames King Kong Mosca and The Mighty Hercules; Waltham native
Paul Pierce -- Boston Celtics captain who is a 6-time NBA All-Star as a guard/forward
Ida Annah Ryan -- First woman to earn a masters degree in architecture (from M.I.T.)
Evelyn Sears -- US open (tennis) champion
Carroll Spinney -- voice of "Big Bird" and "Oscar the Grouch" on Sesame Street.
Fred Smerlas -- 5-time NFL Pro-Bowl selection during 14-year career as a nose tackle with Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers, and New England Patriots, currently a part-time co-host on Sportsradio WEEI 850AM in Boston; 1975 Waltham High School graduate, native and former resident
Antoine Walker -- 3-time NBA All-Star forward currently with the Minnesota Timberwolves, was captain of the Boston Celtics and has also played with the Dallas Mavericks, Atlanta Hawks and Miami Heat; former resident
Dan Blackburn -- former NHL goaltender for the New York Rangers from 2001-2005^{[citation needed]}
Sockington -- Leader of Socks Army, first feline to surpass 500,000 Twitter followers.
Gordon S. Wood. -- recipient of the 1993 Pulitzer Prize for History for The Radicalism of the American Revolution. His book The Creation of the American Republic, 1776–1787 won a 1970 Bancroft Prize. Former Waltham resident.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

[edit] Further reading

1871 Atlas of Massachusetts. by Wall & Gray.Map of Massachusetts. Map of Middlesex County.
History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Volume 1 (A-H), Volume 2 (L-W) compiled by Samuel Adams Drake, published 1879 and 1880. 572 and 505 pages. Waltham article by Alexander Starbuck in volume 2 pages 407-433.

[edit] External links

Waltham, Massachusetts is at coordinates 42°22′50″N 71°14′06″W / 42.380596°N 71.235005°W / 42.380596; -71.235005 (Waltham, Massachusetts)Coordinates: 42°22′50″N 71°14′06″W / 42.380596°N 71.235005°W / 42.380596; -71.235005 (Waltham, Massachusetts)

[GR1-0] "US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2005-05-03. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2008-01-31.

[1] ttp://www.waltham-community.org/neighborhoods.html

[GR2-2] "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.

[3] ttp://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=Search&geo_id=16000US2539835&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US25%7C16000US2539835&_street=&_county=waltham&_cityTown=waltham&_state=04000US25&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=160&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=ACS_2007_3YR_SAFF&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry=

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