ZIP Code 02494

Needham was first settled in 1680 with the purchase of a tract of land measuring 4 miles (6.4 km) by 5 miles (8.0 km) from Chief Nehoiden. It was officially incorporated in 1711. Originally part of the Dedham Grant, Needham split from Dedham and was named after the town of Needham Market in Suffolk, England. In 1857 the City of Boston began a project to fill in the Back Bay with landfill by filling the tidewater flats of the Charles River. The fill to reclaim the bay from the water was obtained from Needham, Massachusetts from the area of present-day Route 128. Needham and Wellesley high schools began playing an annual football game on Thanksgiving, now the second-longest running public high school football rivalry in the United States. In 1865, William Carter established a knitting mill company in Needham Heights that would eventually become a major manufacturer and leading brand of children's apparel in the U.S. The site of Mill #1 currently houses the Avery Manor assisted living center, while Mill #2 stood along the shores of Rosemary Lake. By the 1960s, the company owned seven mills in Massachusetts and the south. The Carter family sold the business in 1990, after which Carter's, Inc. moved its headquarters to Atlanta, Georgia. In the late 1860s William Emerson Baker moved to Needham. Baker assembled a parcel of land exceeding 800 acres (3.2 km²) and named it Ridge Hill Farm. He built two man made lakes on his property, including Sabrina lake near present- day Locust Lane.

History

Needham was first settled in 1680 with the purchase of a tract of land measuring 4 miles (6.4 km) by 5 miles (8.0 km) from Chief Nehoiden. Originally part of the Dedham Grant, Needham split from Dedham and was named after the town of Needham Market in Suffolk, England. In 1857 the City of Boston began a project to fill in the Back Bay with landfill by filling the tidewater flats of the Charles River. The filling of present-day Back Bay was completed by 1882; filling reached Kenmore Square in 1890, and finished in the Fens in 1900. In the late 1860s William Emerson Baker moved to Needham and built two man made lakes on his property. In 1888 he built a sizable hotel called the Hotel Wellesley which had a capacity of over 300 guests. The hotel burned to the ground on December 19, 1891. In 2013 Wellesley broke a three-year losing streak to the Needham Rockets, defeating them 226-226. The Wellesley Raiders now hold a 605-79 advantage in the historic rivalry. The public high school rivalry is now the second-longest running football rivalry in the United States (and the longest running contest on Thanksgiving). Also known as the Wellesley vs. Needham football game, it is the second longest running high school football game in the U.S. (and longest running game on Thanksgiving) Needham is home to the Boston Red Sox baseball team, the Boston Bruins football team, and the Boston Celtics basketball team.

Geography

Needham's area is roughly in the shape of an acute, northward-pointing triangle. The Charles River forms nearly all of the southern and northeastern boundaries. Needham borders Newton and the West Roxbury section of Boston on the northeast, and Dover, Westwood, and Dedham on the south. Elevations in Needham range from 85 feet above sea level at Rosemary Meadows to 180 feet at Needham Square and 300 feet at Bird's Hill. The majority of Cutler Park is in Needam and is located along the Charles River and the border with Newton andWest Roxbury. The town has a total area of 12.7 square miles (32.9 km²), of which 12.6 square miles is land and 0.1 square mile (0.2 km²) is water. In addition to Wellesley on the northwest, Needham also borders Dover and Westwood on the north. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that Needham has a population of 2,816. It is the second-largest town in Massachusetts, after Cambridge, and the third-largest city in New Hampshire. It has an estimated population of 1,788, with a population growth rate of 0.7% in the last 10 years. It was the first town in the state to reach 1,000,000 people in the early 1900s. In the early 20th century, the town was the largest town in New England, and it is still the largest in Massachusetts today.

Demographics

As of the census of 2020, there were 32,091 people, 10,801 households, and 8,480 families residing in the town. The racial makeup of the town was 82.6% White, 2.9% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 8.9%. The town's population was laid out with 26.2% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 years of age or older. According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in theTown was $116,867, and the median incomes for a family was $144,042. The per capita income for the town is $56,776. About 1.6%. of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.2%. of those under age 18 and 4.2. of those age 65 or over. The town is located on the U.S.-Mexico border. It is located near the border of the state of New Mexico and New Mexico. It has a population of about 32,000, with a population density of 2,546.9 people per square mile (885.2/km²). The town has an estimated population of 32,100, and a population growth rate of 1.7%. The city's population is expected to grow to 32,200 by the end of the decade.

Government

Needham uses the old style town government, with a representative town meeting. Also, the populace of Needham elects a Select Board, which is essentially the executive branch of the town government. The town is part of the Massachusetts Senate's Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex district. Needham is located on the Massachusetts Turnpike, which runs through the town. It has a population of about 2,000 people. It is located in the Norfolk County region of the state, which includes Bristol, Suffolk and Norfolk counties, and parts of Suffolk and Worcester counties. It was founded in 1788. The first town meeting was held in 1787. The current Select Board was formed in 1852. The Select Board is made up of seven members. It also has a mayor and a select board of three members, which are appointed by the mayor and the select board respectively. The select board is responsible for appointing the town's selectman, who is the head of the local police force. The selection board also has the power to appoint a selectman for the town, who serves a term of up to five years. The mayor and selectman are elected for a four-year term, and the Select Board can reappoint the mayor for a further four years if they so choose. The council has a maximum of five members, with the mayor being the chairman of the board for a year and the selection board for an additional two years.

Economy

The northern side of Needham was developed for light industry shortly after World War II. Many restaurants and food companies are based in Needham. More recently, Needham has begun to attract high technology and internet firms, such as PTC and TripAdvisor, to this part of town. Needham is primarily a bedroom community and commuter suburban district located outside of Boston. It is located on the Massachusetts Turnpike, which runs from Boston to New York City and the New York-Massachusetts border. It has a population of about 3,000. The town is home to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which was founded in 1858, and the Massachusetts Maritime Museum, which dates back to 1859. It also has a number of other colleges and universities, including Northeastern, Suffolk, Suffolk University, and Northeastern University, which were founded in the late 19th century and early 20th century. It was also the site of the Boston Marathon bombings, which took place in the 1940s and 1950s. The city is located near the intersection of the I-95/Route 128 beltway and the Mass. Pike, which connects Boston with the city of Cambridge and the Boston suburb of Roxbury. It's also near the New Hampshire Turnpikes, which connect Boston to the north and the south. The area is known as the "Boston Neck" area, and is known for its light industry, particularly in the construction industry and the development of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.

Education

The Town of Needham operates one high school, Needham High School, which underwent a $62-million renovation that was completed in 2009. Needham is also home to Catholic schools such as St. Joseph's Elementary School, and Monsignor Haddad Middle School. St. Sebastian's School, a Catholic school for boys in grades 712, is part of the rigorous Independent School League.Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering is also located in Needham. The newest school opened in the fall of 2019, Sunita L. Williams Elementary School to replace the aging Hillside Elementary School. The town also has five elementary schools for grades K5: John Eliot Elementary, William Mitchell Elementary, Newman Elementary, and Broadmeadow Elementary School; and five middle schools: William F. Pollard Middle School, High Rock School, for sixth grade only; and William Mitchell Middle School for seventh and eighth grade only. The Town also has a high school that was built in the 1970s, which was renovated in the 1990s, and two middle schools that were completed in the late 1990s and the early 2000s, both of which are still in operation. It is located on the Massachusetts Turnpike, which runs from Boston to New York City and the Rhode Island Turnpikes. The city also has an airport, which is located near the town's downtown area, and the New England Shakespeare Festival, which takes place in the spring and summer of each year. It was founded in the 1880s and is one of the oldest towns in Massachusetts.

Transportation

The I-95/Route 128 circumferential highway that circles Boston passes through Needham. Massachusetts Route 135 also passes through the town.Commuter rail service from Boston's South Station is provided by the MBTA with four stops in Needham on its Needham Line. Needham Heights, Needham Center, needham Junction and Hersey are among the stops. The town is located on the Massachusetts Turnpike. It is also on the New Hampshire Turnpiked. It has a population of 3,000. The Town of Needham was once known as "Needham Village" and was the site of the town's first post office. It was founded in 1881. The city's name is derived from Needham, Massachusetts, which was once part of the New England region of the U.S. and was known as the Needham Neck area. In 1883, the town was named after Needham Town, which is located in what is now the town of Hersey, Massachusetts. The name Needham is now used to refer to the town as a whole. It also means "needham" or "need" in the English language, and "ham" means "hill" in English. It's also known as Needham or "hamlet" in some areas of Massachusetts, and as " Needham" in other parts of the United States, such as in New Hampshire and New Jersey. It used to be known as 'Needham' or "Needam" before the town became a suburb.