Danvers, Massachusetts | |
|---|---|
 Peabody Institute Library on Sylvan Street | |
 Seal | |
| Nickname: Oniontown | |
| Motto: The King Unwilling[1] | |
 Location inEssex County and the state ofMassachusetts. | |
| Coordinates:42°34′30″N70°55′50″W / 42.57500°N 70.93056°W /42.57500; -70.93056 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Essex |
| Settled | 1636 |
| Established as a district | 1752 |
| Incorporated as a town | 1757 |
| Named after | Danvers Osborn |
| Government | |
| • Type | Representative town meeting |
| • Town Manager | Jill Cahill |
| • Board of Selectmen | Daniel C. Bennett Michael Bean Dutrochet Djoko Maureen A. Bernard David A. Mills |
| Area | |
• Total | 14.1 sq mi (36.5 km2) |
| • Land | 13.3 sq mi (34.4 km2) |
| • Water | 0.81 sq mi (2.1 km2) |
| Elevation | 49 ft (15 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 28,087 |
| • Density | 2,114.7/sq mi (816.48/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (Eastern) |
| ZIP Codes | 01923 (Danvers) 01937 (Hathorne) |
| Area code | 351 /978 |
| FIPS code | 25-16250 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0618295 |
| Website | www |
Danvers is atown inEssex County, Massachusetts, United States, located on the Danvers River near the northeastern coast of Massachusetts. The suburb is a fairly short ride fromBoston and is also in close proximity to the beaches ofGloucester,Ipswich andRevere. Originally known asSalem Village, the town is most widely known for its association with the 1692Salem witch trials. It was also the site ofDanvers State Hospital, one of the state's 19th-centurypsychiatric hospitals. Danvers is a local center of commerce, hosting many car dealerships and theLiberty Tree Mall. As of the2020 United States Census, the town's population was 28,087.[2]
The area was long settled by indigenous cultures of Native Americans. In the historic period, theMassachusett, a tribe of theAlgonquian language family, dominated the area.
The land that is now Danvers was once owned by theNaumkeag branch of theMassachusett tribe.
Around 1630, English colonists improved an existing Naumkeag trail as the Old Spanish Road, creating a connection to the main cities ofSalem andBoston.[3] Danvers was permanently settled in 1636 as Salem Village. The historical event for which Danvers is best-known is theSalem witch trials of 1692, which began in the home of Rev.Samuel Parris, and spread throughout the region. ResidentRebecca Nurse was convicted in a trial for witchcraft and executed, along with 19 other innocent victims. TheRebecca Nurse Homestead is still standing in Danvers, and can be visited as a historical landmark.
The residents of Salem Village petitioned theMassachusetts General Court several times over the following decades to become a town separate fromSalem beginning as early as 1733. In 1752, the General Court finally separated Danvers from Salem, but established Danvers as an independent self-governing "district" instead of incorporating it as a town, because of a royal prohibition against creating new towns in Massachusetts. A district had all the rights and powers of a town except the ability to send representatives to the legislature. Following the refusal to admit Danvers to township, 5 out of the 18Essex County, Massachusetts towns didn't send any representatives and some larger towns likeWenham andMiddleton sent only 1 out of their 2 representatives during the 1751-52 meetings ofMassachusetts General Court. Danvers was likely named forDanvers Osborn, and 1752 is the date locally commemorated on major anniversaries as the creation of Danvers, despite it not being incorporated yet at that time, because that is when it received its name.[4][5][6][7]
On June 9, 1757, Massachusetts incorporated Danvers as a town regardless of the royal prohibition and, according to legend,King George II later vetoed this act of incorporation and returned it with the message "The King Unwilling." Massachusetts simply ignored this royal veto, which was later included on the town's seal.[8]
Danvers was a heavy supporter ofthe revolution after the refusal by King George II to grant them township. Danvers has been thought to be the home of the firstshot of the revolution in recent times, contrary to the typical retelling of theshot heard round the world. On June 2nd, 1774 after the events of theBoston Tea Party,Governor General Thomas Gage marched to Danvers in an 87 day occupation of theNortheast of Massachusetts. General Gage officially moved the capital of Massachusetts toSalem for the short occupation.[9][10][11] The occupation spanned from June 2nd, 1774 to August 27th, 1774. General Gage left Danvers in August as GeneralBenedict Arnold marched a force of 1,100continental troops fromCambridge toQuebec City into the northeast on the path to his laterinvasion of Quebec, where the groups then exchanged gunfire.[12][13][14][15][16]
From theBattle of Lexington even back to theKing Phillips War and onward, Danvers residents have participated in the armed forces. Noteworthy Revolutionary figures who stayed in Danvers include Royal Governor GeneralThomas Gage andBenedict Arnold. Arnold Plaque is found at 1 Conant Street.[17]
In 1776, the Danverstown meeting voted to support thecontinental congress in the American Revolution, formally expressing their support.[8][11]
In 1847, therailroad came to Danvers. A street railway was installed in 1884, originally consisting of 69 horse-drawn trolleys. This system was later converted to electricity.
The Town Hall was built in 1855. It has been modified and renovated and is still in use. Also in 1855, the southern portion of Danvers broke away to become the town of South Danvers, later renamedPeabody.
In 1878, theDanvers State Hospital opened its doors. This was an institution to provide asylum and treatment for the mentally ill.
Originally an agricultural town, Danvers farmers developed two breeds of vegetables: the DanversOnion (origin of the "Oniontown" nickname) and theDanvers Half-Long Carrot.[11] This carrot was introduced by "market gardeners"[18] in 1871.
Shoe manufacturing was a prominent industry in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Successful manufacturing companies included Ideal Baby Shoe. Local shoe companies were undercut in price by factories in other areas, and shoe manufacturing moved out.
Movies filmed in Danvers, Massachusetts include:
On November 22, 2006, around 2:46 a.m., a major chemical explosion occurred at a facility housing Arnel Company (a manufacturer of industrial-use paint products) and CAI Inc. (a manufacturer of solvents and inks).[19] The blast shook several North Shore towns, knocking homes off foundations and damaging buildings up to half a mile away.[20] Glass windows shattered at least 3 miles (5 km) away, in neighboring Peabody and even in downtown Salem. The explosion was heard and felt up to 45 miles (72 km) away; the concussion was intense.
No one was killed, and none of the injuries were life-threatening, according to Fire Chief Jim Tutko. Approximately 90 homes were damaged.[20] Residents whose homes were damaged or destroyed in the blast were taken to Danvers High School, where theRed Cross established a relief shelter. The blast occurred next to a marina, a bakery/pizza shop, and a gas station, and across the street from Eastern Propane Gas.
A May 13, 2008, report from the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board attributed the explosion to unintentional overnight heating of an ink-mixing tank containing flammable solvents.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, Danvers has a total area of 14.1 square miles (37 km2), of which 13.3 square miles (34 km2) is land and 0.8 square miles (2.1 km2), or 5.75%, is water. The tidalDanvers River begins near the southeast corner of town, and is formed by the confluence of the Porter River, Crane River and Waters River. These rivers, in turn, are fed by several brooks. TheIpswich River also flows along the town's western border. ThePutnamville Reservoir lies in the north end of the town, which supplies drinking water to the towns ofSalem andBeverly.
Though being at sea level in the Danversport area, the town has numerous hills reaching around 130 to 180 feet in elevation, including Dales Hill (located atSt. John's Preparatory School), Ferncroft Hill, Folly Hill, Hathorne Hill, Lindall Hill, Nichols Hill, Putnam Hill, Rocky Hill and Whipple Hill (part ofEndicott Park).
Danvers has numerous villages dating back to the late 1800s, when the town had a bustling railroad. These include Burley's Corner, Danvers Center, Danversport, Downtown, Ferncroft, Hathorne (which still has its own post office and ZIP code of 01937), Putnamville and Tapleyville.
Danvers is located approximately 17 miles (27 km) north ofDowntown Boston,[21] nearly halfway betweenBoston and theNew Hampshire state border. It is bordered byTopsfield to the north,Wenham to the northeast,Beverly to the east, a small portion ofSalem to the southeast,Peabody to the south and southwest, andMiddleton to the northwest. The town center lies 4 miles (6 km) north of Salem, 16 miles (26 km) west ofGloucester, 17 miles (27 km) northeast of Boston, and 19 miles (31 km) southeast ofSalem, New Hampshire.Interstate 95 andMassachusetts Route 128 both pass through the town, just east of their junction in Peabody.U.S. Route 1 also passes through town, with a large junction with Interstate 95 in the northwestern end of town. The main highways are also crossed byRoute 35,Route 62 andRoute 114, with Routes 35 and 62 intersecting just north of the town center. The northern terminus of Route 35 is just over the Topsfield town line, where it meetsRoute 97.
SeveralMBTA bus routes pass through the town, between Peabody and Beverly. There is no commuter rail service within town; theNewburyport/Rockport Line of theMBTA Commuter Rail passes through neighboring Salem and Beverly. Two lines of the Springfield Terminal railroad, running throughSpringfield, Massachusetts, also cross through town, merging near the town center to head north.
Two runways of theBeverly Municipal Airport cross through the town. In the early 1950s, Earle F. Robbins constructed Robbins Airport, a private airfield, on his property on Collins Street extending to Prince Street.[22] The airport closed in the 1980s and was demolished in the 1990s.[23] The nearest regularly scheduled commercial flights are located at Boston'sLogan International Airport.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 8,109 | — |
| 1860 | 5,110 | −37.0% |
| 1870 | 5,600 | +9.6% |
| 1880 | 6,598 | +17.8% |
| 1890 | 7,454 | +13.0% |
| 1900 | 8,542 | +14.6% |
| 1910 | 9,407 | +10.1% |
| 1920 | 11,108 | +18.1% |
| 1930 | 12,957 | +16.6% |
| 1940 | 14,179 | +9.4% |
| 1950 | 15,720 | +10.9% |
| 1960 | 21,926 | +39.5% |
| 1970 | 26,151 | +19.3% |
| 1980 | 24,100 | −7.8% |
| 1990 | 24,174 | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 25,212 | +4.3% |
| 2010 | 26,493 | +5.1% |
| 2020 | 28,087 | +6.0% |
| 2024* | 28,590 | +1.8% |
| * = population estimate. Source:United States census records andPopulation Estimates Program data.[24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34] | ||
As of thecensus[35] of 2000, there were 25,212 people, 9,555 households, and 6,564 families residing in the town. Thepopulation density was 1,898.5 inhabitants per square mile (733.0/km2). There were 9,762 housing units at an average density of 735.1 per square mile (283.8/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.72%White, 0.35%Black orAfrican American, 0.10%Native American, 1.11%Asian, 0.02%Pacific Islander, 0.22% fromother races, and 0.48% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 0.83% of the population.
There were 9,555 households, out of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.2% weremarried couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.3% were non-families. 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.2% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $58,779, and the median income for a family was $70,565. Males had a median income of $48,058 versus $33,825 for females. Theper capita income for the town was $26,852. About 1.7% of families and 2.9% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 3.0% of those under age 18 and 4.4% of those age 65 or over.
Danvers has a Plan E form of government, which is a combination of a representative town meeting and town manager. It also has an elected board of selectmen.
According to the town's 2024 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report,[36] the top ten employers in the town are:
| # | Employer | # of employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medtronic Interventional Vascular | 955 |
| 2 | North Shore Community College | 789 |
| 3 | Hospice Care Dimensions | 675 |
| 4 | Market Basket | 505 |
| 5 | Cell Signaling Technology | 480 |
| 6 | Abiomed | 400 |
| 7 | Essex Technical High School | 375 |
| 8 | IRA Motor Group | 324 |
| 9 | The Home Depot | 301 |
| 10 | Partners Healthcare | 300 |
Danvers has seen major growth in the food truck revolution: and this has led to some of the food truck[37] owners moving toward more permanent cafes.[38]
Danvers has full-time police and fire departments. Emergency medical services are provided by Atlantic Ambulance (a Division of Cataldo Ambulance), a large private ambulance company based in Somerville. The Town was previously served by Lyons Ambulance Service, a small private ambulance company which had served the town since 1904 before being bought by Cataldo Ambulance in 2017.[39] The Danvers Police Department was accredited in 1986. Danvers was the first municipal agency within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to become nationally accredited.
On April 2, 1990, thenatural gas lines serving homes were accidentally over-pressurized by aBoston Gas worker, resulting in fires and explosions along Lafayette St., Maple St., Venice St. and Beaver Park Av. which injured six people.[40]
The town of Danvers comprises its own school district, Danvers Public Schools. The district has five elementary schools (Highlands Elementary, Riverside Elementary, Great Oak Elementary, Thorpe Elementary, and Smith Elementary), each serving kindergarten through fifth grade (Riverside, Thorpe, and Great Oak also includes pre-kindergarten.) Grades six through eight attend the Holten-Richmond Middle School. Grades nine through twelve attendDanvers High School.
Danvers competes inLittle League Baseball as part of two local leagues; the Danvers National Little League (DNLL) on the south and west side of town, and the Danvers American Little League (DALL) on the north and east side of town. Kids in the DNLL primarily go to Highlands and Great Oak Elementary Schools, while kids in DALL primarily go to Smith and Thorpe Elementary Schools. Riverside Elementary is split between the two.
Danvers is home to three private schools. St. Mary of the Annunciation School serves pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. Plumfield Academy is a small school for grades one through eight, with a philosophy of education based on that ofCharlotte Mason.St. John's Preparatory School is a school for young men, serving grades six through twelve. St. Mary's and St. John's are religiously affiliated. St. Mary's is part of the Archdiocese of Boston and Saint John's or commonly known as "the Prep" is aXaverian Brothers-sponsored school.
In addition to the public and private schools, Danvers once hostedEssex Agricultural High School, an independent, state-funded day school serving grades 9 through 12. Essex Agricultural High School has merged withNorth Shore Tech, which was located inMiddleton, which has resulted in a larger, unified campus located in Danvers.
Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School opened in September 2014. The school offers 24 technical and agricultural programs to students from in-district towns, and offers the seven agricultural programs to out-of-district students.[41]
Danvers travel guide from WikivoyageMunicipalities and communities ofEssex County, Massachusetts,United States | ||
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