Where is Dighton MA
Dighton MA is located in Southeastern Massachusetts, bordered by Taunton on the North, The Taunton River and Berkley on the East, Somerset and Swansea on the South and Southwest, and Rehobothon the West and Northwest. Dighton is 40 miles south of Boston, 13 miles east of Providence, Rhode Island and 190 miles from New York City.
About the Town of Dighton MA
Dighton is a small historic town located along the Taunton River in Southeastern Massachusetts. Named for the wife of one of the town’s founders, Dighton was incorporated in the spring of 1712. The founding members of the township included members of the military, industrial leaders, and agriculturalists. Now with a population of 6,800 and a land area of 22.4 square miles, the landscape of Dighton has changed dramatically since its birth. Dighton maintains its small town feel by offering a variety of community services and social events. Community organizations such as the Historical Society, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the historic Council Oak help Dighton honor its past while it grows towards the future.
Dighton’s public educational system is one of the best in the area. Consisting of Dighton Elementary School, Dighton Middle School, the Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School, and the Bristol County Agricultural School, this system brings learning to Dighton children from preschool through high school graduation. Each school has been built or modernized to meet the demands of today’s education needs.
Dighton follows an open town meeting form of government with a Board of Selectmen representing town leadership. Selectman must face reelection every three years, with only one member reaching his term’s end each year.
Social opportunities for both children and adults are plentiful with a wide selection of public, civic and religious organizations and town celebrations. Yearly festivals sponsored by the Veteran’s, the Lion’s Club, the Friends of the Dighton Public Library, and many other diverse groups, bring citizens together.
Dighton’s Council on Aging provides older adults with services such as health clinics, educational seminars, entertainment programs, and daily meal preparation. Dighton’s Prime Time is an adult supportive respite facility located near town center.
A full roster of sports organizations provides Dighton youth with fun and learning, having both recreational and competition teams available. A local chapter of the Mom’s Club lends support and friendship to Dighton mothers, while Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts help develop citizenship.
Area churches, synagogues, and meeting halls satisfy the needs of several denominations, providing assistance and support for Dighton families. Many of these buildings are historic and have been lovingly restored. Additional opportunities for community involvement are available through each place of worship.
Situated within an hour’s drive to Boston, and just minutes from the city of Providence, Dighton is convenient to both professional, entertainment, and educational opportunities. Employment availability in the neighboring cities of Taunton, Fall River, Seekonk, and Attleboro have helped boast Dighton’s appeal as a comfortable residential town. Commuter rail service in nearby Lakeville further adds to the town’s accessibility.
Excerpt from the Town of Dighton official web site.
Dighton MA Town History
The Town of Dighton was originally part of Taunton, known as the Taunton South Purchase. It was deeded as a separate town to a company of Taunton men in 1672. On May 20, 1712, it became incorporated and was called Dighton in honor of Frances Dighton, the wife of Richard Williams. In 1799, the portion across the Taunton River including Assonet Neck was annexed by the Town of Berkley.
Early settlers were farmers, raising animals and growing crops for themselves or trading their products for food. In the early 1900’s the family farm developed into vegetable farms and farmers began taking their products to market.
Shipbuilding started in the South Purchase while it was still a part of Taunton as early as 1693, and flourished in the early 1700’s. Ships from Dighton traveled to the West Indies, South America, and European ports with cargoes of cured fish, lumber, grain, staves and hoops and returned with rum, molasses, salt and general merchandise. In 1789, Dighton was made a port of entry. Dighton later became the natural distributing point for central and southern New England. At the time, ships of any size could not navigate the Taunton River beyond Dighton. As a result, goods were forwarded by horse or oxen teams beyond this point.
Other settlers worked in the fields of manufacturing, cotton mills, clock making, strawberry growing and herring fishing. The Anchor Color and Gum Works, built in1861, first manufactured furniture, then oil paint and watercolors. About 1830 the silk industry was started when Mrs. Sarah Hart of Hunter’s Hill began to raise silk worms and taught others in the area how it was done. An iron factory and a forge and gristmill were built about 1700. Several cotton mills operated in Dighton in the early 1800’s, the largest of which was the Mt. Hope Cotton Co. Joseph K. Milliken purchased the plant in 1900 for the Mt. Hope Finishing Co. The Gooding family were prominent clockmakers in Dighton. In the early 1860’s the strawberry industry was a lucrative business for the farmers here. Many greenhouses were constructed around the turn of the century. Herring fishing in the Taunton River and its tributaries became a lucrative business, as the fish were cured and exported.
Today, Dighton is mostly a residential suburb of Providence and Boston. Though some farms still remain, many of them are being sold to developers. The old Mt. Hope Finishing Co., which became the Raytheon Co. in 1958, now houses several manufacturing businesses and warehouses. Only one building remains of the Anchor Color and Gum Works, which was last known as Zeneca, Inc. Other large businesses that flourished after 1950 are since gone. Our newest major business in town is the Dighton Power Plant owned and operated by Calpine, Inc.
Excerpt taken from the official Dighton Town Web site
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