Lincoln, Massachusetts
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Lincoln is a town located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 8,056, including Hanscom Air Force Base. Without the base, which is largely self-contained, Lincoln is home to 5,152 people according to the 2000 census.
The "two Johns" of the band They Might Be Giants, John Flansburgh and John Linnell, grew up in Lincoln, and named their second album, Lincoln, after the town.
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History
Lincoln was first settled in 1650 and was officially incorporated in 1754. It is reportedly the only town in America named after Lincoln, England.
One prominent citizen was the Rev. Charles Stearns (1753-1826), a Harvard-trained minister who served the Congregational Church in Lincoln from late 1781 until his death. Only a handful of his sermons were printed, most in the early nineteenth century. In addition, Stearns was principal of the Liberal School, a relatively progressive and coeducational institution that opened in early 1793. While at the school, Stearns wrote and published a number of education-related works, including Dramatic Dialogues for Use in Schools (1798), a collection of thirty original plays that were performed by the students. After the school closed in 1808, Stearns continued to tutor students privately. Among his pupils were Nathan Brooks, a Concord lawyer, and George Russell, a Lincoln physician. Stearns's published works can be accessed via Early American Imprints, a microform and digital collection produced by the American Antiquarian Society. A summary article that looks at Stearns as a producer of children's drama is
Levy, Jonathan. “The Dramatic Dialogues of Charles Stearns: An Appreciation.” In Spotlight on the Child: Studies in the History of American Children’s Theatre. Ed. Roger L. Bedard and C. John Tolch. New York: Greenwood, 1989. 5-24.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 38.9 km² (15.0 mi²). 37.2 km² (14.4 mi²) of it is land and 1.7 km² (0.6 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 4.26% water.
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 8,056 people, 2,790 households, and 2,254 families residing in the town. The population density is 216.5/km² (560.7/mi²). There are 2,911 housing units at an average density of 78.2/km² (202.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the town is 87.16% White, 4.84% African American, 0.38% Native American, 4.17% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.33% from other races, and 2.09% from two or more races. 2.97% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 2,790 households out of which 45.6% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.4% are married couples living together, 5.4% have a female householder with no husband present, and 19.2% are non-families. 15.8% of all households are made up of individuals and 7.0% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.83 and the average family size is 3.18.
In the town the population is spread out with 30.7% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 35 years. For every 100 females there are 94.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 90.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town is $79,003, and the median income for a family is $87,842. Males have a median income of $52,788 versus $31,786 for females. The per capita income for the town is $49,095. 0.8% of the population and 0.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 0.2% of those under the age of 18 and 2.4% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
External links
- Lincoln official website (http://www.lincolntown.org/)