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 The land area of Rowley originally included what is now
Boxford, Bradford, Georgetown, Groveland, and a part of
Middleton. the town has a varied terrain, and is
situated between two rivers, the Muddy Creek on the
north and the Rowley River to the south. With a section
of Plum Island bordering the Atlantic, the main land
mass fronts Plum Island Sound with an extensive salt
march area that eventually gives way to rolling uplands.
Heavily forested, there are several working farms with
numerous single-family house lots and a few apartments
and condominium complexes. Bradstreet Farm, owned by the
Jewett family since the 1600's is the nation's second
oldest working farm to be continuously owned and
occupied by the same family. Rowley is home to the
nation's oldest stone arch bridge and the "Turning
Place" (now the Rowley Common) where in 1775 a battalion
of Benedict Arnold's musket men encamped en route to
Quebec. The Revolutionary War cannon, "Old Nancy", is
one of the town's most prized possessions. The cannon
was taken by Rowley soldiers from the British ship
"Nancy", which was captured off Gloucester. In 1643, the
first fulling (wool) mill in the colonies was
established by Rowley, which later proved to be a
contributing factor to the War of Independence as the
mill was perceived as a threat to England's dominance in
supplying wool to the colonies. Rowley's only other
major industry was the Foster Shoe Company that began
operations in 1850. Today, Rowley is in a transition
from its historical farming roots to that a of a
residential community. The town maintains its historical
charm, however, and may be the quintessential New
England hometown with its 35th anniversary commemorative
bandstand sited on the town common green, numerous
stately, colonial era homes lining Main Street, and
several tall white steeple churches standing nearby.
(Narrative supplied by
community)
FORM OF GOVERNMENT
Board of Selectmen Administrative Assistant
Open Town Meeting
YEAR INCORPORATED
As a town, 1639
TRANSPORTATION AND ACCESS
Rowely is situated in the Greater Boston Area, which has
excellent rail, air, and highway facilities. State Route
128 and Interstate Route 495 divide the region into
inner and outer zones, which are connected by numerous
"spokes" providing direct access to the airport, port,
and intermodal facilities of Boston.
MAJOR HIGHWAYS
Principal highways are U.S. Route 1, State Route 1A, and
State Route 133, which forms an interchange with
Interstate Route 95 just over the border in Georgetown.
RAIL
Rowley has a commuter rail station with service to
Boston. There is no freight rail transportation in
Rowley, but the network of Intermodal facilities serving
eastern Massachusetts is easily accessible.
BUS
Rowley is a member of the Merrimack Valley Regional
Transit Authority
(MVRTA) but does not receive services. The Rowley
Council on Aging provides paratransit services for the
elderly and disabled.
*(Information from the
Mass.gov website)
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Population
4,452 |
Density
238 per sq mile |
Land Area
18.72 Square Miles
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