Scituate

History

The area was inhabited by Indigenous peoples for thousands of years, with archaeological evidence from southeastern Massachusetts indicating human presence dating back over 10,000 years (Paleo-Indian through Woodland periods). At the time of European contact in the 17th century, the region was part of Wampanoag territory. The name Scituate is derived from "satuit", an Indian word understood by early English settlers to mean "cold brook"; it refers to the brook that runs into the town's inner harbor (early spellings included Sityate, Cituate, and Seteat). English settlement began around 1627 or 1628 with a group from Plymouth Colony, who were joined by additional settlers from the county of Kent in England. They were initially governed by the General Court of Plymouth Colony. On October 5, 1636, the town was incorporated as a separate entity. The Williams-Barker House, which still remains near the harbor, is believed to have been built in 1634. Twelve homes and a sawmill were destroyed in King Philip's War in 1676. In 1710, several Europeans from Scituate emigrated to Rhode Island and founded Scituate, Rhode Island. In 1717, the western portion of the original land grant was separated and incorporated as the town of Hanover, and in 1788, a section of the town was ceded to Marshfield. In 1849, another western section became the town of South Scituate, which later changed its name to Norwell. Since then, the borders have remained essentially unchanged. Fishing was a significant part of the local economy in the past, as was the sea mossing industry. The sea was historically an integral part of the town with occasional incidents such as that described February 13, 1894, in which eight men clinging to the vessel's rigging on a schooner grounded off Third Cliff…

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 44.60%, is water. Scituate is bordered on the east by Massachusetts Bay, on the south by Marshfield, on the west by Norwell and Hingham, all of which are in Plymouth County, and on the northwest by Cohasset, in Norfolk County. The town is northeast of Brockton and southeast of Boston. Scituate is considered a South Shore community, located just south of the mouth of greater Boston Harbor. The town is not contiguous; Humarock is a part of Scituate which can only be reached from Marshfield. The latter was formerly connected to the town, but that connection was lost when the mouth of the South River shifted northward as the result of the Portland Gale of 1898. The town's shore varies, with the south (along the mouth of the North River) being surrounded by salt marshes, the middle (around Scituate Harbor) being sandy, and the coast of Scituate Neck (Minot) in the north exhibiting exposed granite bedrock. It is off these rocks that Minot's Ledge lies, home to the town's most famous lighthouse. The inland of the town is mostly wooded, with several brooks and rivers (including Satuit or "Cold Brook", for which the town is named) running through. Scituate has five public beaches: Minot, Sand Hills, Egypt, Peggotty, and Humarock. The town has no freeways running through it; Massachusetts Route 3 runs through neighboring Norwell. Route 3A runs through the town, and is known as Chief Justice Cushing Highway for this stretch, named for Chief Justice William Cushing (1732–1810). The only other state highway in town is Route 123, which terminates at Route 3A, just from the town line. There is no air service in town; the closest regional airport is Marshfield…

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  15,554
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  15,187
• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  14,344
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  14,218
• Song Sparrow

  Melospiza melodia (A.Wilson, 1810) · Aves
  13,517
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  13,185
• White-breasted Nuthatch

  Sitta carolinensis Latham, 1790 · Aves
  10,955
• Carolina Wren

  Thryothorus ludovicianus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  10,830

Largest nearby schools

• Marshfield High
  High · Marshfield · 1,190 students · 11.8:1 ratio
• Hingham High
  High · Hingham · 1,167 students · 12.7:1 ratio
• South Shore Charter Public School
  Other · Norwell · 1,054 students · 11.5:1 ratio
• Duxbury High
  High · Duxbury · 927 students · 12.2:1 ratio
• Furnace Brook Middle
  Middle · Marshfield · 868 students · 11.1:1 ratio
• Hingham Middle School
  Middle · Hingham · 844 students · 11.3:1 ratio
• Hanover Middle
  Middle · Hanover · 801 students · 12.7:1 ratio
• Scituate High School
  High · Scituate · 763 students · 12.3:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 3.8 — 2025-01-27
  9 km SE of York Harbor, Maine
• M 3.6 — 2020-11-08
  10 km S of Bliss Corner, Massachusetts
• M 2.7 — 2018-02-15
  0 km SE of East Kingston, New Hampshire
• M 2.9 — 2010-06-07
  29 km SE of York Beach, Maine
• M 2.8 — 2008-03-09
  25 km SE of York Beach, Maine
• M 2.5 — 2007-10-19
  2 km WSW of Littleton Common, Massachusetts