Seekonk is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, on the Massachusetts border with Rhode Island. It was incorporated in 1812 from the western half of Rehoboth. The population was 15,531 at the 2020 census. In 1862, under a U.S. Supreme Court decision resolving a longstanding border dispute between Massachusetts and Rhode Island, a portion of Tiverton Rhode Island was awarded to Massachusetts to become part of Fall River, while 2/3 of Seekonk (now eastern Pawtucket and East Providence) was awarded to Rhode Island.

History

Early years

The earliest known inhabitants of Seekonk were Native Americans from the Wampanoag Tribe. The name Wampanoag means People of the Morning Light. This name refers to the geographical area of the tribe. Living in the East they would be the first people to greet the sun each morning. The area now known as Seekonk and Rehoboth provided agricultural and water resources with abundant food supplies. During the warm summer months the Natives spent time near the rivers and oceans in what is now Southeastern Massachusetts. In the winter months the Natives lived inland, including several locations in Seekonk. At one time there were three Native American villages in the area we now call Seekonk.

There have been many spellings of the name Seekonk. Some of the various spellings include Seconch, Sink Hunk, Secquncke, Seaconke, and Squannakonk. The symbol of the goose in flight is used on the Town Seal.

Chief Massasoit

The chief of the Wampanoags at the time the colonists settled in Southeastern Massachusetts was known as Massasoit Ossamequin and had been seriously affected by a plague just prior to the arrival of the Pilgrims at Plymouth. A large number of Wampanoag Indians had been killed by this illness. Most historians believe this plague to have been yellow fever.

Massasoit decided to make a peace treaty with the new immigrants for a number of reasons. Perhaps the most important factor was that the Wampanoags were fearful of being overtaken by the Narragansett Indians who lived nearby. Ossamequin believed an alliance with the English would help to secure the safety of his people.

In 1641, the local Native Americans had granted a large part of modern-day Seekonk to purchasers from Hingham, including Edward Gilman Sr., Joseph Peck, John Leavitt and others. In 1653 Ossamequin and his son Wamsetto, also known as Alexander to the English, signed a deed granting the land that is now Seekonk and the surrounding communities to Thomas Willitt, Myles Standish and Josiah Winslow.

The Wampanoags were paid 35 pounds sterling by the English settlers, for instance, for the sale to Willitt, Standish and Winslow.

Three of the earliest English men to settle in the area now known as Seekonk and Providence were William Blackstone, Roger Williams and Samuel Newman. These men and their followers proved it was possible to provide a living away from the coastal areas. This allowed groups of individuals to separate themselves from Puritan control. In turn this led to a greater diversity of culture and religious and philosophical freedom. It was only by forming alliances with the Native Americans in both the Wampanoag and Narragansett tribes that these early settlements were able to flourish.

King Philip’s War

Massasoit lived until he was 80 years old. While he lived, his people and the settlers lived in relative peace. He was followed in power by his son Wamsetto, also known as Alexander. This chief died shortly after his father and was replaced by his brother Metacomet, also known as King Philip.

In 1675, King Philip’s War began and both sides saw this as an opportunity to claim the land for their people and their way of life. Metacomet and his people ultimately lost the war, and the chief was killed by a mixed group of English and Indian fighters led by Benjamin Church. He was beheaded and his head stayed on public display on a pole in Plymouth for 25 years.

Incorporation to today

For the next 200 years the area we now call Seekonk was primarily a farming community. Accounts of Town Meetings during these years communicate just how contentious deciding what was best for this area could be. Boundary disputes were common and the land that is now Rehoboth, East Providence, Pawtucket and Seekonk was claimed by both Rhode Island and Massachusetts. In 1812 the border disputes were settled by the courts and the present town of Seekonk was incorporated. Two industrial villages developed to supplement the agricultural economy, with such businesses as the Rumford Chemical Works, but what had been the industrial area of the town in the late-18th and early-19th century was lost when East Providence was incorporated in 1862 taking half of the town’s territory, two-thirds of its valuation and more than two-thirds of its population. The town remained basically agricultural into the 20th century, although the Kent Manufacturing Company did make tennis racquets and croquet sets on the upper reaches of the Tenmile River. With the opening of the Providence and Taunton street railway in 1891, Seekonk became increasingly a residential suburb of Providence.

Very few farms still exist in Seekonk. Developers have turned the farms into housing divisions and Seekonk is used largely as a suburban home community for people who work in the Rhode Island and Boston areas. It is now well known for its retail area along Route 6, which includes a movie multiplex, many different chain stores and restaurants, Seekonk Speedway, a 1/3 mile oval track located along Route 6, as well as Seekonk Grand Prix, with multiple amusement rides and miniature golf. Although there has been a great deal of building in Seekonk since the Wampanoags first lived here one can still see many of the “black” Canada geese which give the town its name.

Education

Seekonk has its own public school system, with four active schools. The town has two elementary schools: Mildred H. Aitken Elementary School (serving the north and central parts of town), and George R. Martin Elementary School (serving the south). North Elementary School closed during the summer of 2006 after 95 years of service due to budget cuts. Dr. Kevin M. Hurley Middle School, named for a popular town educator, is located along Route 152 and serves the town’s 6th through 8th grade population. Seekonk High School is located near the center of town. Seekonk athletics teams are nicknamed the “Warriors,” and its school colors are Columbia blue, navy blue, and white though traditionally the school colors are Columbia blue and white. The school uses the “spear” logo made famous by Florida State University and, formerly, the Washington Redskins. Seekonk is the southernmost member of the Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School district, which is centered in Franklin. High school students may also choose to attend Bristol County Agricultural High School in Dighton, or any of a number of religious schools in the surrounding communities (the closest school in-state being Bishop Feehan High School in Attleboro).

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 13,425 people, 4,843 households, and 3,874 families residing in the town. The population density was 733.0 inhabitants per square mile (283.0/km²). There were 4,947 housing units at an average density of 270.1 per square mile (104.3/km). The racial makeup of the town was 96.57% White, 0.52% African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.95% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.51% from other races, and 1.18% from two or more races. 0.74% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 4,843 households, out of which 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.6% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.0% were non-families. 16.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.12.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.3% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 26.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $56,364, and the median income for a family was $62,361. Males had a median income of $42,404 versus $29,782 for females. The per capita income for the town was $24,058. 2.4% of the population and 1.7% of families were below the poverty line. 3.0% of those under the age of 18 and 2.2% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

In the year 2000 the population was 13,425, with 6,517 males (48.5%) and 6,908 females (51.5%). Popular ancestries of the population include Portuguese (22.0%), Irish (21.4%), English (16.7%), French (14.4%), Italian (11.9%) and French Canadian (6.4%).