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Brookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts. It borders Newton (part of Middlesex County) on the southwest and Boston (part of Suffolk County) in all other directions, so it is not actually contiguous with any other part of Norfolk County. As of the 2000 census, the population of the town was 57,107.
Government Brookline is governed by a representative (elected) town meeting, which is the legislative body of the town, and a five-person Board of Selectmen which serves as the executive branch of the town. For more details about the roles and procedures within the government of Brookline, please see the town government's own description. History First settled in the early 1600s as a part of Boston, Massachusetts known as the hamlet of Muddy River, Brookline was incorporated as an independent town in 1705. Its name is derived from the brooks that created the town lines with the former towns of Brighton and Roxbury, which are both now parts of Boston. Its physical separation from the rest of Norfolk County comes from the fact that the former towns of West Roxbury and Hyde Park were both part of the county until they were absorbed by Boston. Throughout its history, Brookline resisted being absorbed by Boston, thus giving it its separation from the rest of Norfolk County proper. (See The Brookline-Boston Annexation Issue of 1873.) The Country Club, an exclusive sporting club in the town, was the first private club in the United States formed exclusively for outdoor activities. It is most famous as a golf club; it was one of the five clubs that formed what is now the United States Golf Association, and has hosted the U.S. Open three times and the Ryder Cup Matches once. Brookline is also home to the Hellenic College and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology and parts of Boston University . Geography Brookline is located at (42.330664, -71.13364). According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 17.7 km² (6.8 mi²). 17.6 km² (6.8 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it (0.44%) is water. Demographics As of the 2000 census, there were 57,107 people, 25,594 households, and 12,233 families residing in the town. The population density was 3,247.3/km² (8,409.7/mi²). There were 26,413 housing units at an average density of 1,501.9/km² (3,889.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 81.08% White, 2.74% Black or African American, 0.12% Native American, 12.83% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.01% from other races, and 2.18% from two or more races. 3.53% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 25,594 households out of which 21.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.4% were married couples living together, 7.1% have a female householder, and 52.2% were non-families as defined by the Census bureau. 36.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.86. In the town the population was spread out with 16.6% under the age of 18, 11.7% from 18 to 24, 37.3% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 82.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.1 males. The median income for a household in the town was $66,711, and the median income for a family was $92,993. Males had a median income of $56,861 versus $43,436 for females. The per capita income for the town was $44,327. About 4.5% of families and 9.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.3% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over. Culture As close to Boston as Brookline is, it has managed to maintain its own identity. Brookline features a unique mixture of urban and suburban living, upscale shops and recreational parks, apartment buildings and large estates. It is the home of many academic and scientific professionals who work at the nearby medical centers in Boston. Brookline has staunchly refused to be absorbed by Boston, which surrounds it like a horseshoe. Brookline has kept its town meeting form of government since its 1705 incorporation. It also has an overnight on-street parking ban more common in suburbs farther from a central city. Among its many unusual resources, Brookline has its own working farm (with farm stand), the oldest country club in the nation, a town golf course, the home in which John F. Kennedy was born, a park on a hillside overlooking Boston with an open air skating rink and transportation museum, as well as numerous neighborhood parks and playgrounds scattered throughout the town. Its major retail centers, like Coolidge Corner, Brookline Village, Washington Square, Cleveland Circle and the Chestnut Hill Shopping Center, there are pedestrian-oriented shopping areas with a variety of stores, restaraunts and malls. Along with offering both a city atmosphere and a feeling of being in the country, there is a wide mix of people in Brookline. The student body at Brookline High School includes students from more than 50 different countries. Many students attend Brookline High from surrounding, lower income neighborhoods in Boston, such as Mission Hill and Mattapan, via the Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity (METCO) system. There are 8 elementary schools in the Brookline Public School system: Baker, Devotion, Driscoll, Heath, Lawrence, Lincoln, Pierce, and Runkle schools. As of October, 2005, there were 6,036 K-12 students enrolled in The Public Schools of Brookline. The system includes one early learning center, eight grades K-8 schools and one comprehensive high school. The student body is 66.1% White, 17.7% Asian, 9.9% Black, 5.9% Hispanic and 0.4% Other. Approximately 30% of students come from homes where English is not the first language. Although predominantly residential, Brookline is open to new commercial development, and has amended its zoning to encourage new growth along its major thoroughfares. Brookline is known in the Boston area for its large population of Russian immigrants and numerous synagogues. Jewish culture is very strong in Brookline, and is especially notable along the section of Harvard Street that starts at Washington St (Brookline Village) runs through Beacon Street (Coolidge Corner) and ends at Commonwealth Avenue, continuing into Allston-Brighton. This neighborhood is home to at least 3 area synagogues and a number of Jewish-themed restaurants and stores. Brookline is also known for its excellent schools, which are supported in large part by property taxes — the town has one of the highest property tax burdens in the country. While residents of Brookline tend toward liberal ideals, economic and cultural factors keep this section of the Boston metropolitan area less diverse than its neighbor across the Charles River, Cambridge. It's also worth noting that Brookline's liberalism and diversity are relatively new developments in the town's history. In the 19th century Brookline, which has been called "the richest town in America", was a sanctuary for the wealthy where Boston's elites built their summer homes. The legacy of privilege is still visible, with Brookline existing as a deliberately engineered exclave of Norfolk County surrounded on three sides by metropolitan Boston but never incorporated into the city, a measure designed to keep out the Irish and other ethnic immigrants. "Fairsted", the 100 year old business headquarters and design office for renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted and the Olmsted Brothers firm, has been carefully preserved as the Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site, located on 7 acres (28,000 m²) of landscaped grounds at 99 Warren Street. Notable people | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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