Squantum

For other uses, see Squantum (disambiguation).
Squantum offers scenic views of the Boston skyline.

Squantum is a neighborhood of Quincy, Massachusetts, connected to the mainland by a causeway that crosses over a wetland area of the bay. Often thought of as a peninsula, Squantum proper is technically a barrier island as it is surrounded on all four sides by water and is only connected to the mainland and Moon Island via causeways [citation needed]. Located in the northernmost portion of the city, Squantum is bordered on the north by Dorchester Bay and Boston Harbor, on the east by Moon Island and Quincy Bay, on the south by Quincy Bay and North Quincy, and on the west by the Marina Bay development. The population of the neighborhood in 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau was 2,365.[1] Squantum has scenic, waterfront views of Boston Harbor and the Boston skyline and has many of Quincy’s most expensive homes.[2] Squantum residents are the wealthiest of any neighborhood in Quincy, according to the 2010 United States Census Bureau, and the home ownership rate is approximately 92%.[3] The neighborhood is further characterized by its tree-lined streets, its "island getaway" feel, close-knit community, and its annual Squantum Fourth of July Parade. As described in a 2020 book, "One road leads in and out of a square mile of land that is a playground for children and a haven for adults."[4] Squantum also has one of the largest Irish populations, on a per capita basis, of any neighborhood in the United States.[2]

Looking east over Quincy Bay down a neighborhood street in Squantum, Quincy, Massachusetts

The neighborhood includes two public beaches (Nickerson Beach and Orchard Beach),[5] as well as state-owned Squantum Point Park, which has hiking trails and points for canoeing or kayaking. It is also home to Squantum Elementary School[6] and the First Church of Squantum.[7]

Squantum in May 2020. View from Bayside Rd., overlooking the Boston Harbor
  1. ^ "Census Tract 417400, Norfolk County, Massachusetts". Statistical Atlas. United States Census Bureau. 2018. Retrieved June 24, 2009.
  2. ^ a b Ronan, Patrick. "Squantum sticks together". The Patriot Ledger, Quincy, MA. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
  3. ^ Nextdoor. "Squantum, Quincy, MA neighborhood | Nextdoor". Nextdoor. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
  4. ^ Squires Bloom, Rachel (2020). Squantum, Massachusetts: Life and Times on the Peninsula. ISBN 9781716602757.
  5. ^ "Quincy, MA – Squantum Beaches". www.quincyma.gov. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
  6. ^ "About Squantum Elementary School – Squantum Elementary". Squantum Elementary. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
  7. ^ "Home". First Church of Squantum. Retrieved March 21, 2018.