Editing Needham, Massachusetts

{{short description|Town in Massachusetts, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Needham, Massachusetts
| nickname           = 
| motto              = 
| image_skyline      = NeedhamMA TownHall.jpg
| imagesize          = 260px
| image_caption      = [[Needham Town Hall Historic District|Town Hall]]
| image_seal         = Needham Seal.png
| image_flag         = Flag of Needham, Massachusetts.jpg
| image_map          = Norfolk County Massachusetts incorporated and unincorporated areas Needham highlighted.svg
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location in Norfolk County in Massachusetts
| pushpin_map        = Boston Metro#Massachusetts#USA
| pushpin_label      = Needham
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = {{Flagu|United States|size=23px}}
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Massachusetts|County]]
| subdivision_name1  = {{Flag|Massachusetts|size=23px}}
| subdivision_name2  = [[Norfolk County, Massachusetts|Norfolk]]
| established_title  = Settled
| established_date   = 1680
| established_title2 = Incorporated
| established_date2  = 1711
| established_title3 = 
| established_date3  = 
| named_for          = [[Needham Market]]
| leader_title       = <!--[[Town manager]]-->
| leader_name        = 
| leader_title1      = <!--Board of Selectmen-->
| leader_name1       = Evan "Wilin" Raskin
| area_magnitude     = 
| area_total_km2     = 32.9
| area_total_sq_mi   = 12.7
| area_land_km2      = 32.7
| area_land_sq_mi    = 12.6
| area_water_km2     = 0.2
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.1
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| settlement_type    = [[New England town|Town]]
| population_total   = 32,091
| population_density_km2 = 981.4
| population_density_sq_mi = 2,546.9
| elevation_m        = 49
| elevation_ft       = 162
| timezone           = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|Eastern]]
| utc_offset         = −5
| timezone_DST       = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|Eastern]]
| utc_offset_DST     = −4
| coordinates        = {{coord|42|17|00|N|71|14|00|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP Code]]s
| postal_code        = {{ubl|02492 (Needham)|02494 ([[Needham Heights]])}}
| area_code          = [[Area code 781|781]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 25-44105
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 0618325
| footnotes          = 
| website            = {{URL|needhamma.gov}}
}}

'''Needham''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|n|iː|d|ə|m}} {{respell|NEED|əm}}) is a town in [[Norfolk County, Massachusetts|Norfolk County]], [[Massachusetts]], United States. A suburb of [[Boston]], its population was 32,091 in the [[2020 United States Census|2020]] U.S. Census. It is the home of [[Olin College]].

== History ==
{{More citations needed|section|date=March 2022}}

=== Early settlement ===
Needham was first settled in 1680 with the purchase of a tract of land measuring {{convert|4|mi|km}} by {{convert|5|mi|km}} from Chief Nehoiden for the sum of 10 pounds, {{convert|40|acre|m2}} of land, and 40 shillings worth of corn. It was officially incorporated in 1711. Originally part of the [[History_of_Dedham,_Massachusetts,_1700–1799#Needham|North Parish of Dedham]], Needham split from [[Dedham, Massachusetts|Dedham]] and was named after the town of [[Needham Market]] in [[Suffolk]], England.

Just 15 months after [[History of Dedham, Massachusetts, 1700-1799#Dissent and division of the church|asking for their own church]], 40 men living on the north side of the Charles River suddenly asked the General Court to separate them from Dedham. Their petition cited the inadequate services provided, namely schools and churches.{{sfn|Lockridge|1985|p=106}}{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=111-112}} They also said that, if they were simply to be made a precinct instead of a separate town, that they would suffer political reprisals.{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=112}}{{sfn|Lockridge|1985|p=106}}

Dedham agreed that the services were inadequate and did not oppose the separation, but did try to reduce the amount of land the separatists were seeking.{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=112}}{{sfn|Lockridge|1985|p=107}} Dedham also asked for a delay of one year.{{sfn|Lockridge|1985|p=107}} The General Court agreed with the petitioners, however, and created the new town of Needham with the original boundaries requested.{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=112}}{{sfn|Lockridge|1985|p=107}}

Those who remained in Dedham still held rights to the unallotted lands in Needham, however, and any decrease in taxes would be offset by a decrease in expenditures.{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=112}} There may have also been some satisfaction in separating themselves from those on the other side of the [[History of Dedham, Massachusetts, 1700-1799#1704 Elections|1704 power struggle]].{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=112}}

By the 1770s settlers in the western part of the town who had to travel a long distance to the meeting house on what is now Central Avenue sought to form a second [[parish]] in the town. Opposition to this desire created conflict, and in 1774 a mysterious fire destroyed the existent meeting house. Some time afterwards the West Parish was formed.

=== Growth and industry ===
In 1857, the City of [[Boston]] began a project to fill in the Back Bay with landfill by filling the tidewater flats of the [[Charles River]]. The fill to reclaim the bay from the water was obtained from Needham, Massachusetts from the area of present-day Route 128. The firm of Goss and Munson, railroad contractors, built {{convert|6|mi|km}} of railroad from Needham and their 35-car trains made 16 trips a day to Back Bay.<ref>{{cite book|title=Boston: The Place and the People|last=Antony|first=Mark|author2=Howe, DeWolfe|year=1903|publisher=MacMillan|location=New York|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_YToOAAAAYAAJ/page/n352 359]|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_YToOAAAAYAAJ}}</ref> The filling of present-day Back Bay was completed by 1882; filling reached [[Kenmore Square]] in 1890, and finished in the [[Back Bay Fens|Fens]] in 1900. The project was the largest of a number of [[land reclamation]] projects, beginning in 1820, which, over the course of time, more than doubled the size of the original [[Shawmut Peninsula|Boston peninsula]].

In 1865, William Carter established a knitting mill company in Needham Heights that would eventually become a major manufacturer and leading brand of children's apparel in the United States. The site of Mill #1 currently houses the Avery Manor assisted living center, while Mill #2 stood along the shores of Rosemary Lake. By the 1960s, the company owned seven mills in Massachusetts and the south. The Carter family sold the business in 1990, after which [[Carter's, Inc.]] moved its headquarters to [[Atlanta|Atlanta, Georgia.]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://needhamhistory.org/walk/the-william-carter-company/ |title=The William Carter Company &#124; Needham Historical Society |access-date=March 6, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402065755/http://needhamhistory.org/walk/the-william-carter-company/ |archive-date=April 2, 2015  }}</ref>

In the late 1860s William Emerson Baker moved to Needham. A notably wealthy man due to his having improved the mechanical [[sewing machine]], Baker assembled a parcel of land exceeding {{convert|800|acre|km2}} and named it Ridge Hill Farm.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boston.com/yourtown/needham/articles/2010/04/08/little_remains_of_19th_century_eccentrics_wondrous_estate_in_needham |title=Little remains of 19th-century eccentric's wondrous estate in Needham – The Boston Globe |publisher=Boston.com |date=April 8, 2010 |access-date=November 16, 2012}}</ref> He built two man made lakes on his property, including Sabrina lake near present-day Locust Lane. Baker turned part of his property into an amusement park with exotic animals, tunnels, trick floors and mirrors. In 1888 he built a sizable hotel, near the intersection of present-day Whitman Road and Charles River Street, called the Hotel Wellesley which had a capacity of over 300 guests. The hotel burned to the ground on December 19, 1891.<ref>{{cite book |title=History of Needham, Massachusetts, 1711–1911 |last=Clarke |first=George Kuhn |year=1912 |publisher=University Press |location=Cambridge, Massachusetts |pages=[https://archive.org/details/historyneedhamm00clargoog/page/n160 138]–139 |url=https://archive.org/details/historyneedhamm00clargoog |quote=william emerson baker. }}</ref>

In 1891, George Walker, Boston owner of a lithograph company, and Gustavos Gordon, scientist, formed Walker-Gordon Laboratories to develop processes for the prevention of contamination of milk and to answer the call by enlightened physicians for better babies' milk formulas. This plant was located in the Charles River Village section of Needham with another large facility in New Jersey. The scientific dairy production facilities of the Walker-Gordon Dairy Farm were widely advertised and utilized modern advancements in the handling of milk products.<ref>Needham Historical Society, Images of America: Needham, Dover, NH, Arcadia Publishing, pp. 15–17.</ref>

=== Incorporation of Wellesley ===
In 1881, the West Parish was separately incorporated as the town of [[Wellesley, Massachusetts|Wellesley]]. The following year, Needham and Wellesley high schools began playing an annual [[American football|football]] game on [[Thanksgiving (United States)|Thanksgiving]], now the second-longest running high school football rivalry in the United States<ref>The oldest rivalry is that of [[New London, Connecticut]] vs. [[Norwich Free Academy]], dating to 1875. {{cite web |url=http://www.nflhs.com/news/records/11man_team_misc.asp |title=11-Man Football - Team - Miscellaneous |access-date=November 9, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070614184326/http://www.nflhs.com/News/Records/11man_team_misc.asp |archive-date=June 14, 2007  }}</ref> (and longest such contest on Thanksgiving). Also the longest running public high school rivalry. In 2013, Wellesley broke a three-year Thanksgiving game losing streak to the Needham Rockets, defeating them 22–6. The Wellesley Raiders now hold a 60–57–9 advantage in the historic rivalry.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.boston.com/sports/schools/football/2013/11/29/first-thanksgiving-game-john-fadule-leads-wellesley-past-needham/xUdnlinMC2OuWTTTYKaSqM/story.html| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131206063921/http://www.boston.com/sports/schools/football/2013/11/29/first-thanksgiving-game-john-fadule-leads-wellesley-past-needham/xUdnlinMC2OuWTTTYKaSqM/story.html| archive-date = December 6, 2013| title = In first Thanksgiving game, John Fadule leads Wellesley past Needham - High school football - Boston.com}}</ref>

With the loss of the West Parish to Wellesley, the town lost its town hall and plans to build a new one began in 1902 with the selection of a building committee. The cornerstone was laid by the Grand Lodge of Masons on September 2, 1902, and the building was dedicated on December 22, 1903. The total cost for the hall was $57,500 including furnishings. Because it was located on the town common, the cost did not include land as none was purchased.<ref>Clarke, p. 192</ref> In 2011, the town hall was extensively refurbished and expanded. In the process, the second-floor meeting hall was restored to its original function and beauty.

=== Recent history ===
Needham's population grew by over 50 percent during the 1930s.<ref>Schaeffer, K. H. and Elliott Sclar. ''Access for All: Transportation and Urban Growth''. [[Columbia University Press]], 1980. Accessed via [[Google Books]]. [https://books.google.com/books?id=xSty8KR3clIC&pg=PA86 p. 86]. Retrieved on January 16, 2010. {{ISBN|0-231-05165-4}}, {{ISBN|978-0-231-05165-1}}.</ref>

In 2005, Needham became the first jurisdiction in the world to raise the age to legally buy [[tobacco]] products to 21.<ref name=tobacco>{{cite news|last1=Quinn|first1=Colleen|title=Nearly a dozen Massachusetts towns raise age for cigarette sales|url=http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/2013/12/nearly_a_dozen_massachusetts_towns_raise_age_for_cigarette_s.html|access-date=September 4, 2014|work=Boston.com|agency=State House News Service|publisher=The Boston Globe|date=December 26, 2013}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of 12.7 square miles (32.9&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>), of which 12.6 square miles (32.7&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.2&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) <!--(0.71%)--> is water.

Needham's area is roughly in the shape of an acute, northward-pointing triangle. The [[Charles River]] forms nearly all of the southern and northeastern boundaries, the town line with Wellesley forming the third, northwestern one. In addition to Wellesley on the northwest, Needham borders [[Newton, Massachusetts|Newton]] and the [[West Roxbury, Massachusetts|West Roxbury]] section of [[Boston, Massachusetts|Boston]] on the northeast, and [[Dover, Massachusetts|Dover]], [[Westwood, Massachusetts|Westwood]], and [[Dedham, Massachusetts|Dedham]] on the south. The majority of [[Cutler Park]] is in Needham and is located along the Charles River and the border with Newton and West Roxbury. Elevations in Needham range from 85 feet above sea level at Rosemary Meadows to 180 feet at Needham Square and 300 feet at Bird's Hill.<ref>{{cite web |title=Needham Demographics |url=https://www.needhamma.gov/231/Needham-Demographics |publisher=Town of Needham |access-date=July 16, 2021}}</ref>

===Climate===
Needham has a [[warm-summer humid continental climate]] (''Dfb'' under the [[Köppen climate classification]] system), with high [[humidity]] and [[precipitation]] year-round.
{{Weather box|location = Needham, Massachusetts
|single line = Y
|Jan record high F = 66
|Feb record high F = 67
|Mar record high F = 74
|Apr record high F = 82
|May record high F = 91
|Jun record high F = 95
|Jul record high F = 100
|Aug record high F = 97
|Sep record high F = 97
|Oct record high F = 87
|Nov record high F = 77
|Dec record high F = 66
|Jan high F = 33.6
|Feb high F = 34.7
|Mar high F = 43.4
|Apr high F = 54.9
|May high F = 66.4
|Jun high F = 74.7
|Jul high F = 80
|Aug high F = 78
|Sep high F = 70.9
|Oct high F = 60.5
|Nov high F = 48.9
|Dec high F = 37.4
|Jan mean F= 26
|Feb mean F= 26
|Mar mean F= 33
|Apr mean F= 42
|May mean F= 53
|Jun mean F= 62
|Jul mean F= 68
|Aug mean F= 66
|Sep mean F= 60
|Oct mean F= 50
|Nov mean F= 39
|Dec mean F= 30
|Jan low F = 18.3
|Feb low F = 18.8
|Mar low F = 27
|Apr low F = 36.5
|May low F = 46.4
|Jun low F = 55.4
|Jul low F = 61.5
|Aug low F = 60.3
|Sep low F = 53.4
|Oct low F = 43.4
|Nov low F = 33.7
|Dec low F = 22.8
|Jan record low F = -14
|Feb record low F = -21
|Mar record low F = -5
|Apr record low F = 6
|May record low F = 27
|Jun record low F = 31
|Jul record low F = 44
|Aug record low F = 32
|Sep record low F = 28
|Oct record low F = 20
|Nov record low F = 5
|Dec record low F = -19
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 4.2
|Feb precipitation inch = 3.9
|Mar precipitation inch = 4.6
|Apr precipitation inch = 4.1
|May precipitation inch = 3.7
|Jun precipitation inch = 3.6
|Jul precipitation inch = 3.7
|Aug precipitation inch = 4.1
|Sep precipitation inch = 4
|Oct precipitation inch = 4
|Nov precipitation inch = 4.4
|Dec precipitation inch = 4.4
|Jan precipitation days = 12
|Feb precipitation days = 11
|Mar precipitation days = 13
|Apr precipitation days = 12
|May precipitation days = 12
|Jun precipitation days = 12
|Jul precipitation days = 11
|Aug precipitation days = 10
|Sep precipitation days = 9
|Oct precipitation days = 10
|Nov precipitation days = 11
|Dec precipitation days = 12
|Jan snow inch = 16.1
|Feb snow inch = 16
|Mar snow inch = 12
|Apr snow inch = 3.1
|May snow inch = 0.1
|Jun snow inch = 0
|Jul snow inch = 0
|Aug snow inch = 0
|Sep snow inch = 0
|Oct snow inch = 0.3
|Nov snow inch = 2.7
|Dec snow inch = 11.7
|source 1 = [https://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=744920&cityname=Dedham%2C+Massachusetts%2C+United+States+of+America&units== Climate Summary for Dedham, Massachusetts]
|source 2= [https://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weatherall.php3?s=744920&cityname=Dedham%2C+Massachusetts%2C+United+States+of+America&units==== Monthly- All Data for Dedham, Massachusetts]
|date = February 24, 2023
}}

==Demographics==
{{See also|List of Massachusetts locations by per capita income}}
{{Historical populations | type=USA
 | 1850|1944
 | 1860|2658
 | 1870|3607
 | 1880|5252
 | 1890|3035
 | 1900|4016
 | 1910|5026
 | 1920|7012
 | 1930|10845
 | 1940|12445
 | 1950|16313
 | 1960|25793
 | 1970|29748
 | 1980|27901
 | 1990|27557
 | 2000|28911
 | 2010|28886
 | 2020|32091
 | 2024*|32931
 | footnote=* = population estimate.  {{Historical populations/Massachusetts municipalities references}}<ref>{{cite web | title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2022| publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] | access-date=November 4, 2023 | url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html}}</ref>
}}

As of the 2020 [[census]],<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> there were 32,091 people, 10,801 households, and 8,480 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|2,546.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 82.6% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 2.9% [[African American (U.S. Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.1% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 8.9% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.5% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 2.4% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 3.2% of the population.

There were 10,801 households, out of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.1% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 5.2% had a female householder with no husband present and 21.5% were non-families. Of all households 23.4% were made up of individuals, and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.23.

In the town, the population was laid out with 26.2% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.3 males.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=Needham%20town,%20Norfolk%20County,%20Massachusetts&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P1 | title=Explore Census Data }}</ref>

According to a 2007 estimate,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=ChangeGeoContext&geo_id=06000US2502144105&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US25%7C05000US25017%7C06000US2501743895&_street=&_county=needham&_cityTown=needham&_state=04000US25&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=ACS_2007_3YR_SAFF&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry= |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200211180017/http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=ChangeGeoContext&geo_id=06000US2502144105&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US25%7C05000US25017%7C06000US2501743895&_street=&_county=needham&_cityTown=needham&_state=04000US25&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=ACS_2007_3YR_SAFF&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null:null&_keyword=&_industry= |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 11, 2020 |title=American FactFinder |publisher=Factfinder.census.gov |access-date=November 16, 2012 }}</ref> the median income for a household in the town was $116,867, and the median income for a family was $144,042. Males had a median income of $76,459 versus $47,092 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $56,776. About 1.6% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 1.2% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.

==Government==
Needham uses the old style town government, with a representative town meeting. Also, the populace of Needham elects a Select Board, which is essentially the executive branch of the town government. The town is part of the [[Massachusetts Senate's Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex district]].

== Economy ==
Needham is primarily a [[bedroom community]] and [[commuter]] suburban district located outside of Boston.

The northern side of town beyond the [[Interstate 95 in Massachusetts|I-95]]/[[Massachusetts Route 128|Route 128]] beltway, however, was developed for light industry shortly after [[World War II]]. Many restaurants and food companies are based in Needham. More recently, Needham has begun to attract high technology and internet firms, such as [[PTC (software company)|PTC]] and [[TripAdvisor]], to this part of town.

== Education ==

The Town of Needham operates one high school, [[Needham High School]], which underwent a $62-million renovation that was completed in 2009;<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/needham/2009/06/needham_celebrates_high_school.html | work=The Boston Globe | title=Needham celebrates high school dedication | date=June 1, 2009}}</ref> two middle schools: William F. Pollard Middle School, for seventh and eighth grade, and High Rock School, for sixth grade only; and five elementary schools for grades K–5: John Eliot Elementary School, Sunita L. Williams Elementary School, William Mitchell Elementary School, Newman Elementary School, and Broadmeadow Elementary School. Needham recently finished building the newest elementary school, [[Sunita Williams|Sunita L. Williams]] Elementary School, to replace the aging Hillside Elementary School. The newest school opened in the fall of 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.needham.k12.ma.us/schools.htm |title=Needham Public Schools |access-date=October 8, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006082916/http://www.needham.k12.ma.us/schools.htm |archive-date=October 6, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Needham is also home to Catholic schools such as St. Joseph's Elementary School, and Monsignor Haddad Middle School, as well as [[St. Sebastian's School]], a Catholic school for boys in grades 7–12. St. Sebastian's is part of the rigorous [[Independent School League (Boston Area)|Independent School League]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Independent School League {{!}} Athletics {{!}} St. Sebastian's |url=https://www.stsebs.org/athletics/independent-school-league |access-date=June 3, 2022 |website=www.stsebs.org |language=en-US}}</ref>

[[Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering]] is also located in Needham.
[[File:Needham Junction MBTA station, Needham MA.jpg|right|thumb|225px|{{center|Needham Junction MBTA Station}}]]

== Transportation ==
The [[Interstate 95 in Massachusetts|I-95]]/[[Massachusetts Route 128|Route 128]] [[circumferential highway]] that circles Boston passes through Needham, with three exits providing access to the town. [[Massachusetts Route 135]] also passes through the town.

[[Regional rail|Commuter rail]] service from [[Boston Massachusetts|Boston's]] [[South Station]] is provided by the [[MBTA]] with four stops in Needham on its [[Needham Line]]: Needham Heights, Needham Center, Needham Junction and Hersey.

== Media ==
Needham is part of the Greater [[Boston, Massachusetts|Boston]] media market and acts as an [[antenna farm]] that houses many of the [[transmitters]] for local media.

In addition to ''[[The Boston Globe]]'' (and its Your Town Needham website<ref>[http://www.boston.com/yourtown/needham/ Your Town Needham]</ref>) and ''[[Boston Herald]]'' newspapers, there are two local weekly newspapers, the ''Needham Times''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://needham.wickedlocal.com/ |title=Home |website=needham.wickedlocal.com}}</ref> (published by Gatehouse Media, Inc.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.gatehousemedia.com/ | title=We Are Gannett}}</ref>) and ''Needham Hometown Weekly'' (published by Hometown Publications, LLC), and a website owned by AOL called ''Needham Patch''.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://needham.patch.com/ |title = Needham, MA Patch - Breaking News, Local News, Events, Schools, Weather, Sports and Shopping}}</ref>

The studios of television stations [[WCVB-TV]] (5 Boston, [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]), [[WBTS-CD]] (15 [[Nashua, New Hampshire]], [[National Broadcasting Company|NBC]]), [[WUTF-TV]] (27 [[Worcester, Massachusetts|Worcester]], [[UniMás]]), [[WNEU]] (60 [[Merrimack, New Hampshire]], [[Telemundo]]), and [[WUNI]] (66 [[Marlborough, Massachusetts|Marlborough]], [[Univision]]) are located in Needham, as are the transmitters of WCVB-TV, [[WBZ-TV]] (4 Boston, [[CBS]]), [[WGBH-TV]] (2 Boston, [[Public Broadcasting Service|PBS]]), [[WGBX-TV]] (44 Boston, [[Public Broadcasting Service|PBS]]), [[WBTS-CD]] (15 [[Nashua, New Hampshire]], [[NBC]]), [[WFXT]] (25 Boston, [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]), [[WSBK-TV]] (38 Boston, [[MyNetworkTV]]), WUTF-TV, [[WNEU]] (60 [[Merrimack, New Hampshire]], [[Telemundo]]), and [[WFXZ-CD]] (24 Boston, Biz TV). The television towers are also the sites of FM radio stations [[WBUR-FM]], [[WKLB-FM]], and several backup facilities for other stations. NBC also opened up 160,000 square foot studio facility and operations center in Needham, in 2020. In addition to the stations listed above, the facility is also home to [[New England Cable News]] and NBC Sports Boston.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/nbcu-boston-media-center-opens-today-what-it-means-for-you/2062035/ | title=NBCU Boston Media Center: What It Means for You }}</ref>

The Needham Channel<ref>[http://www.needhamchannel.org The Needham Channel]</ref> provides [[public-access television]] to [[cable TV]] subscribers in Needham. PEG [[Public, educational, and government access]] programming is produced and delivered through three channels—a community channel, a municipal channel and an educational channel. The three channels are available on the channel lineups of each of the three franchised cable TV providers provided—[[Comcast]], [[RCN Corporation|RCN]], and [[Verizon Communications|Verizon]]. Selected content is also available for streaming through The Needham Channel's web site.<ref>[http://www.needhamchannel.org/watch-programs/ The Needham Channel's web site]</ref>

Programming on The Needham Channel includes:

* Municipal meetings – Board of Selectmen, School Committee, Zoning Board of Appeals, Town Meeting
* News, Public Affairs and Education – The Needham Channel News (a weekly live local news program), Needham Schools Spotlight
* Sports – High school sporting events
* Locally produced programs – Inside Talk, Clelia's Cucina Italiana, The Language of Business, What's My House Worth, services from Needham houses of worship
* Programs from other Public Access Stations
* Community Bulletin Board
* Men of Constant Sorrow

[[Boston]] radio station [[WEEI (AM)|WEEI]] (850 AM) transmits from a three-tower site south of the town [[recycling transfer station]]. Needham has two radio station studio locations, that of [[Concord, Massachusetts|Concord]]-licensed [[WBNW (AM)|WBNW]] (1120 AM) located at 144 Gould Street, and [[Cambridge, Massachusetts|Cambridge]] licensed [[WNTN]] (1550 AM) located at 31 Fremont Street, across I-95 from WCVB-TV.

Needham High School also released several forms of media to its students and members of the town, including its student newspaper [https://sites.google.com/students.needham.k12.ma.us/nhshilltopper/home The Hilltopper], the students news video broadcast NHSN, and "NHS News from the Hill", which is released by members of the administration.<ref>{{Cite web|title=News|url=https://nhs.needham.k12.ma.us/bulletin|access-date=February 17, 2021|website=nhs.needham.k12.ma.us|language=en-US}}</ref>

== Notable people ==

===Academics===

* [[Ananda Coomaraswamy]], art historian, philosopher, and Indologist
* [[Nelson Goodman]], philosopher
* [[Thomas Huckle Weller]], a Nobel Prize-winning virologist

===Actors===

* [[Edwin McDonough]], actor<ref name=bherald>{{cite news|title=Edwin McDonough, 72, of Needham, Army vet |url=http://www.bostonherald.com/news/obituaries/2016/02/edwin_mcdonough_72_of_needham_army_vet |work=[[Boston Herald]] |date=February 12, 2016 |access-date=February 26, 2016  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160213094839/http://www.bostonherald.com/news/obituaries/2016/02/edwin_mcdonough_72_of_needham_army_vet |archive-date=February 13, 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
* [[Harold Russell]], actor
* [[Sarah Saltzberg]], actress/singer and star of [[Broadway theatre|Broadway's]] ''[[The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee]]''
* [[Arnold Stang]], actor<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/22/arts/television/22stang.html|title=Arnold Stang, Milquetoast Actor, Dies at 91|last=Weber|first=Bruce|date=December 22, 2009|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=February 9, 2017|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
* [[Tom Virtue]], actor

===Artists===

* [[Alvan Fisher]], landscape artist
* [[Edmund H. Garrett]], prolific 19th- and 20th-century book illustrator
* [[Peter S. Pezzati|Pietro Pezzati]], portrait artist
* [[Michael John Straub]], artist
* [[Walter E. Ware]], architect
* [[N.C. Wyeth]], artist

===Business===

* [[Jeff Taylor (entrepreneur)|Jeff Taylor]], founder of [[Monster.com]]

===Music===

* [[Niia|Niia Bertino]], [[Columbia Records|Columbia]] recording artist featured on [[Wyclef Jean]]'s [[Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)|"Sweetest Girl"]] single
* [[John Boecklin]], drummer/guitarist/songwriter for the metal band DevilDriver
* [[Robert Freeman (musician)|Robert Freeman]], pianist, musicologist, and longtime director of the [[Eastman School of Music]]
* [[Mia Matsumiya]], violinist of the [[avant-rock]] band [[Kayo Dot]]
* [[Joey McIntyre]], singer-songwriter and actor
* [[Marissa Nadler]], singer
* [[Tiger Okoshi]], jazz trumpet player
* [[Richard Patrick]], founder of industrial band [[Filter (band)|Filter]] and former member of [[Nine Inch Nails]]

===Politics===

* [[Charlie Baker]], former governor of Massachusetts
*[[Gary L. Daniels]], member of the [[New Hampshire General Court]]
* [[Peter DeFazio]], [[United States congressman]] from [[Oregon]]
* [[Cheryl Jacques]], first openly-lesbian member of the Massachusetts Senate and later president of the [[Human Rights Campaign]]
* [[Phil Murphy]], governor of New Jersey

=== Sports ===

[[File:SecretUSClassic Aly Raisman.JPG|thumb|170px|[[Aly Raisman]]]]

* [[Edward T. Barry]], [[ice hockey]] player and coach
* [[Dave Cadigan]], offensive lineman in the [[NFL]]
* [[Mike Condon (ice hockey)|Mike Condon]], goaltender in the [[NHL]], was born in Needham
* [[Robbie Ftorek]], [[NHL]] coach and star player in both the NHL and WHA
* [[Pete Gaudet]] (born 1942), college basketball coach
* [[Mike Grier]], retired player of the [[NHL]]
* [[Noah Hanifin]], defenseman with the [[Calgary Flames]] and [[NHL]] All-Star
* [[Steven Hauschka]], [[Buffalo Bills]] kicker
* [[Eric Johnson (tight end)|Eric Johnson]], [[New Orleans Saints]] tight end
* [[Mike Lalor]], former defenseman and [[Stanley Cup]] winner with the [[Montreal Canadiens]]
* [[Kristine Lilly]], former US women's soccer player
* [[Frank Malzone]], former third baseman for the [[Boston Red Sox]]
* [[Rachel Mayer]], US Olympic figure skater
* [[Mike Milbury]], sportscaster and former member of the Boston Bruins
* [[Tom O'Regan]], former forward for the [[Boston University]] Terriers and the [[Pittsburgh Penguins]]
* [[Aly Raisman]], US women's artistic gymnast and six-time Olympic medalist
* [[Karl Ravech]], [[ESPN]] ''[[Baseball Tonight (MLB)|Baseball Tonight]]'' anchor
* [[Derek Sanderson]], former Boston Bruins player
* [[Milt Schmidt]], ice hockey player and manager for the Boston Bruins
* [[Mac Steeves]] (born 1994), soccer player
* [[Harry Swartz]] (born 1996), soccer player

===Television===

* [[Marsha Bemko]], executive producer of ''[[Antiques Roadshow]]''
* [[Lee Eisenberg]], writer for ''The Office''
* [[Steve Hely]], writer of ''[[American Dad!]]''
* [[Allison Jones (casting director)|Allison Jones]], who cast [[The Office (US)|''The Office'']] and ''[[The Good Place]]''
* [[Ben Karlin]], executive producer of ''[[The Daily Show|The Daily Show with Jon Stewart]]'' and ''[[The Colbert Report]]''
* [[Scott Rosenberg]], screenwriter

=== Literature ===

* [[Janet Tashjian]], the author of ''[[The Gospel According to Larry]]'' and the ''[[My Life as a Book]]'' series

=== Other ===

* [[Khassan Baiev]], a [[Chechen people|Chechen]] surgeon who treated [[Russians|Russian]] soldiers and Chechen rebels, most notably [[Shamil Basayev]] and [[Salman Raduyev]]
* [[Jared Freid]], comedian
* [[James S. Gracey]], [[commandant of the Coast Guard]]
* [[Fatemeh Haghighatjoo]], a reformist member of the Iranian Parliament who teaches women's studies at the [[University of Massachusetts Boston]]
* [[Jen Kirkman]], stand-up comedian, television writer, and actress
* [[Chester Nimitz, Jr.]], a retired United States Navy rear admiral and World War II submarine hero
* [[Sunita Williams]], [[NASA]] astronaut
* [[William G. Young]], [[United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts]] judge

== Citations ==
{{Reflist}}

==Works cited==
* {{cite book |last=Lockridge |first=Kenneth |year=1985 |title=A New England Town |url=https://archive.org/details/newenglandtown00lock  |location=New York |publisher=W. W. Norton & Company |isbn=978-0-393-95459-3 |url-access=registration}}
*{{cite book|last=Hanson|first=Robert Brand |title=Dedham, Massachusetts, 1635-1890|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4oslAQAAMAAJ|year=1976|publisher=Dedham Historical Society}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}{{Wikivoyage|Needham}}
* [http://www.needhamma.gov/ Town of Needham]
* [http://needhamma.gov/index.aspx?nid=346 Needham Free Public Library]
* [http://www.needhamhistory.org Needham Historical Society]

{{Norfolk County, Massachusetts}}
{{Greater_Boston}}
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[[Category:Needham, Massachusetts| ]]
[[Category:1680 establishments in the Massachusetts Bay Colony]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1680]]
[[Category:Towns in Norfolk County, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Towns in Massachusetts]]