By Christopher Holt
For those visiting or moving to Freetown, even though Freetown is officially one town, it is know to many as two villages, Assonet (exit 9 and 10 on route 24/79) and East Freetown (exit 8 on route 140), both with distinct centers and histories. One example of this is during the Revolutionary War, in which Assonet Village was Loyalist, while East Freetown was with the Revolutionaries. However, both sides of town are united by our love of small town values and the community. The Freetown Historical Museum, which is located on Slab Bridge Road in Assonet, is an excellent source of information about this community. They sell books, Freetown: A Tricentennial Sampler and A Freetown Lexicon, which give this information in greater detail. They offer web sites, located in the main page, which provides further information and pictures.
Here you will find a listing of town businesses, services, hours of operation, and churches that Freetown, categorized by Assonet and East Freetown, has to offer.
Any of these locations can be mapped using the Mapquest or Yahoo map program.
All phone numbers are (508) except where otherwise indicated.
FACTS ABOUT FREETOWN: Official name: Town of Freetown
Official web site: http://www.freetownma.gov
Location: Southeastern Massachusetts
Boundaries: Acushnet, Berkley, Dartmouth, Fall River, Lakeville, New Bedford,
Rochester and Somerset.
Area: 34.57 square miles
Type of government: Executive: Board of Selectmen/Town Administrator
Legislative: Open Town Meeting
Population: 8,979 (2005)
ANNUAL EVENTS IN FREETOWN:
First Saturday in May: May breakfast at the United Church of Assonet, 9 N. Main St.
First Saturday in May: Bus trip to Foxwoods by the Lions Club: 9 N. Main St. (park @ Town Hall).
Memorial Day weekend (Fri-Mon): Lakeside Festival at St. John Neumann, 157 Middleboro Rd.
Third Sun. in June, Strawberry Festival, Assonet Bandstand, S. Main St., noon-4 p.m.
July 3: Fireworks at Hathaway Park, Water St., 9 p.m., evening concession stands.
July 4: Parade 10 a.m. in Assonet S. Main St. (see parade route below).
Third Sat. in July: Chicken barbeque at E. Freetown Fire Station, County Rd. by E. Freetown Cong. Church
First Sun. after Labor Day: Historical Society Open House, 1 Slab Bridge Rd.
Late Sept/early Oct: Big Bang Bike Race to benefit the Fireworks Fund at the Freetown State Forest.
First Sun. in October: Fun Day in the Forest, Freetown State Forest, Slab Bridge Rd. by Friends of
the Forest/Green Futures.
TAX RATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2010 (per $1,000 value on property)
RESIDENTIAL: $10.30 COMMERCIAL: $16.48
EXCISE TAX: $25 per $1,000 valuation.
NEAREST GROCERY STORES: Aldi, 600 South St., Raynham, 630-879-8100
Auclair's Market, 145 County St., Somerset, 672-1918
BJ's Wholesale Club 460 State Rd., Dartmouth, 990-8741
2085 Bay St., Taunton, 823-6481
Chaves Market & Gift Shop, 49 Columbia St., Fall River, 679-4410
Hannaford, 255 Joseph Warner Blvd., Taunton, 828-3940
Lees Market 796 Main Rd., Westport, 636-3348
Market Basket 240 Broadway., Raynham, 822-8866
Price Rite 139 Hathaway Rd., New Bedford, 992-3719
910 Pleasant St., Fall River, 678-8167
Sam's Club 1098 Fall River Ave, Seekonk, 336-8262
Save-A-Lot 452 Mt. Pleasant St., New Bedford, 992-5560
100 Griffin St., Fall River, 646-4095
Seabra Supermarkets 41 Rockdale Ave., New Bedford, 991-2505
440 Stafford Rd., Fall River, 679-1021
Shaw's 4171 N. Main St., Fall River, 677-0940
280 Winthrop St., Taunton, 822-0137
500 King's Highway, New Bedford, 998-1226
Route 44, Raynham, 822-5660
Stop and Shop 1001 King's Highway, New Bedford, 998-2000
422 W. Grove St., Middleboro, 946-2055
25 Faunce Corner Rd., Dartmouth, 999-7200
887 GAR Hwy., Somerset, 679-1373
Trucchi's 534 County St., Taunton, 824-8941
2941 Acushnet Ave., New Bedford, 998-7500
Wal-Mart 76 Paramount Dr., Raynham, 822-4900
NEAREST MALLS: Dartmouth Mall, 200 Dartmouth Mall Dr., Dartmouth, 999-4535
Emerald Square Mall, 999 S. Washington St., N. Attleboro, 699-7979
New Harbour Mall, William S. Canning Blvd, Fall River, 678-0115 (Wal-Mart and K-Mart)
Providence Place Mall, 1 Providence Pl., Providence (401) 270-1000
Silver City Galleria, 2 Galleria Mall Dr., Taunton, 823-3333
Swansea Mall, 262 Swansea Mall Dr., Swansea, 679-2543
Wareham Crossing, 2421 Cranberry Hwy., Wareham, 291-6371
Westgate Mall, 200 Westgate Dr., Brockton, 588-8916
Wrentham Village Premium Outlets, 1 Premium Outlets Blvd., Wrentham, 384-0600
NEAREST AIRPORTS: T.F. Green Airport (PVD) Warwick, RI, 888-268-7222 (401-737-8222 in RI)
Logan Airport (BOS) Boston, MA, 617-568-1000
Taunton Municipal Airport (TAN) E. Taunton, MA, 821-2973
New Bedford Regional Airport (EWB) New Bedford, MA, 991-6161
Myricks Airport (1M8) Berkley, MA, 822-2457
NEAREST VENUES: Dunkin Donuts Center, Providence, RI
T.D. Garden, Boston, MA
Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, MA
Comcast Center for the Performing Arts, Mansfield, MA
Providence Performing Arts Center, Providence, RI
Zeiterion Theater, New Bedford, MA
SPORTS TEAMS: Baseball: Boston Red Sox
Basketball: Boston Celtics
Football: New England Patriots
Hockey: Boston Bruins
Soccer: New England Revolution
CASINOS: Foxwoods, Ledyard, CT
Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, CT
Newport Grand, Newport, RI
Twin River, Lincoln, RI
Raynham Park, Raynham, MA
COMPANIES SERVICING FREETOWN: Electricity: NStar
Telephone: Verizon
Cable: Comcast
Rail: CSX
TOWN SERVICES: Town Hall, 3 N. Main St., P.O. Box 438, Assonet, MA 02702
Hours open Mon 8 a.m. - 7 p.m., Tues. - Thurs 8 a.m. - 4 p.m, and Fri. 8 a.m. - noon.
Download town forms here
PHONE NUMBERS: Selectmen: 644-2201 (FAX 644-3342)
Building Inspector/Health Agent: 644-2202 (FAX 644-2183)
Town Clerk: 644-2203 (FAX 644-9826)
Treasurer: 644-2204 (FAX 644-2736)
Assessors: 644-2205 (View Assessors' Database here)
Tax Collector: 644-2206
Accountant: 644-2207
Town Administrator: 644-2208
Water Commission: 644-4000
Planning Board/Zoning Board of Appeals: 644-2270 (FAX 644-2271)
Conservation Commission: 644-3691 (FAX 644-2271)
Fire Chief (25 Bullock Rd.): 763-4829
Highway Department (201 Chace Rd.): 763-2359
Town Counsel: Kopelman & Paige
Trash pick-up is $125 a year; contact Board of Health to sign up.
(Pick up: Precinct 1: Thursday; Precinct 2: Friday; Precinct 3: Saturday. Find precinct here)
Trash goes to SEMASS, W. Wareham, Mass. after pick-up.
Burning permits are $5 each; contact the Fire Chief's Office.
SCHOOLS: Freetown Elementary School, 43 Bullock Rd. 763-5121 (latest MCAS results)
Freetown/Lakeville Middle School, 96 Howland Rd., Lakeville 763-8717
Austin Intermediate School, 112 Howland Rd., Lakeville 923-3506
Apponequet High School, 100 Howland Rd., Lakeville 763-5140 (latest MCAS results)
(Freetown residents may use the Apponequet High School Library during regular hours)
Students have the option of attending the following:
Bristol County Agricultural High School, 135 Center St., Dighton, 669-6558 (MCAS results)
Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical H.S., 476 North Ave., Rochester 763-8011 (MCAS)
Office of the Superintendent of Schools (98 Howland Rd., Lakeville) phone number is 763-5183
and the fax number is 923-9960.
POLICE/FIRE DEPT COMMUNICATIONS CENTER 225 Chace Rd.
EMERGENCY: 911 or 763-4698; NON-EMERGENCY: 763-4017; FAX: 763-4010
FREQUENCIES: Police: 470.925 MHz; Fire: 45.280; Bristol County Ambulance: 46.180
TOWN MEETINGS: They are held the first Monday in May at 7:30 p.m. at the Apponequet H.S.
with a special town meeting traditionally held the same day at 7 p.m. There is usually a special
town meeting in the fall at the Freetown Elementary School at 7 p.m.
TOWN ELECTIONS: They are held the first Monday in April from noon to 8 p.m., with precincts
one and two voting at the Elementary School and precinct three at the Senior Center.
TO REGISTER TO VOTE/ABSENTEE BALLOT: See the Elections Page to download forms.
SELECTMEN'S MEETINGS: Held Mondays 7 p.m., at the Senior Center, 227 Chace Rd.
If a large turnout is expected, it is moved to the Freetown Elementary School. They are generally held
Tuesdays if Monday is a holiday and they move to a summer schedule, with meetings every other week.
Broadcast Tues. 7 p.m. & Sat./Sun. 1 p.m. on channel 95. Call (508) 644-2201 for information.
FOURTH OF JULY EVENTS: July 4 parade held in Assonet from Copicut Rd. American Legion Hall down
South Main St. Fireworks are held the night before at Hathaway Park, Water
St., with concession stands and events at the park in the late afternoon and evening.
ASSONET
Basic facts: ZIP code: 02702
Area code: 508 (new numbers may receive a 774 code)
Telephone exchange: 644 (MItchell in the old exchange) except for 174-223 Slab Bridge Rd., High Plain,
Allison, and Louise Ave., which is 763 (ROckwell).
TRANSFER STATION/RECYCLING CENTER: 49 Howland Rd., 644-2403, open Thurs.-Sun., 8 a.m.- 3:30 p.m;
resident stickers sold here for $10. A Salvation Army bin for clothes is located here. Call 644-2202 for more
information.
The Recycling Center accepts newspapers, magazines, paper, cans, glass, cardboard, plastic (#1 and 2),
car batteries, motor oil, leaves, and brush.
See the town web site for current rates.
GUILFORD HATHAWAY LIBRARY: 6 N. Main St., open Mon. 3-7 p.m. and Fri. 1-4 p.m. A library card provides
access to the Southeastern Mass. Library Services. Tel. #: 644-2385.
CHURCHES: St. Bernard's Church, 30 S. Main St., 644-5585 (Roman Catholic) (has St. Vincent clothes bin)
United Church of Assonet, 9 N. Main St., 644-5448 (United Church of Christ)
RESTAURANTS: Assonet Inn, 16 Water St. 644-2777 (lunch/supper)
Assonet Pizza, 66 S. Main St. 644-2062 (breakfast/lunch/supper)
Dunkin' Donuts, 60 So. Main St. 644-1297
Dunkin' Donuts, 68 So. Main St., 644-2834
Independence Harbor, 10 Narrows Rd. 644-2225 (functions, occasional Sunday brunches)
Kathy's Coffee Shop & Creamery, 66 S. Main St. 644-3396 (breakfast/lunch)
Ricky's Deli and Pizza, 63b So. Main St. 644-3339 (lunch/supper)
Subway Sandwiches, 69 S. Main St. 644-2140 (breakfast/lunch/supper)
BANKS: Rockland Trust, 58 S. Main St., 644-3044
Sovereign Bank, 63 S. Main St., 644-2479
STORES: Grandpa's Place, 9 S. Main St., 644-2600
Junior's Convenience Store, 58 S. Main St., P.O. Box 88, 644-5800
New England Farms Convenience Store <additional site>/Mobil Gas
68 S. Main St., P.O. Box 145, 644-3600
Sedell's Pharmacy, 63 S. Main St., 644-5455
ATTRACTIONS: Freetown Historical Museum, 1 Slab Bridge Rd. (open Mon. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and in
July and August, Sunday, 1-4 p.m.), 644-5310.
Freetown State Forest, Slab Bridge Rd. (hiking trails, picnics, environmental scenery, wading
pool, and statue for the Civilian Conservation Corps), 644-5522
Hathaway Park, Water St. (ballfield, boat ramp, and playground off the Assonet River)
Porter Pastures Beach, Gramp Deane Rd. (off North Main St.)
Profile Rock, Slab Bridge Rd. (mountain formation of a profile - open from dawn to dusk)
CHILD CARE CENTERS: Children's Development Center, 58R S. Main St., 644-3140
Freetown Head Start, 2 Howland Rd., 675-2151 ext. 204
Love to Learn Preschool and Daycare Center, 59 Howland Rd., 644-3625
Rainbow Workshop & Learning Center, 213 Slab Bridge Rd., 763-4970
EAST FREETOWN
Basic facts: ZIP code: 02717
Area code: 508 (new numbers may receive a 774 code)
Telephone exchange: 763 (ROckwell in the old exchange) except for 1-34 County Rd. and Ricky's Ln.,
which is 995 (WYman). Even though 995 is a New Bedford exchange, which is long distance for
Assonet, it is local for Assonet residents to call anyone in East Freetown.
ATTRACTIONS:
Central Park, Memorial Dr. (across from Elementary School), ballfield, playground, and walking path.
Freetown Memorial Park, Memorial Dr./Chace Rd., Vietnam War-era helicopter and veteran's memorial.
Long Pond Boat Ramp, Middleboro Rd. (rt. 18), $4 a day for Mass. residents, $9 for
out of state residents to park weekends and holidays from Memorial to Labor Day only, no charge to launch.
Long Pond Beach, Long Pond Rd. (off County Rd.) $10 resident sticker required, which may be purchased
at the Transfer Station or Board of Health Office at Town Hall. Open 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. daily.
TOWN SERVICES:
James White Memorial Library, 5 Washburn Rd., 763-5344, open Tues. and Thurs. 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
Library cards to access Southeastern Mass. Library Services may be obtained here.
Multi-Purpose Senior Center, 227 Chace Rd. 763-9557 (FAX: 763-9084).
RESTAURANTS: Dunkin' Donuts, 2 Chace Rd., 763-2262
Dunkin' Donuts, 1 Mason Rd., 763-2305
Everybody's Pizza, 54 County Rd., 763-5933 (lunch/supper)
Hugo's Restaurant & Catering, 50 Middleboro Rd., 763-3284 (lunch/supper)
Nephew's Restaurant, 2 Crossroads Dr., 763-4405 (supper)
Oriental Express, 1 Chace Rd., 763-5000 (lunch/supper)
Subway Sandwiches, 1 Chace Rd., 763-4328 (breakfast/lunch/supper)
USA Donuts, 1 Chace Rd., 763-3766 (breakfast/lunch)
STORES: Daisy's Country Store, 33 Middleboro Rd., 763-1767
New England Farms Convenience Store <additional site>/Mobil Gas, 4 Chace Rd., Box 507, 763-0990
Prime Express, 1 Mason Rd., 763-4155
Quick Pic Mini Mart, 1 Chace Rd., 763-3740
BANK: Bank of America, 1 Chace Rd., 1-800-841-4000
CHURCHES: Calvary Pentecostal Church, 33 Braley Rd., 763-8343 (Pentecostal)
Church of the New Beginning, 193 Braley Rd., 998-7795 (Pentecostal)
East Freetown Congregational Christian Church, 2 Washburn Rd., 763-3685 (Congregational)
New Seasons Worship Center, 34 County Rd., 995-8807 (non-denominational)
St. John Neumann Church, 157 Middleboro Rd., 763-2240 (Roman Catholic)
CHILD CARE CENTERS: Children's Development Center, 12 Crossroads Dr., 763-3888
Kidz Castle Learning Center, 238 Middleboro Rd., 763-9776
With All My Heart Child Care, 42 & 48 Chipaway Rd., 763-9647 & 5278