Rehoboth MA

Rehoboth MA

Established in 1643, as a part of the Plymouth Colony, Rehoboth is one of Massachusetts’ oldest and most historic towns. Currently, it is a small suburban town located in southeastern Massachusetts with a little over twelve thousand residents. Rehoboth was the birthplace of public education in North America and still has an excellent educational system today.

Rehoboth is the birthplace of public education in North America. Upon incorporation, members of the Rehoboth community and Newman Church (in present-day East Providence, Rhode Island) elected to collect funds to pay a teacher for the settlement’s children. Church and government were closely tied in early colonial villages, so the word ‘public’ refers instead to access to education by all children in the community, not just those of wealthy parents.

Today Rehoboth is a mostly rural, suburban community with many historic sites including 53 historic cemeteries.