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Somerset was first settled in 1677 on the Shawomet lands, and was officially incorporated in 1790. It was named for Somerset Square in Boston, which was, in turn, named for the county of Somerset, England. It was once a vital shipping point, and after the War of 1812 it was one of America’s chief distribution points. In 1872, it became the site of a major coal port, and in the early 20th century a large cannery existed in the town. However, as neighboring Fall River‘s industry grew, it absorbed much of Somerset’s, and the town took on more of a suburban character. In fact, the town’s population grew during the Great Depression, as many people from Fall River and other localities moved to the suburb.

Somerset is bordered by Swansea on the west, Dighton on the north, Fall River on the east (across the Taunton River), and Bristol, Rhode Island to the south.  the town has a total area of 12.0 square miles (31.0 km²), of which, 8.1 square miles (21.0 km²) of it is land and 3.9 square miles (10.0 km²) of it (32.30%) is water. It borders on Mount Hope Bay and Narragansett Bay, and its east border is formed by the Taunton River, an arm of that bay.

Somerset Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce
Fall River, MA Chamber of Commerce
200 Pocasset St.
Fall River, MA  02721
Phone: 508-676-8226
www.fallriverchamber.com

Newspapers Links:

www.southcoasttoday.com/

http://www.heraldnews.com/

www.mondotimes.com

http://www.topix.com/city/somerset-ma