Lying in the territory once known by the Indian name of Massapoag, meaning "Great Waters," Sharon is famed for its picturesque hills and pure spring water. The town forms the watershed of streams flowing in opposite directions - northeasterly towards Massachusetts Bay and southeasterly toward Narragansett Bay. Sharon is one of eleven towns which were formed either wholly or partially, from the territory of the original town of Stoughton which had been detached from Dorchester and incorporated as a separate community in 1726. Sharon became an incorporated town in 1775.
Sharon's history is depicted by its seal, on which are copies of natural scenery in the town and emblems of incidents in the history of the town that characterize its individuality. For instance, on a shield in the center of the seal is the outline of Moose Hill, the highest elevation of land between Boston and Providence with an outstanding view of the surrounding countryside. Another element is the Sharon Artillery Company's gunhouse from the 1700's. Two cannons crossed upon a pile of cannon balls form the crest of the seal as a patriotic emblem of an industry established in the town before the Revolutionary War. The first cannon and cannon balls ever made in America were cast in Sharon. In 1775, a company of guards was ordered for the protection of the ironworks by the Committee of Safety for the Province of Massachusetts Bay before the Battle of Lexington.
Today, Sharon is a residential community of 17,408 people (2000 U. S. census) settled in an area of 25 square miles. It is projected that the population is upwards of 70% Jewish. The town is located just 18 miles from Boston ("as the bird flies"), 27 miles ("as the car drives"), and both Boston and Providence are accessible by the town's MBTA Commuter Train. Sharon's form of government is the old New England style of town meeting, democracy to its fullest extent. The town has a wealth of natural resources. Lake Massapoag is a spring-fed lake, 400 acres in area, that offers both summer and winter recreational activities. Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary is a 227-acre reservation maintained by the Massachusetts Audubon Society, containing hiking trails, swamps and highlands.
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