[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 99 (Friday, June 19, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E936-E937]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    IN RECOGNITION OF THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF SHARON, MASSACHUSETTS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. WILLIAM R. KEATING

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 19, 2015

  Mr. KEATING.  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 250th 
anniversary of the founding of Sharon, Massachusetts, a town whose 
slogan ``A Better Place to Live Because It's Naturally Beautiful'' is 
uncontroverted. Sharon's landscape represents a classic New England 
destination with its tree-lined streets, pristine white church spires 
encasing bells manufactured by Paul Revere, its forested high plains 
and the peacefulness of Lake Massapoag.
  First settled in 1637 as part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Sharon 
was established as the 2nd precinct of its neighboring town Stoughton 
in 1740. On June 21, 1765, an act passed by the Council and the House 
of Representatives and signed by Governor Bernard incorporated the 
second precinct of Stoughton into the district named Stoughtonham. It 
was subsequently named after the Sharon plains in Israel due to its 
plentiful forests and greenery. Engrained in the history of Sharon is 
the strength of its townspeople who manufactured weapons for the 
Continental Army during the American Revolution. The heroism of the 
colonial townspeople of Sharon is exemplified by the historical figure 
Deborah Sampson, a woman who disguised herself as a man in order to 
display her patriotism by fighting for her country in the Revolutionary 
War.
  Present day Sharon has become a beacon for its thriving culture. 
Local artists and businesses have contributed to the unique character 
of this charming Massachusetts town.
  A boisterous population of 18,000 individuals inhabit Sharon, 
providing the town with

[[Page E937]]

diversity of race, religion, and personalities. But one thing is a 
constant in Sharon: the friendliness of its townspeople. As my 
hometown, where I resided for over half a century, I had the pleasure 
of a place that valued the meaning of friendship. The people of Sharon 
are kind, tolerant, spirited and it is due to their love of 
neighborliness that Sharon has been able to remain a steadfast 
community, truly representing the very best that our Commonwealth and 
our country has to offer.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in celebrating the 250th anniversary of 
Sharon, Massachusetts. May this beautiful Massachusetts town flourish 
for many years to come.

                          ____________________