PLYMOUTH /Highland Place-Vernon Street
An old-world neighborhood perched on a hill

By TERI BORSETI
For The Patriot Ledger Area: 103.2 square miles

POPULATION
2000: 51,701
2007: 57,900

Density: 593 res./square mile
Median age: 38
Median household income: $63,009

FINANCES
Tax rate: $9.71
Town budget: $152.9 million
Avg. water/sewer bill: $625/year

HOUSING
Median home price (# sales)
2006: $327,875 (654)
2007: $275,084 (613)
Median condo price
2006: $240,000 (307)
2007: $246,250 (259)

SCHOOLS
Number of students: 8,325
Number of teachers: 612
H.S. grads to 4-yr. college: 49%
H.S. grads to 2-yr. college: 23%
Median SAT score (2006): 1509 (Plymouth North); 1439 (Plymouth South)

John Hernandez had been living in his 18th century home on Highland Place in Plymouth for many years when he decided to have the front porch rebuilt.

He was surprised when workers attempting to build new footings came upon two large white tombstones marked “Mother” and “Father.”

The stones date back to the 1800s and were made for a couple buried in the cemetery down the street from Hernandez’s home. Today, he displays the stones on his new front porch. They fit in with the somewhat spooky, old-world feel of the neighborhood which also includes Vernon and Davis streets.

“There used to be a huge tree right there at the end of Highland Place that was used as a hanging tree way back when. I guess quite a few people were probably hanged there,” Hernandez said.

The neighborhood is just a few blocks from downtown Plymouth and is perched on a hill. Many of the residents have views of the ocean from their homes.

Ghost stories are part of the local lore. The man who grew up in the house Hernandez calls home told him that he had a spectral friend when he was a youngster. “I guess he spent a lot of time with this imaginary person until one day, (the ghost) just disappeared,” Hernandez said.

It is a close-knit, pedestrian-friendly neighborhood with sidewalks, front porches and neighbors who know people’s names. The sense of community that exists here is the reason Rick Clerici moved into the house across the street from Hernandez.

“We moved here from Scituate. I knew I didn’t want to leave the water, but we wanted a real neighborhood and we wanted to live in a place where there are more artists as well as venues for their work,” Clerici said.

Aside from driving to work, Clerici said he rarely uses his car these days. “There are about 10 places we can walk to for breakfast, we have all different routes to the waterfront and we know our neighbors. The day we moved in, three of our new neighbors came over to greet us. It was amazing, just what we wanted,” he said.

The neighborhood has a variety of architectural styles. Most are single-family homes, but there area a few duplexes.

At Highland Place and Davis Street, Henry and Victoria Brandell of Michigan are enjoying their stay at the home of Shaun Sampson, a Marine serving in Iraq. They love that the three-bedroom colonial home is close to everything and have enjoyed seeing Plymouth and meeting locals.

“Our son (who lives in Plymouth) is also a Marine, and this house belongs to a friend of his,” Victoria Brandell said.

Brenda Sutherland of ERA Belsito Real Estate in Plymouth has a listing on Vernon Street for $385,000. It’s an 1800-square-foot house that dates back to the late 1800s but has had extensive renovations. “It’s a single-family house, with a nice yard, in a family neighborhood, that’s within walking distance of everything,” Sutherland said.

Sutherland said its price is about average for the area. “There are some smaller, older houses that can be bought for less,” she said.

“There’s always something going on downtown like concerts and art shows, so that’s a big draw,” Sutherland added.