4. 4
BARNSTABLE VILL
A VILLAGE OF BARNSTABLE
HISTORY
Barnstable is one of the seven
villages within the Town of
Barnstable. Barnstable Vil-
lage is the oldest of the town’s
villages and the second old-
est area of the Cape to be set-
tled by the Europeans. Settle-
ments first developed along
the shore and the Old Kings
Highway. The sheltered wa-
ters of the harbor became the
center for a vigorous mar-
itime trade, which reached
its zenith in the mid-19th
century when clipper ships
sailed from the village to the
Northwest and the Orient.
Sea captains built great hous-
es along the Old Kings High-
way and side roads leading
to the harbor. These houses
and the historic landscapes
remain largely intact today,
thanks to vigorous preserva-
tion efforts.
GEOGRAPHY
The Village of Barnstable
is located on the north side
of the town, centered along
“Old King’s Highway” (Mas-
sachusetts Route 6A), and
houses the County Complex
of Barnstable County, a small
business district, a working
harbor, and several small
beaches. The village is home
to many small attractions,
including Sturgis Library, the
Olde Colonial Courthouse
(now Tales of Cape Cod),
the Barnstable Comedy
Club, and the Trayser Muse-
um. Barnstable is located in
the Mid-Cape area, and the
town has a total area of 76.3
square miles, over 21 per-
cent of which is comprised
of water, and shares borders
with Sandwich and Mashpee
to the west and Yarmouth to
the east.
CHARACTER
The town of Barnstable is the
Cape’s largest and most pop-
ulous community, and is the
heartbeat of the Cape. Barn-
stable Village is a quaintly
historic nexus of that com-
munity. The Sturgis Library
was constructed in 1644 for
the Reverend John Lothrop,
founder of Barnstable. The
Olde Colonial Courthouse is
one of the oldest courthouses
in the United States. The vil-
lage is arguably the most his-
toric village in Barnstable; it
holds the homes of M. Hin-
kley, D.G. Bacon, F.D. Cobb,
and several other homes dat-
ing from the mid-19th cen-
tury. The area also holds the
renowned Cummaquid Golf
Club.
STATS
ThesestatisticsapplytothetownofBarnstable(andtheseven
villageswithinit).
(U.S.Census2010,2012AmericanCommunitySurvey)
FORM OF GOVERNMENT:
Council-managercity
INCORPORATED IN:1639
LOCATION: 41°42’5.1”N70°18’11.0”W
DEMOGRAPHICS:
Totalpopulation: ...................45,193
Female: .................................... 51.8%
Male: ........................................ 48.2%
White: ...................................... 89.3%
Black: .......................................... 3.0%
AmericanIndian
andAlaskaNative: ................... 0.6%
Asian:.......................................... 1.2%
Personsreportingtwo
ormoreraces: ........................... 3.1%
HispanicorLatino: ................... 3.1%
HOUSING:
Housingunits: ........................26,343
Familyhouseholds: ...............12,191
Averagehouseholdsize: ........... 2.33
Averagefamilysize: .................. 2.84
HOUSING TENURE:
Occupiedhousingunits:........19,225
Owner-occupiedunits:............. 75%
Averagehouseholdsize
ofowner-occupiedunits:.......... 2.37
Renter-occupiedunits: .............25%
Averagehouseholdsize
ofrenter-occupiedunits:.......... 2.21
4
I was like a boy playing on the sea-shore, and diverting myself now and then finding a smoo
6. 66
CENTERVILLECENTERVILLE
A VILLAGE OF BARNSTABLEA VILLAGE OF BARNSTABLE
HISTORY
Centerville was originally
called “Chequaquet” by the
Wampanoag Native Amer-
icans. Myles Standish pur-
chased the large piece of land
that included Chequaquet
in 1648. In the early 1700s,
Lake Wequaquet was a pop-
ular site for settlers to build
their homes as the lake pro-
vided food, good soil and
fresh water. The early 1800s
was a period of growth for
Chequaquet and the village
was renamed “Centreville.”
By the early 19th century, the
spelling had been changed to
“Centerville.”
GEOGRAPHY
Centerville is located on the
south side of Barnstable –
one of the town’s seven vil-
lages. Centerville beaches,
which include the popular
Craigville Beach, meet Nan-
tucket Sound. A number of
inlets, bays, rivers and creeks
dissect the coastal landscape
and include Bumps River,
Centerville River and Her-
ring River. Closer inland sits
the large Wequaquet Lake as
well as smaller bodies of wa-
ter like Long Pond and Shal-
low Pond.
CHARACTER
Centerville is known as
one of the most beautiful of
Barnstable’s seven villages,
featuring plenty of pictur-
esque waterfront landscapes.
The village’s rich history is
well-preserved and there are
plenty of sea captains’ homes
along Main Street. Many
other structures raised in
the 19th century still stand
today, including the 1856
Country Store, 1834 post
office and the 1880 elemen-
tary school. Even older is
the South Congregational
Church, constructed in 1717.
LOCATION: 41.6459°N,70.3467°W
6
The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever. J
C e n t e r v i l l e i s h o m e t o t h e
w h i c h w a s f e a t u r e d o n T h e O
“ O p r a h ’ s F a v o r i t e
8. 88
COTUIT
A VILLAGE OF BARNSTABLE
HISTORY
Myles Standish purchased
Cotuit from Paupmunnuck,
a leader of the Wampanoag
tribe’s Cotachesett village, in
1648. Colonial economic ac-
tivity consisted of raising cat-
tle and harvesting salt marsh
hay, as well as some early
shipyards. Cotuit’s name
comes from the Wampanoag
term for “place of the coun-
cil.” The village was called
“Cotuit Port” until 1872,
when it was shortened to the
modern “Cotuit.” The vil-
lage’s oldest standing home is
the Josiah Sampson House,
built around 1793, which
stands off of Main Street,
near the center of Cotuit.
GEOGRAPHY
Cotuit is one of Barnstable’s
seven villages and is among
its smallest. It has an area of
only about five square miles,
though it features 12 miles
of coastline. Cotuit has a
small commercial zone near
its center as well, featuring
some local real estate, insur-
ance, and architect’s offices, a
public library, restaurant and
bar, variety store and grocery
coop. The historic Freedom
Hall, located near the village
green, is used for civic gath-
erings. Cotuit’s northwestern
corner is a sub-village called
Santuit. Cotuit Bay, the vil-
lage’s main body of water, sits
east of the village.
CHARACTER
Cotuit is a small, quaint vil-
lage of Barnstable with a
year-round population of
around 2,600. Despite its
size, Cotuit has a distinct
character. The village is home
to “Cotuit Skiffs,” a unique
design of racing sailboat that
has sailed Cotuit Bay for over
a century. Cotuit also has its
own breed of high-quality,
world-renowned oyster. The
Cotuit Oyster Company is
the oldest oyster brand name
in the country and cultivates
these oysters, which have a
unique flavor as a result of
the quality of the water in
which they are raised.
LOCATION: 41°37’00”N70°26’13”W
8
The ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination and brings eternal joy
C o t u i t ’ s C a h o o n M u s e u m o
a t t h e f o r m e r h o m e o f M
w h o w e r e p r o m i n e n t
10. 1010
HYANNISHYANNIS
A VILLAGE OF BARNSTABLE
HISTORY
Hyannis is the largest village
of Barnstable, which was
incorporated by settlers in
1639, most of whom were
farmers. The first perma-
nent residence in Hyannis
was built in 1690 by Edward
Coleman, Jr. at the head of
Lewis Bay. By 1840, Hyan-
nis was home to over 200
shipmasters, earning it the
nickname, “the Port.” Hyan-
nis also relied upon the salt
works industry to support its
economy. The village has also
been a residence of members
of the Kennedy family since
1928, when Joseph P. Kenne-
dy purchased the Malcolm
Cottage.
GEOGRAPHY
Hyannis, located in the Mid-
Cape area, sits on the Cape’s
south side with shores touch-
ing Nantucket Sound. Near
the coast, Hyannis is dissect-
ed by numerous small bodies
of water, including Snows
Creek. Hyannis Inner Har-
bor rests at the northwestern
edge of Lewis Bay and is the
location of the Steamship
Authority. The larger Hyan-
nis Harbor sits southwest of
Lewis Bay and opens to Nan-
tucket Sound. Hyannis Port
overlooks Nantucket Sound
at Hyannis’ southwestern
edge and is the location of
the Kennedy Compound.
CHARACTER
Hyannis is known as the un-
official “Capital of the Cape,”
due to its status as the com-
mercial and transportation
hub for Cape Cod and the
fact that the 1990 census des-
ignated Hyannis as an urban
area. The village has two of
the Cape’s major shopping
centers: the Cape Cod Mall
and downtown Main Street.
It is also home to Cape Cod
Hospital, the Cape’s largest
medical facility. Hyannis
Harbor makes Hyannis the
largest recreational boating
port on the Cape, and the
second largest commercial
fishing port.
Why do we love the sea? It is because it has some potent power to make
LOCATION: 41°39’10”N70°17’0”W
10
T h e v i l l a g e o f H y a n n i s w a
a s a c h e m o f t h e C
12. 1212
MARSTONS MILLS
A VILLAGE OF BARNSTABLE
HISTORY
This village of the town of
Barnstable was settled before
1653 by Roger Goodspeed.
Goodspeed’s granddaughter
married the town’s name-
sake, Benjamin Marston,
who developed the fulling
mill and weaving operations
along the Marstons Mills
River. Nineteenth century
Marstons mills was domi-
nated by Nathaniel Hinckley,
who controlled much of the
village’s economy, owning
the grocery store, fulling
mill, three grist mills and
farmland and lots used for
generating firewood. Hinck-
ley exerted political influ-
ence as well, holding most
town and county offices.
GEOGRAPHY
Marstons Mills sits on glacial
outwash plains, which con-
sist of sands and gravels de-
posited by glacial meltwaters.
The village is south of West
Barnstable and East Sand-
wich, but north of Cotuit and
Osterville. Due to its central
location, Marstons Mills has
no public salt-water beach-
es. However, there are many
noteworthy lakes, ponds and
cranberry bogs, including
Middle Pond, Mystic Lake,
Muddy Pond, Hamblin’s
Pond, Round Pond, Little
Pond, Long Pond, and more.
Burgess Park and the herring
run also provide outdoor
recreation and sightseeing.
CHARACTER
Marstons Mills is primari-
ly a residential village with
a rural feel, punctuated by
landmarks like Liberty Hall
meeting house, Freedom
Farm, and Cape Cod Airfield
– the only grass airport still
on the Cape. Burgess Park is
a popular destination for res-
idents, where a popular pas-
time is Frisbee golf. Because
it lacks saltwater shores,
Marstons Mills differs from
much of the Cape in that it
does not have a profession-
al fishing industry. Its col-
lection of lakes and ponds,
however, do allow for recre-
ational fishing.
I could never stay long enough on the shore; the tang of the untainted,
B u r g e s s P a r k a n d t h e h e r r i n g r u n
f o r a d u l t s a n d c h i l
I t h a s p r o v e n t o b e a v e r y
d i f f e r e n t a c t i v i t i e s , m
12
LOCATION:41°39’22”N70°24’58”
14. 1414
OSTERVILLEOSTERVILLE
A VILLAGE OF BARNSTABLE
HISTORY
This village of Barnstable was
originally inhabited by the
Cotochese Native Americans
who lived along its shores,
where they enjoyed oysters
as a local delicacy. European
settlers arrived in 1639 and
learned to love oysters as
well, naming the area Oyster
Island Village. Captain Miles
Standish negotiated a deed
for the land in 1648, acquir-
ing it for the English. The
townspeople later truncated
the name to Oysterville. In
1815, it was further short-
ened to Osterville. Crosby
Yacht Yard in Osterville,
which dates back to 1850, is
known worldwide for craft-
ing catboats, Wianno Junior
and Wianno Senior sail-
boats, including John F. Ken-
nedy’s Wianno Senior.
GEOGRAPHY
Osterville is located on the
south side of Barnstable,
with Cotuit to the west,
Centerville to the east and
Marstons Mills to the north.
Osterville’s shoreline is met
by Nantucket Sound to the
south, as well as inlets that
include East Bay, West Bay
and North Bay. The Mass
Audubon’s Skunknett River
Wildlife Sanctuary sits in-
land. Osterville has a num-
ber of ponds, including Neck
Pond, Parker Pond, Crys-
tal Lake, Sam Pond, Micah
Pond, Joshua Pond, West
Pond and North Pond – the
latter two of which are locat-
ed in the wildlife sanctuary.
CHARACTER
Like most areas of the Cape,
Osterville’s population grows
significantly during the sum-
merseason.ManyBoston-ar-
ea residents own second
homes in the village, which
is known for its oceanfront
estates. The business district
features shopping, dining, a
market, banks, public library,
art galleries and more. Oster-
ville is home to Cape Cod’s
largest privately owned park,
Armstrong-Kelley Park. The
village is home to renowned
Crosby Boat Yard, as well
as two country clubs: The
Wianno Club and Oyster
Harbors Club, both of which
have a private beach, golf
course and tennis facilities.
LOCATION: 41°37’42”N70°23’13”W
14
The voice of the sea speaks to the soul. The touch of the sea is sensuous
A r m s t r o n g - K e l l e y P a r k , t h e
o w n e d p a r k o n C a p e C o d ,
16. 1616
W. BARNSTABLEW. BARNSTABLE
A VILLAGE OF BARNSTABLEA VILLAGE OF BARNSTABLE
HISTORY
English settlers were first at-
tracted to West Barnstable
in the mid-1600s because of
the Great Marshes, a source
of salt hay protected by the
six-mile Sandy Neck Barrier
Beach. In the 1700s, when
West Barnstable had a scant
500 residents, the village
produced four people who
would go on to national
prominence: James Otis, the
intellectual leader of Boston’s
revolutionary movement;
Mercy Otis Warren, a his-
torian and political activ-
ist; Lemuel Shaw, as chief
justice of the Massachusetts
Supreme Judicial Court; and
Captain John Percival.
GEOGRAPHY
West Barnstable lies north-
west of Barnstable proper,
east of Sandwich, and has
its shores on Cape Cod Bay.
Most of the village consists
of Sandy Neck, the Great
Marshes, and West Barnsta-
ble Conservation Area. The
Great Marshes form an elab-
orate system of creeks, some
of which include: Scorton
Creek, Spring Creek, Bridge
Creek, Eel Creek, Boat Cove
Creek and more. There are
also a number of islands, in-
cluding: Jackson Island, Sand
Island, Huckins Island, Duck
Island, Jules Island, Little
Thatch Island, among others.
CHARACTER
While West Barnstable was
once devoted to agriculture,
today the village is primarily
historic and residential. The
1717 West Parish of Barnsta-
ble meeting house is a prom-
inent feature at the center
of town, along with the his-
toric Old Village Store. The
eastern side of the village
is known as “Finn Town,”
harking back to an influx of
Finnish immigrants in the
late 1800s and early 1900s.
LOCATION: 41°42’20”N70°22’28”
16
Limitless and immortal, the waters are the beginning and end of all thing
R e m a r k a b l y , i n t h e 1 8 t h c e n t u r y ,
p r o d u c e d f o u r n a t i o n a l l y p r o m i n e
w e r e n o m o r e t h a n 5 0 0 i n h a b i t a n t s :
L e m u e l S h a w , a n d C a p t a i n J
18. 18
BOURNEBOURNE
HISTORY
The town of Bourne was
originally settled in 1640
and was a part of the town
of Sandwich until it became
the last town to be incorpo-
rated in Barnstable County
in 1884, named after Jona-
than Bourne Sr. Bourne is
the site of Aptucxet Trading
Post, which is the United
States’ oldest store, which
was founded by the Pilgrims
in 1627. The trading post
eventually became the site of
the Cape Cod Canal, dug in
order to save sailors the time
and danger of sailing around
the Cape entirely.
GEOGRAPHY
Bourne is located on both
sides of the Cape Cod Canal
and is home to the Bourne,
Sagamore and Cape Cod
Canal Railroad bridges. Be-
cause it is the first town that
one passes through when en-
tering Cape Cod, it is some-
times considered the Cape’s
“first” town, despite being
the last Cape town incor-
porated. Bourne has a total
area of 52.9 square miles,
23.11 percent of which is
water. Aside from the Canal,
Bourne’s shores touch the
Cape Cod Bay to the north
and Buzzards Bay southwest.
The eastern part of town is
owned in large part by Otis
Air National Guard Base.
CHARACTER
Bourne is a mid-sized and
relatively quiet community
that experiences less of the
summer rush than other
towns on the Cape. It’s char-
acterized by the Cape Cod
Canal, which splits the town
in two and is operated by the
Army Corps of Engineers, as
well as the large Otis Air Na-
tional Guard Base that covers
much of the town’s eastern
land area. The Massachusetts
Maritime Academy, estab-
lished in 1891, is also located
in Bourne and is the second
oldest state maritime acade-
my in the country.
STATS
Source:2010DemographicProfileData,2007-2011American
CommunitySurvey5-YearEstimates,census.gov
FORM OF GOVERNMENT:
Opentownmeeting
INCORPORATED IN:1884
LOCATION: 41°44’28”N70°35’58”W
DEMOGRAPHICS::
Totalpopulation: ...................19,754
Female: .................................... 48.9%
Male: ........................................ 51.1%
White: ...................................... 93.5%
Black: .......................................... 1.5%
AmericanIndian
andAlaskaNative: ................... 0.5%
Asian:.......................................... 1.2%
Personsreportingtwo
ormoreraces: ........................... 2.2%
HispanicorLatino: ................... 1.8%
HOUSING:
Housingunits: ........................10,805
Familyhouseholds: ................. 5,015
Averagehouseholdsize: ........... 2.30
Averagefamilysize: .................. 2.85
HOUSING TENURE:
Occupiedhousingunits:.......... 7,866
Owner-occupiedunits:.......... 75.7%
Averagehouseholdsize
ofowner-occupiedunits:.......... 2.36
Renter-occupiedunits: ..........24.3%
Averagehouseholdsize
ofrenter-occupiedunits:.......... 2.12
18
Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they we
20. 20
We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is
BREWSTER
HISTORY
Originally settled as a north-
eastern parish of Harwich
in 1656, Brewster separated
in 1693 and was officially
incorporated in 1803. The
town was named after Elder
William Brewster, and En-
glish official, Mayflower pas-
senger and Separatist leader
and preacher in Plymouth
Colony.
Early commerce was driven
by the grist mill, originally
located across the street from
the current mill at Stony
Brook. Fulling and carding
mills, as well as dry goods
shops rounded out the town’s
early economy. Brewster also
has a rich seafaring history
and is decorated with histor-
ic 19th-century homes built
by wealthy sea captains.
GEOGRAPHY
Brewster has a total area of
25.4 square miles, of which
22.9 square miles is land and
2.5 square miles is water.
Brewster is bordered on the
north by Cape Cod Bay, on
the west by Dennis, on the
south by Harwich, and on
the east by Orleans. The town
is bordered by extensive tidal
sand flats to the north, along
the shores of Cape Cod Bay.
Brewster shares with Har-
wich the largest pond on
Cape Cod, Long Pond and
is home to brooks, beaches,
boat landings, and the largest
state forest on the Cape, Ro-
land C. Nickerson State For-
est Park. The Cape Cod Rail
Trail, as well as several other
bicycle trails, pass through
the town.
CHARACTER
Brewster is characterized by
its history, culture and natu-
ral beauty. Old sea captains’
homes now serve as inns and
restaurants. Galleries fea-
turing fine art and antiques
provide shopping, while mu-
seums, theaters, beaches and
parks provide activities and
sightseeing. Brewster has its
own police and fire depart-
ments. There is a single post
office near the geographic
center of town, as well as the
Brewster Ladies’ Library, a
50,000-volume library. The
Long Pond Medical Center,
located just over the Har-
wich line at the intersection
of Routes 6 and 137, serves
the medical needs of the
town, as well as the south-
eastern corner of the Cape.
STATS
(UnitedStates2010Census,2012AmericanCommunity
Survey)
FORM OF GOVERNMENT:
Opentownmeeting
INCORPORATED IN:1803
LOCATION: 41°45’57”N70°4’37”W
DEMOGRAPHICS::
Totalpopulation: ..................... 9,820
Female: .....................................53.7%
Male: .........................................46.3%
White: .......................................96.7%
Black: ...........................................0.7%
AmericanIndian
andAlaskaNative: ....................0.2%
Asian:...........................................0.9%
Personsreportingtwo
ormoreraces: ............................1.0%
HispanicorLatino: ....................1.7%
HOUSING:
Housingunits: .......................... 7,948
Familyhouseholds: ................. 2,785
Averagehouseholdsize: ........... 2.17
Averagefamilysize: .................. 2.67
HOUSING TENURE:
Occupiedhousingunits: ......... 4,383
Owner-occupiedunits:.......... 82.4%
Averagehouseholdsize
ofowner-occupiedunits: ......2.23%
Renter-occupiedunits: ......... 17.6%
Averagehouseholdsize
ofrenter-occupiedunits:.......... 1.91
20
22. 22
CHATHAMCHATHAM
HISTORY
First settled by the English
in 1664, the township was
originally called Monomoit
based on the indigenous
population, the Monomoy-
icks’, term for the region.
Chatham was incorporat-
ed in 1712 and the first 100
years of recorded history
reveal a struggle to establish
an economy and a stable
population. Farming yield-
ed little beyond the needs of
the residents, and fishing, the
mainstay of the early econo-
my, was often disrupted by
war ships. It wasn’t until af-
ter the Revolutionary War
that Chatham stabilized and
grew. Industries such as fish
export, ship building and
salt production brought life
to the economy. Agriculture,
fishing, whaling and mari-
time enterprises flourished.
GEOGRAPHY
Chatham is located at the
southeast tip of Cape Cod.
To the east is the Atlantic
Ocean, to the South is Nan-
tucket Sound, to the north
is Pleasant Bay. The only
adjacent town (located at
both the north and west
town line boundaries) is
Harwich. Major geograph-
ical features of the town are
hilly, wooded uplands, ex-
tensive barrier beaches and
spits, harbors, numerous
small estuaries, and salt and
freshwater ponds. Strong Is-
land in Pleasant Bay marks
the town’s northern bound-
ary. Morris and Stage Islands
mark the extent of developed
area on the south. The Red
River is the boundary on the
west and the Muddy Creek
(or Monomoy River) on the
northwest.
CHARACTER
In the late 1800s the growing
popularity of seaside sum-
mers and the development of
resorts attractive to a wealthy
clientele provided a new ba-
sis for economic growth in
Chatham. Since World War
II, Chatham has experi-
enced rapid growth and has
become a popular place for
retirement. Currently only
about one-half of the town’s
housing units are occupied
year-round; the other half
are occupied seasonally. To-
day its small-town qualities
are well suited for families
and retired residents. With
its old Cape Cod quaintness
relieved by the vast pristine
beaches and surrounding
ocean, Chatham has great
appeal.
STATS
(UnitedStates2010Census,2012AmericanCommunity
Survey)
FORM OF GOVERNMENT:
Opentownmeeting
INCORPORATED IN:1712
LOCATION: 41°40’55”N69°57’37”W
DEMOGRAPHICS::
Totalpopulation: ..................... 6,125
Female: .................................... 52.7%
Male: ........................................ 47.3%
White: ...................................... 96.1%
Black: .......................................... 1.4%
AmericanIndian
andAlaskaNative: ................... 0.3%
Asian:.......................................... 0.6%
Personsreportingtwo
ormoreraces: ........................... 1.0%
HispanicorLatino: ................... 1.8%
HOUSING:
Housingunits: .......................... 7,343
Familyhouseholds: ................. 1,776
Averagehouseholdsize: ........... 1.95
Averagefamilysize: .................. 2.50
HOUSING TENURE:
Occupiedhousingunits:.......... 3,085
Owner-occupiedunits:.......... 77.4%
Averagehouseholdsize
ofowner-occupiedunits:.......... 2.00
Renter-occupiedunits: ..........22.6%
Averagehouseholdsize
ofrenter-occupiedunits:.......... 1.80
22
In every outthrust headland, in every curving beach, in every grain of san
24. 24
DENNISDENNIS
HISTORY
Dennis was settled in 1639
by John Crowe, Antony
Thatcher and Thomas How-
es. Originally part of Yar-
mouth, Dennis separated
and was incorporated as
its own town in 1793 and
named after Rev. Josiah Den-
nis. The town’s early, seafar-
ing-based economy revolved
around Shiverick Shipyard,
which was located near the
mouth of Sesuit Creek. It
was the only shipyard on
the Cape to produce large
clipper ships. Dennis is also
home to the Cape Playhouse,
started in 1927, which holds
the reputation as America’s
oldest professional summer
theatre.
GEOGRAPHY
Dennis’ shores reach both
north to Cape Cod Bay and
south to Nantucket Sound.
It has a total area of 22.3
square miles, 7.88 percent of
which is water. To the south,
Dennis is separated from the
neighboring town of Yar-
mouth by Bass River. Dennis
is wealthy in beaches on both
its Bay and Nantucket Sound
shores, as well as on the
shores of its small lakes and
ponds. One noteworthy ex-
ample is Scargo Lake, a kettle
pond with strong ties to Na-
tive American folklore. The
town is divided into five vil-
lages: Dennis, Dennis Port,
East Dennis, South Dennis
and West Dennis.
CHARACTER
Between its north and south
shores, Dennis is home to
16 beaches and enjoys the
reputation of being one of
the Cape’s best destinations
for beachgoers. The town
also features a number of na-
ture trails, golf courses and
charter fishing excursions.
These are complemented
by fine dining, art galleries,
local artisans and historical
landmarks. Dennis’ central
location -- near the Cape’s
“bicep” – makes it a great
launch pad for exploring the
rest of the Cape as well.
STATS
(UnitedStates2010Census,2013AmericanCommunity
Survey)
FORM OF GOVERNMENT:
Opentownmeeting
INCORPORATED IN:1793
LOCATION: 41°44’07”N70°11’40”W
DEMOGRAPHICS::
Totalpopulation: ...................14,207
Female: .................................... 53.6%
Male: ........................................ 46.4%
White: ...................................... 93.5%
Black: .......................................... 2.1%
AmericanIndian
andAlaskaNative: ................... 0.5%
Asian:.......................................... 0.6%
Personsreportingtwo
ormoreraces: ........................... 1.9%
HispanicorLatino: ................... 2.2%
HOUSING:
Housingunits: ........................15,586
Familyhouseholds: ................. 3,978
Averagehouseholdsize: ........... 2.03
Averagefamilysize: .................. 2.60
HOUSING TENURE:
Occupiedhousingunits:.......... 6,982
Owner-occupiedunits:.......... 74.2%
Averagehouseholdsize
ofowner-occupiedunits:.......... 2.03
Renter-occupiedunits: ..........25.8%
Averagehouseholdsize
ofrenter-occupiedunits:.......... 2.03
24
Ocean is more ancient than the mountains, and freighted with the memor
26. 26
For the gifts of life are the earth’s and they are the songs of birds at day
EASTHAM
HISTORY
Originally settled by the
Nauset tribe, Eastham was
the site where in 1620 a
hunting expedition landed,
comprised from the crew of
the sailing vessel Mayflower,
which led to the first en-
counter of the Pilgrims and
the local Nauset people at
First Encounter Beach. The
area would not be settled by
Europeans, however, until
1644. Eastham town was of-
ficially incorporated in 1651.
Fishing and farming were
early industries in Eastham,
and writers and artists also
came to the town. It was in
Eastham that Henry Beston
wrote The Outermost House.
Once home to whaling, fish-
ing, salt works, and aspara-
gus farming, Eastham is now
best known for its beaches
and conservation areas.
GEOGRAPHY
Eastham has a total area of
25.7 square miles, of which
nearly half is water. It is bor-
dered by Cape Cod Bay and
the Atlantic Ocean on its
western and eastern sides,
respectively. Eastham is also
bordered by the towns of
Wellfleet and Orleans on its
northern and southern sides,
respectively. There are sever-
al freshwater ponds near the
center of town, the largest
being Great Pond, which has
two public beaches. Along
the Atlantic coast, portions
of the Cape Cod National
Seashore include several is-
lands, divided by channels
which lead from Nauset Bay
and Salt Pond Bay to the
ocean. Several creeks and
the Herring River run inland
from the bay side.
CHARACTER
Today, Eastham is mostly
known as the gate to the
Cape Cod National Sea-
shore, which was founded
in 1961 by President John
F. Kennedy to protect Cape
Cod’s coast from erosion
and overpopulation. The
natural landscape sets
Eastham apart from other
Cape Cod towns with cliffs
and dunes, glacial rock,
marsh, kettle ponds, forest,
and both ocean and bay ac-
cess. Residents and visitors
can enjoy Eastham’s conser-
vancy with miles of walking
and bike trails through
woods, fields, marshes, and
several designated historical
sites and areas. The Cape
Cod Rail Trail, as well as
several other bicycle routes,
pass through the town.
STATS
(UnitedStates2010Census,2011AmericanCommunity
Survey)
FORM OF GOVERNMENT:
Opentownmeeting
INCORPORATED IN:1651
LOCATION: 41°49’48”N69°58’28”W
DEMOGRAPHICS::
Totalpopulation: ..................... 4,956
Female: .....................................53.5%
Male: .........................................46.5%
White: .......................................97.1%
Black: ...........................................0.7%
AmericanIndian
andAlaskaNative: ....................0.2%
Asian:...........................................0.6%
Personsreportingtwo
ormoreraces: ............................1.1%
HispanicorLatino: ....................1.5%
HOUSING:
Housingunits: .......................... 5,960
Familyhouseholds: ................. 1,487
Averagehouseholdsize: ........... 2.08
Averagefamilysize: .................. 2.54
HOUSING TENURE:
Occupiedhousingunits:.......... 2,388
Owner-occupiedunits:.......... 85.8%
Averagehouseholdsize
ofowner-occupiedunits:.......... 2.09
Renter-occupiedunits: ..........14.2%
Averagehouseholdsize
ofrenter-occupiedunits:.......... 1.97
26
27. 27
ybreak, Orion and the Bear, and dawn seen over ocean from the beach ... Henry Beston
POINTS OF
INTEREST
Salt PondVisitor Center
Coast Guard Beach
National Seashore Park
Nauset Light
Fort Hill Rural
Historic District
EasthamWindmil
Three Sisters Lighthouses
The 1869 Schoolhouse
Museum
Captain Penniman House
Swift-Daley House
Coast Guard Station/
Great Marsh Boardwalk
EDUCATION
Eastham, Brewster, Orleans
and Wellfleet make up the
Nauset Regional School Dis-
trict. Each town is respon-
sible for operating its own
elementary schools, with
the middle and high school
students attending regional
schools. Eastham Elemen-
tary School serves students
from kindergarten through
fifth grade. Middle school
students attend the Nauset
Regional Middle School in
Orleans, and the Nauset Re-
gional High School is locat-
ed in North Eastham, on the
edge of the Cape Cod Na-
tional Seashore. High school
students also have the op-
tion of attending Cape Cod
Regional Technical High
School in Harwich. There
are no private schools in
Eastham; the nearest are in
Brewster.
ARTS & CULTURE
Eastham’s arts scene is led
by the Eastham Cultural
Council, which presents the
annual Hands on the Arts
Festival each summer on the
Windmill Green on Route 6.
The festival features a juried
arts and crafts show and sale
with original works by more
than 40 local artisans. Local
artists feature handcrafted
jewelry; pottery; panoramic
wood burnings; watercol-
or, oil and fabric paintings;
stained glass; weaving; wire
wrapping; prints; photogra-
phy; wood crafts and more.
Windmill Weekend is an-
other annual event held the
weekend following Labor
Day on Windmill Green.
Events include road races,
sand art competition, band
concerts, arts and crafts,
square dancing and a tricycle
race.
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT:
(Population25+years):
Highschoolgraduate: ............25.6%
Bachelor’sdegree: ..................22.2%
Somecollege,nodegree: ......20.0%
Associatedegree: ......................8.7%
Grad.orprofessionaldegree:.21.0%
SCHOOL FUNDING:
Spentperstudent:...............$19,519
Stateaverage: ......................$13,637
Student/teacherratio:...........9.3to1
Stateaverage:.......................13.6to1
EARNINGS:
Medianhouseholdincome: $56,029
Percapitaincome: ...............$35,352
Medianearnings
(Full-timeyear-roundworkers):
Male: ......................................$46,296
Female: ..................................$36,029
Meantraveltimetowork: 23.3min.
REAL ESTATE VALUES:
Averagesellingprices:
Condominium: ....................$226,900
Single-familyhome: .........$523,000
Waterfrontproperty: .....$1,201,200
27
28. 28
FALMOUTHFALMOUTH
HISTORY
Falmouth was settled by
English colonists in 1660
and later officially incor-
porated in 1686. The town
was named after Falmouth,
Cornwall, England by Bar-
tholomew Gosnold. Early
on, the town’s economy was
based upon whaling, salt
works, shipping, and the
breeding of sheep. During
the War of 1812, Falmouth
was bombarded on its south-
ern coast by British ships.
Cranberry and strawberry
cultivation were established
in the late 19th century.
GEOGRAPHY
Falmouth has an area of 54.4
square miles, 10.3 square
miles of which is water. The
town lies on in the south-
western portion of Cape Cod
and is bordered by Bourne,
Sandwich and Mashpee. To
the south, the town meets
Vineyard Sound and is only
three and one third miles
from Martha’s Vineyard. Fal-
mouth is home to a number
of ponds and rivers, includ-
ing Waquoit Bay, Eel Pond,
Bourne’s Pond, Green Pond,
Great Pond, Little Pond and
Falmouth Inner Harbor.
CHARACTER
With over 31,000 residents,
Falmouth is second only to
the town of Barnstable in
terms of population. Home
to seven historic districts and
a number of idyllic beaches,
Falmouth is a great gateway
to Cape Cod. From here, one
can reach many of the most
desirable destinations in
Southeastern Massachusetts.
Falmouth is home to several
oftheworld’smostrenowned
marine science institutions,
including the Woods Hole
Research Center, Woods
Hole Oceanographic Insti-
tution, the Marine Biological
Laboratory, NOAA’s North-
east Fisheries Science Center,
and more.
STATS
(2010U.S.Census,2013AmericanCommunitySurvey)
FORM OF GOVERNMENT:
representativetownmeeting,ledbya
boardofselectmen
INCORPORATED IN:1686
LOCATION: 41°33’05”N70°36’55”W
DEMOGRAPHICS::
Totalpopulation: ...................31,531
Female: .................................... 53.2%
Male: ........................................ 46.8%
White: ...................................... 91.9%
Black: .......................................... 1.9%
AmericanIndian
andAlaskaNative: ................... 0.6%
Asian:.......................................... 1.3%
Personsreportingtwo
ormoreraces: ........................... 2.7%
HispanicorLatino: ................... 1.8%
HOUSING:
Housingunits: ........................21,970
Familyhouseholds: ................. 8,638
Averagehouseholdsize: ........... 2.21
Averagefamilysize: .................. 2.77
HOUSING TENURE:
Occupiedhousingunits:........14,069
Owner-occupiedunits:.......... 76.1%
Averagehouseholdsize
ofowner-occupiedunits:.......... 2.27
Renter-occupiedunits: ..........23.9%
Averagehouseholdsize
ofrenter-occupiedunits:.......... 1.99
28
Summertime is always the best of what might be. Charles Bowden
30. 30
HARWICHHARWICH
HISTORY
The history of Harwich is
richly written in the sandy
soils of Cape Cod and on the
watery depths of the world’s
oceans. The town of Harwich
was settled as part of the
“plantation of the old-com-
ers, or purchasers,” when
the Plymouth colony relin-
quished its charter and was
absorbed into the Massachu-
setts Bay Colony. The town
of Harwich, incorporated
originally in 1694, includ-
ed the present day town of
Brewster, known then as the
north parish, which was sep-
arated from the South parish
in 1803. Early industry in-
volved fishing and farming.
The town is considered by
some to be the birthplace of
the cranberry industry, with
the first commercial opera-
tion opened in 1846.
GEOGRAPHY
The seven villages of Har-
wich are West Harwich,
North Harwich, East Har-
wich, South Harwich, Har-
wich Center, Harwich Port
and Pleasant Lake. Harwich
is on the southern side of
Cape Cod, just west of the
southeasterncorner. Itisbor-
dered by Dennis to the west,
Brewster to the north, Or-
leans to the northeast, Cha-
tham to the east, and Nan-
tucket Sound to the south.
The town shares the largest
lake on the Cape, called
Long Pond, with the town of
Brewster. The shore is home
to several harbors and rivers,
including the Herring River,
Allens Harbor, Wychmere
Harbor, Saquatucket Harbor,
and the Andrews River.
CHARACTER
Located midway between the
Cape Cod Canal and Prov-
incetown, Harwich offers a
bit of the classic Cape Cod
experience for everyone.
Historic Harwich center and
Harwich Port are a bit of old-
time Americana, with band
concerts and arts and craft
shows in the summertime.
A ferry boat leaving from
Saquatucket Harbor goes
to Nantucket and there are
beautiful saltwater beach-
es along Nantucket Sound.
Breathtaking scenery, a
friendly smile, a helping
hand and a warm reception
make Harwich a wonderful
place to explore any time
of the year. Harwich offers
a relaxed, family-friendly
lifestyle with lots of natural
beauty to explore.
STATS
(UnitedStates2010Census,2000Census,2012American
CommunitySurvey)
FORM OF GOVERNMENT:
Opentownmeeting
INCORPORATED IN:1694
LOCATION: 41°41’10”N70°04’35”W
DEMOGRAPHICS::
Totalpopulation: ...................12,243
Female: .................................... 53.5%
Male: ........................................ 46.5%
White: ...................................... 93.5%
Black: .......................................... 1.6%
AmericanIndian
andAlaskaNative: ................... 0.4%
Asian:.......................................... 0,7%
Personsreportingtwo
ormoreraces: ........................... 1.9%
HispanicorLatino: ................... 1.5%
HOUSING:
Housingunits: ........................10,284
Familyhouseholds: ................. 3,422
Averagehouseholdsize: ........... 2.15
Averagefamilysize: .................. 2.71
HOUSING TENURE:
Occupiedhousingunits:.......... 5,623
Owner-occupiedunits:.......... 80.3%
Averagehouseholdsize
ofowner-occupiedunits:.......... 2.19
Renter-occupiedunits: ..........19.7%
Averagehouseholdsize
ofrenter-occupiedunits:.......... 1.98
30
The cure for anything is salt water – sweat, tears, or the sea. Isak Dinesen
32. 32
Because there’s nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to sto
MARTHA’S
VINEYARD
HISTORY
The Wampanoag tribe were
the original inhabitants of
Martha’s Vineyard. The is-
land’s name, given by English
explorer Bartholomew Gos-
nold, originally referred to
a smaller island to the south
before it was transferred to
the main island. English set-
tlement of Martha’s Vineyard
began after the island was
purchased from English own-
ers by Thomas Mayhew. The
19th century saw Martha’s
Vineyard rise to prominence
due to the whaling industry,
which later collapsed around
1870 after the discovery of
petroleum.
GEOGRAPHY
Martha’s Vineyard is locat-
ed south of Woods Hole and
is about seven miles off the
coast of Cape Cod. The body
of water off the island’s west
coast is Vineyard Sound.
The island is divided into six
towns: Tisbury, Edgartown,
Oak Bluffs, West Tisbury,
Chilmark and Aquinnah. It
also includes Chappaquid-
dick Island, which was part
of the greater land mass until
separating during a storm in
2007. The island is a part of
Dukes County, which also in-
cludes the Elizabeth Islands.
CHARACTER
Martha’s Vineyard is an afflu-
ent summer colony, with over
half of its homes seasonally
occupied and a population
that grows from about 16,000
to over 100,000 during the
summer. It’s the largest island
on the east coast of the Unit-
ed States that isn’t connected
to mainland by bridge or tun-
nel. It is considered primarily
as a summer colony where
seasonal residents spend their
time relaxing and engaging in
leisure activities.
STATS
(DukesCounty)
(UnitedStates2010Census,2013AmericanCommunity
Survey)
FORM OF GOVERNMENT:
EachtownisgovernedbyaBoardof
Selectmen
FOUNDED:1695
LOCATION: 41.4000°N,70.6167°W
DEMOGRAPHICS::
Totalpopulation: ...................16,535
Female: .....................................50.5%
Male: .........................................49.5%
White: .......................................87.6%
Black: ...........................................3.1%
AmericanIndian
andAlaskaNative: ....................1.1%
Asian:...........................................0.8%
Personsreportingtwo
ormoreraces: ............................3.4%
HispanicorLatino: ....................2.3%
HOUSING:
Housingunits: ........................17,188
Familyhouseholds: ................. 4,221
Averagehouseholdsize: ........... 2.22
Averagefamilysize: .................. 2.81
HOUSING TENURE:
Occupiedhousingunits:.......... 7,368
Owner-occupiedunits:.......... 66.5%
Averagehouseholdsize
ofowner-occupiedunits:.......... 2.29
Renter-occupiedunits: ..........33.5%
Averagehouseholdsize
ofrenter-occupiedunits:.......... 2.10
32
34. 34
At the beach, life is different. Time doesn’t move hour to hour but mood to m
MASHPEE
HISTORY
English colonists began to
settle Mashpee in 1658 and
in 1660, they allotted the
converted Christian Wampa-
noag 50 square miles with-
in the settlement. After the
mainland Wampanoag were
defeated in King Philip’s War
in 1676, many were resettled
with the Nauset tribe into
“praying towns” – established
by Puritans to convert aborig-
inal peoples – in Barnstable
County. Mashpee was thus
designated as Massachusetts’
largest Native American res-
ervation. Mashpee was in-
corporated as a town in 1870
and is today the headquarters
of the Mashpee Wampanoag
Tribe.
GEOGRAPHY
Mashpee covers 27.2 square
miles, about 14 percent of
which is water. It is located on
the Upper Cape, the western
portion of Cape Cod that is
closer to the Cape Cod Ca-
nal. It’s neighbor to the north
is Sandwich, Barnstable is to
its east, Falmouth West, and
its shores touch Nantuck-
et Sound to the south. The
town’s land is similar to the
rest of the Cape and is pocked
with small ponds and inlets,
which include Johns Pond,
Popponesset Bay, Santuit Riv-
er, Mashpee River, Ockway
Bay and Jehu Pond, among
others.
CHARACTER
Mashpee is a destination for
tourists and serves as the
headquartersfortheMashpee
Wampanoag Tribe, giving the
town a distinctive Wampa-
noag culture. Aside from its
rich history, Mashpee offers a
lot of open, public spaces, in-
cluding the Community Park
and Mashpee Dog Park. Wa-
quoit and Popponesset Bays
and large freshwater ponds
offer much to those seeking
recreation on or near the
water. Shopping and dining
are also readily available, and
Mashpee Commons serves
as a shopping mecca for res-
idents and tourists alike.
STATS
(UnitedStates2010Census,2013AmericanCommunity
Survey)
FORM OF GOVERNMENT:
Opentownmeeting
INCORPORATED IN:1870
LOCATION: 41°38’54”N70°28’54”W
DEMOGRAPHICS::
Totalpopulation: ...................14,006
Female: .....................................53.5%
Male: .........................................46.5%
White: .......................................89.1%
Black: ...........................................2.3%
AmericanIndian
andAlaskaNative: ....................3.1%
Asian:...........................................1.2%
Personsreportingtwo
ormoreraces: ............................2.9%
HispanicorLatino: ....................2.2%
HOUSING:
Housingunits: .......................... 9,882
Familyhouseholds: ................. 3,906
Averagehouseholdsize: ........... 2.27
Averagefamilysize: .................. 2.81
HOUSING TENURE:
Occupiedhousingunits:.......... 6,118
Owner-occupiedunits:.......... 82.2%
Averagehouseholdsize
ofowner-occupiedunits:.......... 2.28
Renter-occupiedunits: ..........17.8%
Averagehouseholdsize
ofrenter-occupiedunits:.......... 2.23
34
36. 36
NANTUCKETNANTUCKET
HISTORY
The Wampanoag were the
original inhabitants of the
island, which was deeded by
the English to Thomas May-
hew and his son in 1641. It
was originally part of Dukes
County, New York, until it
was transferred to the Prov-
ince of Massachusetts Bay
in 1691. Nantucket became
a refuge for many Native
Americans in the region
as Europeans settled Cape
Cod. The year 1659 saw the
English begin their settling
of Nantucket in earnest and
Nantucket was a dominant
force in whaling until the in-
dustry’s decline in the mid-
1800s.
GEOGRAPHY
Nantucket is located about
30 miles south of Cape Cod.
Nantucket County also in-
cludes the small islands of
Tuckermuck and Muskeget.
Total area covered by the
county is 304 square miles,
85 percent of which is water,
making it the smallest coun-
ty in Massachusetts by land
area. Nantucket Island cov-
ers only 47.8 square miles.
The body of water between
Nantucket, Martha’s Vine-
yard and Cape Cod is called
Nantucket Sound. Notable
areas include the villages of
Madaket, Polpis and Sias-
conset. The Surfside region is
the southernmost settlement
in the state.
CHARACTER
Nantucket is the smaller,
quainter island south of Cape
Cod.Withlessthan48square
miles of land area and a pop-
ulation of around 10,000, it’s
the smallest by land and least
populous county in Mas-
sachusetts. However, this
population swells to around
50,000 during the summer
season, as the island is a
widely known tourist desti-
nation and summer colony.
Its home values are among
the highest in the United
States. Nantucket is also a
designated National Historic
Landmark District, deemed
one of the best surviving ex-
amples of a late 18th and ear-
ly 19th century New England
seaport town.
36
… At nightfall, the Nantucketer, out of sight of land, furls his sails, and lays h
STATS
(NantucketCounty)
(UnitedStates2010Census,2013AmericanCommunity
Survey)
FORM OF GOVERNMENT:
Opentownmeeting
FOUNDED:1671
LOCATION: 41°16’58”N70°5’58”W
DEMOGRAPHICS::
Totalpopulation: ...................10,172
Female: .....................................48.8%
Male: .........................................51.2%
White: .......................................87.6%
Black: ...........................................6.8%
AmericanIndian
andAlaskaNative: ....................0.1%
Asian:...........................................1.2%
Personsreportingtwo
ormoreraces: ............................1.8%
HispanicorLatino: ....................9.4%
HOUSING:
Housingunits: ........................11,618
Familyhouseholds: ................. 2,429
Averagehouseholdsize: ........... 2.39
Averagefamilysize: .................. 2.93
HOUSING TENURE:
Occupiedhousingunits:.......... 4,229
Owner-occupiedunits:.......... 58.5%
Averagehouseholdsize
ofowner-occupiedunits:.......... 2.42
Renter-occupiedunits: ..........41.5%
Averagehouseholdsize
ofrenter-occupiedunits:.......... 2.35
38. 38
Its name suggests a homely truth, but it would be more poetic if it descr
ORLEANS
HISTORY
In 1693, Orleans, originally
known as South Parish of
Eastham, was first settled by
Pilgrims who were unsatis-
fied with the land given to
them at the Plymouth Col-
ony. The town was incorpo-
rated in 1797 and was named
after Louis Philippe II, Duke
of Orléans, recognizing
France’s support of the col-
onies during the American
Revolution.
The sea has always influ-
enced Orleans’ economy –
salt works supplied the fish-
ing fleet and met domestic
needs until the industry be-
came obsolete in the 1850s.
Whaling and hand line fish-
ing thrived in the town’s early
years. The Native Americans
taught settlers shell fishing
and the modern incarnation
of this tradition continues
today as aquaculture.
GEOGRAPHY
Orleans offers 54 miles of
coastline and boasts the pop-
ular Nauset Beach, making it
a popular town for boaters,
sailors, kayakers and surf-
ers. The town is located at
the Cape’s elbow and meets
both Cape Cod Bay to the
west and the Atlantic Ocean
to the east and is less than 10
miles away from the Cape
Cod National Seashore. Or-
leans has a total area of 22.7
square miles – 8.5 square
miles of which is water – and
shares town borders with
Eastham, Chatham, Harwich
and Brewster. Though the
Orleans landscape was once
made barren by demand for
lumber, it is now well-popu-
lated with trees and vegeta-
tion.
CHARACTER
Charming and beautiful, Or-
leans is home to a portion of
the Cape Cod National Sea-
shore, established in 1961 by
President John F. Kennedy.
Its people are very support-
ive of conservation efforts,
and this natural beauty has
attracted a large retirement
population, younger service
population and tourism. This
beauty is punctuated by Or-
leans’ idyllic beaches, Town
Cove, and myriad lakes. The
town’s history is kept alive by
the Orleans Historical Soci-
ety and attractions such as
the French Cable Museum,
Meeting House Museum,
Jonathan Young Windmill
and more.
STATS
(UnitedStates2010Census,2010AmericanCommunity
Survey)
FORM OF GOVERNMENT:
Opentownmeeting
INCORPORATED IN:1797
LOCATION: 41°47’23”N69°59’25”W
DEMOGRAPHICS::
Totalpopulation: ..................... 5,890
Female: .....................................52.9%
Male: .........................................47.1%
White: .......................................96.6%
Black: ...........................................0.9%
AmericanIndian
andAlaskaNative: ....................0.1%
Asian:...........................................0.8%
Personsreportingtwo
ormoreraces: ............................1.1%
HispanicorLatino: ....................1.4%
HOUSING:
Housingunits: .......................... 5,344
Familyhouseholds: ................. 1,286
Averagehouseholdsize: ........... 1.97
Averagefamilysize: .................. 2.48
HOUSING TENURE:
Occupiedhousingunits:.......... 2,950
Owner-occupiedunits:.......... 76.7%
Averagehouseholdsize
ofowner-occupiedunits:.......... 2.05
Renter-occupiedunits: ..........23.2%
Averagehouseholdsize
ofrenter-occupiedunits:.......... 1.68
38
40. 40
PROVINCETOWNPROVINCETOWNPROVINCETOWN
HISTORY
In 1620, the Pilgrims signed
the Mayflower Compact
when they arrived at Prov-
incetown Harbor. Though
the Pilgrims settled across
the bay in Plymouth, the
area enjoyed an early repu-
tation for its valuable fish-
ing grounds. In 1727, the
Precinct of Cape Cod was
incorporated as a township.
Provincetown grew rapidly
as a fishing and whaling cen-
ter. The population was bol-
stered by numerous Portu-
guese sailors, many of whom
settled in Provincetown after
being hired to work on U.S.
ships. Provincetown began
to develop a resident popu-
lation of writers and artists,
as well as a summer tourist
industry. The town acquired
an international reputation
for its artistic and literary
productions.
GEOGRAPHY
Provincetown is located at
the tip of Cape Cod, encom-
passing 17.5 square miles.
Surrounded by water in
every direction except due
east, the town has 21.3 miles
of coastal shoreline. Prov-
incetown is bordered to the
east by its only neighbor, the
town of Truro. About 73 per-
cent of the town’s land area is
owned by the National Park
Service, which operates the
Cape Cod National Seashore.
To the north lie the Province
Lands, the area of dunes and
small ponds from Mount Ar-
arat in the east to Race Point
in the west. The Cape Cod
Bay shoreline extends from
Race Point to Wood End to
Long Point, which in turn
points inward towards the
town, and provides a natu-
ral barrier for Provincetown
Harbor. All three points are
marked by lighthouses.
CHARACTER
Provincetown is best known
for its beaches, harbor, art-
ists, tourist industry, and as
a vacation destination for
the LGBT community. Many
of the fishermen and artists
who came to the area stayed
and raised families – there
are many families who have
lived in town for generations.
In addition, there had been a
gay presence in Province-
town as early as the start of
the 20th century as the art-
ists’ colony developed, along
with experimental theater.
The countercultural appeal
of Provincetown has held
steady along with its growth
as a tourist destination for
national and international
visitors. Provincetown’s tour-
ist season has expanded, and
the town has scheduled fes-
tivals and week-long events
throughout the year.
STATS
(UnitedStates2010Census,2011AmericanCommunity
Survey)
FORM OF GOVERNMENT:
Opentownmeeting
INCORPORATED IN:1727
LOCATION: 42.058°N70.179°W
DEMOGRAPHICS::
Totalpopulation: ..................... 2,942
Female: .................................... 45.5%
Male: ........................................ 54.5%
White: ...................................... 91.5%
Black: .......................................... 4.0%
AmericanIndian
andAlaskaNative: ................... 0.6%
Asian:.......................................... 0.6%
Personsreportingtwo
ormoreraces: ........................... 1.7%
HispanicorLatino: ................... 4.8%
HOUSING:
Housingunits: .......................... 4,494
Familyhouseholds: .................... 416
Averagehouseholdsize: ........... 1.64
Averagefamilysize: .................. 2.55
HOUSING TENURE:
Occupiedhousingunits:.......... 1,765
Owner-occupiedunits:.......... 55.7%
Averagehouseholdsize
ofowner-occupiedunits:.......... 1.74
Renter-occupiedunits: ..........44.3%
Averagehouseholdsize
ofrenter-occupiedunits:.......... 1.52
40
Decade after decade, artists came to paint the light of Provincetown, and
42. 42
SANDWICHSANDWICHSANDWICH
HISTORY
Sandwich was named for the
seaport of Sandwich, Kent,
England by European set-
tlers from Saugus in 1637.
Two years later, the town
was incorporated in 1639,
making it the oldest town on
Cape Cod. Originally, Sand-
wich included the town of
Bourne, which was separated
and so named in 1884.
Sandwich’s marshes were
appealing to early settlers,
as they provided salt hay for
livestock without cultivation.
The area also had cultural
appeal, as the land belonged
to Plymouth Colony, whose
Pilgrims were more liberal
than the religiously strin-
gent Puritans who settled the
Massachusetts Bay Colony
around what is now Boston
and Salem.
GEOGRAPHY
Sandwich has a total area of
44.2 square miles, 3.32 per-
cent of which is water. The
town is situated in the Upper
Cape area and encompasses
the Cape Cod Bay entrance
to the Cape Cod Canal. The
Shawme-Crowell State For-
est is located in Sandwich
and covers 740 acres of land.
Old Harbor Creek, which is
fed by a number of smaller
creeks and once served as a
harbor for ships, is located
inland from Sandwich Har-
bor. Sandwich’s northern tip
is separated from the rest of
the town by the canal and is
home to Sagamore Hill and
Scusset Beach State Reser-
vation.
CHARACTER
At over 375 years of age,
Sandwich enjoys the repu-
tation of being Cape Cod’s
oldest town. Historic homes
and structures, like the Ben-
jamin Nye Homestead and
Dexter’s Grist Mill, dot the
landscape. Besides historic
charm, Sandwich features
natural seaside beauty and
an ideal location near the
Cape’s entrance. The town
offers plenty of opportunities
to enjoy the scenery: walking
and biking trails, beautiful
seashores, salt water estuar-
ies, fresh water ponds, bird
sanctuaries and more.
STATS
(U.S.Census2010,2013AmericanCommunitySurvey)
FORM OF GOVERNMENT:
Opentownmeeting
INCORPORATED IN:1639
LOCATION: 41°45’32”N70°29’40”W
DEMOGRAPHICS::
Totalpopulation: ...................20,675
Female: .................................... 51.8%
Male: ........................................ 48.2%
White: ...................................... 96.7%
Black: .......................................... 0.4%
AmericanIndian
andAlaskaNative: ................... 0.2%
Asian:.......................................... 1.2%
Personsreportingtwo
ormoreraces: ........................... 1.1%
HispanicorLatino: ................... 1.3%
HOUSING:
Housingunits: .......................... 9,476
Familyhouseholds: ................. 5,718
Averagehouseholdsize: ........... 2.61
Averagefamilysize: .................. 3.06
HOUSING TENURE:
Occupiedhousingunits:.......... 7,776
Owner-occupiedunits:.......... 86.5%
Averagehouseholdsize
ofowner-occupiedunits:.......... 2.69
Renter-occupiedunits: ..........13.5%
Averagehouseholdsize
ofrenter-occupiedunits:.......... 2.13
42
While the hollow oak our palace is, Our heritage the sea. Allan Cunningha
