Town in Massachusetts, United States
Eastham
(
) is a
town
in
Barnstable County
,
Massachusetts
, United States, Barnstable County being coextensive with
Cape Cod
. The population was 5,752 at the 2020 census.
[1]
For geographic and demographic information about the village of North Eastham, please see
North Eastham, Massachusetts
.
History
[
edit
]
Originally inhabited 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 had stopped in
Provincetown
harbor on Cape Cod Bay after a rough crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, which led to the first encounter of the
Pilgrims
and the local Nauset people at First Encounter Beach. The area would not be settled by Europeans, however, until 1644. The original lands included what are now the towns of
Truro
,
Wellfleet
, Eastham,
Orleans
and a small portion of
Chatham
. Eastham town was officially incorporated in 1651.
Eastham is the birthplace of Freeman Hatch, who in 1853 set the world record for a single-hull wooden sailing vessel from
San Francisco
around
Cape Horn
to
Boston
aboard the clipper ship
Northern Light
. Fishing and especially farming were early industries in the town, and writers and artists also came to the town.
Gustavus Franklin Swift
, born in
Sagamore, MA
, began his first meatpacking business in Eastham which later moved to
Brighton, MA
,
Albany, NY
, and eventually started the meatpacking industry in
Chicago
. It was in Eastham that
Henry Beston
wrote
The Outermost House
.
The town is discussed at some length in
Henry David Thoreau
's
Cape Cod
as the somewhat rugged site of one of New England's largest summer "
camp-meeting
" evangelistic gatherings in the mid-19th century. The gatherings were at times attended by at least "one hundred and fifty ministers, (!) and five thousand hearers" at a site called Millennium Grove, in the northwest part of town. (The area is now a residential neighborhood, the only reminder being Millennium Lane.)
Today, Eastham is known as the "Gateway” to the
Cape Cod National Seashore
,
[2]
which was founded in 1961 by President
John F. Kennedy
to protect Cape Cod's coast from erosion and overpopulation. The town is the site of many beaches, both on the Atlantic and on Cape Cod Bay, as well as the
Nauset Light
, which was moved to the town in 1923 from its old location in
Chatham
, and the Three Sisters Lighthouses, which have since been moved away from their now-eroded perches on the coast to a field just west of Nauset Light.
[3]
Geography
[
edit
]
According to the
United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 25.7 square miles (66.6 km
2
), of which 14.0 square miles (36.2 km
2
) is land and 11.7 square miles (30.4 km
2
), or 45.68%, is water.
[4]
It is bordered 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. Eastham is located on the "forearm" of Cape Cod, and is 23 miles (37 km) south of
Provincetown
, the same distance east-northeast of
Barnstable
, 38 miles (61 km) east of the
Sagamore Bridge
, and 92 miles (148 km) (by land) southeast of
Boston
.
Approximately one-third of the town is located within the
Cape Cod National Seashore
. There are several freshwater ponds near the center of town, the largest being called Great Pond, which has two public beaches. Powerboats with 50 and under horsepower motors are allowed on Great Pond after receiving an inspection and sticker from the Natural Resources Department. Water skiing is permitted only on Great Pond and only on even numbered days. On all other Eastham freshwater ponds motorboats three horsepower and under are allowed.
[5]
Along the Atlantic coast, portions of the CCNS include several islands, divided by channels which lead from Nauset Bay and Salt Pond Bay to the ocean. The town also shares Town Cove with neighboring Orleans. Several creeks and the Herring River run inland from the bay side.
Climate
[
edit
]
The town of Eastham has a mild summer
Humid continental climate
(Dfb). The
plant hardiness zone
is 7a, with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of 4.1 °F (?15.5 °C).
[6]
The average seasonal (Nov-Apr) snowfall total is approximately 30 inches (76 cm). The average snowiest month is February, which corresponds to the annual peak in
nor'easter
activity.
Climate data for Eastham, Barnstable County, Massachusetts (1981?2010 averages).
|
Month
|
Jan
|
Feb
|
Mar
|
Apr
|
May
|
Jun
|
Jul
|
Aug
|
Sep
|
Oct
|
Nov
|
Dec
|
Year
|
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)
|
38.0
(3.3)
|
39.4
(4.1)
|
44.5
(6.9)
|
53.2
(11.8)
|
62.5
(16.9)
|
71.1
(21.7)
|
77.4
(25.2)
|
76.9
(24.9)
|
70.4
(21.3)
|
60.5
(15.8)
|
52.5
(11.4)
|
44.0
(6.7)
|
57.6
(14.2)
|
Daily mean °F (°C)
|
31.5
(?0.3)
|
32.7
(0.4)
|
37.7
(3.2)
|
46.2
(7.9)
|
55.1
(12.8)
|
64.0
(17.8)
|
70.5
(21.4)
|
70.1
(21.2)
|
63.9
(17.7)
|
54.2
(12.3)
|
46.1
(7.8)
|
37.3
(2.9)
|
50.9
(10.5)
|
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)
|
25.1
(?3.8)
|
25.9
(?3.4)
|
30.8
(?0.7)
|
39.1
(3.9)
|
47.7
(8.7)
|
57.0
(13.9)
|
63.6
(17.6)
|
63.4
(17.4)
|
57.3
(14.1)
|
47.8
(8.8)
|
39.8
(4.3)
|
30.6
(?0.8)
|
44.1
(6.7)
|
Average
precipitation
inches (mm)
|
3.73
(95)
|
3.24
(82)
|
4.14
(105)
|
4.29
(109)
|
3.32
(84)
|
3.56
(90)
|
2.74
(70)
|
3.87
(98)
|
3.60
(91)
|
4.19
(106)
|
4.30
(109)
|
3.84
(98)
|
44.82
(1,138)
|
Average
relative humidity
(%)
|
71.4
|
69.4
|
67.8
|
69.0
|
71.6
|
75.5
|
78.0
|
77.9
|
77.4
|
74.3
|
71.2
|
69.7
|
72.8
|
Source: PRISM Climate Group
[7]
|
Month
|
Jan
|
Feb
|
Mar
|
Apr
|
May
|
Jun
|
Jul
|
Aug
|
Sep
|
Oct
|
Nov
|
Dec
|
Year
|
Average
Dew Point
°F
|
23.3
|
23.8
|
28.0
|
36.6
|
46.1
|
56.1
|
63.3
|
62.9
|
56.7
|
46.2
|
37.3
|
28.3
|
42.5
|
Average
Dew Point
°C
|
?4.8
|
?4.6
|
?2.2
|
2.6
|
7.8
|
13.4
|
17.4
|
17.2
|
13.7
|
7.9
|
2.9
|
?2.1
|
5.8
|
Source = PRISM Climate Group
[8]
|
Transportation
[
edit
]
U.S. Route 6
passes from south to north through the town. The
Cape Cod Rail Trail
, as well as several other bicycle routes, also pass through the town. There is no rail or air service in town; the nearest regional air service is at the
Chatham Municipal Airport
, though better and more regularly scheduled air service between the Cape and Boston can be found in Provincetown and Hyannis through
Cape Air
, and the nearest national and international air service can be found at
Logan International Airport
in Boston. Eastham is also served by an inexpensive regional bus service,
The Flex
.
Demographics
[
edit
]
As of the
census
[20]
of 2010, there were 4,956 people, 2,396 households, and 1,634 families residing in the town. The population density was 389.8 inhabitants per square mile (150.5/km
2
). There were 5,535 housing units at an average density of 395.6 per square mile (152.7/km
2
). The racial makeup of the town was 96.31%
White
, 1.49%
African American
, 0.15%
Native American
, 0.31%
Asian
, 0.04%
Pacific Islander
, 0.29% from
other races
, and 1.41% from two or more races.
Hispanic
or
Latino
of any race were 0.83% of the population.
There were 2,396 households, out of which 21.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.0% were
married couples
living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.8% were non-families. 25.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.66.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 17.7% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 27.6% from 45 to 64, and 26.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $42,618, and the median income for a family was $51,269. Males had a median income of $36,642 versus $32,109 for females. The
per capita income
for the town was $24,642. About 4.5% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the
poverty line
, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.
Government
[
edit
]
Eastham is represented in the
Massachusetts House of Representatives
as a part of the Fourth Barnstable district, which includes (with the exception of Brewster) all the towns east and north of Harwich on the Cape. The town is represented in the
Massachusetts Senate
as a part of the Cape and Islands District, which includes all of Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket except the towns of Bourne, Falmouth, Sandwich and a portion of Barnstable.
[21]
The town is patrolled by the Second (Yarmouth) Barracks of Troop D of the
Massachusetts State Police
.
[22]
On the national level, Eastham is a part of
Massachusetts's 9th congressional district
, and is currently represented by
William Keating
.
[23]
The state's senior member of the
United States Senate
, elected in 2012, is
Elizabeth Warren
. The junior senator, elected in 2013, is
Ed Markey
.
Eastham is governed by the
open town meeting
form of government, and is led by a town administrator and a
board of selectmen
. The town hall, police and fire department headquarters are all located along Route 6 across from Windmill Park. The
Eastham Public Library
is located just west of the park, along Samoset Road (which leads from Route 6 to First Encounter Beach). There are separate post offices for Eastham and the village of North Eastham, both of which are located along Route 6 (the former being just across from the town hall, south of the park).
Education
[
edit
]
Eastham, along with Brewster, Orleans, Provincetown, Truro and Wellfleet, make up the
Nauset Regional School District
. Each town is responsible for operating its own elementary schools, with the middle and high school students attending regional schools. Eastham Elementary School serves students from kindergarten through fifth grade, and is located near the CCNS Visitor Center and the Schoolhouse Museum. Middle school students attend the
Nauset Regional Middle School
in Orleans, and the
Nauset Regional High School
is located in North Eastham, on the edge of the Cape Cod National Seashore. The school's teams are known as the Warriors, and their colors are black and gold. High school students also have the option of attending
Cape Cod Regional Technical High School
in Harwich free of charge. There are no private schools in Eastham; the nearest are in Brewster.
Landmarks
[
edit
]
Eastham is home to a number of sites that are listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
. The Eastham Center Historic District, located near Town Hall, is the site of the
Eastham Windmill
, the oldest
windmill
on Cape Cod. Another registered historic place,
Nauset Light
, is located on the grounds of the
Cape Cod National Seashore
. The Edward Penniman House and barn, a retired whaling captain's home, is located near Fort Hill.
Eastham is the home to three museums maintained by the Eastham Historical Society, the 1869 Schoolhouse Museum, located on Route 6, opposite the National Seashore Center, the 1741 Swift-Daley House, the Antique Tool Museum and the Dill Beach Shack, all on Route 6, adjacent to the Eastham Post Office. The museums are opened in July and August.
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"Census - Geography Profile: Eastham town, Barnstable County, Massachusetts"
. U.S. Census Bureau
. Retrieved
October 6,
2021
.
- ^
Discover Eastham, Gateway to the National Seashore.
https://www.eastham-ma.gov/discover-eastham/pages/gateway-national-seashore
Archived
May 20, 2020, at the
Wayback Machine
- ^
Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Street Atlas.
South Easton, MA: Arrow Books Inc., 2004, p. 43.
- ^
"Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Eastham town, Barnstable County, Massachusetts"
. U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from
the original
on February 12, 2020
. Retrieved
December 4,
2013
.
- ^
Town of Eastham Boating Bylaws
,
https://www.eastham-ma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif4371/f/uploads/boating_bylaws.pdf
Archived
June 19, 2021, at the
Wayback Machine
- ^
"USDA Interactive Plant Hardiness Map"
.
United States Department of Agriculture
. Retrieved
June 28,
2019
.
- ^
"PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State U"
.
www.prism.oregonstate.edu
. Retrieved
June 26,
2019
.
- ^
"PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State U"
.
www.prism.oregonstate.edu
. Retrieved
June 27,
2019
.
- ^
"Total Population (P1), 2010 Census Summary File 1"
.
American FactFinder, All County Subdivisions within Massachusetts
. United States Census Bureau. 2010.
- ^
"Massachusetts by Place and County Subdivision - GCT-T1. Population Estimates"
. United States Census Bureau
. Retrieved
July 12,
2011
.
- ^
"1990 Census of Population, General Population Characteristics: Massachusetts"
(PDF)
. US Census Bureau. December 1990. Table 76: General Characteristics of Persons, Households, and Families: 1990. 1990 CP-1-23
. Retrieved
July 12,
2011
.
- ^
"1980 Census of the Population, Number of Inhabitants: Massachusetts"
(PDF)
. US Census Bureau. December 1981. Table 4. Populations of County Subdivisions: 1960 to 1980. PC80-1-A23
. Retrieved
July 12,
2011
.
- ^
"1950 Census of Population"
(PDF)
. Bureau of the Census. 1952. Section 6, Pages 21-10 and 21-11, Massachusetts Table 6. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1930 to 1950
. Retrieved
July 12,
2011
.
- ^
"1920 Census of Population"
(PDF)
. Bureau of the Census. Number of Inhabitants, by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions. Pages 21-5 through 21-7. Massachusetts Table 2. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1920, 1910, and 1920
. Retrieved
July 12,
2011
.
- ^
"1890 Census of the Population"
(PDF)
. Department of the Interior, Census Office. Pages 179 through 182. Massachusetts Table 5. Population of States and Territories by Minor Civil Divisions: 1880 and 1890
. Retrieved
July 12,
2011
.
- ^
"1870 Census of the Population"
(PDF)
. Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1872. Pages 217 through 220. Table IX. Population of Minor Civil Divisions, &c. Massachusetts
. Retrieved
July 12,
2011
.
- ^
"1860 Census"
(PDF)
. Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1864. Pages 220 through 226. State of Massachusetts Table No. 3. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c
. Retrieved
July 12,
2011
.
- ^
"1850 Census"
(PDF)
. Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1854. Pages 338 through 393. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c
. Retrieved
July 12,
2011
.
- ^
"City and Town Population Totals: 2020?2023"
.
United States Census Bureau
. Retrieved
June 4,
2024
.
- ^
"U.S. Census website"
.
United States Census Bureau
. Retrieved
January 31,
2008
.
- ^
"Index of Legislative Representation by City and Town, from Mass.gov"
. Archived from
the original
on September 29, 2007
. Retrieved
February 28,
2007
.
- ^
Station D-2, SP Yarmouth
- ^
"Congressman Bill Keating"
.
External links
[
edit
]
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for
Eastham
.
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