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Aquinnah, Massachusetts

Aquinnah is a town located on the western end of Martha's Vineyard island, Massachusetts, United States. From 1870 to 1997, the town was incorporated as Gay Head. At the 2020 U.S. census, the population was 439. Aquinnah is known for its beautiful clay cliffs and natural serenity, as well as its historical importance to the native Wampanoag people. In 1965, Gay Head Cliffs were designated as a National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service.

Aquinnah is celebrated as a center of Wampanoag culture and a center of pride and tradition among members of the federally recognized Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head. They comprise approximately one-third of the town's voters and are one of two federally recognized tribes of Wampanoag people in Massachusetts. This area is one of the earliest sites of whaling, with the Wampanoag harpooning their catch long before commercial whaling became the major maritime industry of Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, and New Bedford, Massachusetts in the 19th century.

History
Before the arrival of English colonists, Martha's Vineyard and Aquinnah were inhabited by the Wampanoag, a Native American people, related to the larger Algonquin Nation of Southern New England. Historically they spoke an Algonquian language, part of a large language family that extended down the Atlantic Coast. Based on archeological testing, scientists estimate the earliest signs of human occupation in what is now Aquinnah date back 10,000 to 7,500 years.

The Wampanoag have a separate history; their creation myth tells that their ancestors reached the island after traveling on an ice floe from the far North. They sided with the English settlers in King Philip's War. They performed whaling from small boats. The character Tashtego in Herman Melville's novel Moby-Dick is a Native American harpooner from Aquinnah.

This area was first settled by English colonists in 1669. Later colonists officially divided the town of Aquinnah from Chilmark and incorporated it in 1870 as Gay Head, Massachusetts. Gay Head was a descriptive name referring to the brilliant colors of the cliffs and was frequently noted on lists of unusual place names.

In 1997, by popular vote of 79 to 21, the town changed its name to Aquinnah, Wampanoag for "land under the hill." Throughout the town's history, a Wampanoag community has been among its residents. The people gained federal recognition as the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head in 1987 and controls sovereign tribal lands within the town boundaries.

In 2015, erosion at the town's western end led to a $3.5 million, 129 feet (39 m) move of its prominent, red brick Gay Head Light.

In February 2019, the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head announced it will begin construction of the Aquinnah Cliffs Casino in March 2019. The tribe is scheduled to proceed with construction despite opposition from the towns of Aquinnah and Chilmark, and a request from the Martha's Vineyard Commission for the Wampanoag tribe to work with the commission to "preserve the unique values of the Vineyard." The Wampanoag tribe says the commission has no jurisdiction over the project.

During the Island's earliest tourist booms of the late 19th century, ferries brought tourists directly to the Cliff's shores. Today, there is no direct transit between Aquinnah and the mainland. Visitors to the island use commercial planes serving Martha's Vineyard Airport, located in nearby West Tisbury, while others travel by car and ferry.

Moshup's Beach
At the foot of the cliffs is Moshup's Beach, named after a great Aquinnah Wampanoag sachem who is said to have been at least partially responsible for many of the features of the island's physical landscape. The ocean is a rare aqua color here, with wave heights that are above average for the area. The water sometimes takes on a red, white or grayish tinge resulting from clay eroding from the cliffs above.

Protection of the cliffs is aggressively enforced by ATV patrols conducted by police and Wampanoag Conservation Rangers, who explain to visitors about the importance of the cliffs to the tribe. Under Massachusetts General Law Ch 272 Sec 59, a person may be fined or arrested for disturbing the clay.

Though not officially designated a "nude beach," nudity is tolerated on Aquinnah Beach several hundred yards northwest of the footpath. The beach has a long history of attracting nude sunbathers who delighted in "clay baths," the baths of which are now strictly prohibited.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 40.8 sqmi, of which 5.4 sqmi is land and 35.4 sqmi (86.85%) is water. Aquinnah ranks 334th in area out of 351 communities in the Commonwealth, and is the smallest town by land area on the Vineyard. To the north and northwest is the Vineyard Sound and Devil's Bridge. the latter an underwater rock reef most noted for causing the wreck of the City of Columbus in 1884. To the east is the town of Chilmark, its only land border. To the south and west is the Atlantic Ocean. Within viewing distance to the west is the chain of Elizabeth Islands and Nomans Land.

Aquinnah is separated from the town of Chilmark by Menemsha Bight, Menemsha Pond, and Squibnocket Pond. The only road into Aquinnah lies between the ponds. (Squibnocket Beach, which lies between the ocean and Squibnocket Pond, also connects to the town, but is often washed out during storms. No road crosses it.) Squibnocket Point, just east of this beach, is the southernmost point on Martha's Vineyard. Aquinnah has four accessible beaches for residents and the public: Philbin and Moshup (public) Beaches off Moshup Trail; Lobsterville Beach on the northern shore at Dogfish Bar, and Red Beach on Menemsha Pond. Other stretches of beach remain under private ownership.

Aside from Aquinnah's famed clay cliffs, the landscape is noted for its rolling terrain, coastal heathlands, deciduous woods, high sand dunes and beach roses. At the 'head' of the island is the Aquinnah Headlands Preserve which provides sweeping coastal views for walkers.

Aquinnah's geography also lends itself to outdoor activities including surf fishing at Lobsterville Beach and Dog Fish Bar, surfing off the beaches of Moshup Trail, and jogging and cycling the State Road and Moshup Trail loop.

Aquinnah is rare in that it is one of the few western-facing coastlines on the east coast. Even so, it still faces the challenge of coastal erosion like the rest of Martha's Vineyard, Chappaquiddick, and nearby Nantucket. Dunes are fortified with healthy grasses but the southwestern shoreline has faced an annual reduction in its beaches for decades. The cliffs have also faced higher and stronger seas, leading to a 129 foot inland move of the Gay Head Lighthouse in 2015.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 344 people, 141 households, and 88 families residing in the town. The population density was 64.1 PD/sqmi. There were 463 housing units at an average density of 86.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 53.49% White, 0.29% African American, 36.63% Native American, 0.87% from other races, and 8.72% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.16% of the population.

There were 141 households, out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.3% were married couples living together, 17.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.9% were non-families. 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.3% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 31.7% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $45,208, and the median income for a family was $46,458. Males had a median income of $37,917 versus $26,250 for females. The per capita income for the town was $21,420. About 8.6% of families and 7.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.0% of those under age 18 and 14.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government
On the national level, Aquinnah is a part of Massachusetts's 9th congressional district, and is represented by William Keating. The state's senior member of the United States Senate is Elizabeth Warren. The junior Senator is Ed Markey.

On the state level, Aquinnah is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives as a part of the Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket district, which includes all of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, as well as a portion of Falmouth. The town is represented in the Massachusetts Senate as a portion of the Cape and Islands district, which includes all of Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket and most of Barnstable County (with the exception of the Towns of Bourne, Sandwich, and Falmouth). All of Dukes County is patrolled by the Fifth (Oak Bluffs) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police.

Aquinnah is governed on the local level by the open town meeting form of government. It is led by an executive secretary and an elected board of selectmen. The town operates its own police and fire departments, near the Town Hall at the town center. The Aquinnah Public Library, a former one-room schoolhouse of less than 1000 sqft, is also nearby. The nearest post office is located 3 mi away in Chilmark.

In 2001, Aquinnah passed a bylaw requiring archaeological reviews of proposed building sites due to the 10 millennia of Wampanoag history in the town. This bylaw has unearthed scores of significant discoveries.

Education
Aquinnah is served by Martha's Vineyard Regional School District. Chilmark Elementary School and Up-Island School in West Tisbury, serve the town's elementary and middle–school students. Martha's Vineyard Regional High School, located in Oak Bluffs, serves the entire island's high–school population. MVRHS's teams are nicknamed the Vineyarders, and their colors are purple and white. The school has a longstanding rivalry with Nantucket High School, and the annual Island Cup between the football teams attracts a strong following.

title: Aquinnah, Massachusetts


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Chilmark, Massachusetts

Chilmark is a town located on Martha's Vineyard in Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,212 at the 2020 census. The fishing village of Menemsha is located on the western side of the town along its border with the town of Aquinnah. Chilmark had the highest median home sale price of any town or city in Massachusetts in 2013.

History
Governor Thomas Mayhew, the Elder (March 31, 1593 – March 25, 1682) established the first English settlement of Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket and adjacent islands in 1642. The town was officially incorporated on September 14, 1694, the first town to separate from the two original towns of Tisbury and Edgartown. The new town was named for Chilmark, the ancestral home of the family of Governor Thomas Mayhew of Tisbury, in the English county of Wiltshire. In 1714, Chilmark was made a township including the island of Nomans Land.

The town was once known for its unusually high percentage of deaf citizens. In 1854, Chilmark had a deaf population of one in every 25 people, while the national average was one deaf person in 5,728. (See Martha's Vineyard Sign Language.) Today the town is mostly residential, with a small working harbor in Menemsha along the Vineyard Sound side of the town.

In August 2009, 2010 and 2011, President Barack Obama and his family vacationed in Chilmark, renting the Blue Heron Farm.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a land area of 49.3 km2. Chilmark ranks 192nd of the 351 communities in the Commonwealth in terms of land area. Chilmark is bordered by Vineyard Sound and Aquinnah to the west, West Tisbury to the east, and the Atlantic Ocean to the south.

The town includes the island of Nomans Land, which lies southwest of Martha's Vineyard. Because of Noman's Land, the town is officially the second most southerly point in Massachusetts (the south shore of Nantucket is approximately a kilometer south of the southernmost point on Noman's Land). Chilmark has a series of small ponds along the Atlantic side of the town, and it shares Tisbury Great Pond to the east and Menemsha Pond and Squibnocket Pond to the southwest, along the Aquinnah town line. It is between these two ponds, which are 1100 ft apart at their closest point, that the only road to Aquinnah passes. Long Beach, privately owned, runs along the southern side of Squibnocket Pond and technically connects the towns. At one point in the late 17th and early 18th century, Squibnocket Pond was open to the sea. However, the barrier beach with its sand dunes eventually closed this opening permanently. Occasionally in winter storms, waves will wash across low points in the beach, but the beach itself has not been breached in a hundred years, unlike other barrier beaches on Martha's Vineyard.

Chilmark has the highest point on Martha's Vineyard, at the 311 ft summit of Peaked Hill.

The town has several sanctuaries and preserves, the largest of which being the Menemsha Hills Reservation just northeast of the village which shares that name. The town also has six beaches; one is at Menemsha, another on the inner shore of Menemsha Bay, and the others are all along the Atlantic coast. (Note that several of these beaches are restricted to landowners only, and those designated as public require a beach pass.) There is also a boat launch in Menemsha, as well as a Coast Guard station, in Menemsha Creek (Harbor).The Coast Guard Station burned to the ground in July 2010 but was rebuilt and recommissioned in April 2015.

The town has no direct access to the mainland via ferry or by air; Martha's Vineyard Airport is in neighboring West Tisbury, and the Steamship Authority ferries to Woods Hole are in Vineyard Haven, which is 12 mi northeast of the town center, and in Oak Bluffs, 16 mi away.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 843 people, 382 households, and 237 families residing in the town. The population density was 44.0 PD/sqmi. There were 1,409 housing units at an average density of 73.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 97.75% White, 0.36% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.71% from other races, and 0.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.83% of the population.

There were 382 households, out of which 25.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.4% were married couples living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.7% were non-families. Of all households 29.6% were made up of individuals, and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.71.

In the town, the age distribution of the population shows 20.8% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 32.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $41,917, and the median income for a family was $63,750. Males had a median income of $35,469 versus $33,281 for females. The per capita income for the town was $30,029. About 5.7% of families and 7.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.6% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.

Statistically, Chilmark ranks 324th in terms of population, and 311th by population density. It is the second smallest population on Martha's Vineyard (ahead of Aquinnah), but is the least densely populated town on the island.

Government
On the national level, Chilmark is a part of Massachusetts's 9th congressional district, and is currently represented by Bill Keating. The state's senior member of the United States Senate is Elizabeth Warren. The state's junior Senator is Ed Markey.

On the state level, Chilmark is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives as a part of the Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket district, which includes all of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, as well as a portion of Falmouth. The town is represented in the Massachusetts Senate as a portion of the Cape and Islands district, which includes all of Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket and most of Barnstable County (with the exception of Bourne, Sandwich, Falmouth and Mashpee). All of Dukes County is patrolled by the Fifth (Oak Bluffs) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police.

Chilmark is governed on the local level by the open town meeting form of government, and is led by a board of selectmen. All of the town's facilities are centered at a location known as Beetlebung Corner. The Town Hall, Tri-Town Ambulance, and the Fire Department share a building in the northern quadrant of the crossroads, the police station is located next to the Chilmark Tavern, and the post office and the town's Free Public Library occupy the southern. The current library opened in 2003, having outgrown the previous library just to the east of the current location at the corner.

Education

Chilmark is part of the Martha's Vineyard Regional School District along with Aquinnah, Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, Tisbury, and West Tisbury. Students in Chilmark attend Aquinnah-Chilmark Regional Elementary School along with Aquinnah, from grades K–8. High School students then attend Martha's Vineyard Regional High School. The MVRHS's teams are nicknamed the Vineyarders, and their colors are violet and white. The school has a longstanding rivalry with Nantucket High School, with both competing for the Island Cup on an annual basis.

In popular culture

 * On the television show The X-Files, Fox Mulder was raised in Chilmark. It was in Chilmark that his younger sister Samantha's alien abduction happened on November 27, 1973.
 * Chilmark is the setting of the wedding in the movie Jumping the Broom.
 * At the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, D.C., there is a 1920 painting by artist Thomas Hart Benton called People of Chilmark. Benton first visited Chilmark in the summer of 1919.  People of Chilmark was the artist's first masterpiece and, at 5½' × 6½', the largest painting he had executed to date.
 * Chilmark and Menemsha, the fishing village located on the western side of the town, are also the locations of the fictional town of "Amity Island" in the 1975 Steven Spielberg movie Jaws.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Chilmark, Massachusetts


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Edgartown, Massachusetts

Edgartown is a town on the island of Martha's Vineyard in Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States, for which it is the county seat. The town's population was 5,168 at the 2020 census. It was once a major whaling port, with historic houses that have been carefully preserved. Today it hosts yachting events around its large harbor. Edgartown also includes Chappaquiddick Island, a peninsula accessible by ferry.

History
In 1642, Rev. Thomas Mayhew, Jr. led a group of families to start a colony on the island after its purchase by his father Thomas Mayhew. Originally called Great Harbor, it was incorporated on July 8, 1671, as Edgar Towne, named for Edgar, whose father James II of England, was heir presumptive to the English throne. Those who chose the name to honor the monarchy did not know Edgar had died at the age of three on June 8, 1671. It was one of the two original towns on Martha's Vineyard, along with Tisbury, incorporated at the same time.

The younger Mayhew began his work which led to his becoming the first church planting Protestant missionary after he settled in Edgartown. A Wampanoag Indian named Hiacoomes who lived nearby became his partner in founding the churches in the Indian communities.

Edgartown was one of the primary ports for the whaling industry during the 1800s. Ships from all over the world would dock in its sheltered bay and captains would build grand mansions for their families with ornate top floor rooms called widow's walks, which overlooked the harbor. A myth developed that wives would watch for months from these tiny rooms, hoping to see the sails of ships that would bring their husbands home from the sea. There is little or no evidence that widow's walks were intended or regularly used for this purpose. They were frequently built around the chimney of the residence, thus creating an easy access route to the structure, allowing the residents of the home to pour sand down burning chimneys in the event of a chimney fire in the hopes of preventing the house from burning down.

As more economical alternatives became available the whaling industry began to decline. By the beginning of the 20th century, its influence on the tiny town which had made its fortunes through the industry, was ended. Today the town is more known for tourism, as well as the site of Chappaquiddick, where Ted Kennedy's fatal automobile accident took place in 1969.

Tourism
Edgartown was an old whaling port and is now a summer and tourist destination with a multitude of houses built by whaling captains and other prominent people of prior centuries. The growth of the population over the past 25 years has led to a period of intense renewal of these old houses. Water Street along the harbor is the location of many of these "Captain's Homes" which line both sides of the street. The town has also encouraged renovation of historical structures. As part of this effort, the Whaling Church, a large 18th-century church, has been converted to a performing arts center and the adjacent Daniel Fisher House is now used for a variety of social functions. In addition to the architecture of the town, Edgartown is easily traversed on foot or bicycle, making it attractive to tourists.

Edgartown was used as the main shooting location for the town of Amity in Steven Spielberg's 1975 blockbuster Jaws. Many landmarks and buildings in Edgartown that were filmed in the movie can still be seen today.The Edgartown Harbor Light at the end of north Water Street defines the entrance to the Harbor. The harbor is large and entered through a modest sized channel on the North side of Edgartown. It opens into Katama Bay, created by a barrier beach that sometimes connects the south end of Chappaquiddick to the remainder of Edgartown, The barrier beach opened during a spring storm in 2007. This has led to a three-knot current through Katama Bay and Edgartown Harbor. This protected body of water provides ample mooring for small and large boats. The opening of the harbor will accommodate large sailing and motorized boats, but will not accommodate large ships or yachts which may anchor outside the harbor.

Another feature is South Beach, a small part of the ocean beach that runs the entire southern length of the island from Edgartown to Aquinnah. It can be reached by driving or riding the bus south from Edgartown center for approximately 2.5 miles. South Beach is a crashing ocean beach. It is a major destination for tourists. Much of the beach in Edgartown is open to the public, with ample parking available. The section of the beach near Katama is often crowded, while the sections further to the west (near Edgartown Great Pond and Oyster Pond) are often less so.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 122.7 sqmi, of which 27.0 sqmi is land and 95.8 sqmi (78.01%) is water. Edgartown is ranked 103rd out of 351 communities in the Commonwealth by land area, and is the largest town by land area in Dukes County. Edgartown is bordered by Nantucket Sound to the northeast and east, the Atlantic Ocean to the south, West Tisbury to the west, and Oak Bluffs to the north. The town also shares a common corner with Tisbury (along with West Tisbury and Oak Bluffs).

Edgartown is located at the eastern end of Martha's Vineyard (referred to as "down-island", a vestige of the island's traditional maritime manner of speaking in that as a ship travels east, it is said to be traveling "down east" as longitude decreases towards the Prime Meridian ). [An alternative explanation and one prevalent in Maine, is that down east is down wind in the prevailing winds of the New England coast, down island would also be down wind. For those who have spent a lot of time sailing (as opposed to 'power boating'), down wind is more important to a sailor than decreasing longitude.]The town of Edgartown includes the smaller island of Chappaquiddick, sometimes connected to the rest of Martha's Vineyard only by a barrier beach which can be breached during storms. Chappaquiddick is separated from the town center by Edgartown Harbor and Katama Bay. The town is close to Nantucket's Muskeget Island, which is seven miles east of Wasque Point, the southeasternmost point of Chappaquiddick.

Katama is the south-central portion of Edgartown. In addition to a beach, Katama has within its boundaries the Katama Airpark, the Katama Farm, the Herring Creek Farm and two resorts. Edgartown is also home to half of the Manuel F. Correllus State Forest, which extends into neighboring West Tisbury. There are nine beaches, a yacht club, and several preserves and reservations in the town, including the Wasque Reservation along the south shore of Chappaquiddick and the Cape Pogue Wildlife Refuge along the east shore of the island. There are two lighthouses in the town, the Cape Pogue Light on Chappaquiddick and the Edgartown Harbor Light in Edgartown Harbor.

Climate
Edgartown has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) according to most recent temperature averages, with some resemblance to that of Tampa, Florida, New York City, or Atlanta, Georgia, although the climate more resembles far inland Central Europe. Winters are mild with occasional snow and summers are hot and humid. Edgartown is among the most northerly locations with a semi-tropical climate in North America.

Diurnal temperature variation is lower than on the mainland. The warmest night on record is 76 F in August 2010 and the annual average is 72 F. When wind conditions come from the cold interior during winter, Edgartown can experience heavy cold snaps in spite of its offshore position and low latitude. The mean for the coldest day is at 20 F and the daytime maximum fell to 7 F in December 1980. Even with 40 F average January highs and the mild water temperatures, ice days were recorded every year at the station in its first 75 years operating.

Transportation
Auto transportation to Chappaquiddick is provided by two ferries, the "On Time II" and "On Time III". A common myth is that the original ferry "On Time" was given its name because the ferry has never had scheduled runs and thus is never late. In fact, the ferry was given this name because a new owner, Foster B. Silva of Chappaquiddick, had less than two weeks to build it before taking over the service on August 1, 1948. The work crew—led by Captain Samuel B. Norton and master boatbuilder Manuel Swartz Roberts, both of Edgartown—built and launched the new ferry "on time." This original "On Time" was converted to a barge dispensing fresh water to visiting yachtsmen after its service as a ferry ended in 1975. The barge was sold and lost track of in the late 1990s. The "On Time II," built in 1969, and the "On Time III," built in 1975 and now owned by Peter. S. Wells and his wife Sally T. Snipes of Chappaquiddick, are still in service.

In addition to the On Time Ferry, Edgartown is home to another ferry, the Pied Piper, which runs seasonally between the town and Falmouth, on Cape Cod. There are two airports in the town. Katama Airpark is a grass field and located between Katama Bay and Edgartown Great Pond in the southern part of town; it serves smaller private aircraft. Along the border of the state forest lies Martha's Vineyard Airport, which Edgartown shares with West Tisbury. This airport is used for commercial commuter flights from nearby sites on the mainland and Nantucket.

2020 Census
''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.''

2000 Census
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,779 people, 1,582 households, and 957 families residing in the town. The population density was 140.0 PD/sqmi. There were 4,360 housing units at an average density of 161.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 93.3% White, 1.8% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.5% Asian, <0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.5% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.2% of the population.

There were 1,582 households, out of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.7% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.5% were non-families. 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.3% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 30.9% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $50,407, and the median income for a family was $55,153. Males had a median income of $36,615 versus $30,205 for females. The per capita income for the town was $25,740. About 2.7% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.5% of those under age 18 and 1.3% of those age 65 or over.

In 2003 the Vineyard Gazette estimated that there were 15,000 year-round inhabitants of the island with a summer increase to 105,000. Over the last 20 years there has been a continuous growth in the population of the island, although many of the large expanses of undeveloped land and many vistas remain. The summer season, which previously lasted from mid-June through Labor Day weekend has been gradually extended and now includes the period from Memorial Day through Columbus Day.

Government
Edgartown is the county seat of Dukes County.

On the national level, Edgartown is a part of Massachusetts's 9th congressional district, and is currently represented by William R. Keating. The state's junior (Class II) member of the United States Senate is Ed Markey, and the senior (Class I) Senator is Elizabeth Warren.

On the state level, Edgartown is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives as a part of the Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket district, which includes all of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, as well as a portion of Falmouth. The town is represented in the Massachusetts Senate as a portion of the Cape and Islands district, which includes all of Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket and most of Barnstable County (with the exception of Bourne, Sandwich, Falmouth and a portion of Barnstable). All of Dukes County is patrolled by the Fifth (Oak Bluffs) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police.

Edgartown is governed on the local level by the open town meeting form of government and is led by a Town Administrator and a board of selectmen. The town has its own police and fire departments, both located just west of the historic center of town. The current police chief is Bruce McNamee. The town has one post office, located further west and south of the wildlife preserve at Sengekontacket Pond. The town's Free Public Library is located in the center of town. Edgartown is also the site of the Dukes County Courthouse, the only courthouse on the island.

Education
Edgartown is part of the Martha's Vineyard Regional School District along with Aquinnah, Chilmark, Oak Bluffs, Tisbury, and West Tisbury. Students in Edgartown attend Edgartown Elementary School, from grades K–8. High School students then attend Martha's Vineyard Regional High School. The MVRHS's teams are nicknamed the Vineyarders, and their colors are violet and white. The school has a longstanding rivalry with Nantucket High School, with both competing for the Island Cup on an annual basis.

Notable people

 * Helen Jernegan
 * Ruth Gordon
 * Enid Yandell, sculptor
 * Patricia Neal, stage and screen actress

title: Edgartown, Massachusetts


text:
Gosnold, Massachusetts

Gosnold is a town that encompasses the Elizabeth Islands in Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States. At the 2020 census, the town population was 70, making it the least populous town in Massachusetts. Most of the residents live in the village of Cuttyhunk, while most of the land in the town is owned by the Forbes family.

History
The earliest inhabitants of the Elizabeth Islands were the Wampanoag Native Americans. The tribe did not settle permanently on the Elizabeth Islands, but used them in summer for hunting, fishing, and gardening. Occasionally, arrowheads or stone tools are discovered on the islands. The islands' names come from the Wampanoag language.

Bartholomew Gosnold was among the first Europeans to become aware of the Elizabeth Islands, including Cuttyhunk, in 1602. He and his crew attempted to establish a trading post on Cuttyhunk so that they could trade with the natives, the first attempt by Europeans to do so. The trading post was abandoned after only a few weeks, and Gosnold decided to return home. Upon his return to England, the British Crown claimed jurisdiction of the island chain.

Gosnold was first settled in 1641, the year of purchase of the islands by Thomas Mayhew, Sr. The islands were claimed by the Wampanoag until 1658, when the Wampanoag sachem transferred the deed of ownership to Mayhew. Constituting Dukes County, New York since 1683, the Elizabeth Islands, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket, were transferred to the newly created Province of Massachusetts Bay in 1691. Gosnold was separately incorporated as a municipality in 1864; previously it was a part of the town of Chilmark.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 363.0 km2, of which 34.2 km2 is land and 328.9 km2, or 90.59%, is water. Gosnold ranks 272nd out of the 351 communities in the Commonwealth in terms of land area; however, it has the longest distance between points within municipal limits of any town in the Commonwealth. It consists of the Elizabeth Islands, including Nonamesset Island, Uncatena Island, Naushon Island, Pasque Island, Nashawena Island, Penikese Island, Cuttyhunk Island, and several smaller islands. The string of islands extend roughly southwest of the southwestern tip of Falmouth, with the closest island, Nonamesset, being less than one-third of a mile away at its closest point. More than half the population lives on Cuttyhunk, with the majority of the rest living on Naushon.

Transportation
Cuttyhunk is served by Cuttyhunk Ferry Company from New Bedford. Service is daily in the warm months, and on Monday and Friday in the cooler months. There is also a water taxi service between New Bedford and Cuttyhunk.

Naushon Island is served by a private ferry from Woods Hole. Nonamesset and Uncatena are connected to Naushon Island via foot bridges.

Penikese Island is accessible via a chartered boat for STEM-related school trips.

All other islands in Gosnold do not have regular boat service and require a private vessel to be reached.

Demographics
As of the census of 2020, there were 70 people and 26 households residing in the town. The population density was 5.3 PD/sqmi. There were 218 housing units at an average density of 16.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 61 (87.14%) White, 3 (4.29%) Hispanic or Latino, 3 (4.29%) African Americans, Native Americans, and 5 (7.14%) from two or more races. The census did not report any Asians, or Pacific Islanders, and reported one person as Some Other Race.

In the town, the population was made up entirely of adults. 36.7% who were 65 years of age or older.

According to the 2010 Census, Gosnold now has the lowest population density of any town in the Commonwealth. The title was previously held by Mount Washington at the southwest corner of Massachusetts.

Gosnold was first in a 2008 ranking of all Massachusetts communities in terms of total value of real estate per resident.

Government
On the national level, Gosnold is a part of Massachusetts's 9th congressional district, and is currently represented by Democrat Bill Keating. Massachusetts is currently represented in the United States Senate by senior Senator (Democrat) Elizabeth Warren and junior Senator (Democrat) Ed Markey.

On the state level, Gosnold is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives as a part of the Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket district, which includes all of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, as well as a portion of Falmouth. The town is represented in the Massachusetts Senate as a portion of the Cape and Islands district, which includes all of Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket and most of Barnstable County (with the exception of Bourne, Sandwich, and Falmouth). All of Dukes County is patrolled by the Fifth (Oak Bluffs) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police.

Gosnold is governed on the local level by the open town meeting form of government, and is led by a board of selectmen. Due to its geographic isolation and small population, the town has at times asked for a waiver from the Commonwealth from anti-nepotism laws.

Education
The town has one schoolhouse, Cuttyhunk Elementary School. As of 2020, the school has no students. However, the town hopes to use the school as a STEM resource center for mainland schools to visit.

Penikese Island is home to The Penikese School. It operated as a private school for troubled boys until 2011. The school then became a substance abuse treatment center for a short time before converting into an educational facility for field trips.

title: Gosnold, Massachusetts


text:
Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts

Oak Bluffs is a town located on the island of Martha's Vineyard in Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,341 at the 2020 United States Census. It is one of the island's principal points of arrival for summer tourists, and is noted for its "gingerbread cottages" and other well-preserved mid- to late-nineteenth-century buildings. The town has been a historically important center of African American culture since the eighteenth century.

History
The first inhabitants of Oak Bluffs were the Wampanoag people, who have lived on Martha's Vineyard (Wampanoag name: Noepe) for approximately 10,000 years. The area that is now Oak Bluffs was called "Ogkeshkuppe," which means "damp/wet thicket or woods."

The area was later settled by Europeans in 1642 and was part of Edgartown until 1880, when it was officially incorporated as Cottage City. The town re-incorporated in 1907 as Oak Bluffs, named because the town was the site of an oak grove along the bluffs overlooking Nantucket Sound. Oak Bluffs was the only one of the six towns on the island to be consciously planned, and the only one developed specifically with tourism in mind.

People of African descent first arrived at Martha's Vineyard in the 1600s as enslaved West Africans who worked on the farms of European settlers. The Oak Bluffs harbor drew freed slaves, laborers and sailors in the 18th century, and white locals sold them land. After slavery was abolished, the freed blacks came to work in the fishing industries, in turn drawing black residents from the Massachusetts mainland, who came and started businesses to serve the Vineyard's growing population. In the 1800s some black laborers also worked as servants to wealthy white families and in the hotels. In the late 19th and 20th centuries, middle-class blacks bought or rented summer homes, and many of their descendants returned annually. Formerly enslaved people, or their descendants, bought property around Baptist Temple Park in the early 20th century, drawn by the religious services held there. Teachers, politicians, lawyers, doctors, artists, musicians and entrepreneurs resided there for decades afterward.

Affluent African Americans from New York, Boston, and Washington came to Oak Bluffs, the only Martha's Vineyard town that welcomed black tourists as other towns on the island did not allow black guests to stay in inns and hotels until the 1960s. Many bought houses in an area they called the Oval or the Highlands, which Harlem Renaissance writer Dorothy West wrote about in her 1995 novel, The Wedding (edited by Doubleday editor Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, a Vineyard resident who visited West for two summers). By the 1930s, local black landowners were transforming the town into the country's best-known and most exclusive African American vacation spot. Down the road from West, Adam Clayton Powell Jr. owned a cottage in the Oval where Arctic explorer Matthew Henson was a guest. Further down the road is Shearer Cottage, the first inn for African Americans vacationers. It was built by a Charles Shearer, the son of a slave and a slave owner, when Shearer saw that black visitors were not able to stay at the homes due to segregation. Guests at the inn included the first self-made American millionairess Madame CJ Walker, singers Paul Robeson, Ethel Waters and Lillian Evanti; and composer Harry T. Burleigh.

In 1866, Robert Morris Copeland was hired by a group of New England developers to design a planned residential community in Martha's Vineyard. The site, a large, rolling, treeless pasture overlooking Nantucket Sound, was adjacent to the immensely popular Methodist camp meeting, Wesleyan Grove, a curving network of narrow streets lined with quaint "Carpenter's Gothic" cottages, picket fences, and pocket parks. Seeking to take advantage of the camp's seasonal popularity (and overflowing population), the developers established Oak Bluffs Land and Wharf Company, gaining immediate success: Five hundred lots were sold between 1868 and 1871. Copeland would end up creating three plans for the community to accommodate its constant expansion. Oak Bluffs is one of the earliest planned residential communities and largely informed later suburban development in the United States.

Some of the earliest visitors to the area that became Cottage City and later Oak Bluffs were Methodists, who gathered in the oak grove known as Wesleyan Grove each summer for multi-day religious "camp meetings" held under large tents and in the open air.

As families returned to the grove year after year, tents pitched on the ground gave way to tents pitched on wooden platforms and eventually to small wooden cottages. Small in scale and closely packed, the cottages grew more elaborate over time. Porches, balconies, elaborate door and window frames became common, as did complex wooden scrollwork affixed to the roof edges as decorative trim. The unique "gingerbread" or "Carpenter's Gothic" architectural style of the cottages was often accented by the owner's use of bright, multi-hue paint schemes, and gave the summer cottages a quaint, almost storybook look. Dubbed "gingerbread cottages," they became a tourist attraction in their own right in the late nineteenth century. So, too, did the Tabernacle: a circular, open-sided pavilion covered by a metal roof supported by tall wrought iron columns, erected in the late 1880s, which became a venue for services and community events. The campground's gingerbread cottages are cherished historic landmarks as well as very expensive real estate. Many are still family owned and passed on generation to generation. The cottages and the Tabernacle were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, recognized in 2000 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and declared a National Historic Landmark by the US Department of the Interior in 2005.

Nineteenth-century tourists, arriving by steamer from the mainland, could also choose from a wide range of secular attractions: shops, restaurants, ice cream parlors, dance halls, band concerts, walks along seaside promenades, or swims in the waters of Nantucket Sound. Resort hotels, of which the Wesley House is the sole surviving example, lined the waterfront and the bluffs. For a time, a narrow-gauge railway carried curious travelers from the steamship wharf in Oak Bluffs to Edgartown, running along tracks laid on what is now Joseph Sylvia State Beach. In 1884, the Flying Horses Carousel was brought to Oak Bluffs from Coney Island and installed a few blocks inland from the ocean, where it remains in operation today. Built in 1876, it is the oldest platform carousel still in operation. Like the grounds and buildings of the Campground (so designated in April 2005), the Flying Horses were designated a National Historic Landmark by the Secretary of the Interior.

The Martha's Vineyard Summer Institute was established in 1878, being the first summer school for teachers in the U.S.

In 1873, the neighboring community of Harthaven was established by William H. Hart when he purchased a lot from the Oak Bluffs Land and Wharf Company. The community later moved in 1911 to its present location between Oak Bluffs town and Edgartown.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 26.0 sqmi, of which 7.4 sqmi is land and 18.6 sqmi  (71.61%) is water. In terms of land area, the town is 323rd out of 351 communities in the Commonwealth, and the third smallest community (behind Aquinnah and Tisbury) in Dukes County. Oak Bluffs is bordered by Nantucket Sound to the north and east, Edgartown to the south, and Vineyard Haven Harbor, Lagoon Pond and Tisbury to the west. It also shares a common corner, along with Tisbury and Edgartown, with West Tisbury.

The northernmost point of the town, East Chop, is just over five miles from the mainland. The town shares Sengekontacket Pond with Edgartown, with the town's land ending at Sarson's Island, but wrapping around the waters around Felix Neck into Major's Cove. The highest points in town are between Sengekontacket and Lagoon Ponds, and west of Lagoon Pond in the irregular triangle of land which juts into Tisbury.

There are four public beaches in the town: Eastville Beach, facing Vineyard Haven Harbor and adjacent to the entrance to Lagoon Pond; Oak Bluffs Town Beach or The "Inkwell" is the name of the popular beach frequented by African Americans beginning in the late nineteenth century. The strand was pejoratively called "The Inkwell" by nearby whites in reference to the skin color of the beach-goers. It is the most famous of beaches across the U.S. to transform this odious nickname into an emblem of pride, bordering Nantucket Sound just south of the Steamship Authority Pier; Hart Haven Beach, further to the south; and Joseph Sylvia State Beach, a barrier beach (shared by Oak Bluffs and Edgartown) that separates Sengekontacket Pond from Nantucket Sound. State Beach is punctuated by two inlets that connect the pond to the ocean. The smaller of the two is spanned by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Bridge, which lies wholly within Oak Bluffs, and the larger by the American Legion Bridge, the midpoint of which is the boundary between Oak Bluffs and Edgartown. The formal names of the bridges are generally ignored by residents in favor of the traditional designations "Little Bridge" and "Big Bridge."

Oak Bluffs has a small, tightly enclosed harbor that draws large numbers of recreational boaters, and serves as a year-round home port to a small number of fishing boats. Seasonal passenger ferries to Falmouth, Hyannis, and Nantucket dock along the east side of the harbor, as does a high-speed ferry to Quonset Point, RI. The seasonal car-and-truck-ferry service operated by the Woods Hole, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority docks outside the harbor, at a long pier projecting into Nantucket Sound, as does the fast ferry that provides seasonal service to New Bedford. The exposed nature of the pier means that Steamship Authority ferries are routinely diverted to Vineyard Haven during strong northeasterly winds. Oak Bluffs is also the site of Trade Winds Airport, a private grass landing strip located just north of Sengekontacket Pond.

Climate
According to the Köppen climate classification, Oak Bluffs has a temperate oceanic climate (abbreviated Cfb), closely bordering on a hot-summer humid sub-tropical climate (abbreviated Cfa).

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,713 people, 1,590 households, and 914 families residing in the town. The population density was 504.1 PD/sqmi. There were 3,820 housing units at an average density of 518.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 86.72% White, 4.31% African American, 1.51% Native American, 0.67% Asian, 2.50% from other races, and 4.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.19% of the population.

Like other towns in Southeastern Massachusetts, Oak Bluffs has had a large Portuguese-American population since the late 19th century. Many of these town residents were originally from the island of Faial in the Azores, and the neighborhood where many of them lived, located between Vineyard Avenue and Wing Rd, was once nicknamed Fayal. Today the town's Portuguese heritage is best appreciated at the Annual Portuguese Feast, held at the Portuguese-American Club on Vineyard Avenue in mid-July.

There were 1,590 households, out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.3% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 42.5% were non-families, 32.6% were made up of individuals, and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.6% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 31.9% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $42,044, and the median income for a family was $53,841. Males had a median income of $39,113 versus $31,797 for females. The per capita income for the town was $23,829. About 6.2% of families and 8.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.0% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.

Oak Bluffs ranks 263rd in population in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and third in Dukes County (behind Edgartown and Tisbury). It is 173rd in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in terms of population density, and second behind Tisbury in Dukes County.

Government
On the national level, Oak Bluffs is a part of Massachusetts's 9th congressional district, and is currently represented by Bill Keating. Massachusetts is currently represented in the United States Senate by Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey.

On the state level, Oak Bluffs is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives as a part of the Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket district, which includes all of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, as well as a portion of Falmouth. The town is represented in the Massachusetts Senate as a portion of the Cape and Islands district, which includes all of Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket and most of Barnstable County (with the exception of Bourne, Sandwich, Falmouth and Mashpee). The town is home to the Fifth Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police, which serves all of Dukes County.

Oak Bluffs is governed on the local level by the open town meeting form of government, and is led by a board of selectmen. The town has its own police and fire departments, with the police being located near Oak Bluffs Harbor and the fire department being more centrally located in the town. The post office is located just east of the Vineyard Camp Meeting Association lands, as is Oak Bluffs Public Library, which is a member of the Cape Libraries Automated Materials Sharing library network. Oak Bluffs is also home to Martha's Vineyard Hospital, just northeast of the Lagoon, which serves all of the island.

Notable people

 * Edward W. Brooke, former Massachusetts Senator who was the first black senator after Reconstruction and the first from the Northern United States
 * Bebe Moore Campbell, writer
 * Stephen L. Carter, Yale law professor and writer. Carter based his first novel, The Emperor of Ocean Park, in Oak Bluffs
 * Suzzanne Douglas, Cobb, actress, singer, dancer
 * Henry Louis Gates Jr., professor, author, and filmmaker
 * Charlayne Hunter-Gault, journalist and author
 * Lani Guinier, professor and former nominee for assistant attorney general for civil rights
 * Sunny Hostin, lawyer, author, and television host. Hostin based her first novel, Summer on the Bluffs, in Oak Bluffs
 * Reggie Hudlin, filmmaker
 * Valerie Jarrett, senior advisor to President Obama
 * Vernon Jordan, lawyer and former presidential advisor
 * Martin Luther King Jr., civil rights movement activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate
 * Spike Lee, filmmaker and his wife, Tonya Lewis Lee, a lawyer and television producer
 * Emma Chambers Maitland, dancer and boxer
 * Helen Manning, Native American historian, activist and writer, taught at Oak Bluffs School from 1968 to 1984
 * Manning Marable, professor and author
 * Jill Nelson, author and journalist
 * Stanley Nelson, documentary filmmaker. His documentary, A Place Of Our Own, aired on the PBS series Independent Lens
 * Peter Norton, founder of Peter Norton Computing which developed the Norton Utilities.
 * Charles Ogletree, professor and lawyer
 * Adam Clayton Powell Jr., congressman, and his former wife Isabel Powell, sister of actress Fredi Washington
 * Paul Robeson, actor
 * Carole Simpson, former ABC News anchor
 * Louis Wade Sullivan, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services
 * Ethel Waters, singer
 * Dorothy West, author

title: Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts


text:
Tisbury, Massachusetts

Tisbury is a town located on Martha's Vineyard in Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 4,815 at the 2020 census.

Vineyard Haven is the main village/town center of Tisbury. The two names are used interchangeably. As can be seen in the history section below, the town of Tisbury was incorporated within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1671, and remains the legal name of the town to this day. However, the port and harbor have had varying names. "Holmes Hole" was one of the first names of the port within the town of Tisbury. This name was later changed to "Vineyard Haven", which is the official post office name for the community. To residents of Martha's Vineyard, "Vineyard Haven" is by far the more common usage, although residents recognize Tisbury as the town's legal name.

Vineyard Haven in Tisbury is the main port of entrance to Martha's Vineyard, and is the only operational port on the island during most of the year.

History
The Wampanoag have lived on Martha's Vineyard, which they called Noepe, continuously for approximately 5,000-15,000 years. The first English maritime explorer, Bartholomew Gosnold, came in 1602. Six decades later, in 1660, Tisbury was first settled by James Allen, William Peabody and Lt. Josiah Standish, a son of Captain Myles Standish. It was officially incorporated in 1671 by Francis Lovelace, Governor General of New York. The town, which originally included the lands of West Tisbury, was named for Tisbury, Wiltshire, England, the hometown of Martha's Vineyard Governor Mayhew. Citizens of the island, unhappy with the leadership of Governor Mayhew, petitioned William III and Mary II in 1673 for a change of leadership, and the entire island, including the town, became a part of Massachusetts.

The town was divided into its current boundaries in 1892.

The town has long thrived on the sea, and is now the home of the main ferry docks for the island. The island's first and primary ferry line is the Steamship Authority, which runs to and from Woods Hole, New Bedford, and Nantucket (in the summer months from the Oak Bluffs terminal), all in Massachusetts. There are several other private ferry lines that serve Martha's Vineyard as well, with terminals in the towns of Oak Bluffs and Edgartown. To get an idea of the embarkation in summer of passengers, tourists primarily, and goods, see the early scene in the movie Jaws which shows the debarkation on "Amity Island" of a typical boatload in summer at the Vineyard Haven Steamship Authority facility from the steamship Naushon. At the time of the filming of Jaws in 1975 this was the largest of the ferries, running only in the summer months for its high passenger capacity. It ceased service in 1987 and has been replaced by more modern vessels.

Like the rest of Martha's Vineyard, is a popular summer resort for the rich and famous. Residents of Tisbury have included Art Buchwald, William Styron, Mike Wallace, Lillian Hellman, Carly Simon, Thornton Wilder, Dashiell Hammett, Katharine Cornell, and Diane Sawyer.

Flask, the third mate of the Pequod in Herman Melville's Moby-Dick, hails from Tisbury.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town of Tisbury has a total area of 49.5 km2, of which 16.9 km2 is land and 32.6 km2, or 65.79%, is water. The town ranks 329th out of the 351 communities in the Commonwealth in terms of land area, and is sixth out of the seven towns of Dukes County (only Aquinnah is smaller). Tisbury is bordered by Vineyard Haven Harbor, Lagoon Pond and Oak Bluffs to the east, West Tisbury to the southwest, and Vineyard Sound to the northwest. The town shares a common corner, along with West Tisbury and Oak Bluffs, with Edgartown. Localities of the town include Vineyard Haven, Makonikey, Pilot Hill, West Chop, and Lambert's Cove.

Measuring from the western shore of Tisbury to Nobska Point at Woods Hole (town of Falmouth), the town is 3.3 mi from the mainland (Cape Cod), the closest point on the Vineyard. Most of central Tisbury is low-lying and near sea level, with elevations rising to 150 ft in places. West Chop is the northernmost point on the Vineyard, tipped by the West Chop Light. The town is also home to Lake Tashmoo, just south of the tip of West Chop.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,755 people, 1,646 households, and 902 families residing in the town. The population density was 572.4 PD/sqmi. There were 2,720 housing units at an average density of 414.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 90.04% White, 2.96% African American, 1.36% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 1.33% from other races, and 3.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.04% of the population.

A large percentage of the white population is of Portuguese descent, and a great number of "Native Islanders" (born on the island) within the community are of mixed ethnicity such as Portuguese, Native American (Wampanoag Indian), and African American families who have been there for generations, primarily tied to maritime ventures of fishing, whaling, and the fitting out of whaleships.

There were 1,646 households, out of which 25.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.9% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.2% were non-families. 36.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 21.5% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 26.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $37,041, and the median income for a family was $53,051. Males had a median income of $38,452 versus $29,034 for females. The per capita income for the town was $26,783. About 7.7% of families and 12.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.9% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.

In terms of population, Tisbury ranks 267th in the Commonwealth and second only to Edgartown in Dukes County in terms of year-round population. The town ranks 167th statewide in terms of population density, below the mean but above the median. It is the most densely populated town in Dukes County.

There is a substantial dichotomy between the wealth of the year-round residents, which is generally below the Massachusetts median, and that of the summer residents, who tend to be quite wealthy.

Government
On the national level, Tisbury is a part of Massachusetts's 9th congressional district, and is currently represented by Bill Keating. Massachusetts is currently represented in the United States Senate by senior Senator Elizabeth Warren and junior Senator Ed Markey. On the state level, Tisbury is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives as a part of the Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket district, which includes all of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, as well as a portion of Falmouth. The town is represented in the Massachusetts Senate as a portion of the Cape and Islands district, which includes all of Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket and most of Barnstable County (with the exception of Bourne, Sandwich, Falmouth and a portion of Barnstable). All of Dukes County is patrolled by the Fifth (Oak Bluffs) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police.

Tisbury is governed on the local level by the open town meeting form of government, and is led by an executive secretary and a board of selectmen. The town has its own police and fire departments, both located within Vineyard Haven, just blocks from the steamship authority piers. The post office is also nearby. The Vineyard Haven Public Library is located just north of the heart of Vineyard Haven, and is a part of the Cape Libraries Automated Materials Sharing library network.

For 180 years Tisbury was a "Dry" town; alcohol could not be sold or purchased. For a number of years, to encourage dining there, the town and its eating establishments practiced a policy of "BYOB." On April 27, 2012, town voters approved (by a vote of 881–747) a ballot initiative granting the town's selectmen authority to grant licenses for the sale of beer and wine. The first licenses were issued in July 2012. As of August 2012 eight establishments in Tisbury have beer and wine licenses.

Education
Tisbury is part of the Martha's Vineyard Regional School District along with Aquinnah, Chilmark, Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, and West Tisbury. Students in Tisbury attend Tisbury Elementary School, from grades K-8. High School students then attend Martha's Vineyard Regional High School. The MVRHS's teams are nicknamed the Vineyarders, and their colors are violet and white. The school has a longstanding rivalry with Nantucket High School, with both competing for the Island Cup on an annual basis. The Tisbury school is the oldest school on the island. Built in 1929 and has been educating children for over 80 years. The Tisbury school colors are blue and gold, their mascot is a tiger.

Tisbury is also the home of the Vineyard Montessori School, which serves students from pre-kindergarten through third grade.

Notable people

 * Asa B. Carey, U.S. Army brigadier general
 * Katharine Cornell, actress, writer, theater owner, and producer.
 * Jim Ferraro, attorney
 * Edmund C. Weeks, Florida politician
 * Benjamin West, New Hampshire lawyer

title: Tisbury, Massachusetts


text:
Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts

Vineyard Haven is a community within the town of Tisbury, Massachusetts, United States on the island of Martha's Vineyard. It is listed as a census-designated place (CDP) by the U.S. Census Bureau, with a population of 2,114 as of the 2010 census.

The area was called "Nobnocket" by the Wampanoag people and was first referred to by the colonial settlers as "Homes Hole", "Homes" from a Wampanoag term for "old man" and "Hole" meaning a sheltered inlet. By the 19th century, it was more commonly spelled "Holmes Hole", after the descendants of John Holmes (1730–1812), who had settled in the village during the second half of the 18th century. The village officially changed its name to Vineyard Haven in 1871. The name Vineyard Haven technically refers only to one section of the town of Tisbury, but the names are used interchangeably and Vineyard Haven is commonly used as a title for the whole town.

Vineyard Haven is the main port of entry to Martha's Vineyard and one of the three main population centers (with Edgartown and Oak Bluffs). The Steamship Authority wharf is located in Vineyard Haven where ferries arrive and depart year-round. (A second, seasonal wharf is located in neighboring Oak Bluffs.) The year-round population is only about 2,000 people, but that number increases tremendously in the summer.

Geography
Vineyard Haven is located at 41.45611°N, -70.60718°W.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 4.1 km2, of which 3.2 km2 is land and 0.9 km2  (20.89%) is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,048 people, 941 households, and 479 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 632.6 /km2. There were 1,420 housing units at an average density of 438.6 /km2. The racial makeup of the CDP was 88.92% White, 3.22% African American, 1.86% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 1.71% from other races, and 4.00% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.63% of the population.

There were 941 households, out of which 23.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.2% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 49.0% were non-families. 39.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 20.6% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 16.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.9 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $37,318, and the median income for a family was $44,844. Males had a median income of $35,824 versus $28,750 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $26,225. About 6.5% of families and 11.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.2% of those under age 18 and 10.3% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation
Air Service is provided from Martha's Vineyard Airport.

The most reliable source of public transportation from Vineyard Haven to the rest of the island is the Martha's Vineyard Regional Transit Authority (VTA). Almost all of the buses stop at the Vineyard Haven Steamship Authority bus terminal and it is the most used in the summer time and year-round. The VTA is the only Island-wide public transportation system on Martha's Vineyard, which makes it the best choice for traveling around the Vineyard for tourists who do not have cars and do not want to pay for a taxi.

title: Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts


text:
West Tisbury, Massachusetts

West Tisbury is a town located on Martha's Vineyard in Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,555 at the 2020 census. Along with Chilmark and Aquinnah, West Tisbury forms "Up-Island" Martha's Vineyard.

History
West Tisbury was first settled by English settlers in 1669 as part of the town of Tisbury. The town was officially incorporated in 1892, the last town on Martha's Vineyard to be incorporated. Despite its separation from Tisbury, the original settlement of the town is still located in West Tisbury. Historically, it has been the agricultural heartland of the island. Up through the 1980s West Tisbury was one of the quickest growing communities on the island.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 108.2 km2, of which 64.8 km2 is land and 43.3 km2, or 40.06%, is water. West Tisbury ranks 123rd out of 351 communities in the Commonwealth in terms of land area, and is the second largest town (behind Edgartown) on the Vineyard. West Tisbury is bordered by Vineyard Sound to the northwest, Tisbury to the northeast, Edgartown to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and Chilmark to the west, and includes the regions known as Lambert's Cove and Makonikey. The town also shares a common corner with Oak Bluffs, where the two towns meet with Tisbury and Edgartown.

West Tisbury is mostly rural, with more forestation to the north and east and most of the town's agrarian areas around the brooks that feed into Tisbury Great Pond and its surrounding ponds. The Sound side of town also has several ponds; none are nearly the size of the bodies of water on the Atlantic side. There are several refuges and reservations around town, the largest being the Long Point Wildlife Refuge just east of Tisbury Great Pond. The town is also home to approximately half of the Manuel F. Correllus State Forest, which dominates the center of the island.

Just south of the forest lies Martha's Vineyard Airport, which the town shares with Edgartown (although the facilities are mostly in West Tisbury). The airport provides regional service to airports on the mainland and at Nantucket.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,467 people, 1,034 households, and 668 families residing in the town. The population density was 98.6 PD/sqmi. There were 1,849 housing units at an average density of 73.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 96.23% White, 0.69% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.28% Pacific Islander, 0.49% from other races, and 1.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.69% of the population.

There were 1,034 households, out of which 35.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.4% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.3% were non-families. 26.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.7% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 32.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $54,077, and the median income for a family was $59,514. Males had a median income of $42,813 versus $29,907 for females. The per capita income for the town was $31,021. About 1.6% of families and 2.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.9% of those under age 18 and 1.2% of those age 65 or over.

West Tisbury ranks 281st in terms of population, and 282nd in terms of population density in the state. It has the fourth-largest population and population density on the island, and the smallest of the populations in the thousands. (Aquinnah and Chilmark's populations number in the hundreds, and Gosnold, at 86, is the smallest community in the Commonwealth.)

Ancestry/Ethnicity
The largest ancestry/ethnic groups in West Tisbury are:

 * 30.4% English
 * 13.6% Irish
 * 9.7% German
 * 7.1% Scottish
 * 6.0% French
 * 5.8% Portuguese
 * 3.5% Italian
 * 3.4% Norwegian
 * 2.6% Polish
 * 2.1% Russian

Government
On the national level, West Tisbury is a part of Massachusetts's 9th congressional district, and is currently represented by William R. Keating. Massachusetts is currently represented in the United States Senate by junior Senator Ed Markey and senior senator Elizabeth Warren.

On the state level, West Tisbury is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives as a part of the Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket district, which includes all of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, as well as a portion of Falmouth. The town is represented in the Massachusetts Senate as a portion of the Cape and Islands district, which includes all of Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket and most of Barnstable County (with the exception of Bourne, Sandwich, Falmouth and a portion of Barnstable. All of Dukes County is patrolled by the Fifth (Oak Bluffs) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police.

West Tisbury is governed on the local level by the open town meeting form of government, and is led by a board of selectmen. The police station is located in the North Tisbury business district, co-located with the Fire Department's Station II, and the town has two fire stations; located farther up Edgartown-West Tisbury Road and near the business district. The post office is located north of North Tisbury, and the West Tisbury Free Public Library is located just north of the town center.

Education
West Tisbury is part of the Martha's Vineyard Regional School District along with Aquinnah, Chilmark, Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, and Tisbury. Students in West Tisbury attend West Tisbury Elementary School, from grades K–8.

The Up-Island School District (West Tisbury School) has a "school choice" program which was renewed in 2022.

High School students then attend Martha's Vineyard Regional High School.

Also located in West Tisbury is the Martha's Vineyard Charter School, a substitute school for anyone in K–12. It is located next to the WTFD building.

Notable people

 * Michael Craughwell, sword maker and star of the Discovery Channel series Big Giant Swords
 * Nancy Luce, poet, folk artist
 * Willy Mason, musician
 * David McCullough, historian
 * Ryen Russillo, The Ringer/NBA commentator

Points of interest

 * Polly Hill Arboretum
 * Grange Hall
 * Alley's General Store
 * Waskosim's Rock
 * Split Rock
 * Old Mill
 * The Mill Pond
 * Field Gallery

Popular culture
In The X-Files television show, Fox Mulder's father lives in West Tisbury.

title: West Tisbury, Massachusetts


text:
Beverly, Massachusetts

Beverly is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, and a suburb of Boston. The population was 42,670 at the time of the 2020 United States Census. A resort, residential, and manufacturing community on the Massachusetts North Shore, Beverly includes Ryal Side, North Beverly, Montserrat, Beverly Farms and Prides Crossing. Beverly is a rival of Marblehead for the title of being the "birthplace of the U.S. Navy".

History

Native Americans inhabited what would become northeastern Massachusetts for thousands of years before European colonization of the Americas. At the time of contact in the early 1600s, the area that would become Beverly was between an important Naumkeag settlement in present-day Salem and Agawam settlements on Cape Ann, with probable indigenous settlement sites at the mouth of the Bass River. During the early contact period, virgin soil epidemics ravaged native populations, reducing the indigenous population within the present boundaries of Beverly from an estimated 200 to less than 50 if any survivors.

Europeans under Roger Conant's leadership first colonized the area in 1626 as part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Initially part of Salem, Beverly would be set off and officially incorporated in 1668, when it was named after Beverley, the county town of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. Surviving from the settlement's early history is the Balch House, built, according to dendrochronological testing performed in 2006, about 1679.

English colonists did not initially seek permission from indigenous inhabitants to settle in Beverly, however when Charles II revoked colonial charters to establish the Dominion of New England in 1684, Beverly joined a number of Massachusetts municipalities in seeking out heirs to local sachems and paying them ex post facto in order to establish a right to the land. So it was that in 1686 the town selectmen agreed to pay six pounds, six shillings, and eight pence to three grandchildren of Masconomet, last sachem of the Agawam. They did not pay this sum until 1700.

The first ship commissioned for the US military, by the US Army (the US Navy had yet to exist), was the armed schooner USS Hannah under the command of Captain Nicholson Broughton. It was outfitted at Glover's Wharf and first sailed from Beverly Harbor on September 5, 1775. For this reason Beverly calls itself the "Birthplace of America's Navy." (Marblehead makes a similar claim, in part, because Broughton was from there and belonged to the Marblehead Regiment. Additionally, official US Navy history and the naval history of Rhode Island contradict this.) The Hannah can be found on the patch of the city's police department.

Beverly has been called the "birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution," as the site of the first cotton mill in America (1787), and largest cotton mill of its time. The town is the home of one of the country's first Sunday schools (which was built in 1810). Beverly was incorporated as a city in 1894.

In 1902, the United Shoe Machinery Corporation built a quarter-mile (400 m) stretch of factory buildings in Beverly. The stretch was an early landmark example of reinforced concrete construction, devised by concrete pioneer Ernest L. Ransome. In 1906 it went into production. Closed in 1987, the complex was bought by Cummings Properties in 1996, and developed into a campus of hi-tech companies, salons, restaurants, medical offices, and more. Parker Brothers, makers of Monopoly and other games, was headquartered in Beverly, acquired by Hasbro, and eventually ceased operations in Beverly. In 2012, the Dunham Road property was acquired by Cummings Properties and named Dunham Ridge.

President William Howard Taft rented a house for the summer White House from Mrs. Maria Evans in Beverly. In the summers of 1909 and 1910, he lived in a house located at what is now the site of the Italian Garden in Lynch Park, the city's principal public park, and in 1911 and 1912 he rented a different house a mile (1600 m) away, "Parramatta", from Mrs. Robert Peabody. Beverly Hills, California, was named in 1907 after Beverly Farms in Beverly because Taft vacationed there.

In 1984, the deadliest arson fire in Massachusetts history occurred at the Elliott Chambers, a rooming house located on the corner of Rantoul and Elliott Streets in downtown Beverly. 15 people died as a result of the fire.

Beverly has a former Nike missile site on L. P. Henderson Road, immediately east of the Beverly Municipal Airport. This site was in operation from March 1957 until August 1959, when the Army handed it over to the National Guard. It is now used by Beverly as a storage site and is under the scrutiny of many environmental organizations, due to concerns about polluted groundwater, which could be potentially hazardous to the nearby Wenham Lake water supply.

In April 2013, Bill Scanlon, Beverly's longest-serving mayor, announced that he would not be running for re-election in November. Scanlon first won election to the mayor’s seat in 1993 and held the office through 2013 (with the exception of a single term by Tom Crean from 2002-2003). In 2013, Michael Cahill beat Wes Slate to become Beverly's 34th mayor.

In December 2021, Mayor Cahill received one of two top honors from the Mayors Climate Protection Awards recognizing mayors for their climate work. The award focused on two Beverly efforts: the conversion of its vehicle fleet to electric and its Green Schools Program, which involves making buildings more energy efficient. Salem Mayor Kimberley Driscoll also received an honorable mention for her work on Resilient Together, a Beverly-Salem collaboration to address climate change. Whether it involves vehicle electrification or the greening of city buildings, the coastal city of Beverly has made climate work a central focus to protect its future.

Beverly is home to The Cabot, one of only approximately 250 similar movie palaces left out of an estimated 20,000 theaters built in the 1920s. For its first 40 years, it served as a center of community life for downtown Beverly. In 1944, the venue was leased to movie chain giant E.M. Loew’s, which eventually purchased it in 1962, and renamed it the Cabot Cinema. In 1976 it was purchased by Le Grand David and His Own Spectacular Magic Company. For 37 years, The Cabot hosted Le Grand David’s long-running magic show that made seven White House appearances and won recognition in the Guinness Book of Records and TIME, Smithsonian and National Geographic World magazines. When the Magic Company wound down and they placed the theater up for sale, thanks to the efforts of the five “founders”: Henry Bertolon, Bill Howard, Rich Marino, Thad Siemasko, and Paul Van Ness, the theater was saved and became a non-profit. In October 2015, the new Cabot board welcomed its first Executive Director, J. Casey Soward. The Cabot has welcomed thousands through its hallowed halls. In 2016, The Cabot embarked on a multi-year, multi-million dollar renovation to not only restore parts of the theater to its original 1920s grandeur and upgrade and modernize all current systems to better enhance the live experience, including replacement of all theater seating, opera box restoration, new sound and stage lighting systems, new heating and air conditioning, and most recently, the completion of the lobby renovation and restoration of the original rose window. In 2024, the successful non-profit welcomes comedian Jay Leno to its Big Night fundraiser.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 58.5 km2, of which 39.1 km2 is land and 19.4 km2, or 33.19%, is water. Beverly is located on the North Shore, the name given to communities north of Boston along Massachusetts Bay. There are many smaller coves, as well as two islands, the Great and Little Misery Islands, which are part of the city. From Woodbury Point westward lies Beverly Harbor, which lies at the mouth of the Danvers River. The Bass River empties into the Danvers River from within the city. Several other small streams lie within the city as well. A large portion of Wenham Lake, as well as several other lakes and ponds lie within the city. The city has its own city forest and reservation land as well.

Much of the western half of the city is relatively urbanized, while the eastern part of the city (roughly from Woodbury Point east) is more rural. Beverly is home to several parks, five beaches, the Beverly Golf & Tennis Club (est. 1910) and two yacht clubs, Jubilee Yacht Club in Beverly Harbor and Bass Haven Yacht Club along the Bass River.

Besides Massachusetts Bay to the south, Beverly is bordered by Manchester-by-the-Sea to the east, Wenham to the north, Danvers to the west and Salem to the south. Beverly and Salem are separated by the Danvers River and Beverly Harbor, with three bridges, the Veterans Memorial Bridge (former location of the historic Essex Bridge), the MBTA railroad bridge, and the Kernwood Bridge, connecting the two cities. Beverly's city center lies 2 mi north of Salem's, and is 14 mi west-southwest of Gloucester and 17 mi northeast of Boston.

Climate
According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Beverly has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Beverly was 98 F on July 4, 2002 and July 25, 2022, while the coldest temperature recorded was -13 F on February 4, 2023.

Demographics
As of the census of 2020, there were 42,670 people and 16,568 households in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 82.3% White, 4.0% African American, 0.1% Native American, 9.3% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, and 3.1% from two or more races. 5.4% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 16,158 households in the city. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.02.

19.0% of residents were under the age of 18, and 81.0% were over the age of 18. 17.7% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.4 males.

The median household income was $84,354. The per capita income for the city was $47,494.

Major employers

 * Axcelis Technologies
 * Beverly Hospital/Lahey
 * Endicott College
 * YMCA of the North Shore
 * Cell Signaling

Points of interest

 * The Beverly Cotton Manufactory site, the first cotton mill in America. The monument sits in North Beverly next to the Veterans Memorial and North Beverly fire station.
 * The Cabot boasted the world's longest running magician's show; Le Grand David Spectacular Magic Company, which ran from February 1977 through May 2012. The theater is early 20th-century style and is a live entertainment venue and movie theater. The Cabot was purchased in 2014 to save it from demolition, and became a nonprofit.
 * The Larcom Theatre, an historic multipurpose music and performing arts theatre in Downtown Beverly. Built in 1912, the 560-seat restored vintage theatre is known for its acoustics, and was built by the Ware brothers (architects of the Cabot Theatre).
 * Harry Ball Field, home of the Beverly Little League—first and oldest little league in Massachusetts
 * Hurd Stadium (home of the Beverly Panthers)
 * John Balch House (c. 1679)
 * John Cabot House (1781)
 * Exercise Conant House (1695)
 * John Hale House (c. 1694)
 * Lynch Park & Beaches, located in the city's Cove section, is a popular summer spot for swimming, kayaking, sun bathing, and picnics.
 * The North Shore Music Theatre, offering a program of musicals and celebrity concerts
 * The Odd Fellows' Hall, on the corner of Cabot and Broadway streets
 * Montserrat College of Art

Education
The city has five K–4 elementary schools: Ayers Ryal Side, Centerville, Cove, Hannah, and North Beverly. The city's sole middle school is Beverly Middle School, which finished construction in 2018. Beverly Middle School serves residents in grades 5–8.

Beverly High School is a grade 9–12 public high school located in Beverly. It was founded in 1858, and currently enrolls over 1300 students. In September 2011, construction was completed on a new academic building, which is now in use by students and faculty.

Prior to the current state of Beverly's schools, Briscoe served as a middle and high school. Constructed in 1923, the historic building lies near downtown Beverly. Its use for high school students from 1923 to 1964 came to an end when it was transformed to the towns Junior High School, serving grades 6–8. There, it lasted until 2017 when the newly built Beverly Middle School took in the students.

Beverly is home to several K–12 private schools, including New England Academy, Landmark School, Harborlight-Stoneridge Montessori School, Kindercare Learning Center, Beverly School for the Deaf, Saints Academy, the Bright Horizons School, The Waring School, Glen Urquhart School, Shore Country Day, Mrs. Alexander's School, and several others.

In addition, Northshore Academy offers K-12 Alternative public education services. Many schools exist in the campas. Including a school for those struggling with Learning Disabilities, a school for those struggling with Substance Addiction, and a school for people with more severe Mental and Physical Disabilities such as Down syndrome and Paralysis

The city is home to Endicott College, which offers 23 bachelor programs, 27 concentrations, and 27 minors. Master programs are offered in business, education, nursing, computer science, and political science. Beverly is also home of Montserrat College of Art, a private four-year visual arts college.

Transportation
Route 128, the chief circumferential highway of the Boston area, crosses Beverly from east to west and connects the city to Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1 in Peabody. Route 1A passes through Beverly from south to north, along main streets in downtown Beverly. The city is also the terminus of four different state routes: Route 22, which heads northeast from Route 1A; Route 62, which heads west from Route 127; Route 97, which parts with Route 1A northwest of downtown before heading north; and Route 127 which heads east from Route 22.

Beverly is the site of the split between the separate lines of the Newburyport/Rockport Line of the MBTA Commuter Rail, which provides service to Boston's North Station. South of the junction lies Beverly Depot near downtown, which is accessible along both lines. Along the Newburyport portion of the line is the North Beverly stop, just south of the Wenham town line. Along the Rockport portion of the line are two working stops, Montserrat and Beverly Farms, as well as the Prides Crossing station to which service is indefinitely suspended. Additionally, MBTA bus Route 451 serves the city, with service to downtown Beverly and Salem from the North Beverly station. A local bus route called the Beverly Shoppers Shuttle serves downtown and western Beverly, and is contracted through the Cape Ann Transportation Authority. Beverly is home to Beverly Municipal Airport, though parts of the airfield itself lie within Danvers, as well as a very small portion of the north runway in Wenham. Logan International Airport provides the nearest national and international regularly scheduled air service.

The Hall-Whitaker Bridge which spans the Bass River on Bridge Street was closed to vehicular traffic by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation in June of 2023. A permanent replacement is expected in 2027.

Notable people

 * Henry Adams, historian; lived in the Beverly Farms neighborhood while writing his works on Albert Gallatin
 * David Alward, former premier of the Canadian province of New Brunswick
 * John Appleton, congressman
 * Frederick L. Ashworth, naval weaponer aboard Bockscar which dropped the atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan
 * John Baker, first Mayor
 * Jacob Bannon, artist, musician
 * Will Barnet, artist
 * Albert J. Beveridge, American Historian, Pulitzer Prize winner and US Senator from Indiana
 * Benjamin C. Bradlee, Washington Post editor; summer resident; began his newspaper career as a copy boy for the Beverly Evening Times in 1937
 * James F. Cahill, one of the first scuba divers and one of the first UDTs
 * Nik Caner-Medley, professional basketball player for Maccabi Tel Aviv
 * Bobby Carpenter, former NHL hockey player
 * Rita Colwell, 2006 National Medal of Science recipient
 * Nathan Dane, lawyer and congressman
 * Le Grand David, magician
 * Esther Earl, Internet vlogger and activist
 * David Ferriero, Archivist of the United States
 * Pete Frates, ALS advocate, ALS Ice Bucket Challenge pioneer
 * Henry Clay Frick, industrialist (summer resident)
 * John Hale, minister at the Salem witch trials
 * David E. Harris, the first African American commercial airline pilot and pilot captain for a major U.S. commercial airline
 * Kerry Healey, former lieutenant-governor
 * Joshua Herrick, congressman
 * Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr., author (summer resident)
 * Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court (summer resident)
 * Corey Johnson, first HIV-positive member of the New York City Council (elected 2013)
 * Lucy Larcom, poet
 * Jack Leathersich, MLB player for the New York Mets
 * Mary Lou Lord, musician
 * Charles Greely Loring, architect
 * David Lundquist, former professional baseball pitcher and pitching coach for the Philadelphia Phillies
 * Alfred Marshall, businessman, founder of Marshalls
 * Greg Marshall, former NFL and CFL defensive lineman and coach, current Head Coach for the University of Toronto Varsity Blues football
 * David McWane, musician (Big D and the Kids Table)
 * Angie Miller, singer-songwriter and American Idol contestant
 * David Morse, actor
 * J. Foster Ober, architect, born in Beverly, designed Odd Fellows' Hall in 1874
 * Kevin O'Connor, television host
 * Benjamin Osgood Peirce, teacher
 * Howard Petrie, actor
 * Joanna Quiner, sculptor
 * Derek Rae, television sports commentator
 * Peter Rockwell, sculptor
 * William Howard Taft, U.S. president and Chief Justice (summer resident)
 * Elbridge Trask, frontiersman and mountain man
 * John Updike, author
 * Joseph Vittori, awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in the Korean War
 * Herbert Woodbury (privateer)
 * Nicole Woods Current member of USA Field Hockey 's Women's National Team
 * Philip Gordon Wylie, author
 * Jack Mullarkey, banned US fencing coach

Film appearances
• The Thomas Crown Affair (1968) A bank robbery scene was filmed at Beverly National Bank, North Beverly Plaza. A car theft scene was filmed in front of Woolworth's (no longer there).

• Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon (1970) A nighttime driving scene was filmed on Cabot Street from Washington Street to Bow Street. Webber's Department Store, Landers Pharmacy, Delaney's Drug Store and Elm Farm market are all shown in the scene.

• The Good Son (1993) Scenes were filmed in a house constructed for the movie at Lynch Park.

• Mrs. Winterbourne (1996) An exterior scene was filmed on Mechanic Street. Some scenes were also shot at the Beverly Farms train station.

• The Crucible (1996) Parts of the United Shoe Building (now Cummings Center) were used as a sound stage for interior scenes.

• State and Main (2000) A house on Abbott Street at Monument Square was used as the home of the Mayor (Charles Durning) and his wife (Patti Lupone). A parked Beverly Police cruiser appears in scenes shot through the front door. Additional scenes were shot at the Beverly Farms train station and at the Edwards School building on Rantoul Street.

• The Perfect Storm (2000) A helicopter scene was shot at Beverly Airport.

• The Proposal (2009) Scenes with Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds were filmed at Beverly Airport in May 2008. The airport was a stand-in for the Sitka, Alaska, airport. Beverly City Councilor John Burke makes a cameo appearance as an airline passenger who cuts in front of Bullock's character as she descends the staircase of a small plane.

• Furry Vengeance (2010) Scenes with a small airplane were filmed at Beverly Airport

• Clear History (HBO) (2014) Scenes in Beverly Farms, North Shore Music Theater and Marino's Cafe, Rantoul St.

• Manchester by the Sea (2016) Scenes in downtown Beverly

• The Tender Bar (2021) Jacob's Corner used as bar in Director George Clooney's film starring MA native Ben Affleck

• CODA (2021) Shuttered Briscoe Middle School used for Gloucester High School

title: Beverly, Massachusetts