Eastham

Eastham is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,752 at the 2020 census. It is the birthplace of Freeman Hatch, who in 1853 set the world record for a single-hull wooden sailing vessel from San Francisco around Cape Horn to Boston aboard the clipper ship Northern Light. The town is the site of many beaches, both on the Atlantic and on Cape Cod Bay, as well as the Nauset Light, which was moved to the town in 1923 from its old location in Chatham, and the Three Sisters Lighthouses, which have since been moved away from their now-eroded perches on the coast. It was in Eastham that Henry Beston wrote The Outermost House, which is discussed at some length in Henry David Thoreau's Cape Cod. It has a mild summer climate (Dfb) and a mild winter climate (Humid). The town has a plant plant plant with an average extreme minimum air temperature of 4.1 °F (15 °C). The average seasonal snowfall in the town is around 30 cm (12.5 inches) The town also shares the town of Pond Bay with neighboring Orleans and the Herring River, which run inland from the bay side of the bay. It also shares a town of Truro with neighboring Wellfleet and Orleans on its northern and southern sides, respectively. In the summer, the town has mild summer temperatures of 7a (Db).

History

Eastham is the birthplace of Freeman Hatch, who in 1853 set the world record for a single-hull wooden sailing vessel from San Francisco around Cape Horn to Boston aboard the clipper ship Northern Light. Gustavus Franklin Swift, born in Sagamore, MA, began his first meatpacking business in Eastham which later moved to Brighton, MA and Albany, NY. The town is the site of many beaches, both on the Atlantic and on Cape Cod Bay, as well as the Nauset Light, which was moved to the town in 1923 from its old location in Chatham, and the Three Sisters Lighthouses, which have since been moved away from their now-eroded perches on the coast to a field just west of Nausen Light. It was in EasTham that Henry Beston wrote The Outermost House. The area is discussed at some length in Henry David Thoreau's Cape Cod as the somewhat rugged site of one of New England's largest summer "camp-meeting" evangelistic gatherings in the mid-19th century. The "Gateway to the Cape Cod National Seashore" was founded in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy to protect Cape Cod's coast from erosion and overpopulation. It is located at the intersection of Truro, Wellfleet, EasthAm, Orleans and a small portion of Chatham. The original lands included what are now the towns of Truros, WellFleet, eastham, and Orleans.

Geography

Eastham is located on the "forearm" of Cape Cod. It is bordered by Cape Cod Bay and the Atlantic Ocean on its western and eastern sides. The town is 23 miles (37 km) south of Provincetown, the same distance east-northeast of Barnstable, 38 miles (61 km) east of the Sagamore Bridge, and 92 miles (148 km) southeast of Boston. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 25.7 square miles (66.6 km²), of which 14.0 sq mi (36.2 km²) is land and 11.7sq mi (30.4km²) (45.68%) is water. Approximately one-third of the town is located within the Cape Cod National Seashore. Along the Atlantic coast, portions of the CCNS include several islands, divided by channels which lead from Nauset Bay and Salt Pond Bay to the ocean. Several creeks and the Herring River run inland from the bay side of Eastham. It also shares Town Cove with neighboring Orleans, which is on the Atlantic side of the bay. There are several freshwater ponds near the center of town, the largest being called Great Pond, which has two public beaches. Powerboats with 50 and under horsepower motors are allowed on Great Pond after receiving an inspection and sticker from the Natural Resources Department. Water skiing is permitted only on Great pond and only on even numbered days. On all other EasthAm freshwater ponds motorboats three horsepower and under are allowed.

Climate

The town of Eastham has a mild summer Humid continental climate (Dfb) The plant hardiness zone is 7a with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of 4.1 °F (15.5 °C) The average seasonal (Nov-Apr) snowfall total is around 30 in (76 cm). The average snowiest month is February which corresponds to the annual peak in nor'easter activity. The town has a population of around 2,000 people. It is located in the province of Cambridgeshire, which is part of the East Anglia region of the Norfolk-Worcestershire region of England. It has an average summer temperature of 4.1 °F (14.5 °C) and an average winter temperature of 6.7 ° F (16.2  °C). The town is located on the east coast of England and has a coastline of about 1,000 miles (1,600 km) away from the nearest major cities. It also has a relatively high altitude of 6,000 ft (2,200 m) above sea level. The average winter high is 6,500 feet (1.4  meters) and the average winter low is 5,000 feet (200 metres) (Eastham is on the East Coast of England, on the Atlantic coast of the United States). It has a dry summer and a dry winter, with average temperatures of 6,500 °F (2,400 C).

Transportation

U.S. Route 6 passes from south to north through the town. The Cape Cod Rail Trail, as well as several other bicycle routes, pass through town. There is no rail or air service in town; the nearest regional air service is at the Chatham Municipal Airport. The nearest national and international air service can be found at Logan International Airport in Boston. Eastham is also served by an inexpensive regional bus service, The Flex. The town is located on the Cape Cod Peninsula, near the tip of Cape Cod. It is located near the towns of Chatham, Hyannis, Provincetown, and Hyannis. It has a population of about 2,000 people, with the majority of its residents living in the town of Easth am. It also has a small percentage of residents who live outside of the town limits, in the nearby towns of Hyannis and Cape Cod, and in the village of Wiscasset, on Cape Cod's southern tip. The city's population is about 1,000. It was founded in 1836. It became a town in 1838. It's located on a peninsula between the Cape and the Atlantic Ocean. It lies on the eastern edge of the Cape Peninsula, between Cape Cod and Boston. The area is known as the "Cape Cod peninsula" and is known for its scenic beauty. It can be reached by air from Chatham or Hyannis through Cape Air or Cape Cod Air. The closest airport is Logan International, which is located in Boston and has regular flights to Boston.

Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 4,956 people, 2,396 households, and 1,634 families residing in the town. The racial makeup of the town was 96.31% White, 1.49% African American, 0.15% Native American,0.31%. It was 0.29% from other races and 1.41% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.83%. The town's population was spread out, with 17.7% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 23. 7% from 25 to 44, 27.6% from 45 to 64, and 26.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females, there are 93.6 males. The town had a median income of $42,618, and the median income for a family was $51,269. About 4.5% of families and 7.0%. of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.5%. of those under age 18 and 7,3% of those age 65 or over. The per capita income for the town is $24,642. It is the only town in the state with a population of more than 4,000. It has a population density of 389.8 people per square mile (150.5/km²). There were 5,535 housing units at an average density of 395.6 per squaremile (152.8/ km²).

Government

Eastham is governed by the open town meeting form of government. The town hall, police and fire department headquarters are all located along Route 6 across from Windmill Park. The Eastham Public Library is located just west of the park, along Samoset Road (which leads from Route 6 to First Encounter Beach) The town is patrolled by the Second (Yarmouth) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police. It is a part of Massachusetts's 9th congressional district, and is currently represented by William Keating. The state's senior member of the U.S. Senate, elected in 2012, is Elizabeth Warren. The junior senator,elected in 2013, is Ed Markey. There are separate post offices for the town and the village of Northeastham, both of which are located on Route 6. The former is just across from the town hall; the latter is just south of Windmill park. It also has a separate post office for the village, which is located on Samosetset Road near the park. The town also has its own post office, located on the opposite side of Route 6 from the public library. It has a post office in the town of Barnstable, on the other side of the road from the library. The post office is also located in Barnstable's village of Falmouth, just across the highway from the village's town hall. It was once known as "The Post Office of the Cape and Islands".

Education

Eastham, along with Brewster, Orleans, Provincetown, Truro and Wellfleet, make up the Nauset Regional School District. Each town is responsible for operating its own elementary schools, with the middle and high school students attending regional schools. High school students also have the option of attending Cape Cod Regional Technical High School in Harwich free of charge. There are no private schools in Eastham; the nearest are in Brewster. The school's teams are known as the Warriors, and their colors are black and gold. The school is located near the CCNS Visitor Center and the Schoolhouse Museum, and serves students from kindergarten through fifth grade. It is located on the edge of the Cape Cod National Seashore, and the school's mascot is the "Wolverine" The school has a football team called the "Warriors" and the colors are blue and black. It has a track and field team known as "The Warriors" and has a cheerleading squad called "The Wurms" It is the only school in the district that does not have a private school, and it is located in the town of Orleans. It also has a baseball team, the "Thunderbirds," which is known for its success in the New England Football League. The town has a softball team, called the Thunderbirds, which is also known for their success. It was founded in the early 1900s, and has been in existence ever since.

Landmarks

Eastham is home to a number of sites that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Eastham Windmill is the oldest windmill on Cape Cod. The Edward Penniman House and barn, a retired whaling captain's home, is located near Fort Hill. The 1869 Schoolhouse Museum is located on Route 6, opposite the National Seashore Center. The 1741 Swift-Daley House, the Antique Tool Museum and the Dill Beach Shack are all onRoute 6, adjacent to the EasTham Post Office. The museums are opened in July and August. They are maintained by theeastham Historical Society, which is based in the town's Town Hall. The town is also home to the Cape Cod National seashore, which was established in 1869. The National SeASHore Center is on the grounds of the EasTHam Center Historic District. It is a registered historic place and has a lighthouse on its grounds. The Nauset Light, a historic light, was built in 1841 and is located at the center of the historic district. It was the first light to be built in Cape Cod, and is the only one of its kind in the state. It dates back to the 17th century. The windmill is one of only a handful of windmills in the area. The Windmill Museum is also located in the Town Hall Historic District and is open to the public in July, August and September. The museum is open in the summer.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Eastham, Barnstable County, Massachusetts = 13. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 40. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 60. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Eastham = 3.4 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 16,949 individuals with a median age of 50 age the population dropped by -1.03% in Eastham, Barnstable County, Massachusetts population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 412 residents per square mile of area (158.9/km²). There are average 2.19 people per household in the 2,426 households with an average household income of $52,907 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 7.40% of the available work force and has dropped -1.20% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 30.20%. The number of physicians in Eastham per 100,000 population = 262.6.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Eastham = 46.8 inches and the annual snowfall = 28.6 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 124. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 201. 75 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 24.9 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 59, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Eastham, Barnstable County, Massachusetts which are owned by the occupant = 34.18%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 30 years with median home cost = $333,040 and home appreciation of -12.80%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $9.92 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $9,210 per student. There are 10.8 students for each teacher in the school, 694 students for each Librarian and 462 students for each Counselor. 7.68% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 19.11% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 16.16% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).