Barnstable, Massachusetts

Barnstable, Massachusetts
City

Barnstable County Courthouse

Seal

Location in Barnstable County and the state of Massachusetts.
Barnstable, Massachusetts

Location in the United States

Coordinates: 41°42′00″N 70°18′00″W / 41.70000°N 70.30000°W / 41.70000; -70.30000Coordinates: 41°42′00″N 70°18′00″W / 41.70000°N 70.30000°W / 41.70000; -70.30000
Country United States
State Massachusetts
County Barnstable County
Settled 1638
Incorporated (town) 1639
Incorporated (city) 1989
Government
 • Type Council-manager city
 • Town
   Manager		 Mark S. Ells
 • Town Council John G. Flores, Eric R. Steinhilber, Paul Herbert, Fred Chirigotis, James H. Crocker, William Crocker, Jr, Jessica Rapp-Grassetti, Debra S. Dagwan, James M. Tinsley, Sara Cushing, Philip N. Wallace, John T. Norman, and Jennifer L. Cullum
 • Council administrator Cindy Lovell
Area
 • Total 76.3 sq mi (197.7 km2)
 • Land 59.8 sq mi (154.9 km2)
 • Water 16.5 sq mi (42.8 km2)
Elevation 37 ft (11 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 45,193
 • Density 756/sq mi (291.8/km2)
Time zone Eastern (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) Eastern (UTC-4)
ZIP code 02601
Area code(s) 508 / 774
Website town.barnstable.ma.us

Barnstable /ˈbɑːrnˌstəbəl/ is a city,[1] referred to as the Town of Barnstable,[2] in the U.S. state of Massachusetts and the county seat of Barnstable County.[3] Barnstable is the largest community, both in land area and population, on Cape Cod. At the 2010 census it had a population of 45,193.[4] The town contains several villages (one of which is also named Barnstable) within its boundaries.[5] Its largest village, Hyannis, is the central business district of the county and home to Barnstable Municipal Airport, the airline hub of Cape Cod and the islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. Additionally, Barnstable is a 2007 winner of the All-America City Award.

History

1653 Goodspeed House
West Parish Congregational Church

Barnstable takes its name from Barnstaple, Devon, England. The area was first explored by Bartholomew Gosnold in 1602. It was one of the first towns to be settled in Plymouth Colony, one year behind Sandwich, in 1638, and was incorporated in 1639. The early settlers were farmers, led by the Reverend Joseph Hull, the founder of Barnstable.[6] A memorial tablet was dedicated there in 1939 (the 300th anniversary of the town's founding) marking the site of his home, and the rock from which he preached still stands along the highway there.[7][8][9]

Soon after the town's founding, agriculture, fishing and salt works became its major industries. By the end of the 19th century, there were some 804 ships harbored in the town. But this came to a decline with the rise of the railroad, which had arrived in 1854, and of steamships.

By the late 19th century, however, Barnstable was becoming world-renowned as the tourist destination it is to this day. Many prominent Bostonians spent their summers on the Cape shores, as did Presidents Ulysses S. Grant and Grover Cleveland. However, the most famous family to summer in the town was, and remains, the Kennedy family, who can still be found living in the Kennedy Compound in Hyannis Port. It was the summer home of President John F. Kennedy during his administration, and it was likewise the home of Senator Ted Kennedy until his death.

Today, tourists come in droves to the town during the summer months. There is abundant shopping in the quaint shops of Hyannis, and other popular sites abound, such as the John F. Kennedy Museum and several other museums and places on the National Register of Historic Places, including the Ancient Burying Ground and Gideon Hawley House. The town's many beaches are popular tourist destinations as well.[10]

Geography and villages

Barnstable Harbor, as seen from Millway Beach

Barnstable is located at 41°39′33″N 70°21′11″W / 41.65917°N 70.35306°W / 41.65917; -70.35306 (41.659158, -70.353059),[11] about halfway along the "biceps" of the Cape Cod "arm". According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 76.3 square miles (197.7 km2), of which 59.8 square miles (154.9 km2) is land and 16.5 square miles (42.8 km2), or 21.66%, is water.[4] It is bordered by Cape Cod Bay on the north, Nantucket Sound on the south, Sandwich and Mashpee on the west and Yarmouth on the east. Barnstable is approximately 70 miles (110 km) southeast of Boston.

The Town of Barnstable contains several villages, which are not legally defined entities. Between seven[12] and eleven[5] are commonly enumerated, listed below with ZIP codes:

To the north of Barnstable lie the dunes of Sandy Neck along Barnstable Harbor, tipped by the Sandy Neck Light. The central part of the town is dominated by the pines and oaks around Wequaquet Lake. The south is where the bulk of the population lives, many along the beaches of Centerville and Hyannis Harbors.

Demographics

Historical population
YearPop.±%
18404,301—    
18504,901+14.0%
18605,129+4.7%
18704,793−6.6%
18804,242−11.5%
18904,023−5.2%
19004,364+8.5%
19104,676+7.1%
19204,836+3.4%
19307,271+50.4%
19408,333+14.6%
195010,480+25.8%
196013,465+28.5%
197019,842+47.4%
198030,898+55.7%
199040,949+32.5%
200047,821+16.8%
201045,193−5.5%
201444,529−1.5%
201544,331−0.4%
source:[13]
Source:
U.S. Decennial Census[14]

As of the census[15] of 2000, there were 47,821 people, 19,626 households, and 13,012 families residing in the town. The population density was 796.5 inhabitants per square mile (307.5/km2). There were 25,018 housing units at an average density of 416.7 per square mile (160.9/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 91.85% White, 2.74% Black or African American, 0.59% Native American, 0.81% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.67% from other races, and 2.30% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.70% of the population. 24.2% were of Irish, 13.3% English, 9.3% Italian and 5.5% American ancestry according to Census 2000. 92.1% spoke English, 3.4% Portuguese, 1.6% Spanish and 1.0% French as their first language.

There were 19,626 households out of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.4% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.7% were non-families. 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.5% 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 2.88.

In the town the population was spread out with 22.0% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 20.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $46,811, and the median income for a family was $54,026. Males had a median income of $41,494 versus $30,442 for females. The per capita income for the town was $25,554. About 6.3% of families and 8.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.7% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Barnstable Town Hall

Barnstable has a council–manager government. It was created when the Town rewrote its charter and moved from a selectmen-town meeting form of government to a town council form of government in 1989. Barnstable is one of fourteen Massachusetts municipalities that have applied for, and been granted, city forms of government but wish to retain "the town of” in their official names.[16] The first town manager, Warren Rutherford, was in office from 1990-1997. His successor, James Tinsley, was in office from 1997 to 1999, when he died from a heart attack. He was succeeded by former state representative John C. Klimm. Klimm had his contract bought-out in 2011 due to internal disputes among a majority of the Barnstable Town Council. Thomas K. Lynch has served as the Town Manager since 2011.

The town hall is located within the village of Hyannis, and the police station is located on Route 132, closer to the geographic center of town. There are eight fire stations, seven libraries and ten post offices located throughout the town, with the largest or central branches usually being in the downtown Hyannis area. Hyannis also is the site of the Cape Cod Hospital, which serves the central Cape region. Also, as the county seat of Barnstable County, the town is the site of the county courthouse and juvenile lockup at the old House of Corrections, as well as the Offices of the Cape and Islands District Attorney.

Barnstable Township vote
by party in presidential elections
Year Republican Democratic
2012 48.2% 12,354 50.6% 12,946

Barnstable is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives as a part of the Second, Third and Fifth Barnstable Districts. The town is represented in the Massachusetts Senate as a part of the Plymouth and Barnstable and Cape and Islands Districts, the former including Bourne, Falmouth, Kingston, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton and Sandwich and the latter including the rest of Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket.[17] The town is patrolled by the Second (Yarmouth) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police.[18]

On the national level, Barnstable is a part of Massachusetts's 9th congressional district, and is currently represented by William R. Keating. The state's senior (Class II) member of the United States Senate, is Elizabeth Warren. The junior senator from Massachusetts is Ed Markey, elected in 2013.

Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of October 15, 2008[19]
Party Number of Voters Percentage
Democratic 8,242 25.45%
Republican 5,836 18.02%
Unaffiliated 18,073 55.80%
Minor Parties 235 0.73%
Total 32,386 100%

Education

Barnstable has the largest public school enrollment of any city or town on Cape Cod, with over 5,000 students. In 2010, the public school system underwent major changes due to budgetary constraints. The presently operational schools include: the Enoch Cobb Early Learning Center for pre-school students and five elementary schools serving various grades, including: Centerville Elementary School (K-3), Barnstable Community Horace Mann Public Charter School (formerly Hyannis East Elementary School) (K-3), West Villages Elementary School (formerly Marstons Mills East Elementary School) (K-3), Hyannis West Elementary School (K-3), and Barnstable-West Barnstable Elementary School (K-3). The Barnstable United Elementary School (formerly Barnstable Horace Mann Charter School) serves the Town's fourth and fifth grade students. The Barnstable Intermediate School (formerly Barnstable Middle School) serves grades six and seven. Barnstable High School serves grades eight through twelve. Barnstable's athletic teams are nicknamed the Red Raiders (using a logo similar to that of the University of Utah), and their colors are red and white. Their teams are highly successful because of the large student body from which to choose players. Notable town rivals of the Red Raiders are Dennis/Yarmouth and Falmouth. Barnstable has played Falmouth in football on Thanksgiving Day nearly every year since 1895, making the annual game one of the longest-standing high school football rivalries in history.

In addition to its public schools, there are also several private schools in Barnstable. There are five Christian schools, three of which are not Catholic: Bayberry Christian Academy (K-3), Faith Christian School (PK-12), and Trinity Christian Academy (PK-12). There are two Catholic schools, Saint Francis Xavier Prep (5-8) and Pope John Paul II High School, which opened in 2007. Barnstable is also home to the Academy of Early Learning (PK-6), Veritas Academy (K-8), and the Cape Cod Academy, a private K-12 school. There are also two special education schools (Southeast Alternative & Beacon Point), as well as the Sturgis Charter School, which serves high school-aged students. Additionally, high school students have the option of attending Cape Cod Regional Technical High School in Harwich free of charge.

Barnstable is the home of Cape Cod Community College, a two-year junior college affiliated with Suffolk University in Boston.

Transportation

Both U.S. Route 6 and Massachusetts Route 28 pass through the town from west to east, with Route 6 being a four-lane freeway through the town. Routes 6A, 132, 149 and a brief, 1/10 mile portion of 130 are also located in town. Route 6A follows an east-west route to the north of Route 6, on its route between the Sagamore Bridge and the Orleans Rotary. Routes 132 and 149 are both entirely located within the town, and both begin at 6A and end at Route 28.

Since 2013, the CapeFlyer passenger rail service has run on weekends between Memorial Day and Columbus Day. The Kingston/Route 3 and Middleborough/Lakeville stations of the MBTA's commuter rail system provide the closest, year-round, direct service to Boston. The nearest inter-city (Amtrak) passenger rail stations are Boston's South Station and Providence. Freight rail service is provided by the Massachusetts Coastal Railroad.

The Cape Cod Central Railroad operates seasonal tourist excursions from Hyannis to Sandwich and Sagamore, with some scheduled weekend stops at the West Barnstable depot on Route 149 near Route 6A.

The town is the site of two airports. Cape Cod Airfield is a smaller airfield, used primarily for private travel, and Barnstable Municipal Airport at Polando Field is used for regional flights, especially between the Cape and the islands. The nearest national and international air service can be reached at Logan International Airport in Boston. Hyannis is also the site of the main ferry lines to Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard.

Notable people

See also

References

  1. ↑ Galvin Francis, Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (2007) Citizen Information Service, A Listing of Counties and the Cities and Towns Within BARNSTABLE
  2. ↑ Town of Barnstable (2007) Information Systems Department, Official Website of the town of Barnstable Welcome to The Town of Barnstable retrieved 10/7/2007
  3. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2012-07-12. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  4. 1 2 "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Barnstable Town city, Massachusetts". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved December 5, 2013.
  5. 1 2 "Towns and their Villages". Barnstable County, The regional government of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Archived from the original on March 9, 2013. Retrieved 2013-05-15.
  6. ↑ Deyo, Simeon L. "Barnstable. Chapter 16. History of Barnstable County, Massachusetts". capecodhistory.us.
  7. ↑ Behling, Sam, "Rev. Joseph Hull", retrieved 6 Feb 2011.
  8. ↑ donparrish.com, "Notes for Rev. Joseph Hull", retrieved 6 Feb 2011.
  9. ↑ Crane, Ellery Bicknell, Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of Worcester County, Massachusetts, Vol. II, pp. 169-170, Lewis Publishing Co., New York, NY, 1907, retrieved 6 Feb 2011.
  10. ↑ Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Street Atlas. South Easton, Massachusetts: Arrow Maps Inc., 2004, p. 20.
  11. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  12. ↑ "The 7 villages of Barnstable - The Boston Globe".
  13. ↑ "CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING (1790-2000)". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 8, 2010. Retrieved 2010-07-31.
  14. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Archived from the original on May 11, 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  15. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2013-09-11. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  16. ↑ "CIS: Massachusetts City and Town Incorporation and Settlement Dates".
  17. ↑ "We've Moved". mass.gov.
  18. ↑ Station D-2, SP Yarmouth
  19. ↑ "Registration and Party Enrollment Statistics as of October 15, 2008" (PDF). Massachusetts Elections Division. Retrieved 2010-05-08.

External links

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