Aquinnah, Massachusetts
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| Aquinnah, Massachusetts | |||
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| Country | United States | ||
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| State | Massachusetts | ||
| County | Dukes County | ||
| Settled | 1669 | ||
| Incorporated | 1870 | ||
| Government | |||
| - Type | Open town meeting | ||
| Area | |||
| - Town | 40.8 sq mi (105.6 km²) | ||
| - Land | 5.4 sq mi (13.9 km²) | ||
| - Water | 35.4 sq mi (91.7 km²) | ||
| Population (2000) | |||
| - Town | 344 | ||
| - Density | 64.1/sq mi (24.7/km²) | ||
| Time zone | Eastern (UTC-5) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | Eastern (UTC-4) | ||
| ZIP code | 02535 | ||
| Area code(s) | 508 / 774 | ||
| Website: http://www.mass.gov/cc/aquinnah.html | |||
Aquinnah is a town, formerly known as Gay Head, located on Martha's Vineyard in Dukes County, Massachusetts, USA. The population was 344 at the 2000 census. It is known for its beautiful clay cliffs and quiet natural serenity, which has become less common in the heavily populated northeastern United States. The clay cliffs/beach are one of the few nude beaches left in the U.S. More recently, it has become celebrated as a center of Wampanoag culture and a center of pride and tradition amongst members of the tribe, who make up a majority of the town's residents.
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[edit] History
Before the arrival of English colonists, Aquinnah was inhabited by the Wampanoag, a Native American people. Aquinnah was first settled by English colonists in 1669 and was officially separated from Chilmark and incorporated in 1870 as Gay Head, Massachusetts. In 1997, by popular vote the town changed its name to Aquinnah, which is Wampanoag for "land under the hill."[1]
The downtown area is still known as Gay Head center, albeit unofficially. Throughout its history, the town has remained home to a Wampanoag community, which gained federal recognition in 1987 and controls tribal lands in the town.
[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 105.6 km² (40.8 mi²). 13.9 km² (5.4 mi²) of it is land and 91.7 km² (35.4 mi²) of it (86.85%) is water. Aquinnah ranks 334th out of 351 communities in the Commonwealth, and is the smallest town by land area on the Vineyard. Aquinnah is bordered by Vineyard Sound to the north and northwest, Chilmark to the east, and the Atlantic Ocean to the south and west.
Aquinnah is separated from the town of Chilmark by Menemsha Bay and Squibnocket Pond, between which the only road into town lies. (Squibnocket Beach, which lies between the ocean and Squibnocket Pond, is also connected by land, but this connection is often washed out during storms, and there is no road crossing this land.) Squibnocket Point, just east of this beach, is the southernmost point on Martha's Vineyard. Aquinnah has four beaches; Philbin and Moshup Beaches, along the southwestern side of the town, are for residents only, and Long Beach (adjacent to Squibnocket Beach) and Lobsterville Beach (along the Sound side of town) are open to visitors. At the western end of town, the Gay Head Cliffs are a protected land, surrounding the Gay Head Light.
There is no direct transit between Aquinnah and the mainland; Martha's Vineyard Airport is in nearby West Tisbury, and the Wood's Hole Ferry is in Vineyard Haven, which is approximately seventeen miles removed from the town center.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 344 people, 141 households, and 88 families residing in the town. The population density was 24.8/km² (64.1/mi²). There were 463 housing units at an average density of 33.4/km² (86.3/mi²). 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.
[edit] Government
On the national level, Aquinnah is a part of Massachusetts's 10th congressional district, and is currently represented by Bill Delahunt. The state's senior (Class I) member of the United States Senate, re-elected in 2006, is Ted Kennedy. The junior (Class II) Senator, up for re-election in 2008, is John Kerry.
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 Bourne, Sandwich, Falmouth and a portion of Barnstable.[2]. All of Dukes County is patrolled by the Fifth (Oak Bluffs) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police.[3]
Aquinnah 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, nearby the Town Hall at the town center. The post office is also nearby, as is the Aquinnah Public Library, a one-room library which is less than 1,000 square feet in size.
[edit] Education
Aquinnah is served by Martha's Vineyard Public Schools. Aquinnah is served by Chilmark Elementary School and Up-Island Regional School in West Tisbury, serving the town's elementary and middle school aged 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 violet and white. The school has a longstanding rivalry with Nantucket High School, with both competing for the Island Cup on an annual basis.
[edit] References
- ^ Boston Globe, May 15, 1997
- ^ Index of Legislative Representatives by City and Town
- ^ Station D-5, SP Oak Bluffs
[edit] External links
- History and Culture Wampanoag Official Webpage
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
