Chatham, Massachusetts

Chatham is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, Barnstable County being coextensive with Cape Cod. The population was 6,625 at the 2000 census. Chatham is home to the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge, located on Monomoy, and to Monomoy Theatre.

For geographic and demographic information on specific parts of the town of Chatham, please see the articles on Chatham (CDP) and West Chatham.

History

Native American tribes that lived in the area prior to European colonization include the Nauset, specifically the Manomoy or Monomoy people. "Manamoyik" was a Nauset village located near present-day Chatham. Explorer Samuel de Champlain landed here in 1606. Europeans first settled Chatham in 1665, and the town was incorporated in 1712, named after Chatham, in the county of Kent, England. Located on the Atlantic side of Cape Cod, the community became a shipping, fishing and whaling center. Chatham's early prosperity would leave it with a considerable number of 18th century buildings, whose charm helped it develop into a popular summer resort.

Notable Inhabitants:

Louis D. Brandeis, Supreme Court justice
Bernard Cornwell, author
Franklin Cover, actor
Todd Eldredge, champion figure skater
Julie Harris, actress
Jack Hynes, newscaster
Joseph Crosby Lincoln, author of Cape Cod Stories
Joseph Lord, Puritan pastor
Christopher Seufert, filmmaker
Bob Staake, cartoonist & illustrator

Historical Sites & Museums:

Atwood House (1752)
Chatham Railroad Museum (1887)
Old Grist Mill (1797)
Caleb Nickerson House (1772)
Josiah Mayo House (c. 1820)

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 63.2 km² (24.4 mi²). 42.0 km² (16.2 mi²) of it is land and 21.2 km² (8.2 mi²) of it (33.55%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census ² of 2000, there were 6,625 people, 3,160 households, and 1,886 families residing in the town. The population density was 157.7/km² (408.4/mi²). There were 6,743 housing units at an average density of 160.5/km² (415.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.03% White, 1.77% Black or African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.92% from other races, and 0.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.00% of the population.

During the summer months (generally Memorial Day through Labor Day), the population of the town triples to approximately 20,000, not counting the additional transient tourist population hosted by the town's many hotels, inns, motels, and bed & breakfasts. While the tourist industry is very strong in Chatham, fishing still represents the town's main industry.

There were 3,160 households out of which 15.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.2% were married couples living together, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.3% were non-families. 34.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.00 and the average family size was 2.52.

In the town the population was spread out with 13.3% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 19.8% from 25 to 44, 28.2% from 45 to 64, and 34.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 54 years. For every 100 females there were 89.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.4 males.

The local K-12 school system is comprised of approximately 700 students, making for average high school grade sizes between 30-40 students.

The median income for a household in the town was $45,519, and the median income for a family was $56,750. Males had a median income of $41,064 versus $30,365 for females. The per capita income for the town was $28,594. About 1.9% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.1% of those under age 18 and 3.7% of those age 65 or over.

Main Street

As sprawl started to invade the country and even Cape Cod, the town of Chatham still boasts a quaint and walkable Main Street. Main Street Chatham is home to numerous family owned and operated shops, restaurants and businesses. The main shopping area features pedestrian-friendly crosswalks, on-street parallel parking and some parking lots that are off Main Street. During the summer, concerts are held in a gazebo on Main Street, and not far from the shops is where the Chatham A's baseball team plays.

External links

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