Eastham, Massachusetts:
(Derived from various state and town sources*)
The Town of Eastham is a coastal resort community straddling the arm of Cape Cod. Located on the lower Cape, the town is bounded on only two sides by land, the other two being water, the Atlantic Ocean and Cape Cod Bay. Pre-colonial stands of oak and pine were long ago harvested for fuel and shipbuilding and the terrain of the town is now heavily saltmarsh and sand. Dissatisfied with Plymouth, in 1644 the directors of the Colony sent a seven-man delegation to scout Eastham for a new site for the center of government. The decision was not to move, but the seven members of the delegation brought their families and established a new town. The town has several harbors and these and the abundant shellfish are probably what brought these early settlers from the Plymouth Colony. The settlers' economy was based on agriculture, fishing and salt making, but Eastham's summer resort history began as early as 1830 when the Methodist Church established a summer camp meeting ground in town. The coming of railroad connections in 1870 stimulated local market gardening and Eastham specialized in cranberries and asparagus for the city markets. Eastham had cod and mackerel fisheries and oysters to ship north. The town's harbors were not as good as those of other communities in the area, so agriculture remained more important to the town in the 19th century than did maritime trades. Grain production was abundant enough to allow Eastham to export her grain, while industry was never a real factor in the town. Residents note, however, that Swift and Company meatpackers began in Eastham before moving to Chicago. Some original landscapes are still visible in the section of town inside the National Park areas while intensive modern residential growth has taken place in other areas of town.

Click photo to expand

Pinniman House

Eastham Windmill

Whalebone gateway

Eastham at a glance ...

Population (year round)	Tax rates (2000)	Map (of Eastham)	Town Hall (phone #)
5,171	$11.71	Click Here	(508) 240-5900

Location

Southeastern Massachusetts, on the forearm of Cape Cod. Bordered by Wellfleet on the north, the Atlantic Ocean on the east, Orleans on the south, and Cape Cod Bay on the west. Eastham is about 25 miles east of Hyannis; 92 miles southeast of Boston; 96 miles east of Providence, Rhode Island; and 273 miles from New York City.

Transportation

Cape Cod Area Transit Information Line :
An automated line for information on bus and steamship schedules, and fares. (508) 771-6191

Cape Cod Airports:

Bus and Trolley service:

• Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority (Seasonal trolley service in Cape towns) 1-800-352-7155
• B-Bus Service (ride by appointment serving the entire Cape) 1-800-352-7155
• Plymouth and Brockton Street Railway (with routes , Plymouth, Brockton, Plymouth, Hyannis, Provincetown, Boston & Logan Airport) 508-746-0378

Ferry Service:

• Hy-Line (Hyannis, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard) 508-778-2600
• Island Queen (Falmouth and Martha's Vineyard) 508-548-4800
• Steamship Authority (Woods Hole and Martha's Vineyard; Hyannis and Nantucket, passenger and automobiles). 508-477-8600

Railroad

• Cape Cod Central Railroad (scenic and excursion) 508-771- 3800

Public Schools

• Supt. Of Schools: 508-255-8800 78 Eldredge Pkwy. Orleans 02653
• Elementry School: 508-255-0808 200 Schoolhouse Rd.
• Nauset High: 508-255-1505 100 Cable Rd. N.Eastham
• Cape Cod Cape Cod Region Voc Tech - 09-12
• LIBRARY: 508-240-5950 Samost Rd. Eastham 02642

Recreational Facilities

• Boat Meadow (138 acres) nature observing, org-natural history Town Beach (128 acres) hiking, hunting
• Nauset Beach (70 acres) hiking, nature observing, salt water swimming, walking/jogging
• Nauset Regional High School (60 acres) baseball/softball, football/soccer, nature observing, tennis, walking/jogging
• Wiley Park (44 acres) boating-non motor, cross country skiing, fresh water fishing, fresh water swimming, general play, hiking, ice skating, motor boating, nature observing, organized event, picnicking, walking/jogging
• First Encounter Beach (34 acres) boating-non motor, fresh water fishing, fresh water swimming, hiking, motor boating, nature observing, picnicking, bicycling, boating-non motor, general play, hiking, horseback riding, hunting, motor boating, nature observing, organized event, picnicking, salt water swimming, sight seeing, walking/jogging
• Nickerson Parcel (26 acres) boating-non motor, fresh water fishing, hiking, ice skating, nature observing, walking/jogging Atlantic Oaks (24 acres) camping
• Beaches for information on some great Cape Cod beaches click HERE
• Golf for information on Cape Cod golf courses click HERE

Health Facilities

• Hospitals None (see Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis (508) 771-1800 )
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Places of Worship

• Church of the Visitation: Massasoit Road
• United Methodist Church: Route 6, 255-4724.
• Nauset Baptist Church: Great Pond Road & Route 6, 255-2709
• Unitarian-Universalist: Samoset Road

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Want info on other Cape Cod towns?
[Barnstable]  [Bourne]  [Brewster]   [Chatham]  [Dennis]   [Eastham]  [Falmouth]  [Harwich]  [Mashpee]   [Martha's Vineyard]   [Nantucket]  [Orleans]   [Provincetown]   [Sandwich]  [Truro]  [Wellfleet]  [Yarmouth]    

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*Sources include; Comm of Massachusetts, including the Dept. of Education, Department of Environment Management, and Dept.of Public Health. Information is deemed accurate but is not guaranteed.