Aquinnah, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Aquinnah is a town
located on the island of Martha's Vineyard
in Massachusetts
. Prior to 1998 the town was officially known as Gay Head, which it is still called by most Islanders from the neighboring towns, but this name does not reflect as well the year-round population of a large American Indian population. The population was 311 at the 2010 U.S. census. It is known for its beautiful clay cliffs and quiet natural serenity, things which have become less common in the heavily populated Northeastern United States
. Below the clay cliffs is "Jungle Beach" for the lack of clothing worn. It's 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 among members of the tribe, who make up about one-third of the town's voters. This area is one of the earliest sites of whaling, done from shore by the Wampanoags, long before the 19th century industry of whaling became the major maritime industry of Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, and New Bedford, Massachusetts.
people, related to the larger Algonquin Nation of Southern New England. First settled by English colonists in 1669, it was officially separated from Chilmark and incorporated in 1870 as Gay Head, Massachusetts
. In 1997, by popular vote of 79 to 76, the town changed its name to Aquinnah, which is Wampanoag for "land under the hill."
Throughout its history, the town has been home to a Wampanoag community which gained federal recognition in 1987 and controls tribal lands in the town.
The most outstanding feature this small town has is its brightly colored clay cliffs. The clay cliffs are ecologically protected, and it is forbidden to climb the cliffs or touch the clay. The beach below the cliffs is called Moshup's Beach, named after a giant sachem who used to lead the tribe in days of old, and whom many myths are told. The ocean is a rare aqua color here, and the waves are quite high. Sometimes, a reddish color from the cliffs pours into the ocean. In the 60's and 70's, the beach was a haven for nude sunbathers who delighted in "clay baths", and today no one is allowed to do that anymore. It is not officially a "nude beach", but the area just before and just after the first point has always been "clothing optional". It is also a family beach. A uniformed police officer comes by often on a ATV, and if caught with clay on your person, or engaging in any other illegal activities, you may be fined $50 or possibly arrested under Massachusetts General Law Ch 272 Sec 59. The cliffs are also patrolled often by a member of the Wampanoag tribe, who informs people about the importance of the cliffs to the tribe, and how they feature prominently in their spirituality and myths.
, the town has a total area of 40.8 square miles (105.7 km²), of which 5.4 square miles (14 km²) is land and 35.4 square miles (91.7 km²) (86.85%) is water. Aquinnah ranks 334th in area 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 Bight, Menemsha Pond, and Squibnocket Pond, and the only road into town lies between the ponds. (Squibnocket Beach, which lies between the ocean and Squibnocket Pond, also connects to the town, but is often washed out during storms, and there is no road crossing it.) Squibnocket Point, just east of this beach, is the southernmost point on Martha's Vineyard. Aquinnah has four beaches: Philbin Beach (resident parking only, however the beach is open to the public) and Moshup Beach to the southwest, Long Beach (adjacent to Squibnocket Beach but privately owned), and Lobsterville Beach along the Sound side of town. The Gay Head Cliffs are in a protected area at the western end of town where the Gay Head lighthouse stands.
There is no direct transit between Aquinnah and the mainland; Martha's Vineyard Airport
is in nearby West Tisbury, and the Woods Hole Ferry
is in Vineyard Haven, approximately seventeen miles from the town center.
of 2000, there were 344 people, 141 households, and 88 families residing in the town. The population density
was 64.1 people per square mile (24.8/km²). There were 463 housing units at an average density of 86.3 per square mile (33.4/km²). 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.
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 member of the United States Senate
is John Kerry
, who became the senior Senator following the death of Senator Ted Kennedy
on August 24, 2009. The junior Senator is Scott Brown
, who won the special election in 2010 following Ted Kennedy's death.
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
. All of Dukes County is patrolled by the Fifth (Oak Bluffs) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police
.
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, near the Town Hall at the town center. The post office is also nearby, as is the Aquinnah Public Library, a one-room library of less than 1000 square feet (92.9 m²). Actually the post office is located 8 miles (12.9 km) away in Chilmark.
, located in Oak Bluffs
, serves the entire island's high–school population. MVRHS's teams are nicknamed the Vineyarders, and their colors are purple and white. The school has a longstanding rivalry with Nantucket High School, and the annual Island Cup between the football teams attracts a strong following.
New England town
The New England town is the basic unit of local government in each of the six New England states. Without a direct counterpart in most other U.S. states, New England towns are conceptually similar to civil townships in other states, but are incorporated, possessing powers like cities in other...
located on the island of Martha's Vineyard
Martha's Vineyard
Martha's Vineyard is an island located south of Cape Cod in Massachusetts, known for being an affluent summer colony....
in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. Prior to 1998 the town was officially known as Gay Head, which it is still called by most Islanders from the neighboring towns, but this name does not reflect as well the year-round population of a large American Indian population. The population was 311 at the 2010 U.S. census. It is known for its beautiful clay cliffs and quiet natural serenity, things which have become less common in the heavily populated Northeastern United States
Northeastern United States
The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States as defined by the United States Census Bureau.-Composition:The region comprises nine states: the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont; and the Mid-Atlantic states of New...
. Below the clay cliffs is "Jungle Beach" for the lack of clothing worn. It's 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 among members of the tribe, who make up about one-third of the town's voters. This area is one of the earliest sites of whaling, done from shore by the Wampanoags, long before the 19th century industry of whaling became the major maritime industry of Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, and New Bedford, Massachusetts.
History
Before the arrival of English colonists, Aquinnah was inhabited by the Wampanoag, a Native AmericanNative Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
people, related to the larger Algonquin Nation of Southern New England. First settled by English colonists in 1669, it was officially separated from Chilmark and incorporated in 1870 as Gay Head, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. In 1997, by popular vote of 79 to 76, the town changed its name to Aquinnah, which is Wampanoag for "land under the hill."
Throughout its history, the town has been home to a Wampanoag community which gained federal recognition in 1987 and controls tribal lands in the town.
The most outstanding feature this small town has is its brightly colored clay cliffs. The clay cliffs are ecologically protected, and it is forbidden to climb the cliffs or touch the clay. The beach below the cliffs is called Moshup's Beach, named after a giant sachem who used to lead the tribe in days of old, and whom many myths are told. The ocean is a rare aqua color here, and the waves are quite high. Sometimes, a reddish color from the cliffs pours into the ocean. In the 60's and 70's, the beach was a haven for nude sunbathers who delighted in "clay baths", and today no one is allowed to do that anymore. It is not officially a "nude beach", but the area just before and just after the first point has always been "clothing optional". It is also a family beach. A uniformed police officer comes by often on a ATV, and if caught with clay on your person, or engaging in any other illegal activities, you may be fined $50 or possibly arrested under Massachusetts General Law Ch 272 Sec 59. The cliffs are also patrolled often by a member of the Wampanoag tribe, who informs people about the importance of the cliffs to the tribe, and how they feature prominently in their spirituality and myths.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 40.8 square miles (105.7 km²), of which 5.4 square miles (14 km²) is land and 35.4 square miles (91.7 km²) (86.85%) is water. Aquinnah ranks 334th in area out of 351 communities in the Commonwealth, and is the smallest town by land area on the Vineyard. Aquinnah is bordered by Vineyard Sound
Vineyard Sound
Vineyard Sound is the stretch of the Atlantic Ocean which separates the Elizabeth Islands and the southwestern part of Cape Cod from the island of Martha's Vineyard, offshore from the state of Massachusetts in the USA...
to the north and northwest, Chilmark
Chilmark, Massachusetts
Chilmark is a town located on Martha's Vineyard in Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 843 at the 2000 census. The fishing village of Menemsha is located on the northern end of town along its border with the neighboring town of Aquinnah...
to the east, and the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
to the south and west.
Aquinnah is separated from the town of Chilmark by Menemsha Bight, Menemsha Pond, and Squibnocket Pond, and the only road into town lies between the ponds. (Squibnocket Beach, which lies between the ocean and Squibnocket Pond, also connects to the town, but is often washed out during storms, and there is no road crossing it.) Squibnocket Point, just east of this beach, is the southernmost point on Martha's Vineyard. Aquinnah has four beaches: Philbin Beach (resident parking only, however the beach is open to the public) and Moshup Beach to the southwest, Long Beach (adjacent to Squibnocket Beach but privately owned), and Lobsterville Beach along the Sound side of town. The Gay Head Cliffs are in a protected area at the western end of town where the Gay Head lighthouse stands.
There is no direct transit between Aquinnah and the mainland; Martha's Vineyard Airport
Martha's Vineyard Airport
Martha's Vineyard Airport is a public airport located in the middle of the island of Martha's Vineyard, three miles south of the central business district of Vineyard Haven, in Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States. This airport is owned by Dukes County and lies on the border between the...
is in nearby West Tisbury, and the Woods Hole Ferry
The Woods Hole, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority
The Woods Hole, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority, referred to coloquially as The Steamship Authority or simply the SSA, is the statutory regulatory body for all ferry operations to and from the Islands from the Massachusetts mainland, as well as being an operator of ferry service...
is in Vineyard Haven, approximately seventeen miles from the town center.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 344 people, 141 households, and 88 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 64.1 people per square mile (24.8/km²). There were 463 housing units at an average density of 86.3 per square mile (33.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 53.49% White, 0.29% African American, 36.63% Native American, 0.87% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 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
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
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
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
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.
Government
Massachusetts's 10th congressional district
Massachusetts's 10th congressional district is a political constituency that includes parts of the South Shore of Massachusetts, and all of Cape Cod and the islands. With a population of 635,901 and a land area of , it is the most populous of Massachusetts's ten congressional districts and the...
, and is currently represented by Bill Delahunt
Bill Delahunt
William D. Delahunt is a former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1997 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Delahunt did not seek re-election in 2010, and left Congress in January 2011. He was replaced by Norfolk County District Attorney Bill Keating...
. The state's senior member of the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
is John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
, who became the senior Senator following the death of Senator Ted Kennedy
Ted Kennedy
Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy was a United States Senator from Massachusetts and a member of the Democratic Party. Serving almost 47 years, he was the second most senior member of the Senate when he died and is the fourth-longest-serving senator in United States history...
on August 24, 2009. The junior Senator is Scott Brown
Scott Brown
Scott Brown is a United States senator.Scott Brown may also refer to:-Sportsmen:*Scott Brown , American college football coach of Kentucky State...
, who won the special election in 2010 following Ted Kennedy's death.
On the state level, Aquinnah is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives
Massachusetts House of Representatives
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
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
Falmouth, Massachusetts
Falmouth is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States; Barnstable County is coextensive with Cape Cod. The population was 31,531 at the 2010 census....
. The town is represented in the Massachusetts Senate
Massachusetts Senate
The Massachusetts Senate is the upper house of the Massachusetts General Court, the bicameral state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Senate comprises 40 elected members from 40 single-member senatorial districts in the state...
as a portion of the Cape and Islands district, which includes all of Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket and most of Barnstable County
Barnstable County, Massachusetts
Barnstable County is a county located in the U.S. state of Massachusetts, consisting of Cape Cod and associated islands. As of the 2010 census, the population was 216,902...
(with the exception of Bourne
Bourne, Massachusetts
Bourne is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 18,721 at the 2000 census.For geographic and demographic information on specific parts of the town of Bourne, please see the articles on Bourne , Buzzards Bay, Monument Beach, Pocasset, Sagamore, and Sagamore...
, Sandwich
Sandwich, Massachusetts
Sandwich is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 20,675 at the 2010 census. The Town Hall is located right next to the Dexter Grist Mill, in the historic district of town....
, Falmouth
Falmouth, Massachusetts
Falmouth is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States; Barnstable County is coextensive with Cape Cod. The population was 31,531 at the 2010 census....
and a portion of Barnstable
Barnstable, Massachusetts
Barnstable is a city, referred to as the Town of Barnstable, in the U.S. state of Massachusetts and the county seat of Barnstable County. Barnstable is the largest community, both in land area and population, on Cape Cod. The town contains seven villages within its boundaries...
. All of Dukes County is patrolled by the Fifth (Oak Bluffs) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police
Massachusetts State Police
The Massachusetts State Police is an agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Executive Office of Public Safety and Security responsible for criminal law enforcement and traffic vehicle regulation across the state...
.
Aquinnah is governed on the local level by the open town meeting
Open town meeting
An open town meeting is a form of town meeting in which all registered voters of a town may vote . This form of government is typical of smaller municipalities in the New England region of the United States....
form of government, and is led by an executive secretary and a board of selectmen
Board of selectmen
The board of selectmen is commonly the executive arm of the government of New England towns in the United States. The board typically consists of three or five members, with or without staggered terms.-History:...
. The town has its own police and fire departments, near the Town Hall at the town center. The post office is also nearby, as is the Aquinnah Public Library, a one-room library of less than 1000 square feet (92.9 m²). Actually the post office is located 8 miles (12.9 km) away in Chilmark.
Education
Aquinnah is served by Martha's Vineyard Public Schools. Chilmark Elementary School and Up-Island Regional School in West Tisbury, serve the town's elementary and middle–school students. Martha's Vineyard Regional High SchoolMartha's Vineyard Regional High School
Martha's Vineyard Regional High School or MVRHS is a high school in Oak Bluffs on the island of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, United States.-History:...
, located in Oak Bluffs
Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts
Oak Bluffs is a town located on Martha's Vineyard in Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,713 at the 2000 census and was estimated at 3,735 as of 2008...
, serves the entire island's high–school population. MVRHS's teams are nicknamed the Vineyarders, and their colors are purple and white. The school has a longstanding rivalry with Nantucket High School, and the annual Island Cup between the football teams attracts a strong following.
External links
- Official town website
- History and Culture Wampanoag Official Webpage
- Aquinnah Music Festival http://www.aquinnahmusicfestival.com
- Souvenir of Gay Head (Collection of photographs from the 1880s)