Chilmark, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
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
. In 2005 it was confirmed to have the highest average property value of any city or town in Massachusetts.
in Tisbury
, Wiltshire
, England.
The town was once known for its unusually high percentage of deaf citizens. In 1854, Chilmark had a deaf population of one in every 25 people, while the national average was one deaf person in 5728. (See Martha's Vineyard Sign Language
.) Today the town is mostly residential, with a small working harbor along the Vineyard Sound side of the town.
In August 2009, 2010 and 2011, President Barack Obama
and his family vacationed in Chilmark, renting the Blue Heron Farm.
, the town has a total area of 100.4 square miles (260 km²), of which, 19.1 square miles (49.5 km²) of it is land and 81.3 square miles (210.6 km²) of it (80.94%) is water. Chilmark ranks 192nd of the 351 communities in the Commonwealth in terms of land area. Chilmark is bordered by Vineyard Sound
to the northeast, West Tisbury
to the east, the Atlantic Ocean
to the south and Aquinnah
to the southwest.
The town includes the island of Noman's Land
, which lies southwest of Martha's Vineyard. Because of the island, the town is officially the second most southerly point in Massachusetts (the south shore of Nantucket
is approximately a kilometer south of the southernmost point on Noman's Land). Chilmark has a series of small ponds along the Atlantic side of the town, and it shares Tisbury Great Pond to the east and Menemsha Pond and Squibnocket Pond to the southwest, along the Aquinnah town line. It is between these two ponds, which are 1100 feet (335.3 m) apart at their closest point, that the only road to Aquinnah passes. (There is a beach along the southern side of Squibnocket Pond which also connects the towns; however, the strip of land is frequently washed out.) Chilmark also has the highest point on Martha's Vineyard, at 311 feet (94.8 m) Peaked Hill.
The town has several sanctuaries and preserves, the largest of which being the Menemsha Hills Reservation just north of the village which shares that name. The town also has six beaches; one is at Menemsha, another on the inner shore of Menemsha Bay, and the others are all along the Atlantic Coast. (Note that several of these beaches are restricted to owners only, and those designated as public require a beach pass.) There is also a boat launch in Menemsha, as well as a Coast Guard Station.
The town has no direct access to the mainland via ferry or by air; Martha's Vineyard Airport
is in neighboring West Tisbury, and the Wood's Hole Ferry is in Vineyard Haven, which is almost twelve miles (19 km) removed from the town center.
of 2000, there were 843 people, 382 households, and 237 families residing in the town. The population density
was 44.0 people per square mile (17.0/km²). There were 1,409 housing units at an average density of 73.6 per square mile (28.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.75% White, 0.36% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.71% from other races
, and 0.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.83% of the population.
There were 382 households out of which 25.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.4% were married couples
living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.7% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.71.
In the town the population was spread out with 20.8% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 32.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 96.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $41,917, and the median income for a family was $63,750. Males had a median income of $35,469 versus $33,281 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $30,029. About 5.7% of families and 7.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.6% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.
Statistically, Chilmark ranks 324th in terms of population, and 311th by population density. It is the second smallest population on Martha's Vineyard (ahead of Aquinnah), but is the least densely populated town on the island.
, and is currently represented by Bill Keating. The state's senior member of the United States Senate
, re-elected in 2008, is John Kerry
. The state's junior Senator is Scott Brown
, who was elected to the seat held by Ted Kennedy
prior to Kennedy's death.
On the state level, Chilmark 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
.
Chilmark is governed on the local level by the open town meeting
form of government, and is led by a board of selectmen
. All of the town's facilities are centered at a location known as Beetlebung Corner. The Town Hall, Police Department and Fire Department share a building in the northern quadrant of the crossroads, and the post office and the town's Free Public Library occupy the southern. The current library opened in 2003, having outgrown the previous library just to the east of the current location at the corner.
, 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.
, Fox Mulder
was raised in Chilmark. It was in Chilmark that his younger sister Samantha
's alien abduction happened on November 27, 1973.
Chilmark is the setting of the wedding in the movie, Jumping the Broom (film).
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 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 Dukes County
Dukes County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 14,987 people, 6,421 households, and 3,788 families residing in the county. The population density was 144 people per square mile . There were 14,836 housing units at an average density of 143 per square mile...
, 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...
, United States. The population was 843 at the 2000 census. The fishing village of Menemsha
Menemsha, Massachusetts
Menemsha is a small fishing village located in the town of Chilmark on the island of Martha's Vineyard in Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States. It is located on the east coast of Menemsha Pond, adjacent to the opening into the Vineyard Sound on the pond's northern end...
is located on the northern end of town along its border with the neighboring town of Aquinnah
Aquinnah, Massachusetts
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...
. In 2005 it was confirmed to have the highest average property value of any city or town in Massachusetts.
History
Chilmark was first settled in 1660 by James Allen, William Peabody and Lt. Josiah Standish (son of Captain Myles Standish) in the southern portion of Tisbury. The town officially incorporated on September 14, 1694, the first town to separate from the two original towns of Tisbury and Edgartown. Chilmark was named for the ancestral home of the family of Governor Thomas MayhewThomas Mayhew
Thomas Mayhew, Sr. established the first English settlement of Martha's Vineyard in 1642.-Biography:He was born in Tisbury, in the county of Wiltshire in England. He married Anna Parkhurst, born about 1600, in Hampshire, England, daughter of Matthew Parkhurst...
in Tisbury
Tisbury, Wiltshire
The large village of Tisbury lies approximately west of Salisbury in the English county of Wiltshire.With a population at the 2001 census of 2,056 it is an important local centre for communities around the upper River Nadder and Vale of Wardour...
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, England.
The town was once known for its unusually high percentage of deaf citizens. In 1854, Chilmark had a deaf population of one in every 25 people, while the national average was one deaf person in 5728. (See Martha's Vineyard Sign Language
Martha's Vineyard Sign Language
Martha's Vineyard Sign Language is a sign language once widely used on the island of Martha's Vineyard off the coast of Massachusetts, U.S., from the early 18th century to the year 1952. It was remarkable for its use by both deaf and hearing people in the community; consequently, deafness did not...
.) Today the town is mostly residential, with a small working harbor along the Vineyard Sound side of the town.
In August 2009, 2010 and 2011, President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
and his family vacationed in Chilmark, renting the Blue Heron Farm.
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 100.4 square miles (260 km²), of which, 19.1 square miles (49.5 km²) of it is land and 81.3 square miles (210.6 km²) of it (80.94%) is water. Chilmark ranks 192nd of the 351 communities in the Commonwealth in terms of land area. Chilmark 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 northeast, West Tisbury
West Tisbury, Massachusetts
West Tisbury is a town located on Martha's Vineyard in Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 2,467 at the 2000 census. Along with Chilmark and Aquinnah, West Tisbury forms "Up-Island" Martha's Vineyard.- History :...
to the east, 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 Aquinnah
Aquinnah, Massachusetts
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...
to the southwest.
The town includes the island of Noman's Land
Nomans Land (Massachusetts)
Nomans Land is an uninhabited island 612 acres in size, located in the town of Chilmark, Dukes County, Massachusetts, USA...
, which lies southwest of Martha's Vineyard. Because of the island, the town is officially the second most southerly point in Massachusetts (the south shore of Nantucket
Nantucket, Massachusetts
Nantucket is an island south of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in the United States. Together with the small islands of Tuckernuck and Muskeget, it constitutes the town of Nantucket, Massachusetts, and the coterminous Nantucket County, which are consolidated. Part of the town is designated the Nantucket...
is approximately a kilometer south of the southernmost point on Noman's Land). Chilmark has a series of small ponds along the Atlantic side of the town, and it shares Tisbury Great Pond to the east and Menemsha Pond and Squibnocket Pond to the southwest, along the Aquinnah town line. It is between these two ponds, which are 1100 feet (335.3 m) apart at their closest point, that the only road to Aquinnah passes. (There is a beach along the southern side of Squibnocket Pond which also connects the towns; however, the strip of land is frequently washed out.) Chilmark also has the highest point on Martha's Vineyard, at 311 feet (94.8 m) Peaked Hill.
The town has several sanctuaries and preserves, the largest of which being the Menemsha Hills Reservation just north of the village which shares that name. The town also has six beaches; one is at Menemsha, another on the inner shore of Menemsha Bay, and the others are all along the Atlantic Coast. (Note that several of these beaches are restricted to owners only, and those designated as public require a beach pass.) There is also a boat launch in Menemsha, as well as a Coast Guard Station.
The town has no direct access to the mainland via ferry or by air; 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 neighboring West Tisbury, and the Wood's Hole Ferry is in Vineyard Haven, which is almost twelve miles (19 km) removed 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 843 people, 382 households, and 237 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 44.0 people per square mile (17.0/km²). There were 1,409 housing units at an average density of 73.6 per square mile (28.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.75% White, 0.36% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.71% 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 0.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.83% of the population.
There were 382 households out of which 25.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.4% 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, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.7% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.71.
In the town the population was spread out with 20.8% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 32.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 96.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $41,917, and the median income for a family was $63,750. Males had a median income of $35,469 versus $33,281 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 $30,029. About 5.7% of families and 7.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.6% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.
Statistically, Chilmark ranks 324th in terms of population, and 311th by population density. It is the second smallest population on Martha's Vineyard (ahead of Aquinnah), but is the least densely populated town on the island.
Government
On the national level, Chilmark is a part of Massachusetts's 10th congressional districtMassachusetts'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 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...
, re-elected in 2008, 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...
. The state's 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 was elected to the seat held by 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...
prior to Kennedy's death.
On the state level, Chilmark 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...
.
Chilmark 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 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:...
. All of the town's facilities are centered at a location known as Beetlebung Corner. The Town Hall, Police Department and Fire Department share a building in the northern quadrant of the crossroads, and the post office and the town's Free Public Library occupy the southern. The current library opened in 2003, having outgrown the previous library just to the east of the current location at the corner.
Education
Chilmark is served by Chilmark Elementary School, which serves approximately fifty students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. The rest of the town's pre-kindergarten through eighth grade population attends Up-Island Regional School in West Tisbury. 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 violet and white. The school has a longstanding rivalry with Nantucket High School, with both competing for the Island Cup on an annual basis.
Cultural references
On the television show The X-FilesThe X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
, Fox Mulder
Fox Mulder
FBI Special Agent Fox William Mulder is a fictional character and protagonist in the American Fox television shows The X-Files and The Lone Gunmen, two science fiction shows about a government conspiracy to hide or deny the truth of Alien existence. Mulder's peers consider his theories on...
was raised in Chilmark. It was in Chilmark that his younger sister Samantha
Samantha Mulder
Samantha Ann Mulder is a fictional character in the television series The X-Files. She is the sister of FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder and the daughter of Teena and Bill Mulder. As a child, Samantha was abducted, ostensibly by aliens, and was never recovered...
's alien abduction happened on November 27, 1973.
Chilmark is the setting of the wedding in the movie, Jumping the Broom (film).