Harwich, Massachusetts | |
|---|---|
 Harwich Town Hall | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location inBarnstable County andMassachusetts. | |
| Coordinates:41°41′10″N70°04′35″W / 41.68611°N 70.07639°W /41.68611; -70.07639 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Barnstable |
| Settled | 1670 |
| Incorporated | 1694 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Open town meeting |
| • Town Administrator | Tony Schiavi |
| Area | |
• Total | 33.1 sq mi (85.8 km2) |
| • Land | 20.9 sq mi (54.1 km2) |
| • Water | 12.2 sq mi (31.7 km2) |
| Elevation | 56 ft (17 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 13,440 |
| • Density | 643/sq mi (248.4/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (Eastern) |
| ZIP Codes | |
| Area code | 508 /774 |
| FIPS code | 25-29020 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0618254 |
| Website | www |
Harwich (/ˈhɑːrwɪtʃ/HAR-witch) is atown onCape Cod inMassachusetts. At the2020 census it had a population of 13,440.[1] Harwich experiences a seasonal increase to roughly 37,000.[2] The town is a popular vacation spot, located near theCape Cod National Seashore. Harwich's beaches are on theNantucket Sound side of Cape Cod. Harwich has three active harbors. Saquatucket, Wychmere and Allen Harbors are all inHarwich Port. The town of Harwich includes the villages ofPleasant Lake,West Harwich,East Harwich,Harwich Port,Harwich Center,North Harwich,Northwest Harwich, andSouth Harwich. It is named after theEnglish town ofHarwich.
Harwich was first settled by Europeans in 1670 as part ofYarmouth. The town was officially incorporated in 1694, and originally included the lands of the current town ofBrewster. Early industry involved fishing and farming. The town is considered by some to be the birthplace of thecranberry industry, with the first commercial operation opened in 1846. There are still many bogs in the town, although the economy is now more centered on tourism and as a residential community. The town is also the site of the start/finish line of the "Sail Around the Cape", which rounds the Cape counter-clockwise, returning via theCape Cod Canal.[3]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 33.1 square miles (85.8 km2), of which 20.9 square miles (54.1 km2) is land and 12.2 square miles (31.7 km2), or 36.97%, is water.[4] The seven villages of Harwich are West Harwich, North Harwich, East Harwich, South Harwich, Harwich Center, Harwich Port and Pleasant Lake. These are also referred to as the Harwiches.
Harwich is on the southern side of Cape Cod, just west of the southeastern corner. It is bordered byDennis to the west,Brewster to the north,Orleans to the northeast,Chatham to the east, andNantucket Sound to the south. Harwich is approximately 12 miles (19 km) east ofBarnstable, 28 miles (45 km) east of theCape Cod Canal, 35 miles (56 km) south ofProvincetown, and 80 miles (130 km) southeast ofBoston.
The town shares the largest lake on the Cape, called Long Pond, with the town ofBrewster. Long Pond serves as a private airport for planes with the ability to land on water. The village of Pleasant Lake is at the southwest corner of the lake. Numerous other smaller bodies of water dot the town. Sand Pond, a public beach and swimming area, is located off Great Western Road inNorth Harwich.
The shore is home to several harbors and rivers, including the Herring River, Allens Harbor, Wychmere Harbor, Saquatucket Harbor, and the Andrews River. The town is also the home to the Hawksnest State Park, as well as a marina and several beaches, including two on Long Pond. There are also many beaches inWest Harwich andSouth Harwich.
According to theKöppen climate classification system, Harwich, Massachusetts, has a warm-summer, wet year round,humid continental climate (Dfb). Dfb climates are characterized by at least one month having an average mean temperature ≤ 32.0 °F (≤ 0.0 °C), at least four months with an average mean temperature ≥ 50.0 °F (≥ 10.0 °C), all months with an average mean temperature ≤ 71.6 °F (≤ 22.0 °C), and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. The average seasonal (Nov–Apr) snowfall total is approximately 30 inches (76 cm). The average snowiest month is February, which corresponds with the annual peak innor'easter activity. Theplant hardiness zone is 7a, with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of 4.0 °F (−15.6 °C).[5]
| Climate data for Harwich, Barnstable County, Massachusetts (1981–2010 averages) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 37.8 (3.2) | 39.1 (3.9) | 44.2 (6.8) | 52.0 (11.1) | 61.3 (16.3) | 70.4 (21.3) | 76.9 (24.9) | 76.4 (24.7) | 70.3 (21.3) | 60.7 (15.9) | 52.6 (11.4) | 43.4 (6.3) | 57.2 (14.0) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 30.9 (−0.6) | 32.2 (0.1) | 37.4 (3.0) | 45.3 (7.4) | 54.4 (12.4) | 63.7 (17.6) | 70.2 (21.2) | 69.8 (21.0) | 63.5 (17.5) | 53.7 (12.1) | 45.7 (7.6) | 36.5 (2.5) | 50.4 (10.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 23.9 (−4.5) | 25.2 (−3.8) | 30.5 (−0.8) | 38.6 (3.7) | 47.4 (8.6) | 57.1 (13.9) | 63.5 (17.5) | 63.2 (17.3) | 56.6 (13.7) | 46.8 (8.2) | 38.9 (3.8) | 29.6 (−1.3) | 43.5 (6.4) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 3.80 (97) | 3.51 (89) | 4.61 (117) | 4.36 (111) | 3.49 (89) | 3.56 (90) | 3.13 (80) | 3.49 (89) | 3.71 (94) | 3.91 (99) | 4.09 (104) | 4.11 (104) | 45.77 (1,163) |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 71.6 | 70.0 | 68.0 | 71.1 | 73.5 | 77.1 | 79.6 | 79.6 | 78.5 | 75.4 | 72.0 | 71.0 | 74.0 |
| Averagedew point °F (°C) | 22.8 (−5.1) | 23.5 (−4.7) | 27.8 (−2.3) | 36.5 (2.5) | 46.1 (7.8) | 56.4 (13.6) | 63.6 (17.6) | 63.2 (17.3) | 56.7 (13.7) | 46.1 (7.8) | 37.2 (2.9) | 28.0 (−2.2) | 42.4 (5.8) |
| Source: PRISM Climate Group[6] | |||||||||||||
According to theA. W. Kuchler U.S.potential natural vegetation types, Harwich, Massachusetts, would primarily contain a Northeasternoak/pine (110) vegetation type with a Southernmixed forest (26) vegetation form.[7]
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 3,258 | — |
| 1860 | 3,423 | +5.1% |
| 1870 | 3,080 | −10.0% |
| 1880 | 3,265 | +6.0% |
| 1890 | 2,734 | −16.3% |
| 1900 | 2,334 | −14.6% |
| 1910 | 2,115 | −9.4% |
| 1920 | 1,846 | −12.7% |
| 1930 | 2,329 | +26.2% |
| 1940 | 2,535 | +8.8% |
| 1950 | 2,649 | +4.5% |
| 1960 | 3,747 | +41.4% |
| 1970 | 5,892 | +57.2% |
| 1980 | 8,971 | +52.3% |
| 1990 | 10,275 | +14.5% |
| 2000 | 12,386 | +20.5% |
| 2010 | 12,243 | −1.2% |
| 2020 | 13,440 | +9.8% |
| 2023* | 13,595 | +1.2% |
| * = population estimate. Source:United States census records andPopulation Estimates Program data.[8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] | ||
As of the census[19] of 2000, there were 12,386 people, 5,471 households, and 3,545 families residing in the town. The population density was 588.6 inhabitants per square mile (227.3/km2). There were 9,450 housing units at an average density of 449.1 per square mile (173.4/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 95.41%White, 0.71%Black orAfrican American, 0.19%Native American, 0.22%Asian, 0.05%Pacific Islander, 2.03% fromother races, and 1.40% from two or more races. 0.96% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 5,471 households, out of which 21.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.4% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.2% were non-families. 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.72.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 18.3% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 22.1% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 29.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $41,552, and the median income for a family was $82,070. Males had a median income of $38,948 versus $27,439 for females. The per capita income for the town was $23,063. About 2.9% of families and 15.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.4% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.
The town of Harwich contains several smallercensus-designated places (CDPs) for which the U.S. Census reports more focused geographic and demographic information. The CDPs in Harwich areHarwich Center,Harwich Port (includingSouth Harwich),East Harwich andNorthwest Harwich (includingWest Harwich,North Harwich, andPleasant Lake).
Harwich is represented in theMassachusetts House of Representatives as a part of the Fourth Barnstable district, which includes (with the exception of Brewster) all the towns east and north of Harwich on the Cape. The town is represented in theMassachusetts Senate as a part of the Cape and Islands District, which includes all of Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket except the towns of Bourne, Falmouth, Sandwich and a portion of Barnstable.[20] The town is patrolled by the Second (Yarmouth) Barracks of Troop D of theMassachusetts State Police.[21]
After results from the 2020 census, Massachusetts decreased from 10 to 9 congressional districts due to decreased growth in population. These new boundaries now put Harwich in the 9th congressional district as the 10th no longer exists.[22] Harwich is currently represented byWilliam R. Keating. The state's senior member of theUnited States Senate isElizabeth Warren, elected in 2012. The junior senator isEd Markey, elected in 2013.
Harwich is governed by theopen town meeting form of government, led by atown administrator and aboard of selectmen.
There are three libraries in the town. The municipal library, the Brooks Free Library in Harwich Center, is the largest and is a member of theCape Libraries Automated Materials Sharing (CLAMS) library network. There are two smaller non-municipal libraries – the Chase Library on Route 28 in West Harwich at the Dennis town line, and the Harwich Port Library on Lower Bank Street in Harwich Port.
Harwich is the site of the Long Pond Medical Center, which serves the southeastern Cape region.
Harwich has police and fire departments, with one fire and police station headquarters, and Station 2 inEast Harwich.
There are post offices in Harwich Port, South Harwich, West Harwich, and East Harwich.
Harwich's schools are part of theMonomoy Regional School District. Harwich Elementary School serves students from pre-school through fourth grade, Monomoy Regional Middle School which serves both Harwich and its joining town, Chatham. This middle school serves grades 5–7, andMonomoy Regional High School serves grades 8–12 for both Harwich and Chatham. Monomoy's teams are known as the Sharks. Harwich is known for its excellent boys basketball, girls basketball, girls field hockey, softball and baseball teams.
The Lighthouse Charter School recently moved into where the Harwich Cinema building was located.
Harwich is the site ofCape Cod Regional Technical High School, a grades 9–12 high school which serves most of Cape Cod. The town is also home to Holy Trinity PreSchool, a Catholic pre-school which serves pre-kindergarten in West Harwich.[23]
Harwich is home to theHarwich Mariners, an amateurcollegiate summer baseball team in theCape Cod Baseball League. The team plays atB.F.C. Whitehouse Field and has featured dozens of players who went on to careers inMajor League Baseball such asKevin Millar,Josh Donaldson, andDJ LeMahieu.
Since 1976,[24][25] the town has hosted the annual Harwich Cranberry Festival, noted for its fireworks display,[26] in September.
Harwich Port is a popular destination in the summer. The most popular beach in Harwich Port is Bank Street Beach. Harwich has 18 beaches and ponds.
Two of Massachusetts major routes,U.S. Route 6 andMassachusetts Route 28, cross the town. The town has the southern termini of Routes39 and124, and a portion ofRoute 137 passes through the town. Route 39 leads east throughEast Harwich toOrleans. Route 28 passes through West Harwich and Harwich Port, connecting the towns ofDennis andChatham. Route 124 leads from Harwich Center toBrewster, and Route 137 cuts through East Harwich leading from Chatham to Brewster.
A portion of theCape Cod Rail Trail, as well as several other bicycle routes, are in town. There is no rail service in town, but the Cape Cod Rail Trail rotary is located inNorth Harwich near Main Street.
Other than the occasional sea plane landing on the pond, the nearest airport is in neighboring Chatham; the nearest regional service is atBarnstable Municipal Airport; and the nearest national and international air service is atLogan International Airport in Boston.
In recent years parts of Cape Cod have introduced bus service, especially during the summer to help cut down on traffic.
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