Mashpee, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Mashpee is a town
in Barnstable County
, Massachusetts
, United States
. The population was 14,006 as of 2010.
For geographic and demographic information on specific parts of the town of Mashpee, please see the articles on Mashpee Neck
, Monomoscoy Island
, New Seabury
, Popponesset
, Popponesset Island
, Seabrook
and Seconsett Island
.
Richard Bourne from the neighboring town of Sandwich
. In 1660 the colonists allowed the Christian Wampanoag about 50 square miles (129.5 km²) there. Beginning in 1665, the Wampanoag governed themselves with a court of law and trials according to English custom (as they had long governed themselves before according to their own customs).
Following King Phillip's War (1675-1676), the Wampanoag of the mainland were resettled with the Sakonnet in present-day Rhode Island
, or brought, together with the Nauset
, into the praying towns
in Barnstable County
. In Massachusetts, Mashpee on Cape Cod
was designated as the largest Indian reservation
. The town's name is an Anglicization of a native name, mass-nippe: mass is "great", or "greater" (see Massachusetts), and nippe is "water." The name has been translated as "the greater cove" or "great pond," or "land near great cove", where the water being referenced is Wakeby Lake, which is greater at one end.
In the year 1763, the king of England designated Mashpee as a plantation
, against the will of the Wampanoag. The colony gave the natives the right to elect their own officials to maintain order. The population of the plantation declined steadily due to the conditions placed upon them. With designation as a plantation, the area governed by the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe was integrated into the district of Mashpee.
In 1788, following the American Revolutionary War
, the town revoked the Mashpee ability to govern themselves, which it considered a failure. It appointed a committee, consisting of five European-American members, to supervise the Mashpee.
In 1834, the state returned a certain level of self-government to the Wampanoag, although they were not completely autonomous. In a drive toward assimilation, in 1842 the state divided the Wampanoag communal land, with 2000 acres (8.1 km²) of their 13000 acres (52.6 km²) distributed in 60 acres (242,811.6 m²) allotted parcels to each family for subsistence farming and individual ownership.
The legislature passed laws against the constant problems of encroachments by European Americans, but did not enforce them. The competing settlers also stole wood from the reservation. It was a large region, once rich in wood, fish and game, and desired by white settlers, who envied the growing community of Mashpee. As a result, the Mashpee Indians suffered more conflicts with their white neighbors than did other more isolated or less desirable Indian settlements in the state. Ultimately the Wampanoag lost their land and self government; the state approved the incorporation of Mashpee as a town in 1870, the second-to-last town on the Cape to do so (other than Bourne
).
The town of Mashpee is known today both as a tourist destination and for its distinctive Wampanoag culture. The Wampanoag hold an annual pow-wow
at which they display traditional activities and crafts.
, the town has a total area of 27.2 square miles (70.4 km²), of which 23.5 square miles (60.9 km²) is land and 3.8 square miles (9.8 km²) (13.80%) is water.
Mashpee is considered to be on the "upper," or western, portion of Cape Cod
. It is bounded by Sandwich
to the north and northwest, Barnstable
to the east, Nantucket Sound
to the south, and Falmouth
to the west. It is approximately sixty-five miles south-southeast of Boston and seventy miles east-southeast of Providence, Rhode Island
.
Like all towns on the Cape, Mashpee's topography is that of sandy soil, small ponds and inlets, surrounded by the pines and oaks indigenous to the area. The town's shoreline is framed by Waquoit Bay
to the west and Popponesset Bay
to the east, both spawning several rivers, brooks and small ponds. The town is also the site of South Cape Beach State Park
, along Dead Neck and Waquoit Bay
, and the Lowell Holly Reservation, comprising the land between Wakeby and Mashpee Ponds.
is said to have railroad track stretching into the town. Major routes include Route 28, Route 130 and Route 151. Route 28, along with U.S. Route 6
to the north, comprise the main east-west routes along the Cape. Route 130's southern terminus lies just outside the town limits in Santuit, a village in Barnstable, and Route 151's eastern terminus is within the town, both ending at Route 28, two and a half miles apart.
There is no rail service in the town. The nearest airports (Cape Cod Airport
, an airstrip for small planes, and Barnstable Municipal Airport
, the largest airport on the Cape) can be found in neighboring Barnstable. The nearest national and international air service can be reached at Logan International Airport
in Boston, or at T.F. Green Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island
.
The Breeze bus lines also services Mashpee Commons
. For a small price, one may travel along the Breeze bus lines which travel from Mashpee and into the towns of Barnstable, Sandwich, Falmouth, Bourne and Yarmouth. Bus lines and routes may be obtained at town hall or the Mashpee Commons.
of 2010, there were 14,006 people, 5,256 households, and 3,652 families residing in the town. The population density
was 514.9 people per square mile (198.3/km²). There were 8,325 housing units at an average density of 354.6 per square mile (136.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 89.13% White, 2.28% African American, 3.08% Native American, 1.22% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.27% from other races
, and 2.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.24% of the population.
There were 5,256 households out of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.7% were married couples
living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.5% were non-families. 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.2% 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 2.91.
In the town the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 88.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $50,871, and the median income for a family was $56,702. Males had a median income of $43,922 versus $31,416 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $25,215. About 4.5% of families and 5.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.6% of those under age 18 and 2.7% of those age 65 or over.
as a part of both the Third and Fifth Barnstable districts, with the area around Otis being in the third and the southern portion of town being in the fifth. The town is represented in the Massachusetts Senate
as a part of the Cape and Islands district, which includes all of Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket with the exception of Bourne, Falmouth, Sandwich and portions of Barnstable. The town is patrolled by the Seventh (Bourne) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police
.
On the national level, Mashpee is a part of Massachusetts's 10th congressional district
, and is currently represented by Bill Delahunt
. The state's senior (Class I) member of the United States Senate
, re-elected in 2008, is John F. Kerry. The junior (Class II) Senator is Scott Brown
.
Mashpee is governed by the open town meeting
form of government, led by an executive secretary and a board of selectmen
. The town operates its own police and fire departments, both of which are headquartered together near Pine Tree Corner. The town's post office and public library are also located nearby, and the library is a member of the Cape Libraries Automated Materials Sharing
library network.
Mashpee operates its own school system for the approximately 2,200 students in town. The Kenneth C. Coombs School (Also known as the K. C. Coombs School) is for pre-school to grade 2, the Quashnet School is for grades 3 to 6. Mashpee Middle School is for grades 7 & 8, and Mashpee High School
is for grades 9 through 12. Before Mashpee High opened its doors in 1996, students residing in Mashpee attended nearby Falmouth High School. Mashpee's athletics teams are named the Falcons, and their colors are royal blue, white, and black. They compete in the South Shore League
in all sports except winter track, which competes in the Eastern Athletic Conference
. Mashpee High School's main rivals are Harwich High School
, Abington High School
and Sandwich High School
. From 1999–2003. Mashpee played Sandwich High School in the annual Thanksgiving Football Game rivalry. From 2003–2009, Mashpee played Cape Cod Regional Technical High School
. In 2009, Mashpee dropped the Thanksgiving rivalry with Cape Cod Tech and has since renewed the Thanksgiving rivalry with Sandwich, which is effective in the year 2010. Additionally, High school students may attend Cape Cod Regional Technical High School in Harwich free of charge. Students from Mashpee may also attend the two Catholic high schools in the area, Bishop Stang High School
in Dartmouth, or the newly opened Pope John Paul II High School
in Hyannis. There are also two private schools in neighboring Falmouth
(Falmouth Academy
) and Barnstable
(Cape Cod Academy
) which students may also attend.
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...
in 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...
, 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
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 14,006 as of 2010.
For geographic and demographic information on specific parts of the town of Mashpee, please see the articles on Mashpee Neck
Mashpee Neck, Massachusetts
Mashpee Neck is a census-designated place in the town of Mashpee in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 901 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Mashpee Neck is located at ....
, Monomoscoy Island
Monomoscoy Island, Massachusetts
Monomoscoy Island is a census-designated place in the town of Mashpee in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2000 census, the island had a total population of 152.- Geography :...
, New Seabury
New Seabury, Massachusetts
New Seabury is a census-designated place in the town of Mashpee in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States, on Cape Cod. This area consists primarily of summer homes for wealthy families. Several attractions include two world renowned country clubs, Popponesset Beach, Popponesset...
, Popponesset
Popponesset, Massachusetts
Popponesset is a census-designated place in the town of Mashpee in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 310 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Popponesset is located at ....
, Popponesset Island
Popponesset Island, Massachusetts
Popponesset Island is a census-designated place in the town of Mashpee in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 39 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Popponesset Island is located at ....
, Seabrook
Seabrook, Massachusetts
Seabrook is a census-designated place in the town of Mashpee in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 477 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Seabrook is located at ....
and Seconsett Island
Seconsett Island, Massachusetts
Seconsett Island is a census-designated place in the town of Mashpee in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 81 at the 2000 census.- Geography :Seconsett Island is located at ....
.
History
English colonists settled Mashpee in 1658 with the assistance of the missionaryMissionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
Richard Bourne from the neighboring town of 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....
. In 1660 the colonists allowed the Christian Wampanoag about 50 square miles (129.5 km²) there. Beginning in 1665, the Wampanoag governed themselves with a court of law and trials according to English custom (as they had long governed themselves before according to their own customs).
Following King Phillip's War (1675-1676), the Wampanoag of the mainland were resettled with the Sakonnet in present-day Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, or brought, together with the Nauset
Nauset
The Nauset tribe, sometimes referred to as the Cape Cod Indians lived in what is present-day Cape Cod, Massachusetts, living east of Bass River and lands occupied by their closely related neighbours, the Wampanoag...
, into the praying towns
Praying Towns
Praying towns were developed by the Puritans of New England from 1646 to 1675 in an effort to convert the local Native American tribes to Christianity. The Natives who moved into these towns were known as Praying Indians. Before 1674 the villages were the most ambitious Christianization experiment...
in 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...
. In Massachusetts, Mashpee on Cape Cod
Cape Cod
Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...
was designated as the largest Indian reservation
Indian reservation
An American Indian reservation is an area of land managed by a Native American tribe under the United States Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs...
. The town's name is an Anglicization of a native name, mass-nippe: mass is "great", or "greater" (see Massachusetts), and nippe is "water." The name has been translated as "the greater cove" or "great pond," or "land near great cove", where the water being referenced is Wakeby Lake, which is greater at one end.
In the year 1763, the king of England designated Mashpee as a plantation
Plantation (settlement or colony)
Plantation was an early method of colonization in which settlers were "planted" abroad in order to establish a permanent or semi-permanent colonial base. Such plantations were also frequently intended to promote Western culture and Christianity among nearby indigenous peoples, as can be seen in the...
, against the will of the Wampanoag. The colony gave the natives the right to elect their own officials to maintain order. The population of the plantation declined steadily due to the conditions placed upon them. With designation as a plantation, the area governed by the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe was integrated into the district of Mashpee.
In 1788, following the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, the town revoked the Mashpee ability to govern themselves, which it considered a failure. It appointed a committee, consisting of five European-American members, to supervise the Mashpee.
The legislature passed laws against the constant problems of encroachments by European Americans, but did not enforce them. The competing settlers also stole wood from the reservation. It was a large region, once rich in wood, fish and game, and desired by white settlers, who envied the growing community of Mashpee. As a result, the Mashpee Indians suffered more conflicts with their white neighbors than did other more isolated or less desirable Indian settlements in the state. Ultimately the Wampanoag lost their land and self government; the state approved the incorporation of Mashpee as a town in 1870, the second-to-last town on the Cape to do so (other than 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...
).
The town of Mashpee is known today both as a tourist destination and for its distinctive Wampanoag culture. The Wampanoag hold an annual pow-wow
Pow-wow
A pow-wow is a gathering of North America's Native people. The word derives from the Narragansett word powwaw, meaning "spiritual leader". A modern pow-wow is a specific type of event where both Native American and non-Native American people meet to dance, sing, socialize, and honor American...
at which they display traditional activities and crafts.
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 27.2 square miles (70.4 km²), of which 23.5 square miles (60.9 km²) is land and 3.8 square miles (9.8 km²) (13.80%) is water.
Mashpee is considered to be on the "upper," or western, portion of Cape Cod
Cape Cod
Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...
. It is bounded by 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....
to the north and northwest, 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...
to the east, Nantucket Sound
Nantucket Sound
Nantucket Sound is a roughly triangular area of the Atlantic Ocean offshore from the U.S. state of Massachusetts. It is long and wide, and is enclosed by Cape Cod on the north, Nantucket on the south, and Martha's Vineyard on the west. Between Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard it is connected to the...
to the south, and 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....
to the west. It is approximately sixty-five miles south-southeast of Boston and seventy miles east-southeast of Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
.
Like all towns on the Cape, Mashpee's topography is that of sandy soil, small ponds and inlets, surrounded by the pines and oaks indigenous to the area. The town's shoreline is framed by Waquoit Bay
Waquoit Bay
Waquoit Bay is a small landlocked tidal bay on the south shore of Cape Cod in the US state of Massachusetts. The bay is connected with Nantucket Sound and separates the towns of Mashpee and Falmouth.In the early 1960s Norwegian researcher Johannes Kr...
to the west and Popponesset Bay
Popponesset Bay
Popponesset Bay System is a group of bays located at the towns of Mashpee and Barnstable , on Cape Cod, Massachusetts with a southern shore bounded by water fromNantucket Sound....
to the east, both spawning several rivers, brooks and small ponds. The town is also the site of South Cape Beach State Park
South Cape Beach State Park
South Cape Beach State Park is a Massachusetts state park located in Mashpee. It is part of the Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve...
, along Dead Neck and Waquoit Bay
Waquoit Bay
Waquoit Bay is a small landlocked tidal bay on the south shore of Cape Cod in the US state of Massachusetts. The bay is connected with Nantucket Sound and separates the towns of Mashpee and Falmouth.In the early 1960s Norwegian researcher Johannes Kr...
, and the Lowell Holly Reservation, comprising the land between Wakeby and Mashpee Ponds.
Transportation
There are no freeways in the town of Mashpee. It was also the only Cape town not to have a railroad at one time or another in it, though according to 2.5. Rail Transportation, the Massachusetts Military ReservationMassachusetts Military Reservation
The Massachusetts Military Reservation, is a military reservation created by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the United States War Department in 1935. Governor James Curley signed the state bill to allocate and purchase land for a military facility, and establishing a formal commission to...
is said to have railroad track stretching into the town. Major routes include Route 28, Route 130 and Route 151. Route 28, along with U.S. Route 6
U.S. Route 6
U.S. Route 6 , also called the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, a name that honors an American Civil War veterans association, is a main route of the U.S. Highway system, running east-northeast from Bishop, California to Provincetown, Massachusetts. Until 1964, it continued south from Bishop to...
to the north, comprise the main east-west routes along the Cape. Route 130's southern terminus lies just outside the town limits in Santuit, a village in Barnstable, and Route 151's eastern terminus is within the town, both ending at Route 28, two and a half miles apart.
There is no rail service in the town. The nearest airports (Cape Cod Airport
Cape Cod Airport
Cape Cod Airport, in Marstons Mills, Massachusetts is a public airport owned by the Town of Barnstable. It has three runways, averages 75 flights per week, and has approximately 20 aircraft based on its field. Biplane Rides, flight school, and skydive operations on the field. In the 1930s, the...
, an airstrip for small planes, and Barnstable Municipal Airport
Barnstable Municipal Airport
Barnstable Municipal Airport , also known as Boardman/Polando Field, is a public airport located on Cape Cod, one mile north of the central business district of Hyannis, in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. This airport is publicly owned by Town of Barnstable...
, the largest airport on the Cape) can be found in neighboring Barnstable. The nearest national and international air service can be reached at Logan International Airport
Logan International Airport
General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport is located in the East Boston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts . It covers , has six runways, and employs an estimated 16,000 people. It is the 19th busiest airport in the United States.Boston serves as a focus city for JetBlue Airways...
in Boston, or at T.F. Green Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island
Warwick, Rhode Island
Warwick is a city in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. It is the second largest city in the state, with a population of 82,672 at the 2010 census. Its mayor has been Scott Avedisian since 2000...
.
The Breeze bus lines also services Mashpee Commons
Mashpee Commons
Mashpee Commons is located in Mashpee, Massachusetts, United States. It is an open air shopping center that is built in the style of New England town centers. It is world renowned, winning many awards and recognitions over the years because of its style....
. For a small price, one may travel along the Breeze bus lines which travel from Mashpee and into the towns of Barnstable, Sandwich, Falmouth, Bourne and Yarmouth. Bus lines and routes may be obtained at town hall or the Mashpee Commons.
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 2010, there were 14,006 people, 5,256 households, and 3,652 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 514.9 people per square mile (198.3/km²). There were 8,325 housing units at an average density of 354.6 per square mile (136.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 89.13% White, 2.28% African American, 3.08% Native American, 1.22% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.27% 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 2.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.24% of the population.
There were 5,256 households out of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.7% 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, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.5% were non-families. 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.2% 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 2.91.
In the town the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 88.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $50,871, and the median income for a family was $56,702. Males had a median income of $43,922 versus $31,416 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 $25,215. About 4.5% of families and 5.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.6% of those under age 18 and 2.7% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Mashpee is represented in the Massachusetts House of RepresentativesMassachusetts 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 both the Third and Fifth Barnstable districts, with the area around Otis being in the third and the southern portion of town being in the fifth. 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 part of the Cape and Islands district, which includes all of Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket with the exception of Bourne, Falmouth, Sandwich and portions of Barnstable. The town is patrolled by the Seventh (Bourne) 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...
.
On the national level, Mashpee is a part of Massachusetts's 10th congressional district
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 (Class I) 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 F. Kerry. The junior (Class II) 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...
.
Mashpee is governed 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, 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 operates its own police and fire departments, both of which are headquartered together near Pine Tree Corner. The town's post office and public library are also located nearby, and the library is a member of the Cape Libraries Automated Materials Sharing
Cape Libraries Automated Materials Sharing
The Cape Libraries Automated Materials Sharing network is a non-profit, cooperative association of thirty-two member libraries and thirty-five locations located throughout Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket...
library network.
| Party | Number of Voters | Percentage |
Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
2,715 | 27.20% |
Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
1,636 | 16.39% |
Unaffiliated | 5,600 | 56.11% |
Minor Parties | 30 | 0.30% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 9,981 | 100% | |||||||||||||
Education
Mashpee has two elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school located in the town. The middle school is located in the same building as the high school, but operates under its own administration and has its own wing strictly for the 7th & 8th grade students.- Kenneth C. Coombs School (K-2)
- Quashnet School (3–6)
- Mashpee Middle School (7–8)
- Mashpee High School (9–12)
Mashpee operates its own school system for the approximately 2,200 students in town. The Kenneth C. Coombs School (Also known as the K. C. Coombs School) is for pre-school to grade 2, the Quashnet School is for grades 3 to 6. Mashpee Middle School is for grades 7 & 8, and Mashpee High School
Mashpee High School
Mashpee High School is a public high school located in Mashpee, Massachusetts. It is located at the intersection of Old Barnstable Road and Route 151 and has an approximate enrollment of 700 students in grades 9–12. The school's mascot is a falcon and the school colors are Royal Blue, Black, and...
is for grades 9 through 12. Before Mashpee High opened its doors in 1996, students residing in Mashpee attended nearby Falmouth High School. Mashpee's athletics teams are named the Falcons, and their colors are royal blue, white, and black. They compete in the South Shore League
South Shore League
The South Shore League is an athletics conference that is part of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association . The League consists of 9 schools, ranging from as far north as Hull, Massachusetts, to as far south as Harwich, Massachusetts. The South Shore League participates in Division 3...
in all sports except winter track, which competes in the Eastern Athletic Conference
Eastern Athletic Conference
The Eastern Athletic Conference, or EAC, is a high school sports conference consisting of teams in southeastern Massachusetts. The league is a subset of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association. It is noted for having both a competitive conference, as well as one with an eclectic...
. Mashpee High School's main rivals are Harwich High School
Harwich High School
Harwich High School is a public high school located in Harwich, MA. The school colors are Gold and Blue and their team is the Rough Riders. Harwich High School is the third smallest public high school school on Cape Cod.-Overview:...
, Abington High School
Abington High School
Abington High School is a public high school located in Abington, Massachusetts. It is located at 201 Gliniewicz Way and has an enrollment of 584 students in grades 9-12. The school's mascot is the Green Wave and the school colors are Green and White. Abington High School is known best for its...
and Sandwich High School
Sandwich High School
Sandwich High School is a public high school located in East Sandwich, Massachusetts. The school serves the students of Sandwich, Massachusetts. Enrollment at the school is 1,129 students as of 2010-2011, and employs 83 faculty members...
. From 1999–2003. Mashpee played Sandwich High School in the annual Thanksgiving Football Game rivalry. From 2003–2009, Mashpee played Cape Cod Regional Technical High School
Cape Cod Regional Technical High School
Cape Cod Regional Technical High School, also known as Cape Tech and Lower Cape Tech and sometimes abbreviated as CCT, is a public vocational and technical high school located in Harwich, Massachusetts....
. In 2009, Mashpee dropped the Thanksgiving rivalry with Cape Cod Tech and has since renewed the Thanksgiving rivalry with Sandwich, which is effective in the year 2010. Additionally, High school students may attend Cape Cod Regional Technical High School in Harwich free of charge. Students from Mashpee may also attend the two Catholic high schools in the area, Bishop Stang High School
Bishop Stang High School
Mission Statement: Bishop Stang High School is a private Catholic secondary school located in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts, in the New England region of the United States. It was the first diocesan secondary school in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fall River, which includes most of Southeastern...
in Dartmouth, or the newly opened Pope John Paul II High School
Pope John Paul II High School (Hyannis, Massachusetts)
Pope John Paul II High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Hyannis, Massachusetts. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fall River.-Background:...
in Hyannis. There are also two private schools in neighboring 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....
(Falmouth Academy
Falmouth Academy
Falmouth AcademyFalmouth Academy is a non-profit, coed, private college-preparatory school for day students in grades 7–12 located in Falmouth, Massachusetts on Cape Cod....
) and 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...
(Cape Cod Academy
Cape Cod Academy
Cape Cod Academy is an independent coed college preparatory school for grades kindergarten through 12.-Lower School:...
) which students may also attend.
Historic sites in Mashpee
- Old Indian Meeting HouseOld Indian Meeting HouseOld Indian Meeting House is a historic meeting house at 410 Meetinghouse Road in Mashpee, Massachusetts. The meetinghouse is the oldest Native American church in the eastern United States and the oldest church on Cape Cod.The church was built in 1684 by Deacon John Hinckley on the site of an...
, built in 1684 - Mashpee One Room Schoolhouse, built in 1831 – open for public tours June through October
Notable residents
- Jamaal BranchJamaal BranchJamaal Branch is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was originally signed by the Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at Colgate University.-Early life and education:...
– Former NFL Football Player, graduated from Falmouth High School in 1999, attended Colgate UniversityColgate UniversityColgate University is a private liberal arts college in Hamilton, New York, USA. The school was founded in 1819 as a Baptist seminary and later became non-denominational. It is named for the Colgate family who greatly contributed to the university's endowment in the 19th century.Colgate has 52...
and won the Division 1AA player of the year in 2005, was a running back for the New Orleans SaintsNew Orleans SaintsThe New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
from 2006–2008, resides in Mashpee. - Sam Richmond – Former NFL football player for the Detroit LionsDetroit LionsThe Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
, Played football for University of Colorado-Boulder. Mid-Atlantic Prep LeagueMid-Atlantic Prep LeagueThe Mid-Atlantic Prep League, also known as the MAPL, is a sports league with participating institutions from prep schools in the New Jersey and Pennsylvania area in the United States. The league comprises schools known for their academic rigor, but the quality of play in all sports is fairly high...
Player of the Year for 2001. Graduated from Mashpee High SchoolMashpee High SchoolMashpee High School is a public high school located in Mashpee, Massachusetts. It is located at the intersection of Old Barnstable Road and Route 151 and has an approximate enrollment of 700 students in grades 9–12. The school's mascot is a falcon and the school colors are Royal Blue, Black, and...
in 2000. - Willie Ford – Former NFL football player for Oakland RaidersOakland RaidersThe Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Kansas City ChiefsKansas City ChiefsThe Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
and Indianapolis ColtsIndianapolis ColtsThe Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
. 1997 Graduate of Falmouth High School and Syracuse UniversitySyracuse UniversitySyracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
in 2002. - Rachael RayRachael RayRachael Domenica Ray is an American television personality, businesswoman, celebrity chef and author. She hosts the syndicated talk and lifestyle program Rachael Ray and three Food Network series, 30 Minute Meals, Rachael Ray's Tasty Travels and $40 a Day...
– Famous TV show host on The Food ChannelThe Food ChannelThe Food Channel is a consumer Web site with food recipes, news, reviews and advice. The site compiles information to produce food industry trends and aims to be a gateway for all things food....
, family owned and ran a restaurant called "The Carvery" in Mashpee. - Carlo D'EsteCarlo D'EsteCarlo D'Este is an American military historian and biographer, author of several books, especially on World War II. He is a retired U.S...
– Distinguished military historian and New Seabury resident - Erik EriksonErik EriksonErik Erikson was a Danish-German-American developmental psychologist and psychoanalyst known for his theory on social development of human beings. He may be most famous for coining the phrase identity crisis. His son, Kai T...
– A developmental psychologist and psychoanalyst known for his theory on social development of human beings. - Robert KraftRobert KraftRobert K. Kraft is an American business magnate. He is the Chairman and was the Chief Executive Officer of The Kraft Group, a diversified holding company with assets in paper and packaging, sports and entertainment, real estate development and a private equity portfolio...
– Owner of the New England PatriotsNew England PatriotsThe New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
, owns a residence in the Popponesset Island area of Mashpee. - Chelsea Curtis - Professional golfer, currently signed to LPGALPGAThe LPGA, in full the Ladies Professional Golf Association, is an American organization for female professional golfers. The organization, whose headquarters is in Daytona Beach, Florida, is best known for running the LPGA Tour, a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from...
Futures tour. Attended Georgetown UniversityGeorgetown UniversityGeorgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
on an athletic scholarship, Cape Cod AcademyCape Cod AcademyCape Cod Academy is an independent coed college preparatory school for grades kindergarten through 12.-Lower School:...
Class of 2006 graduate. - William RosenbergWilliam RosenbergWilliam Rosenberg was an American entrepreneur. He founded the Dunkin' Donuts franchise in 1950 in Quincy, Massachusetts. In 1946, Rosenberg founded Industrial Luncheon Services, a company that delivered meals and coffee break snacks to factory workers on the outskirts of Boston, Massachusetts...
– Founder of Dunkin' DonutsDunkin' DonutsDunkin' Donuts is an international doughnut and coffee retailer founded in 1950 by William Rosenberg in Quincy, Massachusetts; it is now headquartered in Canton...
, died at his home in Mashpee in 2002 at the age of 86 from bladder cancer. - Dana Mohler-FariaDana Mohler-FariaDana Mohler-Faria is the current president of Bridgewater State University and a member of the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education...
– President of Bridgewater State University, resides in Mashpee. - Dane CookDane CookDane Jeffrey Cook is an American stand-up comedian and film actor. He has released five comedy albums: Harmful If Swallowed; Retaliation; Vicious Circle; Rough Around The Edges: Live From Madison Square Garden; and Isolated Incident. In 2006, Retaliation became the highest charting comedy album...
- Famous stand-up comedian that was born and raised in Mashpee.