Beverly Farms
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Beverly Farms is an informally defined neighborhood at the eastern edge of the city of Beverly, Massachusetts. It is an ocean-front community with a population of about 3,500 which extends from the Manchester-by-the-Sea border to another informally defined section of Beverly known as Prides Crossing. This area is part of Massachusetts's North Shore region, about 20 miles north of Boston.
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[edit] Past and present
Beverly Farms—as well as adjacent Prides Crossing—were originally farming communities, like the rest of Beverly. In the late 18th and early 19th century wealthy residents of Boston and New York City built summer "cottages" along the seashore. These cottages were nearly the size and stature of those in Newport, Rhode Island. Only a few of the original mansions remain today. By the mid 20th century, Beverly Farms resembled a small town, somewhat secluded from the rest of Beverly and culturally interlinked with Prides Crossing. Working class neighborhoods sprung up, as support for the mansions became necessary. At this point, there was a wide financial gap between the wealthy and the working class.
[edit] Changing of times
Beverly Farms remains a vibrant community with changing demographics. Pockets of development and generally escalating real estate values have adjusted average residency to an arguably more upscale population as was the case in the past. Real estate in Beverly Farms has become very desirable. The community is served by 3 churches: Episcopal, Baptist, and Roman Catholic. There is a community center donated and partially supported by the Merril Hastings foundations (known as the "Hastings House"). There is a fire station, a railroad station on the MBTA Commuter Rail, and a (recently expanded) branch of the Beverly Public Library.
"Downtown" Beverly Farms extends along West Street (part of MA Route 127) for about 1/2 mile. It has undergone some gradual changes over the last decade. Currently, the downtown is a mixture of upscale restaurants, bakeries, and clothing stores.[1]
[edit] Summer in the Farms
Beverly Farms is somewhat sleepy in the winter, but becomes increasingly active when the warm weather arrives; this pattern continuing into the summer. The summer is full of activity, clear to the town's residents and visitors alike. During the summer, many of the community activities are based at West Beach (the local community beach). It is a private beach, owned by the residents of Beverly Farms and Prides Crossing. Residents are entitled access the beach. Ex-residents are entitled to a beach permit as well. Non-residents must apply for an access permit. The waiting list for access is typically 6–10 years, due to the limited size of the facility.[2]
The busiest time for Beverly Farms is the Fourth of July holiday. A private organization of residents annually raises upwards of $50,000 through fundraisers to enable a weekend-long agenda of activities, including community dances, children's events, the well-known "Horribles" parade, softball games, etc. The holiday event culminates with a fireworks display held at West Beach, typically drawing about one thousand people.
