| Aquinnah, Massachusetts | |||
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| — Town — | |||
| The Gay Head cliffs of clay, located on the western-most part of the island. | |||
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| Location in Dukes County in Massachusetts | |||
| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | United States | ||
| State | Massachusetts | ||
| County | Dukes | ||
| Settled | 1669 | ||
| Incorporated | 1870 | ||
| Government | |||
| • Type | Open town meeting | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 40.8 sq mi (105.6 km2) | ||
| • Land | 5.4 sq mi (13.9 km2) | ||
| • Water | 35.4 sq mi (91.7 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 98 ft (30 m) | ||
| Population (2010) | |||
| • Total | 311 | ||
| • Density | 57.6/sq mi (22.4/km2) | ||
| Time zone | Eastern (UTC-5) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | Eastern (UTC-4) | ||
| ZIP code | 02535 | ||
| Area code(s) | 508 / 774 | ||
| FIPS code | 25-01585 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 0618289 | ||
| Website | http://www.aquinnah-ma.gov | ||
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.
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Before the arrival of English colonists, Aquinnah was inhabited by the Wampanoag, a Native American 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."[1]
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.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 40.8 square miles (106 km2), of which 5.4 square miles (14 km2) is land and 35.4 square miles (92 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.
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1870 | 160 | — |
| 1880 | 101 | −36.9% |
| 1890 | 139 | +37.6% |
| 1900 | 173 | +24.5% |
| 1910 | 162 | −6.4% |
| 1920 | 144 | −11.1% |
| 1930 | 161 | +11.8% |
| 1940 | 127 | −21.1% |
| 1950 | 88 | −30.7% |
| 1960 | 103 | +17.0% |
| 1970 | 118 | +14.6% |
| 1980 | 220 | +86.4% |
| 1990 | 201 | −8.6% |
| 2000 | 344 | +71.1% |
| 2001* | 348 | +1.2% |
| 2002* | 353 | +1.4% |
| 2003* | 354 | +0.3% |
| 2004* | 358 | +1.1% |
| 2005* | 356 | −0.6% |
| 2006* | 356 | +0.0% |
| 2007* | 360 | +1.1% |
| 2008* | 367 | +1.9% |
| 2009* | 371 | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 311 | −16.2% |
| * = population estimate. Source: United States Census records and Population Estimates Program data.[2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] | ||
As of the census[10] 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 William Keating. 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.[11] All of Dukes County is patrolled by the Fifth (Oak Bluffs) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police.[12]
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 1,000 square feet (93 m2). Actually the post office is located 8 miles (13 km) away in Chilmark.
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 School, 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.
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