About Chatham, Massachusetts
Chatham covers an area of 24.33 square miles at the "elbow" of
Cape Cod, Massachusetts and is bordered by Pleasant Bay and Orleans
on the north, the Atlantic Ocean on the east, Nantucket Sound on
the south, and Harwich on the west. The town, orginally known
as Monomoit, is 17 miles east of Hyannis, 89 miles southeast
of Boston, and 223 miles from New York City. The
Chatham Town Hall
Offices are located at 549 Main street, Chatham, MA 02633.
Geography
Major geographical
features of Chatham are hilly, wooded uplands, extensive barrier
beaches and spits, harbors, numerous small estuaries, and salt
and freshwater ponds.
Mainland
features are the result of glacial action during the last Ice Age and consist
of ridges, knobs (hills), outwash plains, and kettles (depressions and ponds).
Several ponds formed by melting glacial ice have become salt ponds because
of rising sea levels. The Town’s coastal dunes and beaches have been
formed through thousands of years of erosion of scarps (cliffs) and movement
of the material from the north and west.
Strong
Island in Pleasant Bay marks the Town’s northern
boundary. Morris and Stage Islands mark the extent of developed
area on the south. The Red River is the boundary on the west and
the Muddy Creek (or Monomoy River) on the northwest. The highest
point (131 feet) in Chatham is "Great Hill", long a landmark
for vessels offshore.
Read about the new Chatham
Bike Trail
Extension
at CapeCodToday.com
Chatham Government
Chatham
is a happy combination of past and present: old fashioned,
yet affording the best in modern facilities. The town operates
under the town meeting form of government. The executive officers
are a board of five part-time selectmen and an executive secretary.
Once a year, the citizens meet to discuss articles in a town warrant
and pass or reject them. Most funds spent by the town are voted
at this meeting. The citizens of Chatham enjoy the special benefits
of forward-looking zoning and current planning, and of both public
and private conservation efforts.
Chatham
Climate
Warm
summer days with cool summer nights, beautiful warm Indian summers,
and relatively mild winters make Chatham a comfortable place
in which to live year-round or vacation.
SUMMER:
Chatham lies far out at sea on the “elbow” of the Cape,
at Latitude 41.40 North and Longitude 69.58 West. Air conditionins
units are not much in use here in Chatham, as a fan indoors provides
more than enough cooling even on the hottest days, as our ocean
breezes keep things reasonable, even when the northeast cities
are wilting under August heat. We are fortunate in having
navigable waters on almost three sides, and, as a result, the average
summer temperature is close to 70 degrees. We are also notorious
for our Chatham fogs and they are a boon to our gardens
and usually yield to the sun by noon.
AUTUMN & INDIAN
SUMMER: This is one of our finest seasons, growing more popular each year.
The water is never bluer than in October, the air is bracing and dry, the scenery
at its best with the sharpest colors of the year. Swimming in September and
early October is not too cold for some hardy folk, who continue to take ocean
dips until Columbus day or later.
Indian Summer lingers through September, October and well into
November - a succession of glorious days and cool evenings.
It’s an uncrowded time
for tennis and golf, bicycling and hiking, beach exploring, sailing and fishing.
WINTER: The past couple
of winters notwithstanding, our average winter temperature is about ten degrees
warmer than on the mainland. We do get an occasional fall of snow, but most
New England storms pass us by or just dust the landscape with the white stuff.
We who live here in the winter find our paved roads fully plowed and sanded.
SPRING: March to May
is just spring and we expect the thermometer to read in the upper thirties
to the low fifties most of the time. But when June comes the waters
of Pleasant Bay sparkle and our famous roses and early flowers
are in bloom everywhere.
Note: Chatham
is hurricane country read Cape Cod hurricane
preparation tips
Chatham Public Schools
Chatham
High School- 425 Crowell Road
Chatham
Middle School- 425 Crowell Road
Chatham Elementary
School- 147 Depot Road
Monomoy Community Services
Monomoy
Community Services, Inc. is a private, non-profit agency dedicated
to promoting a healthy social environment for Chatham residents
of all ages. Services are preventive and therapeutic. Goals of
prevention include maintaining the integrity of family relationships,
enhancing the mental and social development of individuals, easing
the transition of youth and adolescents into the adult world, and
helping parents, children and others cope with the stresses of
society and the environment. Current programs designed to meet
these goals include, after school and summer child care and enrichment
programs for children ages 3-9, a variety of interest and informational
programs for older children through age 18, parents support groups,
and individual counseling as requested.
Therapeutic goals and groups are to help individuals and groups of any age
resolve personal problems that adversely affect their ability to function in
society, so that they may lead independent, responsible and self-satisfying
lives. Psychiatric and clinical counseling, a variety of personal development
and recovery groups, and family advocacy services comprise the presently available
resources intended to meet the mental health goals of the agency.
Chatham Eldredge Public
Library
The Eldredge
Public Library, at 564 Main Street, is one of the most beautiful
librarieson Cape Cod, both inside and out. Within its three levels, visitors
will find a generous selection of modern literature, local historical materials,
a genealogy department, newspapers, magazines, DVDs, music
CDs, audio books and 10 public computers with a wireless hot spot. The
Library offers borrowing privileges to visitors, and invites them to participate
in programs of interest for adults and children of all ages.
The
Friends of the Eldredge Public Library sponsor a variety of events such as
lectures, performances, fundraisers and classes all year long. There is a Children's
Room full of games, puppets, computers and toys for any imagination to go wild.
There is a Children's Drop-In Storyhour from September through June on Saturdays
at 10:30 a.m. for children 3 to 5 years. In the summer, there is a Family Storytime
for school-aged children as well on Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. that everyone can
enjoy! Each hour is filled with stories, songs and theme-based activities.
In the summer, all children are encouraged to participate in the statewide
Summer Reading Program.
Library Hours
Monday: 10 am - 5 pm
Tuesday: 1 pm - 9 pm
Wednesday: 10 am - 5 pm
Thursday: 1 pm - 9 pm
Friday: 10 am - 5 pm
Saturday: 10 am - 5 pm
Sunday: Closed
Genealogy: Tuesday, Thursday & Sat. 1 - 5 pm
Golfing in Chatham
Chatham
Seaside Links- Seaview Street, Chatham. This town-owned
course, within walking distance of downtown Chatham, provides nine holes of
challenges in the midst of seaside beauty. Carts available. Tel. (508) 945
4774 and click here for more info.
Churches
in Chatham
Baptist- First Light Church of Cape Cod, Non-denominational
195 Meetinghouse Road (Route 137), South Chatham.
Rev. David L. Otis, Pastor. Sunday Worship Service 10:00 am; Classes for
all ages; Childcare provided. Women’s Bible study 9:00 am Tuesday.
Men's meeting 7:00 pm Tuesday. Family dinner 6:00 pm Wednesday, 7:00 pm worship
and teaching./ 508-432-8022.
Catholic- Holy Redeemer
- Highland Avenue, Chatham.
Sunday Masses 8:00am, 10:00am, and 11:30am, Saturday Vigil 4:00pm.
Daily Mass 8:00am Confession 3:00-3:30pm Saturday.
Rectory-(508) 945-0677. Mass schedule line (508) 432-2279.
Catholic- Our Lady of
Grace - South Chatham,
Route 28 & 137 (Meeting House Road).
2005 Summer Schedule - June 25th - September 4th
Sunday Masses 8:00am, 9:30am and 11:00am. Saturday Vigil 4:30 pm
Rectory - (508) 945-0677. Mass schedule line -(508) 432-2279
Congregational- (United
Church of Christ)-Main Street at the rotary, Chatham. Sunday Service 10:00
am. Rev. Dr. David Michael Erickson, Pastor, Rev. Matt Mees, Pastor of Visitation.
Childcare and church school provided. Holy Communion celebrated first Sunday
of each month. Wheelchair accessible with elevator. Office hours
9:00 am to 2:00 pm Monday through Friday. Church Office 945-0800.
Episcopal
- St. Christopher’s
Church -
625 Main Street, Chatham.
Lutheran
- St. Peter’s Lutheran Church - Route 137, Harwich,
(south of Exit 11 on Route 6). Holy Communion: Summer 8:00 am and
10:00 am; Winter 9:00 and 11:00 am. Educational Hour 10:00 am.
For more info 432-5172. Rev. Dr. Jane O’Hara Shields, Pastor.
Methodist
- First United- Main at Cross Street.
Sunday
Service 10:00 am. Communion first Sunday of month. Nursery care, hearing
aids, elevator available. Fellowship coffee follows service.
Phone 945-0474. the Rev. Henrietta D. Aiello
Inter
denominational - South Chatham Community Church- Rt 28 and Mill
Creek Rd.
Sunday Worship 9:00 a.m.,child care
and Sunday School for children during the service. The church is fully
accessible. Revs. Robert and Sue Baker co-pastors.The church Benefit Shop
is open year round Monday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. during summer.
Unitarian Universalist Meeting House, 819 Main Street.
Sunday services at 10:30am. Childcare during worship services all
year. Religious Education Program, "Children's Circle",
September through early June, 10:30am-11:45am. Coffee served
after the service.
Ed Hardy, Minister; President, Robert Snow. For more information, call 945-2075.
Read
about Chatham
and Cape Cod Hiking Trails
Click Here for Chatham,
MA Harbormaster, Waterways, and Mooring Information
The
Red Tide is gone but Federal closing of Monomoy to commercial activity
is still a possibility. Chatham received a wake up call to the
value of clamming to the economoy of the town with the recent shutdown
and lost income in June in Chatham alone was estimated at $1.7 million. "We
still need aid for people," said Shannon Eldredge of the Chatham
Shellfishermen's Association, who explained that losing a month of
earnings can be serious trouble and that people should still donate
to the association's relief fund.
In
response, MyChatham.com has kicked off a new program to raise funds
for the Chatham Shellfishermen's Association, in the face of the possibility
that the Monomoy clam flats may be closed to commercial shellfishing,
a 5 million dollar industry here in the town of Chatham. Click
below to see our I Dig! product store where 10% of all profits will
go directly to the Chatham Shellfishermen's Association. Show
your Chatham pride and give this issue the visibility it deserves.
Official "I
Dig! Monomoy Clams" Campaign Page
'Losing
Monomoy and the Southway would be devastating,'' says Chatham Shellfish
Warden Stuart Moore. He estimates 80 percent to 90 percent of
the soft-shell clams currently being harvested in Chatham are coming
out of those two areas. ''Soft-shell clams are our biggest crop
by far, and the vast majority of people who shellfish in Chatham are
digging soft-shell clams right now,'' he said.
Donations
can also be made directly to the Chatham Shellfishermen's Association
Relief Fund, P. O. Box 485, Chatham, MA 02650.
|
Chatham,
Cape Cod Town Services Telephone #'s
within Area Code (508)
*
Unfortunately, Chatham lags behind a bit here with not having email
contacts for our public offices. Stay tuned for updates!
Police EMERGENCY 911
Routine Calls 945-1213
Fire & Ambulance EMERGENCY 911
Routine Calls 945-2324
Permits: Beach, Dump, Shellfish & Mooring 945-5180
Building Inspector 945-5160
Chatham Airport 945-9000
Coast Guard 945-0164
Council on Aging 945-5190
Disposal Area (Waste Transfer Station) 945-5156
Elder Affairs Hotline 1-800-882-2003
Chatham Fish Pier 945-5186
Harbormaster 945-5185
Health Inspector 945-5165
Highway Department 945-5155
Liberty Commons of Chatham (Nursing Home) 945-4611
Monomoy Community Services Inc. 945-1501
Monomoy Youth and Family Center 945-1117
Chatham Parks Department 945-5158
Recreation Center 945-5175
School Administration 945-5130
Selectmen's Office 945-5107
Chatham Shellfish Warden 945-5181
Town Administrator 945-5106
Town Clerk 945-5101
Visiting Nurse Association 945-2869
Water Department 945-5150
