Rockport

Rockport is a seaside town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. Rockport is located approximately 40 miles (64 km) northeast of Boston at the tip of the Cape Ann peninsula. It is known for its rocky, boulder-strewn ocean beaches, its history as a prominent fishing harbor, and its mentions in media like that of Rudyard Kipling's Captains Courageous. The town remained dry for many years until 2005, when it was voted that alcohol could be served at restaurants. In March 2019, a local market was granted a liquor license and began to sell beer and wine. It has historically been home to many immigrant communities, notably Finns, Swedes, Italians, Portuguese and Swedes. The Rockport American Legion Post. No. 98 built a 27-foot (8.2 m) scale model of "Motif No.1" for the Legion Parade, which was held in Chicago, Illinois, site of the 1933 World's Fair. On October 3, 1933, among 200 historic floats, Rockport won first place in the float's return to Rockport's Great Hill (5.5 corners) Rockport Quarries are located at what is now Halibut Point State Park, and the first Finnish and Swedish immigrants arrived in the 1870s and 1880s. The first granite quarries were developed in Rockport at the beginning of the 19th century, and by the 1830s, the Rockport granite was being shipped to cities and towns throughout the east coast of the U.S. The area provided one of the richest fishing grounds in New England and in 1743 a dock was built at Rockport harbor.

History

Rockport is a town in Cape Ann, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1840 as a separate enclave from Gloucester. Rockport is known for its rocky, boulder-strewn ocean beaches, its history as a prominent fishing harbor, and its mentions in media like Rudyard Kipling's Captains Courageous. The Labor Movement in Rockport was led by Finns, Swedes, Italians, and Portuguese. The town is home to the Rockport Art Association, which was founded during the Great Depression. The Rockport Quarries Company opened on February 10, 1865, and the first Finnish and Swedish immigrants arrived in the 1870s. In 1856, a gang of 200 women led by Hannah Jumper swept through the town and destroyed anything containing alcohol in what is called "Rockport's revolt against rum" and banned alcohol from the town. Except for a period in the 1930s, the town remained dry for many years until 2005, when it was voted that alcohol could be served at restaurants. In March 2019, a local market was granted a liquor license and began to sell beer and wine. The area has historically been home to many immigrant. communities, notably Finns and Swedes. Scandinavian immigrants worked in the quarries, and became more important. as working-class identities. These ethnic divisions were important pieces of working class community identity. The first Granite Company, which opened in 1865, opened on Halibut Point, which is now Halibuts Point State Park.

Geography

Rockport lies at the far eastern end of Cape Ann and is surrounded on three sides by water. There are three islands, Straitsmouth Island, Thacher Island, and Milk Island, which lie off the coast of Rockport and are part of the town. The town's shore is mostly rocky north of Lands End, but is somewhat less so south of there. Rockport is the last station on its eponymous branch of the Newburyport/Rockport Line of the MBTA Commuter Rail, providing service along the North Shore to Boston's North Station. The nearest airport is the Beverly Regional Airport, with the nearest national and international service at Boston's Logan International Airport. There are no highways within the town but two state routes, Route 127 and Route 127A, pass through. Route 127 passes from north to south, entering inland from Gloucester, passing over Great Hill before following the sea from Back Harbor to Halibut Point and then back. Route 127 a follows the southern coast, looping around Land's End, Gap Head and the downtown area before reaching its northern terminus at Route 127. Rockport Harbor and Old Harbor, both near the center of town, provide deeper water in which boats may dock, which provides ocean access to the fishing community. The town is approximately 20 miles (32 km) east-northeast of Salem and 35 miles (56 km) northeast of Boston. It has a total area of 17.5 square miles (45.4 km²), of which 7.0 sq mi (18.1 km²) is land.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 7,767 people, 3,490 households, and 2,027 families residing in the town. The percentage of residents born outside of the United States is 6.3% (3.7% in Europe, 1.1% elsewhere in North America, and 1.0% in Asia) The median income for a household in theTown was $50,661, and the median income. for a family was $69,263. The per capita income for the town was $29,294. Out of the total people living in poverty, 3.0%. are under the age of 18 and 3.5% are 65 or older. The median house value in the Town is $277,300. The average household size is 2.20 and the average family size was 2.93. The town has a population density of 1,098.9 people per square mile (424.2/km²), with 4,202 housing units at an average density of 229.5 persons/ km² (594.5 person/sq mi) The racial makeup of the town is 97.73% (7,590) White, 0.27% (20) African American,0.22% (17) Native American, 0.45% (34) Asian,  0.51% from other races, and 0.79% (69) from two or more races. 1.07% (83) of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Public safety

The Rockport Fire Department and Rockport Ambulance both serve the community as an on-call volunteer fire department. The Rockport Police Department, located at 168 Main Street, operates three patrol shifts composed of 18 full-time police officers. The waters are patrolled by the Rockport Harbormaster located on T-Wharf, who operate a 24 Boston Whaler Justice and a 22 Boston Whaling. The Town of Rockport is home to a population of approximately 2,000. The town is located in the central part of the town. The city is located on the eastern edge of the Cape Cod Peninsula. It is located at the intersection of Main Street and Pigeon Cove Road, and is located near the town's historic downtown area. The community is also home to the Central fire station on Broadway, and the Pige on Cove fire station at Granite Street, which is on the north side of the city.

Arts and culture

Bearskin Neck, a quaint stretch of old fishermen and lobstermen shacks that have gradually been turned into a tourist attraction of restaurants, shops and galleries. The Paper House, a house, including furnishings, entirely made of paper at 52 Pigeon Hill Street. The Rockport Art Association, founded in 1921, is one of the oldest and most active art organizations in the country. The Shalin Liu Performance Center is a state of the art performing arts facility. Thacher's Island, an island off Rockport which has twin lighthouses, is a popular tourist attraction. The Cape Ann Nature Reserve is a nature reserve managed by The Trustees of Reservations and the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. It is located on Cape Ann and is now protected in perpetuity. It was once home to the Cape Ann Lighthouse, which is now part of the Rockport Lighthouse Museum, which was built in the early 1900s. The Lighthouse is located in the town of Rockport and was built by the Lighthouses of Massachusetts in the late 1800s. It has been named after the Lighthouse's first owner, William Lighthouse, who was born on the island in 1805. The RAA is a non-profit organization that promotes the arts and culture of the town. The town is home to a number of museums and galleries, including the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and the Boston Museum of Natural and Cultural Art, which opened in 1913.

Infrastructure

Rockport is served by thirteen weekday commuter trains to Boston as one terminus of the MBTA Newburyport/Rockport Line. Bus transit throughout the area is provided by the Cape Ann Transportation Authority. Rockport is located on the Massachusetts Turnpike, which runs between Boston and Cambridge. The town is home to the Rockport High School, which was founded in 1876. The Rockport area has a population of about 2,000 people, with the majority of its residents living in the town of Rockport. The city's population is about 1,000. The area is located near the Massachusetts-Rhode Island border, where it is known as "Rockport Beach" and "The Rockport Landing" The town's name is derived from the word "rock", which means "rock" or "lake" in English. It is also the name of a former town in Rhode Island, where the town was once called "The Landing" and was later "The Port of the Rock". The town has a history of being heavily involved in the development of the Boston area, particularly in the construction of Boston Harbor. It was also the site of the Battle of the Bulge, which took place in the early 1900s, when the town's population was at its peak. It has also been the location of several other battles, including the Battleship Endeavour, which occurred in the mid-19th century. The community is also known for being a popular tourist destination, especially in the late 20th Century.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Rockport, Essex County, Massachusetts = 36.8. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 13. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 10. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Rockport = 3.2 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 3,056 individuals with a median age of 48.6 age the population dropped by -2.07% in Rockport, Essex County, Massachusetts population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 400 residents per square mile of area (150/km²). There are average 2.16 people per household in the 2,507 households with an average household income of $61,343 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 6.40% of the available work force and has dropped -4.07% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 25.46%. The number of physicians in Rockport per 100,000 population = 202.3.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Rockport = 44.4 inches and the annual snowfall = 51.8 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 115. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 203. 78 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 20.7 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 50, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Rockport, Essex County, Massachusetts which are owned by the occupant = 45.82%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 14.0 years with median home cost = $353,530 and home appreciation of -2.17%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $11.64 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $8,288 per student. There are 11.5 students for each teacher in the school, 519 students for each Librarian and 519 students for each Counselor. 7.91% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 27.82% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 17.04% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).