|
The fried clam was first cooked in Essex,
Massechusetts.
Essex, named after the county in England, is
located about 30 miles North, Northeast of Boston,
MA, along a 30 mile stretch of coastline. Miles of
unspoiled beaches, fishing ports, and sailing
marinas, make Essex a magnet for seafood lovers,
and, not just in modern times. The Agawam tribe of
Native Americans had semi-permanent agricultural
villages here, and excavations show that they
harvested shellfish in the estuary and the
islands.
The Atlantic Ocean has delivered white sand
beaches, salt marshes, and rocky coastline
interspersed with small natural harbors, and Essex
has preserved this precious coastline. Peaceful
estuaries preserve sensitive ecosystems and
provide protective habitat for shorebirds and
waterfowl.
At the Essex
Shipbuilding Museum, you will learn that Essex
launched more two-masted vessels than any other
town in the world!
Choate
Island and Long Island, boasted a prosperous
farming community in the 1770's to 1840.. The
Proctor Barn (1778) and the Choate family
homestead (1725) are prime examples of the
buildings of the time.
The Essex River Estuary, called The Refuge,
includes the Islands of Choate, Long, Dean, Dilly,
Pine, Patterson, and Round. The Great Marsh
surrounds The Crane Wildlife Refuge and is the
largest contiguous salt marsh in New England. It
comprises more than 25,000 acres (from NH to
Gloucester), and is frequently noted by the Sierra
Club. Also in the area is the Parker
River National Wildlife Refuge is located on
Plum Island, a natural barrier island.
Essex, located in Essex County on Cape Ann, today
has a population of 3,267. A rural community, it
is considered a part of the Boston Metropolitan
area, and commutes are easy, with an average
time to work being 25 minutes. Access to
excellent medical care, world-class education - Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard
University (est. 1636) are within commuting
distance - deliver a good quality of life index
for this community.
Essex is well known among antique hunters, nature
lovers, and maritime buffs all over the world -
not to mention the seafood enthusiasts.
Back
To Community Page
|
