Mattapoisett

Profile

Mattapoisett is a resort town on Buzzard's Bay which was incorporated in 1857. The first settlements in the town were seasonal as European colonists used sites in the area as fishing camps. The draw for both Indians and colonials were the rich fish, shellfish, water-fowl and game possibilities of the town as well as the seasonal eel and fish runs on the Mattapoisett River and eel ponds. Historians believe that the sheltered harbor may have been used by European explorers long before any settlements in the community. There are some Indian burial sites. The earliest settlements after the King Philip wars occurred around 1680 with residents dealing in lumbering, tar and turpentine production. Shipbuilding was established around 1740 and before the Civil War the principal businesses in the town were shipbuilding and whaling, with four shipyards in operation before 1800. The town traded with Nantucket, Newport, New York and Savannah and a shipping complex was developed at the head of Mattapoisett Harbor in the first half of the 18th century. There were few streams and therefore few mills using water power in town, but by 1855 there were 16 whaling ships in operation. Those residents who were not involved in the maritime trades farmed and raised sheep. The death of the whaling and shipbuilding industry in the 1870's followed the discovery of oil in Pennsylvania, and resort development replaced both. The town's mainstay became agriculture and tourists through the early 20th century. An influx of well-to-do summer residents built summer homes on big estates, not in densely packed groupings as in some other shore communities. There has been some suburban growth and development in the town, but Mattapoisett still contains gracious summer homes and hosts many summer visitors. *

Address

Town of Mattapoisett
16 Main Street Mattapoisett, MA 02739
508.758.4103

General Information

• Total valuation (2004): $990,208,100
• Residential, 94%; commercial, 3.7%; industrial, 0.99%; personal, 1.20%
• FY2005 Tax rate: $9.23
• 2005 population: 6,431
• Per capita income: $19,955
• Area: 17.46 square miles
• Miles of public road: 73.68
• Official Town Site
• Town Of Mattapoisett Zoning By-Laws

Emergency Phone Numbers

• Police: 911
• Fire: 911
• Ambulance: 911

Services

• Water: 84 percent of town served by town water.
• Sewer: 18 percent served by town sewer.
• Trash: 100 percent has town trash collection.
• Library: 7 Barstow St., 758-4171

Elected Officials

• Selectmen: 758-4100 ext. 203
• Jordan C. Collyer, chairman (2007)
• Stephen J. Lombard (2009)
• Raymond H. Andrews (2008)
• Assessors: 758-4106 ext. 204
• Rebecca McCullough (2008)
• William O. Hall (2007)
• David Kiernan (2009)
• Town Clerk: 758-4103 ext. 207
• Barbara A. Sullivan (2008)
• Planning Board: 758-4107 ext. 215
• Barry W. Perkins (2007)
• Thomas Tucker (2007)
• Karen Field (2011)
• Laura McLean (2008)
• Linda Moffatt (2010)
• Moderator: 758-4100
• John A. Eklund (2006)
• Board of Health: 758-4112 ext. 218
• Daniel C. Lee Jr., chairman (2007)
• Carmelo Nicolosi (2008)
• Russell L. Bailey (2009)
• Council on Aging, 17 Barstow St., 758-4110, Director Cheryl Randall
• Constables
• Paul H. Magee (2007)
• Kenneth R. Pacheco (2008)
• Herring Inspector
• Robert A. Martin (2007)
• Highway Surveyor: 758-4181
• Barry Jesley N. Bowman (2006)
• Housing Authority
• Margaret M. DeMello (2008)
• Helen B. Richmond (2010)
• Eileen Sargent (2011)
• Cheryl A.Ellis (2007)
• Library Trustees
• Robert H. Atkinson, chairperson (2008)
• Elizabeth A. Theriault (2008)
• Mary F. Magee (2007)
• Bette Roberts (2007)
• Robert Walter (2009)
• Marianne DeCosta (2009)
• Water/Sewer Commissioners:
• Gary A. Gaspar (2007)
• Daniel W. Chase (2008)
• James Huntoon (2009)

Appointed Officials

• Police Chief Mary R. Lyons, 758-4141
• Fire Chief, Ronald E. Scott, 758-4150
• Town Administrator , Michael J. Botelho, 758-4100 ext. 220
• Town Accountant, Suzanne Szyndlar, 758-4111 ext. 201
• Treasurer/Tax Collector, Brenda Herbeck, 758-4108 ext 206
• Building Inspector, Andrew Bobola, 758-4116 ext. 210
• Conservation Commission: 758-4109 ext. 219
• Carmelo Nicolosi
• David M. Nicolosi
• Watie J. Akins
• Kenneth Dawicki
• Tyler Macallister
• Rene H. Drouin Jr., agent
• Finance Committee
• Paul A. Silva, chairman
• Cornelius Coleman
• Richard A. Gamache
• Donald G. Carlstrom
• Irma Nicholson
• Dennis M. Perry
• Water/Sewer Superintendent, William T. Nicholson, 758-4161
• Harbormaster, Steven T. Mach, 758-4191

Schools

• Local School Committee
• Elizabeth Henderson Milde, chairperson (2008)
• Gerald E. Johnson (2007)
• Gracinda Knox (2009)
• Charles C. Motta (2007)
• Virginia Beams (2009)
• Old Rochester Regional School Committee (Mattapoisett members)
• Nicholas Decas (2008)
• Carol Ingram (2007)
• Charles Motta (2007)
• Administration: 758-2772
• School Superintendent — Dr. William R. Cooper
• Associate Superintendent for Finance and Planning — Timothy J. O'Connor
• Director of Student Services — Teresa M. Hamm
• Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction — Jane Macdonald

• Public schools
• Center School, 17 Barstow Street, 758-2521, 294 students in grades Pre-K-3, Principal John Murphy.
• Old Hammondtown School, 20 Shaw Street, 758-6241, 227 students in grades 4-6, Principal Rosemary Bowman.
• Old Rochester Regional Junior High School, 133 Marion Road, Mattapoisett, 758-4928, 453 students in grades 7-8, Principal Simonne Conlon.
• Old Rochester Regional High School, 135 Marion Road, Mattapoisett, 758-3745, 742 students in grades 9-12, Principal Bruce D. Clarke.
• Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School, 476 North Ave., Rochester, 763-8011, Superintendent David J. Ferreira.

Parks and Beaches

• Shipyard Park, Water Street, located on the waterfront, open for picnics, scenic view.
• Veteran's Memorial Park, Neds Point, location of lighthouse, scenic picnic area.
• Town Beach, Water Street.

Learn about other South Coast Communities

* Described by Massachusetts Historical Commission.