What is it like to live in Mattapoisett?
In this small South Coast town, “the roads are quirky,’’ with multiple names for continuing stretches of the same street.
When Hurricane Bob hit New England in 1991, a number of homes in the coastal town of Mattapoisett were damaged or destroyed. Electricity on Barbara Gaspar’s street was knocked out for more than a week. But rather than turn inward, Gaspar remembers, the neighbors bonded. ’’Every meal was a potluck,’’ she said.
That resilient, neighborly spirit permeates Mattapoisett, where Gaspar has lived since 1969, when her family moved from neighboring Fairhaven to a small ranch-style home on Driscoll Lane. Eventually, she and her husband, Gary, who grew up in town, built a house on Ridgewood Road, and still live in their “new’’ home three decades later.
“It’s not sparkling new anymore. We kid each other about moving, but I don’t think we would,’’ Gaspar said. “Our roots are here. This is the town our [two daughters] grew up in. When they get a chance, they come home.’’
Mattapoisett is a special place, Gaspar said, especially for those who connect with local organizations. “Everybody is asking you to get involved with every project, and it’s really hard to say no,’’ she said. She became a Girl Scout leader when her older daughter was only 6 weeks old, and stayed with the organization for 28 years. She also participated in activities at the schools, her church, and the library, and worked in the town clerk’s office for 14 years.
“If you want to be involved, there’s no reason anybody should say it’s boring here,’’ Gaspar said. “You’re not going to a party every night, and there’s no nightclub or movie theater, but you’ll find great camaraderie among people who come together.’’
Residents look forward to the annual July 4th road race and scholarship fund-raiser, the well-attended Harbor Days celebration, and holiday festivities that include a tree-lighting, toy and winter coat drives, and Christmas caroling.
And despite a population of only about 6,000, the town often yields new discoveries.
“You can live in Mattapoisett for a long time and not know about its little beach communities,’’ Gaspar said. “When I first went to work in Town Hall, people would give their address, and I’d say, ‘Where’s that?’ ’’ Moreover, she added, “the roads are quirky,’’ with multiple names for continuing stretches of the same street.
“It’s fun to give directions,’’ she said. “You do it using landmarks.’’
BY THE NUMBERS
1838
The year Ned’s Point Lighthouse was built and illuminated. The name “Mattapoisett’’ comes from the Wampanoag word for the community’s scenic harbor and means “place of rest.’’ The 39-foot-tall stone tower, one of the smallest active lighthouses on Buzzards Bay, is in a park known for picnicking and views of the bay, Cape Cod, and the Elizabeth Islands.
300
The number of whaling vessels known to be built in Mattapoisett during the town’s 18th- and 19th-century shipbuilding heyday, according to the town’s historical society. The industry wound down around the end of the Civil War, soon replaced by summer tourism.
1 peck
The quota of quahogs, clams, or oysters a family can collect in a week (at particular times of the year) with a town shellfish permit. Other weekly limits include 1 bushel of scallops and 30 eels.
3
The number of times a driver on Wolf Island Road must blink his or her headlights to summon the same response from a ghostly vehicle, according to the book “Ghosts of the SouthCoast’’ by Tim Weisberg. Per local lore, the latter car was involved in an undocumented fatal crash in the 1970s. The website OnlyInYourState.com has deemed it the most haunted street in Massachusetts. The road is also home to Ellis-Bolles Cemetery, the spot where people have claimed to see the shadowy bodies of executed prisoners from King Philip’s War hanging. Please don’t try to get a look for yourself. Neighbors may call the police if they spot trespassers.
PROS & CONS
PRO
Historic harbor hosts summer festivities
One of Mattapoisett’s greatest assets is its waterfront. Residents and visitors revel in this prime coastal location each July at the weeklong Harbor Days Festival at Shipyard Park, an event that features a triathlon, pancake breakfast, fish fry, “Lobsterfest’’ and a big craft fair, among other entertainment.
CON
Some amenities are lacking
There is no large supermarket in town; residents typically drive to Fairhaven, Wareham, or New Bedford for grocery runs. There is, however, Town Wharf General Store, as well as the Old Rochester Farmers’ Market.
Rachel Lebeaux can be reached at [email protected]. Subscribe to our newsletter at pages.email.bostonglobe.com/AddressSignUp.
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