*** Welcome to piglix ***

Nahant, MA

Nahant, Massachusetts
Town
Town Hall of Nahant
Town Hall of Nahant
Official seal of Nahant, Massachusetts
Seal
Location in Essex County and the state of Massachusetts.
Location in Essex County and the state of Massachusetts.
Coordinates: 42°25′35″N 70°55′10″W / 42.42639°N 70.91944°W / 42.42639; -70.91944Coordinates: 42°25′35″N 70°55′10″W / 42.42639°N 70.91944°W / 42.42639; -70.91944
Country United States
State Massachusetts
County Essex
Settled 1630
Incorporated 1853
Government
 • Type Open town meeting
 • Town Administrator Jeffrey Chelgren
Area
 • Total 15.5 sq mi (40.1 km2)
 • Land 1.0 sq mi (2.7 km2)
 • Water 14.4 sq mi (37.4 km2)
Elevation 50 ft (15 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 3,410
 • Density 3,410.0/sq mi (1,316.6/km2)
Time zone Eastern (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) Eastern (UTC-4)
ZIP code 01908
Area code(s) 339 / 781
FIPS code 25-43580
GNIS feature ID 0618304
Website www.nahant.org

Nahant /nəˈhɑːnt/ is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,410 at the 2010 census. With just 1.0 square mile (2.7 km2) of land area, it is the smallest municipality by area in the state. It is primarily a residential community.

Native Americans called the area Nahant, meaning "the point" or "almost an island." The original Indian name of the place, Nahanten, signifies twins or two things united, referring to the two connected islands forming it. Located on a tied island jutting into Massachusetts Bay, it was first settled in 1630, in the second year of the Puritan coming. The servants of Isaac Johnson grazed his cattle on the land, and it was also often used by citizens of Lynn for grazing cattle, sheep and goats. Before 1800 there were only three homes on the island: those built by the Breeds and the Hoods, and the Johnson home built by Jeremiah Gray. The first hotel was built by one of the Johnsons 1802, and in 1817 a steamboat ran daily between Boston and Nahant. The town was originally part of Lynn; when the temperance movement threatened the summer resort trade in 1853, Nahant incorporated as a separate town. In the late 19th century, it was home to some of the country's first amusement parks, as well as a popular summer retreat for the wealthy, including the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The geologist Louis Agassiz was a resident and the artist William Stanley Haseltine produced many versions of his oil painting 'The Rocks at Nahant'. During World War II, East Point was the site of a coastal artillery. It is now a town park, and location of the Marine Science Center for Northeastern University.


...
Wikipedia

...