Updated on Apr 13, 2021
Welcome to Willow Cottage nestled in the tranquility of the Nahant Thicket Wildlife Sanctuary. Sited a block from the ocean's edge, the wharf and beaches are within walking distance. This 1900 era...
This completely renovated, sunny unit boasts ocean views sitting right across the street from a resident beach. This is not your typical studio apartment, as it features a full sized kitchen and a...
Spacious in all the right ways! Open concept space begins with a front room that leads into the living and dining areas, then flows into a modern kitchen. Off the rear of the kitchen is a beartiful...
Spacious new construction built in 2017 available to rent. This 3 bedroom home has beautiful views of the ocean and is steps away from both public and private beaches. It features an open concept...
Large open living area, perfect for large gatherings. 7,000 square feet on 2.5 acres. Very quiet. Lots of parking. Great front porch with swing. Close to public beach, 100 yds from the Ocean....
I see a bird, I feel a breeze, I hear the ocean. This is Glocca Morra. Perched on an oceanside ledge, this Retro 90s home is available at a discounted price for the next months while we fine tune...
Just steps from 6 beaches and endless ocean views this unit is the perfect coastal getaway. Whether you are working from "home", visiting Boston or a historic New England fishing Town, we have you...
Come and Relax in our spacious 3100 sq ft home minutes from two private beaches, one sizeable public beach, and scenic views at 40 steps. Three oversized decks for outdoor entertaining and watching...
Wake up and enjoy coffee on your private deck overlooking Short Beach. Just steps away from the sand, enjoy a beach day and head back to watch the sunset from your deck. Grab takeout or prepare a...
This first floor one bedroom 550 square foot apartment, located in an owner occupied two family home, offers a peaceful setting for all to be enjoyed in Nahant and the surrounding areas. This...
Discover a seaside haven on our breathtaking waterfront ! Great for couples and intimate family gatherings, our two-bedroom sanctuary offers exclusive ocean access right down your steps. Immerse...
Spacious, oceanfront home at water's edge. Unspoiled panoramic views of the ocean and coastline from an expanse of windows. Mesmerizing views of the ocean from every room. Five/six bedrooms plus...
Spectacular Oceanfront Retreat Near Boston + Salem! Welcome to your seaside sanctuarya captivating vacation getaway nestled directly on the waters edge, where every room offers breathtaking views...
Nahant is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,334 at the 2020 census, which makes it the smallest municipality by population in Essex County. With just of land area, it is the smallest municipality by area in the state. It is primarily a residential community. The town is situated on peninsula consisting of two near-islands (known as "Little Nahant" and "Nahant" respectively) connected to the mainland by a narrow sandy isthmus traversed by a single causeway known as "Nahant Road". Numerous tourist beaches line the shores, with the most popular being the so-called "Long Beach" and "Short Beach" along the eastern side of the causeway.
The area around Nahant was inhabited for thousands of years prior to European colonization of the Americas, but little is known of this period until European records began to document the area in the early 1600s. At that time, the seat of "Sagamore James" of the Naumkeag, known in his own tongue as Montowampate, was at the outlet of the Saugus River overlooking Nahant, though the island itself may have been controlled by a sachem Poquanum, known to English settlers as Blacke William or Duke William, who around 1632 gave permission to Thomas Dexter to use the island in exchange for an English suit. The word Nahant may mean "at the point," or "twin islands," or it may refer to an important local person Nahantum.
The peninsula was first settled by English colonists 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. Although not a separate town until 1853, Nahant was listed as one of thirty "noted Habitations" in New England by William Wood in 1633, and Nahant Poynt appears labeled on a map of the Massachusetts coastline from 1639.
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 battery. It is now a town park, and location of the Marine Science Center for Northeastern University.
The old Nahant Life-Saving Station (NLSS) on Nahant Road and the new War Memorial erected across the street from the NLSS were renovated in 2004.
In 2003, the dilapidated Valley Road School was refurbished and re-commissioned as the Nahant Community Center, which is now home to many local activities and banquets, including the local Boy Scout Troop 50.
On September 25, 2005, the Town of Nahant officially commemorated the completely rebuilt Bailey's Hill Gazebo as the Calantha Sears Gazebo. The original was built for the bicentennial in 1976, and over the years had fallen into disrepair. With funding from the Woman's Club of Nahant and collaboration with the town of Nahant, local residents contributed to its reconstruction. Besides the cement base, the only remaining piece of the original is the wooden cylinder in the center of the roof, which still bears the "1976" emblem—repainted by Nahant local Octavia Randolph.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 93.24%, is water. Nahant is a tied island connected to the mainland by a natural tombolo, effectively a peninsula though often referred to as an "island". Nahant is connected by a causeway to the city of Lynn. The town is surrounded by Nahant Bay to the east, Nahant Harbor to the south, and Lynn Harbor to the west, all of which lead directly into Broad Sound and Massachusetts Bay. The town is essentially divided into a main portion and Little Nahant, just north of the main portion
More about NAHANT under "Town Info"
This page uses material from the Wikipedia article Nahant, Massachusetts , which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.