Editing Essex County, Massachusetts (section)

==Geography==
Essex County is roughly diamond-shaped and occupies the northeastern corner of the state of Massachusetts.

According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|828|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|493|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|336|sqmi}} (41%) is water.<ref name=quickfacts>{{cite web | url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/essexcountymassachusetts/AGE765210 | publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] | title=United States Census Bureau QuickFacts: Essex County, Massachusetts }}{{Dead link|date=December 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Essex County is adjacent to [[Rockingham County, New Hampshire]] to the north, the [[Atlantic Ocean]] (specifically the [[Gulf of Maine]] and [[Massachusetts Bay]]) to the east, [[Suffolk County, Massachusetts|Suffolk County]] to the south, [[Middlesex County, Massachusetts|Middlesex County]] to the west and a very small portion of [[Hillsborough County, New Hampshire]] to the far north west in [[Methuen, Massachusetts|Methuen]]. All county land is incorporated into towns or cities.

Essex County includes the [[North Shore (Massachusetts)|North Shore]], [[Cape Ann]], and the lower portions of the [[Merrimack Valley]].

'''Adjacent Counties'''

'''•'''  [[Middlesex County, Massachusetts|Middlesex County]] (west)

'''•''' [[Suffolk County, Massachusetts|Suffolk County]] (south)

'''•''' [[Hillsborough County, New Hampshire]] (northwest)

'''•''' [[Rockingham County, New Hampshire]] (north)

===Transportation===
These routes pass through Essex County:
* {{jct|state=MA|I|93}}, in Methuen and Andover
* {{jct|state=MA|I|95}}, about twenty-five miles between Lynnfield through Salisbury
* {{jct|state=MA|I|495}}, from Andover to Salisbury through Lawrence and Haverhill
* {{jct|state=MA|US|1}}, between I-95 and Route 1A, close to the coast
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|1A}}, along the coast
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|22}}, in Beverly and Essex
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|28}}, in Methuen and Andover
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|35}}, in Peabody and Danvers
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|62}}, from Middleton to Beverly
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|97}}, from Methuen to Beverly
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|99}}, in Saugus
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|107}}, from Saugus to Beverly 
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|108}}, in Haverhill
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|110}}, from Methuen to Salisbury through Lawrence and Haverhill
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|113}}, from Methuen to Newburyport through Haverhill 
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|114}}, from Lawrence to Marblehead through Middleton
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|125}}, from Andover to Haverhill
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|127}}, from Beverly to Gloucester
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|127A}}, at the tip of Cape Ann
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|128}}, Lynnfield through Cape Ann
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|129}}, from Lynnfield to Marblehead
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|129A}}, in Lynn
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|133}}, from Andover to Gloucester
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|150}}, in Amesbury
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|213}}, in Methuen
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|286}}, in Salisbury

The [[Lawrence Municipal Airport (Massachusetts)|Lawrence Municipal Airport]] and [[Beverly Municipal Airport]] are regional airports within the county; the nearest commercial airports are [[Logan Airport]] in Boston and [[Manchester-Boston Regional Airport]] in Manchester, NH.

The MBTA commuter rail has two lines operating in Essex County: the [[Haverhill Line]] and the [[Newburyport Line]], both of which go toward Boston. Close to Boston, MBTA buses also exist. The [[Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority|MVRTA]] is a bus company that connects cities within the [[Merrimack Valley]] portion of Essex County.

===National protected areas===
Because of Essex County's rich history, which includes 17th century colonial history, maritime history spanning its existence, and leadership in the expansions of the textile industry in the 19th century, the entire county has been designated the Essex National Heritage Area by the [[National Park Service]].

The following areas of national significance have also been preserved:
* [[Parker River National Wildlife Refuge]]
* [[Salem Maritime National Historic Site]]
* [[Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site]]
* [[Thacher Island National Wildlife Refuge]]

{{Massachusetts rivers}}