Editing Mashpee, Massachusetts (section)

== Geography ==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], Mashpee has a total area of {{convert|70.5|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|60.6|km2|order=flip}} is land and {{convert|9.9|km2|order=flip}}, or 14.10%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/0600000US2500139100| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212145814/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/0600000US2500139100| url-status=dead| archive-date=February 12, 2020| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Mashpee town, Barnstable County, Massachusetts| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=December 5, 2013}}</ref>

Mashpee is on the "upper," or western, portion of [[Cape Cod]]. It is bounded by [[Sandwich, Massachusetts|Sandwich]] to the north and northwest, [[Barnstable, Massachusetts|Barnstable]] to the east, [[Nantucket Sound]] to the south, and [[Falmouth, Massachusetts|Falmouth]] to the west. It is approximately {{convert|65|mi}} south-southeast of [[Boston]] and {{convert|70|mi}} east-southeast of [[Providence, Rhode Island]].

Like all towns on the Cape, Mashpee's topography is that of sandy soil, small ponds and inlets, surrounded by the pines and oaks indigenous to the area. The town's shoreline is framed by [[Waquoit Bay]] to the west and [[Popponesset Bay]] to the east, with several rivers, brooks and small ponds in the area. The town contains [[South Cape Beach State Park]] along Dead Neck and Waquoit Bay, and the Lowell Holly Reservation, comprising the land between Wakeby and Mashpee Ponds.

Mashpee also borders a small area of [[Otis Air National Guard Base]], [[Joint Base Cape Cod]], and [[Camp Edwards]] in the northwest portion of the town.

=== Climate ===
According to the [[Köppen climate classification]] system, Mashpee, Massachusetts has a warm-summer, wet year round, [[humid continental climate]] (''Dfb''). Dfb climates are characterized by at least one month having an average mean temperature ≤ 32.0&nbsp;°F (≤ 0.0&nbsp;°C), at least four months with an average mean temperature ≥ 50.0&nbsp;°F (≥ 10.0&nbsp;°C), all months with an average mean temperature ≤ 71.6&nbsp;°F (≤ 22.0&nbsp;°C), and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. The average seasonal (Nov–Apr) snowfall total is approximately 30 inches (76&nbsp;cm). The average snowiest month is February, which corresponds with the annual peak in [[nor'easter]] activity. According to the [[United States Department of Agriculture]], the [[plant hardiness zone]] is 7a, with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of 0.9&nbsp;°F (−17.3&nbsp;°C).<ref name="USDA">{{cite web|url=https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/InteractiveMap.aspx|publisher=[[United States Department of Agriculture]]|access-date=June 28, 2019|title=USDA Interactive Plant Hardiness Map}}</ref>

{{Weather box |width=auto	
|location = Mashpee, Barnstable County, Massachusetts (1981–2010 averages)	
|single line = Y	
|Jan high F =	37.8
|Feb high F =	39.6
|Mar high F =	45.1
|Apr high F =	54.0
|May high F =	63.4
|Jun high F =	72.9
|Jul high F =	78.7
|Aug high F =	78.0
|Sep high F =	71.8
|Oct high F =	61.9
|Nov high F =	53.1
|Dec high F =	43.4
|year high F=	58.4
| Jan mean F =	30.1
| Feb mean F =	31.8
| Mar mean F =	37.5
| Apr mean F =	46.2
| May mean F =	55.5
| Jun mean F =	65.2
| Jul mean F =	71.3
| Aug mean F =	70.7
| Sep mean F =	64.0
| Oct mean F =	53.9
| Nov mean F =	45.4
| Dec mean F =	35.8
| year mean F =	50.7
|Jan low F =	22.4
|Feb low F =	24.1
|Mar low F =	29.9
|Apr low F =	38.4
|May low F =	47.6
|Jun low F =	57.6
|Jul low F =	63.9
|Aug low F =	63.3
|Sep low F =	56.2
|Oct low F =	45.9
|Nov low F =	37.7
|Dec low F =	28.2
|year low F=	43.0
|precipitation colour = green	
|Jan precipitation inch =	4.03
|Feb precipitation inch =	3.38
|Mar precipitation inch =	5.17
|Apr precipitation inch =	4.46
|May precipitation inch =	3.44
|Jun precipitation inch =	3.95
|Jul precipitation inch =	3.41
|Aug precipitation inch =	3.82
|Sep precipitation inch =	3.88
|Oct precipitation inch =	4.23
|Nov precipitation inch =	4.40
|Dec precipitation inch =	4.58
|year precipitation inch=	48.75
| humidity colour = green	
| Jan humidity =	68.5
| Feb humidity =	68.5
| Mar humidity =	66.9
| Apr humidity =	66.6
| May humidity =	70.3
| Jun humidity =	73.5
| Jul humidity =	74.8
| Aug humidity =	75.0
| Sep humidity =	75.0
| Oct humidity =	72.3
| Nov humidity =	69.5
| Dec humidity =	69.8
| year humidity =	70.9
| Jan dew point F = 21.0
| Feb dew point F = 22.6
| Mar dew point F = 27.5
| Apr dew point F = 35.7
| May dew point F = 46.0
| Jun dew point F = 56.5
| Jul dew point F = 62.9
| Aug dew point F = 62.4
| Sep dew point F = 55.9
| Oct dew point F = 45.2
| Nov dew point F = 36.0
| Dec dew point F = 26.9
| year dew point F = 41.6
|source 1 = PRISM Climate Group<ref>{{cite web|url=http://prism.oregonstate.edu/explorer/|title=PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State U|website=www.prism.oregonstate.edu|access-date=June 26, 2019}}</ref>}}

=== Ecology ===
According to the [[A. W. Kuchler]] U.S. [[Potential natural vegetation]] Types, Mashpee, Massachusetts would primarily contain a Northeastern [[Oak]]/[[Pine]] (''110'') vegetation type with a Southern [[Mixed Forest]] (''26'') vegetation form.<ref name="Conservation Biology Institute">{{cite web|url=https://databasin.org/datasets/1c7a301c8e6843f2b4fe63fdb3a9fe39|publisher=[[Data Basin]]|access-date=July 30, 2019|title=U.S. Potential Natural Vegetation, Original Kuchler Types, v2.0 (Spatially Adjusted to Correct Geometric Distortions)}}</ref>

=== Neighborhoods ===
[[File:Monomoscoy Island, Mashpee MA.jpg|thumb|Monomoscoy Island in 2012]]
Parts of Mashpee include:

* [[Mashpee Neck, Massachusetts|Mashpee Neck]]
* [[Monomoscoy Island, Massachusetts|Monomoscoy Island]]
* [[New Seabury, Massachusetts|New Seabury]]
* [[Popponesset, Massachusetts|Popponesset]]
* [[Popponesset Island, Massachusetts|Popponesset Island]]
* [[Seabrook, Massachusetts|Seabrook]]
* [[Seconsett Island, Massachusetts|Seconsett Island]].

=== Transportation ===
Major roads include [[Massachusetts Route 28]], [[Massachusetts Route 130]] and [[Massachusetts Route 151]]; none of these is a freeway. Route 28, along with [[U.S. Route 6 in Massachusetts|U.S. Route 6]] to the north, comprise the main east-west routes along the Cape. Route 130's southern terminus lies just outside the town limits in [[Santuit Historic District|Santuit]], a village in the town of Barnstable. Route 151's eastern terminus is within the town of Mashpee; both these roads end at Route 28, {{convert|2.5|mi}} apart.

The Town of Mashpee is the only one on Cape Cod that never had a railroad constructed to it. According to ''2.5. Rail Transportation,'' [[Joint Base Cape Cod]] has a railroad track extending into the town.

The nearest airports ([[Cape Cod Airfield]], an airstrip for small planes, and [[Barnstable Municipal Airport]], the largest airport on the Cape), can be found in the neighboring Town of Barnstable. The nearest national and international air service can be reached at [[Logan International Airport]] in Boston, or at [[T. F. Green Airport]] in [[Warwick, Rhode Island]].

The [[Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority]] serves Mashpee. The Sealine bus route stops at South Cape Village and [[Mashpee Commons]], in addition to other flag stops. It is also serviced by the ADA on-call services of CCRTA (DART).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority - Sealine|url=https://www.capecodtransit.org/sealine-route.htm?CFID=26815164&CFTOKEN=308860e641ba4148-57EF38F7-9AD3-A5F4-7D8AC40B3C72A5D2|access-date=July 28, 2021|website=www.capecodtransit.org}}</ref>

=== Historic and protected sites<span class="anchor" id="Historic and protected sites in Mashpee"></span> ===
[[File:One Room Schoolhouse, Mashpee MA.jpg|thumb|Mashpee One Room Schoolhouse]]
*[[Old Indian Meeting House]], built in 1684
*Mashpee One Room Schoolhouse, built in 1831 – open for public tours June through October
*[[Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge]], established in 1995, consisting of salt marshes, cranberry bogs, white cedar swamps, and expansive forests. Also home to populations of New England Cottontail rabbits, white-tailed deer, red fox, red-tailed hawks, waterfowl, shorebirds, and bald eagles.
*Quashnet Conservation Area, large woodlands/wildlife conservation area directly south and adjacent to [[Otis Air National Guard Base]] and [[Camp Edwards]]. It is the largest tract of undeveloped forest/woodland area on Cape Cod.