As you all know, we recently moved from Beverly, MA to Danvers, MA. Danvers is adjacent to Beverly, and our new home in Danvers is only two miles away from our old apartment in Beverly. In fact, the street we live on is literally on the border between Beverly and Danvers. My commute from home to work and back has only changed in that it’s gotten shorter: about 10 minutes in either direction now, as opposed to 15-20 minutes. I still drive on the same roads from our house to work, it’s just that I no longer have to drive all the way in to downtown Beverly (a task that can be somewhat tedious when one is eager to get home).
Our old apartment was located in a basement, and had below-ground- and at-ground-level windows, so our view and our interaction with the outside world while at home was limited. In addition, we were at the end of a dead end street, so there was no foot or car traffic around our house. Our new home is located above ground, and though it is not situated *right* on the street, we don’t have a huge front yard to separate us from the sidewalk and road just beyond. We also have a large front window and front door so that we can easily see what’s going on out in front of our home. It also encourages more interaction with folks in the neighborhood as we’re going to and from our cars, or hanging around in front of the house.
Our new home has a deck out back, and although it is in need of some repairs, it is still a deck, and we still enjoy sitting out back, eating dinner, watching the sunset, listening to the birds, and watching the squirrels, rabbits, and other wildlife in the town-owned conservation land just behind our back yard. In our old apartment, we were lucky if we saw a few stray cats and some rusting automobiles when we stepped outside.
Beverly was positioned right on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, with numerous beaches and seaside parks. Danvers is just inland from Beverly, and has no real beaches per se, but it does have a marina and is connected to the Atlantic via the Danvers, Porter, Crane, and Waters Rivers.
Danvers has a quaint municipal power department, which gives you a discount on your bill if you pay it early. Beverly was serviced by the National Grid mega-company. Danvers has mandatory recycling, while it was optional in Beverly.
We’re still in the process of getting used to our new home and town, but so far we’re enjoying it! Here are some more old vs new facts:
| Beverly | Danvers | |
|---|---|---|
| First Settled | 1626 | 1630 |
| Oldest House Still Standing | Balch House, 1679 | Putnam House, 1648 |
| Form of Government | Mayor-council city | Representative town meeting |
| Population, 2000 | 39,862 | 25,212 |
| Family Median Income, 2000 | $66,486 | $70,565 |
| Area | 22.7 square miles | 14.1 square miles |
| Colleges | 3: Montserrat College of Art, Endicott College, North Shore Community College | 1: North Shore Community College |
| MBTA Commuter Rail Stations | 5: Beverly Depot, North Beverly, Prides Crossing, Montserrant, Beverly Farms | 0 |
| Dunkin Donuts Count | 9 | 8 |
| Home Depot Count | 0 | 2 |
| Square feet of living space in our home | 800 | 588 (to be expanded to 1,028 upon finishing basement) |
Beverly’s recycling is actually mandatory now! They’re especially brutal with cardboard.
My favorite Danver’s fact is that it is the actual site of the Salem Witch Trials.
Yes, but what is the Chipotle/Taco Bell count? That’s what really matters!
Ken: Sadly, there are no Taco Bells in either Danvers or Beverly! However, being the Boston area, that doesn’t matter too much since there are Taco Bells in Salem (adjacent to Beverly) and Peabody (adjacent to Danvers). No Chipotles around here, but there is a Qdoba in Peabody.
Leanne: Well that’s good. I think both places should start requiring clear plastic trash bags so that you can’t hide your recyclables in the trash. 🙂
I love the all-important Dunkin Donuts count, hehehe. Oh, and Danvers has a Target, whereas Beverly does not. Not a big deal, I’m just a huge Target Fangirl 😉