About Orleans, Cape Cod

Orleans is located at the “elbow” of Cape Cod where the peninsula points north. The Atlantic Ocean is to the east and Cape Cod Bay is to the west. The town was incorporated in 1797, named for Louis Philippe Joseph, Duke of Orleans, to honor France’s allegiance during the American Revolution.

Orleans is the heart of Outer Cape Cod, home of the Cape Cod National Seashore, and is in the middle of the region known as the Lower Cape. Harwich, Chatham and Brewster are to the south and south west; Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro and Provincetown comprise the outer Cape to the north.

Orleans Facts & Figures:

*Total Land Area: 13.94 square miles

Distance from Boston: 92 miles

Distance from Providence, R.I.: 97 miles

*Population – Year Round: 6,752 Summer: 22,000

+Age of Year-round Population: 62% are 55 years of age or older

+Housing Units: 5,073 total; 1,986 (39.1%) are second homes

+Percent of second homes for Lower Cape Cod: 54%

Governance: Town Meeting lead by an elected Board of Selectmen; Town Administrator manages day-to-day affairs.

*Tax Rate: $4.29 per $1,000 valuation – FY2005

*Town of Orleans     +US Census 2000

Town Departments

Assessing Department

Location: Town Hall, 19 School Road, Orleans, MA 02653 Telephone: 508-240-3700 Ext. 430 Fax: 508-240-3388 Office Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday

Building Department

Location: Town Hall, 19 School Road, Orleans, MA 02653 (lower level) Office Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday Telephone: 508-240-3700 Ext. 341 Fax: 508-240-3702

Conservation Department

Location: Town Hall, 19 School Road, Orleans, MA 02653 (main floor) Telephone: 508-240-3700 Ext. 425 Fax: 508-240-3388 Office Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday

Council on Aging

Location: Senior Center, 150 Rock Harbor Road, Orleans, MA 02653 Telephone: 508-255-6333 Fax: 508-240-6936 Office Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday Council on Aging Meetings: 1:00 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of the month, Orleans Senior Center, 150 Rock Harbor Road.

Finance/Town Accountant

Location: Town Hall, 19 School Road, Orleans, MA 02653 Telephone: 508-240-3700 Ext. 440 Office Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday

Fire and Rescue Department

Location:58 Eldredge Parkway, Orleans, MA 02653 Telephone: Business 508-255-0050 Fax: 508-240-0855 Emergency 911

Health Department

Location: Town Hall, 19 School Road, Orleans, MA 02653 (lower level) Office Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday Telephone: 508-240-3700 Fax: 508-240-3702

Highway Department/Transfer Station

Locations: Bay Ridge Road, Orleans, MA 02653 (Highway Garage) Lots Hollow Road (Disposal Area) Telephones: 508-240-3790 (Highway) 508-240-3770 (Disposal) Fax: 508-240-3792 Email: highway@town.orleans.ma.us. Hours: Highway Department – Summer 6:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday Highway Department – Winter 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday Disposal/Transfer Station 7:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Daily except some holidays from June 25th to September 3. Otherwise closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Parks and Beaches Department

Location: 18 Bay Ridge Road, Orleans, MA 02653 Telephone: 508-240-3775 Fax: 508-255-6157 Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Planning Department

Location: Town Hall, 19 School Road, Orleans, MA 02653 (main floor) Office Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday Telephone: (508)240-3700 ext. 435 Fax: 508-240-3388 Meetings are held: The Planning Board holds meetings on the 2nd & 4th Tuesdays at 7PM. The agendas are posted in the meetings section of the website.

Police Department

Recreation Department

Location: Community Center on Main Street, Orleans, MA 02653 Telephone: 508-240-3785 Fax: 508-240-3388 Hours: 8:30a.m.- 4:00 p.m. Responsibilities: The Recreation department offers a wide range of activities with quality instruction on a seasonal basis.

Fall Programs: (Grades K-8, Adult)

  • Soccer
  • Field Hockey
  • Adult Tennis
  • Adult Fitness
  • Youth Center
  • Instructional Soccer

Winter Programs: (Grades Preschool-8, Adult)

  • Basketball
  • Movement/Ball Skills
  • Public Skating
  • Saturday Basketball
  • Youth Center
  • Instructional Basketball

Spring Programs: (Grades 1-8, Adult)

  • Softball
  • Baseball
  • Adult Tennis
  • Youth Center
  • Instructional Softball/Baseball

Summer Programs: (Ages 4-16, Adult)

  • Swimming
  • Tennis
  • Arts and Crafts
  • Summer Recreation

Shellfish And Harbormaster

Location: Route 28 at Eldredge Park Way (behind police station) Mail to:Town Hall, 19 School Road, Orleans, MA 02653 Telephone: 508-240-3755 Fax:508-240-3388 Email: harbormaster@town.orleans.ma.us. Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday; On-call 24 hours/day

Snow Library

Town Administrator

Location: Town Hall, 19 School Road, Orleans, MA 02653 Telephone: 508-240-3700 Ext. 415. Fax: 508-240-3703. Office Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday Selectmen’s Meetings: Every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in Meeting Room A at Legion Hall. Public Comment is at 6:30. Public Comment is a time when citizens can address the Board without an appointment about any Town business. Additional meetings are scheduled as needed.

Town Clerk

Office Hours: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday Telephone: 508-240-3700 Ext. 405 Location: Town Hall, 19 School Road, Orleans, MA 02653 Meetings are held: Orleans Town Meeting is held the second Monday in May. Call for details.

Treasurer

Location: Town Hall, 19 School Road, main floor Telephone: 508-240-3700 Ext.420 Office Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday

Water Department

Location: 2nd floor of the Town Hall. 19 School Road Orleans, Massachusetts Telephone: 508 255-1200 Fax: 508 240-3702 Office Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday Water Commissioners meetings: The Board of Water Commissioners meet the 1st & 3rd Wednesday of every month at 3pm in the Nauset Room on the second floor of the Town Hall.

Last updated: January 7, 2010

10:33pm February 08, 2010
Orleans, MA 30° Fair
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