Hingham

Encompassing the northern tip of Hingham, Crow Point is a seaside peninsula enclave with expansive views of Hingham Bay. Desirable for its beachside location, residential homes in Crow Point start at $1 million and are usually built with elevated foundations and nautical designs. A family-friendly community, Crow Point is part of the reputable Hingham Public Schools district, and all the public schools have an A Niche rating. Downtown Hingham and various restaurants and shops are located near the southern end of the neighborhood. Boston, about 20 miles north, can be accessed by car, commuter rail and ferry. When living in a community with beaches, yacht clubs, marinas, coves and public parks abound, residents have almost endless opportunities to explore the outdoors. Located on the west side of the peninsula, Hewitts Cove, which is part of the Bouve Conservation Area, is a public conservation area popular for having impressive views of the Boston skyline. Many people take their dogs for runs or walks along the cove’s pathway, and children can play at the adjacent Bradley Woods Playground. Many locals also bring their dogs to the adjacent Stodder's Neck for swims. The Hingham Maritime Center is home on the east side of the community and offers sailing and rowing lessons to residents. The waterfront Bare Cove Park, sitting 2 miles south of Crow Point, has 484 acres of recreation space for jogging or bicycling and is adjacent to the Hingham Skatepark and the Carlson soccer and softball fields. South Shore Country Club is close by for golfers to book tee times. Anglers should note some of the area’s fisheries are contaminated with substances such as mercury and or PFAS. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health keeps an updated list of fishing advisories and locations. Housing styles run the gamut from Colonial Revivals and split-levels to ranch styles and Cape Cods. Even though area properties were built as early as the 1800s, most homes have been remodeled and meticulously maintained. Single-family houses start at $1 million to $2.5 million with lot sizes ranging from 7,000 square feet to quarter-acre. Oceanfront beach houses with elevated foundations or larger homes with views of the water can fetch from $3 million to over $5 million. Built with durable hardwoods, stone or concrete foundation, these waterfront properties are often constructed above ground level to protect against flooding and corrosion. Common features include pillared balconies, shingle-style roofs and private boat docks. Townhouses can go between $1 million and $1.6 million, and contemporary 21st-century condominiums list around $600,000 for a one-bedroom and $1.2 million for two-bedroom units. For houses located in the FEMA flood zone, homeowners can be required to purchase flood insurance. Residents can head to the neighborhood’s southwest corner for the Lincoln Plaza, which has Stop & Shop and Marshalls. The Fresh Market and Trader Joe’s are across the street from the shopping center.Several blocks north, a cluster of local businesses and restaurants are right by the Weymouth Black River. Alma Nove is an upscale Italian eatery offering patio seating and harbor views. A staple spot in town, Trident Galley & Raw Bar is known for its oysters and seafood entrees. Stretching between Main Street and Hingham Harbor, downtown Hingham has an assortment of shops, museums and restaurants for locals to explore. Stars on Hingham Harbor serves comfort diner eats while having views of Hingham Harbor. Crow Point belongs to the Hingham Public Schools, which is rated an overall A on Niche. Students may begin their schooling at William. L Foster Elementary School and continue to Hingham Middle School. A Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity school since 1967, Hingham Middle encourages and teaches students to embrace the richness of cultural diversity. Hingham High School offers courses in business, construction technology and engineering. All schools have an A Niche grade. Locals in Crow Point have many options for commuting into Boston. Those who drive can take Interstate 93 and go northbound for 20 miles to reach Boston’s city center or to the Boston Logan International Airport. Commuters who prefer public transportation can take the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority bus to Quincy Center. From there, people can take the MBTA commuter rail, either the Red or Purple Line, to Boston's South Station. Hingham is also connected to Boston by the ferry. The boat ride takes about 35 minutes and drops people off at Long Wharf North Station. South Shore Hospital is 8 miles south of the community. There are many market days and community events for residents to gather and celebrate in Hingham. For holidays such as Mother’s Day and the winter season, downtown Hingham often has pop-up markets to support local businesses and shops. Other events for promoting independent retailers include the Summer Sidewalk Sale and the Small Business Saturdays in November and December. Each October, artists gather for the Hingham Arts Walk, where locals can see art in various mediums on display at the exhibits downtown. Additional festivals include the Hingham Unity Council Juneteenth Celebration and the Hingham 4th of July Celebration.

South Hingham harbors a timeless feel, with centuries-old homes and modern shops a couple of miles from each other. A walk down Main Street will take people from 19th-century Colonial Revivals to the historic Downtown Hingham, passing by acres of pine trees at the Hingham Middle School Trails. All of this is a short drive from the Derby Street Shops, an open-air mall with popular retailers, including Kohl’s. Although residents can easily commute to Boston, which is about 20 miles away, they can find nearly everything they need in Hingham. “You almost don’t have to leave town because you have the Derby Street Shops and the downtown area,” says Midge Durgin, a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker who has lived in town for over 40 years. While strolling down Main Street, residents can find shade in the tall oak trees that change to vibrant reds and yellows in the fall. They walk past Colonial Revivals and Cape Cods that date back to the 1800s, most painted white. These historic influences carry over into other parts of the neighborhood, where mid-20th century Cape Cods sit on manicured lawns alongside ranch styles and single-family homes with colonial influences. Prices for a four- to five-bedroom tend to fall between $1.5 million and $3 million. Free standing condos surround the Black Rock Country Club, offering a maintenance-free lifestyle in the private, gated community. These properties can cost around $2 million to $4 million. As people walk along Main Street towards downtown Hingham, it is clear why First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt described it as one of the most beautiful Main Streets in the country. Many buildings appear the same as her visit in 1942, including the Second Parish, a church founded in 1746. At Tosca, patrons can enjoy an Italian-inspired fine dining experience in a building from 1910, although the restaurant opened in 1993. “It’s been in downtown Hingham for quite some time, and it’s consistently good,” Durgin says. A more casual meal can be enjoyed at Stars on Hingham Harbor. For a more modern scene, folks can head to the Derby Street Shops, an open-air mall along State Route 3. They can explore popular retailers such as Barnes & Noble and Anthropologie or meet a friend for dinner at Burtons Bar & Grille or CAVA. “If you’re looking for a gift or a place to eat, it’s a great place,” Durgin says. Residents can get groceries from Whole Foods at Derby Street Shops or the nearby Shaw’s. They can find fresh produce at the Hingham Farmers Market, the third oldest market in Massachusetts. The market is held downtown on Saturday mornings from May to November and at the Wompatuck State Park from January to March. The community comes together each year for the Fourth of July Parade, lining the streets to watch the floats come down Main Street. “The town paints the median strip of Main Street red, white and blue,” Durgin says. The parade is preceded by the Fourth of July Road Race, a nearly 4-and-a-half-mile race sponsored by Hingham Recreation. Racers start at Hingham Middle School and run through the winding Main Street, crossing the finish line downtown. The day’s festivities end with a fireworks display. South Hingham’s many trails and parks only add to the timeless atmosphere of the area. Locals can stroll beneath towering pines and oaks at the Hingham Middle School Trails and the Hingham Town Forest, or they can visit the Wompatuck State Park, which borders the neighborhood and encompasses more than 3,500 acres of forest. In addition to its 40 miles of hiking, biking and horseback riding trails, the park also includes several campgrounds and boat launches that get a lot of use in the warmer months. During the winter, residents often trade their hiking boots for skis and snowmobiles. The Black Rock Country Club sits in the northern part of the neighborhood, with an 18-hole golf course designed by Brian Silva, built on the site of a 100-year-old quarry. Members can also take advantage of the club’s tennis courts, pool and fitness room and enjoy a drink on the veranda or at the bar in the clubhouse. “It’s pretty spectacular once you get inside,” Durgin says. Golfers not part of Black Rock will often play the course at the South Shore Country Club, which offers discounted tee times to Hingham residents. The neighborhood is served by Hingham Public Schools, including South Elementary School and Hingham Middle School. Rather than taking a traditional English class senior year, Hingham High School encourages students to enroll in senior seminars that resemble college classes, focusing on topics such as Global Issues in Literature and Satire, Humor & Irony. All three schools, as well as the district, earn an A from Niche. While sidewalks and crosswalks along Main Street make the area more walkable, many people rely on their cars to get around. State Route 3 runs through the neighborhood, eventually connecting with Interstate 93 and leading to Boston, about 20 miles away. Locals can also travel into the city by the commuter boat, which leaves from Hingham Harbor. “It’s a terrific way to travel,” Durgin says. Boston Logan International Airport is about 23 miles away; the nearest emergency room is at South Shore Hospital, about a 5-mile drive.