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A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
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The Commemorative
Quarter for
Massachusetts

The Commemorative Quarter for Massachusetts





Outdoor Activities ...

As we travel, we like to pursue some of our interests (such as astronomy and bird watching).

When in The Plains, we use the following websites to find information relevant to The Plains and the surrounding area.

  • Weather ...
  • Astronomy & Satellites ...
    • Whether using binoculars, a small telescope or the naked-eye, the Heavens-Above website can help you to find your way around the night-time sky. In addition to detailed sky charts, their website will help you find planets, asteriods, comets, satellites and their tracks across the sky.
    • To give accurate results, Heavens-Above requires the latitude and longitude of your location. As a starting point, when we link to Heavens-Above, we pass this GPS location for The Plains:
    • 41.275124, -70.157795
    • Once you're on the Heavens-Above website, you can improve its accuracy by giving a more precise longitude and latitude as your actual position.
    • The Heavens-Above Website, centered on The Plains
  • Waymarking ...
    • Looking for somewhere out of the ordinary? Find a unique place and want to share it with others? Then it's time to visit Waymarking.com:
    • Waymark.com

Communities Also Named The Plains ...

We found 21 communities that share the name The Plains.

Within Massachusetts, the name The Plains is unique.

Beyond Massachusetts, we know of another 21 communities that are located throughout in the United States.

  • Communities Elsewhere In North America ...
    • California
      • Madera County
      • This community is historic<1> and we have very little information. For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the California community of The Plains [Madera County].
    • Florida
      • Highlands County
      • This The Plains is located in Highlands County and lies 1,143 miles [1,839.5 km]<2> to the southwest of the The Plains that is located in Nantucket County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Highlands County community of The Plains.
    • Georgia
      • Cobb County
      • This The Plains is located in Cobb County and lies 927 miles [1,491.9 km]<2> to the west southwest of the The Plains that is located in Nantucket County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Cobb County community of The Plains.
      • Sumter County
      • This The Plains is located in Sumter County and lies 1,012 miles [1,628.7 km] to the southwest of the The Plains that is located in Nantucket County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Sumter County community of The Plains.
    • Kansas
      • Meade County
      • This The Plains is located in Meade County and lies 1,641 miles [2,640.9 km]<2> to the west of the The Plains that is located in Nantucket County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Meade County community of The Plains.
    • Kentucky
      • Breckinridge County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<3> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Kentucky community of The Plains [Breckinridge County].
    • Louisiana
      • East Baton Rouge Parish
      • This The Plains is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and lies 1,379 miles [2,219.3 km]<2> to the west southwest of the The Plains that is located in Nantucket County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the East Baton Rouge Parish community of The Plains.
    • Maryland
      • Caroline County
      • This The Plains is located in Caroline County and lies 340 miles [547.2 km]<2> to the west southwest of the The Plains that is located in Nantucket County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Caroline County community of The Plains.
      • Charles County
      • This The Plains is located in Charles County and lies 405 miles [651.8 km] to the west southwest of the The Plains that is located in Nantucket County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Charles County community of The Plains.
    • Michigan
      • Marquette County
      • This The Plains is located in Marquette County and lies 925 miles [1,488.6 km]<2> to the west northwest of the The Plains that is located in Nantucket County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Marquette County community of The Plains.
    • Montana
      • Sanders County
      • This The Plains is located in Sanders County and lies 2,216 miles [3,566.3 km]<2> to the west northwest of the The Plains that is located in Nantucket County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Sanders County community of The Plains.
    • New Hampshire
      • Belknap County
      • This The Plains is located in Belknap County and lies 166 miles [267.2 km]<2> to the north northwest of the The Plains that is located in Nantucket County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Belknap County community of The Plains.
    • New Jersey
      • Sussex County
      • This The Plains is located in Sussex County and lies 236 miles [379.8 km]<2> to the west of the The Plains that is located in Nantucket County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Sussex County community of The Plains.
    • New York
      • Oneida County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<3> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the New York community of The Plains [Oneida County].
      • Washington County
      • This The Plains is located in Washington County and lies 204 miles [328.3 km]<2> to the northwest of the The Plains that is located in Nantucket County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Washington County community of The Plains.
    • Ohio
      • Athens County
      • This The Plains is located in Athens County and lies 643 miles [1,034.8 km]<2> to the west of the The Plains that is located in Nantucket County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Athens County community of The Plains.
    • Pennsylvania
      • Luzerne County
      • This The Plains is located in Luzerne County and lies 295 miles [474.8 km]<2> to the west of the The Plains that is located in Nantucket County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Luzerne County community of The Plains.
    • South Carolina
      • Chesterfield County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<3> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the South Carolina community of The Plains [Chesterfield County].
    • Texas
      • Borden County
      • This The Plains is located in Borden County and lies 1,816 miles [2,922.6 km]<2> to the west of the The Plains that is located in Nantucket County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Borden County community of The Plains.
      • Yoakum County
      • This The Plains is located in Yoakum County and lies 1,868 miles [3,006.3 km] to the west of the The Plains that is located in Nantucket County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Yoakum County community of The Plains.
    • Virginia
      • Fauquier County
      • This The Plains is located in Fauquier County and lies 435 miles [700.1 km]<2> to the west southwest of the The Plains that is located in Nantucket County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Fauquier County community of The Plains.

Curious and Interesting Names Near The Plains ...

As we travel, we always see a community with a name that gives pause. While there are names which are interesting or familiar, some catch our attention or strike our fancy. We always wonder about such a name. If time permits and the community is not too far, we'll usually try to make a side-trip.

  • Fishers Landing
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Fishers Landing have been provided by the GNIS.<4> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fishers Landing
    • Fishers Landing is located in Nantucket County
  • Further Creek ‑ Historic
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Further Creek have been provided by the GNIS.<4> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Further Creek
    • Further Creek is located in Nantucket County
  • Great Neck
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Great Neck have been provided by the GNIS.<4> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Great Neck
    • Great Neck is located in Nantucket County
  • Long Josephs Point
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Long Josephs Point have been provided by the GNIS.<4> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Josephs Point
    • Long Josephs Point is located in Nantucket County
  • Narrow Creek ‑ Historic
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Narrow Creek have been provided by the GNIS.<4> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Narrow Creek
    • Narrow Creek is located in Nantucket County
  • Shallow Pond
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Shallow Pond have been provided by the GNIS.<4> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shallow Pond
    • Shallow Pond is located in Nantucket County
  • Smooth Hummocks
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Smooth Hummocks have been provided by the GNIS.<4> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smooth Hummocks
    • Smooth Hummocks is located in Nantucket County
  • Surfside
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Surfside have been provided by the GNIS.<4> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Surfside
    • Surfside is located in Nantucket County
  • Town Pasture
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Town Pasture have been provided by the GNIS.<4> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Town Pasture
    • Town Pasture is located in Nantucket County
  • Trots Hills
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Trots Hills have been provided by the GNIS.<4> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trots Hills
    • Trots Hills is located in Nantucket County

How Far From The Plains to ...

We spend a lot of time looking through Gazetteers, Almanacs & Directories that were published in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Many of the Gazetteers include the distance from a community such as The Plains to various places of note, such as the White House.

With a nod to our favorite Gazetteers and using the location of where the historic community of The Plains once stood, the straight-line distance beginning in The Plains and extending to:

  • Nantucket, which is the Seat of Nantucket County, lies just to the East.
  • Boston, which is the State Capital of Massachusetts, lies 88 miles [141.6 km]<2> to the north northwest (NNW). If you could drive a straight line from The Plains to Boston, with an average speed<5>of 63 miles [101.4 km] per hour, it would take less than two hours to make the trip. A comfortable walk of 2.2 miles [3.5 km] per hour would take 5 days. A horse and buggy averaging 3.2 miles [5.1 km] per hour would take most of three days.
  • The White House (Washington, DC) is 398 miles [640.5 km] to the west southwest (WSW). Driving would take most of a day, a buggy would take 16 days and walking would take 23 days.
  • The shortest distance<6> to Jerusalem (specifically the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock) is 5,507 miles [8,862.7 km] and it lies to the east northeast (ENE).<7>
  • The distance to the Great Mosque of Mecca (specifically the Ka'bah - or Kaaba ) is 6,207 miles [9,989.2 km] and it lies to the east northeast (ENE).<8>
  • The distance to Saint Peter's Basilica (The Vatican) is 4,085 miles [6,574.2 km] and it lies to the east northeast (ENE).<9>

The official website for State of Massachusetts: https://www.mass.gov/

Footnotes ...

<1>We use the term 'Historic' broadly and it generally means that the community no longer exists. However, it can also mean that the community might still exist, but was significantly larger or had a more 'official' existence in the past than it does now. Unfortunately our sources of data have proven to be unreliable. If you can provide us with more specific information about The Plains, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<2>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- The Plains) to Point B.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in The Plains. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 41.2751, Longitude: -70.1578       In this case, the coordinates for The Plains have been provided by the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).
<3>If we encounter the name of what might be a community, our methodology is to add that name to our Gazetteer as a placeholder. As we find more information about that community, it will be added to our Gazetteer.

Just as a reminder: Our definition of a community is rather broad and includes those places (or areas) where several families lived and had a name which identified that place. For example, you might hear somebody say that they are going over to Mile's to see Pete ... Mile's is just a gas station and a couple of homes at the crossroads. While it might not be on the map, everybody in the area knows it by that name.

Places of interest include buildings at a crossroad, several families clustered in a hollow or maybe the location of a way station. It also includes places like mines, lumber camps, ferry crossings, etc. The community might still exist, is now gone or only existed for just a short period of time.

Also keep in mind that The Plains could have been on the original document by mistake, misspelled, the original/alternate name of a community that we've listed elsewhere or was placed in the wrong county. Sometimes a post office or train station would have a different name than the community where it's located, so two names might be referring to the same community - we're working to straighten it all out.
<4>The location has been supplied by the Geographic Names Information System - which is maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). While these values should be definitive, we found that accuracy can vary and you should double-check the location if accuracy is required.
<5>While we have tried to pick reasonable speeds, the rate of travel is very theoretical - obstacles like fences, hills, lakes, river crossings and rest stops have been ignored. When we say 'Days' of travel, we're assuming 8 hours of travel per day.
<6>The shortest line can be visualized by stretching a string on a Globe from Point A to Point B - this is known as a Great Circle Route. Where you might expect the shortest route from The Plains to the Middle East to be East and South, the Great Circle Route actually lies to the North and East.
<7>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Jerusalem is 303.605 degrees.
<8>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Mecca is 298.971 degrees.
<9>The calculated bearing (or angle) to the Vatican is 300.731 degrees.




 

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This page was last modified/updated: 07 Apr 2024