Dennis has something to offer to just about everyone

Author: By Carol K. Dumas, Globe Correspondent

Date: SATURDAY, May 9, 1998

Page: G1

Section: Real Estate

Part of neighboring Yarmouth until 1639, Dennis was incorporated as a town in 1793. The next century found the town immersed in seafaring, with some 400 sea captains based in Dennis. The Shiverick Shipyards, at present-day Sesuit Harbor in East Dennis, built clipper ships that set records during the Golden Age of Sail, including Capt. Joshua Sears' Wild Hunter. The salt works and the cranberry growing industries also got their start in Dennis.

Today the town is characterized by its distinct village centers. East Dennis has a harbor on Cape Cod Bay and newer homes mix with antique houses along the bayside from the Brewster town line and Route 6A.

In Dennis Village, there's a town green and bandstand, a quintessential white steepled church, small shops, homes that conform to the standards of style mandated by the Old Kings Highway Historic District Commission, and the nation's oldest (1927) professional summer theater. Many famous screen stars got their start at the Cape Playhouse, including Bette Davis, Humphrey Bogart, Henry Fonda and Olivia de Havilland. The playhouse shares its grounds with the Cape Museum of Fine Arts.

The main commercial district is located in South Dennis on Route 134, where a Star Market anchors the Patriot Square shopping plaza and the 25-mile Cape Cod Rail Trail bicycle path begins. The town's second historic district also lies in the village. There are about 500 documented historic buildings in town, according to Nancy Thacher Reid, author of a voluminous history on the town, and the historical society maintains a research library in the old Josiah Dennis Manse.

Fortunately, when people first ``discovered'' the Cape in the 1930s and '40s, she said, they preserved most of these older homes, the oldest of which dates to 1679.

The town has owned the bragging rights to the lowest tax rate on Cape Cod for years, due to fiscal conservatism, according to Town Administrator Steve Lombard.

There are several overrides facing voters this year, including a new $6.2 million main fire station; a $1.5 million reconfiguration of Sesuit Harbor; $1.5 million for a new irrigation system for the town's golf courses; and $750,000 for a golf maintenance building.

The tourist side of Dennis is reflected along Route 28, where there are numerous motels and cottages and seasonal businesses in the villages of West Dennis, and Dennisport, which except for the constancy of a Barbo's furniture store, has seen its share of bleak storefronts.

Town Planner Charleen Greenhalgh said the town was recently awarded a $30,000 state grant to hire a consultant to develop a strategic plan for Dennisport.

A 32-unit affordable housing project was also approved for the village.

``Basically, the feeling of the Local Comprehensive Planning Committee is it wants it to stay a quaint, New England seaside community but allow for housing for the people who live here, and jobs,'' Greenhalgh said. ``It will be a challenge, but it won't be impossible.''

Town meeting voters this year considered funding a main public library (there are four small village libraries). Dennis is the only Cape Cod town not connected to the regional computerized library materials sharing network. The issue of establishing one central library and making the village libraries branches has polarized residents for several years.

While seen as a residential community, Dennis is concerned about preserving open space. The Dennis Conservation Trust is the fourth largest land trust on Cape Cod and has a total of 283 acres throughout town.

``My typical client has an affection for the Cape and can afford it -- they have a down payment -- and they realize it's an investment,'' said Realtor James Mischler. His company also sees a brisk rental market every year. There are some 4,000 rental units in town, according to the chamber of commerce and the town swells from 14,000 to 40,000 during the summer months.

Mischler said upscale properties are selling well and the market is now seeing a scarcity of properties for sale. ``Simple cottages'' list for $100,000 and under, he said.

Realtor and longtime resident Florence Crockett had a bidding war over one property. ``It didn't even have a heating system,'' she said.

Recent properties for sale include a two-bedroom cottage in Dennisport, within walking distance to the beach for $126,000; a bed and breakfast inn near the Cape Playhouse for $379,000; and a waterfront four-bedroom Cape on Grand Cove for $499,000.

Distance from Boston: 90 miles.

Area: 20.66 square miles.

Population: 13,941.

Registered voters: 10,418.

Tax rate: $9.37.

Government: Board of Selectmen, town administrator, open town meeting.

Median home price: $127,000.

Houses of worship: Pentecostal Assembly, Church of the Nazarene, Community Church, So. Dennis Congregational Church, Dennis Union Church, East Dennis Community Church, New Christian Life Center, Our Lady of the Annunciation (Roman Catholic), Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints, East Dennis United Methodist.

Nearest hospital: Cape Cod Hospital, Hyannis.

Transportation: Plymouth and Brockton bus service.