Harwich

Harwich, or its Indian name, Satucket, was originally settled as an eastern parish of the town of Yarmouth. This was in 1670 but later broke away and incorporated in 1694. It was a quiet town of farmers and fishermen. Because of the many bogs, the soil lent itself to cranberries. Soon, cranberries growth was in such abundance that, in 1846, some considered Harwich to be the birthplace of the cranberry industry. Many productive bogs still remain.

Villages that make up the town of Harwich are: East Harwich, Harwich Center, Harwich Port, North Harwich and West Harwich.

Harwich today is primarily a quiet, residential community. It is also home to many retirees. There are beaches on the Nantucket Sound side of the Cape and three active harbors. Long Lake is the largest fresh water lake of the Cape and is used as a private landing place for seaplanes. Cranberries are still grown in the many bogs and Harwich celebrates with a Cranberry Festival at harvest time.

The “Sail Around the Cape” starts and finishes in the waters off Harwich. Participants said counter-clockwise around the Cape and go through the Cape Cod Canal on the way back. Harwich is also the hometown of the Harwich Mariners, one of the teams in the Cape Cod Baseball League. Their home field Whitehouse Field.