Orleans

Orleans, or its Indian name Namskaket, was settled in 1644 by a group of Pilgrims led by Nicholas Snow, came to the Eastham seeking land on to farm. They broke away from Eastham in 1797 when they incorporated, choosing a French name for their town. There they lived peacefully among the Nauset Indians. Still, many of the townspeople turned to fishing, whaling and, for a time, salt works. Orleans became the homeport of many fishing schooners. The Indians taught the settlers the art of shell fishing that, even today, is a thriving industry. Oddly enough, shipwrecks, common off the coast of Orleans, led not only to an organized life saving organization but the salvage business thrived. Orleans was also subject to attack. Britain controlled all the harbors of Cape Cod during the War of 1812 and Orleans was attacked in 1814 though there was little damage. During World War I, a German submarine fired on a tug and four barges off the coast of Orleans. It is the only time the United States was fired upon during that war.

The success of the Orleans settlers led to the depletion of the heavy forests. With the coming of the railroads and the road improvements, industries such as the salt works shut down. Agriculture was reduced to cranberries and large asparagus fields. Commercial fishing was no longer profitable. Little by little, as the visitors became more frequent and the foliage grew back, Orleans became the beautiful town it is today.

Orleans is now a town with lots of trees and green grass. There are many beaches on both the Atlantic side and on the bay. Bike trails and walking trails are easy to find, shops of every kind make shoppers happy, restaurants and food shops to please everyone are all in this one beautiful town. The opening of the Cape Cod National Seashore in 1961 saved acres of pristine land from intrusion. Next to the Town Cove stands the Jonathan Young Windmill. It was built in the eighteenth century, has been restored and still works. During the summer months, The Academy of Performing Arts, a nationally recognized theater, is open and the Orleans Cardinals, of the Cape Cod Baseball League, play their home games at Eldredge Park Field.