History of Cape Cod Towns

Barnstable

Barnstable, or its Indian name, Mattakeese, is the largest community, both in land area and population, on Cape Cod. Bartholomew Gosnold was the first to set foot on what is now the village of Hyannis and it’s been a busy and exciting place ever since. The town was settled in… read more

Bourne

Often called the Gateway to Cape Cod, Bourne, or its Indian name, Manomet, is the only town on the Cape that straddles the Cape Cod Canal. The first trading post established in America was Aptucet Trading Post, an Indian word for “little trap by the river”. It was built in 1627 next to the Manomet River. It was there that wampum was… read more

Brewster

Brewster, or their Indian name, Potenumacut, was first a part of Harwich. They broke away in 1656 but didn’t officially incorporate until 1803. The name is from Elder William Brewster who was the first religious leader of Plymouth Colony. The town flourished around Stony Brook. It was here in the early 1600s that a grist mill and a… read more

Chatham

The Indian name for Chatham is Monomoy, one of the tribes of the Nauset Indians. Settlers first arrived in 1665 but it wasn’t until 1712 that the town was incorporated. Chatham became a prosperous shipping, fishing and whaling center. Located at the “bend in the elbow”, Chatham is a bit off the beaten path so retains much… read more

Dennis

Dennis or its Indian name, Nobscussett, was the first settled in 1639 and Thomas Howes had the honor of being the first settler. It wasn’t until 1793 that Dennis broke away from Yarmouth and incorporated. It was named after the town minister, Josiah Dennis. The major industries centered around fishing, whaling and shell fishing where… read more

Eastham

Eastham, or the Indian name Nauset, was the home of the Nauset Indians before the Pilgrims first came in 1620. Miles Standish, with a small group of men, was the first Englishman to see the Indians at what is now called First Encounter Beach. The first settlers came from the Plymouth Colony in 1644 and in 1651, Eastham incorporated…. read more

Falmouth

Falmouth, or its Indian name Succonesset, was one of the first settlements on the Cape. That was in 1660 and was incorporated in 1686. It was named by Bartholomew Gosnold for his home town in England. Early settlers were farmers, whalers, shippers and sheepherders. The wool from the sheep was briefly processed on the Cape but the… read more

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,... read more

Mashpee

Mashpee, or the Indian name, Massipee, was home to Wampanoag Indian tribe when the English settlers arrived in 1658. Though attempts were made to live side by side, the conditions set forth by the settlers were not ones the Indians could live with. Eventually most of the Indians moved away. Finally, in 1870, Mashpee incorporated and… read more

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… read more

Provincetown

Provincetown, or its Indian name Meeshaum, was slow to develop. Because of disease brought by Europeans, the Indian population had practically vanished by the time the Pilgrims arrived in 1620. The famous Captain John Smith had mapped and spent a brief time on the beaches of Provincetown in 1614 and it was his maps that the… read more

Sandwich

Sandwich, or its Indian name Shawme is the oldest of the Cape towns. Settled in 1637, it was incorporated in 1639. An interesting note, the town motto is “Post Tot Naufragia Portus” which, in Latin means: ‘after so many shipwrecks a haven’). The Puritans were the first to settle there. When a group of Quakers tried to move into their… read more

Truro

Truro, or its Indian name, Pamet, has a legend that Pilgrims stopped in that area in 1620, a time when they were desperate for food. Though they decided not to remain, they did find a stash of water and corn left by Indians that saved their lives. True or not, Truro’s Corn Hill is so named for that event. Europeans finally settled there in 1700 and… read more

Wellfleet

Wellfleet, or its Indian name Pononakrnet, has always been known for their oysters. The Indians harvested them and, when the European settlers arrived, they too thrived on them. When Wellfleet settled in the 1650s, whaling was the primary source of income and, at one time, thirty whaling vessels were in the harbor. Sometime in the… read more

Yarmouth

The first attempt to settle Yarmouth was made by Rev. Stephen Bachiler and his followers in the winter of 1637/8. However, this settlement was abandoned due to the severity of the winter “and others undertook it”. Yarmouth was organized and named in 1639. It originally was founded by the Pilgrims, and covered lands currently… read more