Falmouth’s History

Falmouth’s first European settlers came to “Suckanesset” in the 1660s, buying land from the Native Americans with the consent of the Court of Plymouth Colony. Their first houses, farm lots and common grazing lands were on the neck between Salt and Fresh Ponds. The town was incorporated in 1686. Eight years later, its name was changed to Falmouth in honor of the homeport of Bartholomew Gosnold, who in 1602 may have been the first English explorer of Cape Cod. This established New England coastal community has witnessed the ebb and flow of four centuries. From the Wampanoag tribe (“People of the First Light”) and courageous Yankee whalers, to salty sea captains and Revolutionary War soldiers, every nook and cove of Falmouth is home to a remarkable tale. Stroll past the birthplace of Katharine Lee Bates, the author of “America the Beautiful,” or visit the shore at Surf Drive, where residents endured an attack by the British warship HMS Nimrod in 1814. Stand beside the noble sentinel Nobska Lighthouse, one of America’s most historic and lovely lighthouses, and then explore the former whaling port of Woods Hole.