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Falmouth is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States; Barnstable County is coextensive with Cape Cod. The population was 31,532 at the 2010 census, making Falmouth the second-largest municipality on Cape Cod (behind only Barnstable). Today Falmouth is well known for its warm water beaches, a traditional Main Street village with eclectic boutiques, trendy restaurants and historic village green. Visitors to Martha's Vineyard come to Falmouth to utilize the terminal for the Steamship Authority ferries to Martha's Vineyard in the village of Woods Hole which also boasts several scientific organizations such as the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, The Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) and the Woods Hole Research Center, National Marine Fisheries Aquarium and various museums of the scientific institutions. For geographic and demographic information on specific parts of the town of Falmouth, please see the articles on East Falmouth, Falmouth Village, North Falmouth, Teaticket, West Falmouth, and Woods Hole. There are also the villages of Hatchville and Waquoit in Falmouth, which are not census-designated places and both fall within the village of East Falmouth based on postal service. [edit] History
Falmouth was first settled by English colonists in 1660 and was officially incorporated in 1686, and named by Bartholomew Gosnold for Falmouth, Cornwall, England, his home port. Early principal activities were farming, salt works, whaling, shipping, and sheep. Sheep husbandry was very popular due to the introduction of Merino sheep and the beginnings of water-powered mills that could process the wool. In 1837, Falmouth averaged about 50 sheep per sq. mile. Falmouth saw brief action in the War of 1812 when the area around Falmouth Heights, on its southern coast, was bombarded by several British frigates and ships of the line, and Massachusetts militia hastily entrenched themselves on the beaches to repulse a possible British landing which never came. By 1872 the train had come to Falmouth and Woods Hole and some of the first summer homes were established. By the late 19th century cranberries were being cultivated and strawberries were being raised for the Boston market. Large scale dairying was tried in the early 20th century in interior regions. After the improvement in highways, and thanks in part to the heavy use of neighboring Otis Air National Guard Base during WWII, population growth increased significantly. There were large home building booms in the 1970s followed by others in the 1980s and 1990s. It is the birthplace in 1859 of Katharine Lee Bates, author, poet, and lyricist of America the Beautiful. Robert Manry sailed from Falmouth in 1965 aboard his 13.5 foot (4 m) sailboat reaching Falmouth, England 78 days later. The town of Falmouth has seven historic districts, including four on the National Register of Historic Places (Falmouth Village Green, West Falmouth Village, North Falmouth Village, and Waquoit). Falmouth also has historic districts in Woods Hole, Davisville, and Quissett. In addition to the historic districts, Falmouth has ten individual sites on the National Register (Bourne Farm, Nobska Light, Lawrence Academy, Poor House and Methodist Cemetery, Woods Hole School, Teaticket School, Falmouth Pumping Station, Central Fire Station, Elnathan Nye House, and Josiah Tobey House). Offshore Falmouth in Buzzards Bay, Cleveland Ledge Light is also listed with the National Register. [edit] Research Tips
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