If you love a little adventure and want to get off the beaten path, you might consider visiting the charming villages of Falmouth and Woods Hole. These towns are located in the Falmouth Harbor and offer a mix of famous attractions and hidden gems. Here are three things to do in these two Massachusetts towns. Read on to learn more about these charming towns. Listed below are just a few reasons why you should visit them.
Falmouth and Woods Hole are two census-designated places located near the Elizabeth Islands and Martha’s Vineyard. According to the 2010 census, the two cities had a combined population of 6,065. Known for their fishing, the towns are beautiful places to spend your vacation. But the real draw is the local wildlife. Falmouth’s abundant fish and shellfish are famous for their freshwater crayfish, and the area is also home to some of the most talented scientists in the world.
In the summer, Falmouth has many attractions to keep you occupied. There are museums, art galleries, and restaurants, and Falmouth’s Main Street is picture perfect. Visitors can even catch a world-class performance, including the annual Woods Hole Film Festival. The historic Woods Hole Museum is another great way to appreciate the town’s history. The museums in Falmouth are both historic and picturesque.
During the first summer of the 19th century, Baird and his students collected large numbers of fish in order to better understand their distribution and spawning patterns. They also studied the effects of fishing on fish populations. The two scientists were also assisted by Vinal N. Edwards and Theodore N. Gill, both of whom were affiliated with the Woods Hole Fish Commission. During this time, they published a revised version of their Catalogue of Fishes.
A visit to the Nobska Point Lighthouse is a must while in Falmouth or Woods Hole, Massachusetts. This historical landmark offers panoramic views of Vineyard Sound, Martha’s Vineyard, and the Elizabeth Islands. The “keeper’s dwelling” was once home to the southeastern New England Coast Guard’s command for many years. Today, the Lighthouse is owned by the town of Falmouth and maintained by the nonprofit group The Friends of Nobska Light. Built in 1829, it was automated in 1985.
For centuries, Falmouth has catered to the needs of summertime guests. It was the first fashionable resort on the Cape, and trains from Boston began arriving in the 1870s. The people of Falmouth have made hospitality an art form. Visitors will find that the Falmouth village green was used by the military during pre-Revolutionary times. Woods Hole is one of eight villages of Falmouth and is also home to world-renowned oceanographic research institutions. It is also the ferry terminal for the Martha’s Vineyard islands.
While whaling was a mainstay of Woods Hole’s economy, it began to lose its profitability in the 1880s, and Woods Hole and Falmouth turned to other commercial activities. A major industrial enterprise was the Pacific Guano Works, located near Penzance Point. Once the Pacific Guano Company declared bankruptcy in 1889, the town renamed Penzance Point. The town was subsequently developed into Shingle-style summer homes for wealthy New York lawyers and bankers.