Are you dreaming of cool summer breezes and sunshine? Well you can have all of that when you come to discover the picturesque beachside town on Cape Cod, MA known as Bourne. Whether a summer getaway or a long extended weekend, you are sure to find what you’ve been looking for in this historic town.
Bourne is located at the western end of Cape Cod, where the Cape Cod Canal cuts across the northern part of the town. Bourne includes miles of shoreline and beaches for boating, fishing, and water activities. Bourne is convenient to Southeastern Massachusetts attractions, as well as Falmouth, where the ferry to Martha’s Vineyard is located.
Straddling the Cape Cod Canal, Bourne is the gateway to Cape Cod, and the youngest of 15 Cape Cod towns. The canal is a beautiful spot to relax and admire the sailboats and a great place for fishing and biking. Bourne provides several scenic seaside villages, including Cataumet, Buzzards Bay, Pocasset, Sagamore and Monument Beach.
Originally part of the town of Sandwich, Bourne was founded by the Pilgrims in 1627, and home to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, the nation’s oldest operating maritime academy. Bourne is named after Jonathan Bourne Sr., whose ancestor Richard Bourne represented Sandwich in the first Massachusetts General Court. and the first preacher to the Mashpee Wampanoag.
The history of Bourne comes alive in Bourne Village, where you will find Aptucxet Trading Post Museum, the nation’s oldest store, and the Briggs-McDermott House. Other historical structures that include the Gray Gables estate, owned by US President Grover Cleveland that served as his Summer White House as well as the Gray Gables Railroad Station.
A windmill stands at the entrance of the Aptucxet Trading Post, which was the first English origin trading post in America. Built by the Plymouth colonists between 1626 and 1627, it’s now part of the Bourne Historical Society and used for tours and a museum. Don’t forget to visit Bourne Scenic Park while you’re here.