Continuing our exploration of Cape Cod, we came upon the town of Yarmouth. Prior to the arrival of the Europeans, this area was inhabited by the Wampanoag Native Americans, who called the area "Mattacheese"(old lands by the border). John Crowe (later Crowell), Thomas Hawes, and Anthony Hatcher founded the town (as part of Plymouth Colony) on September 3, 1639. Like many of the towns on Cape Cod, Yarmouth is actually comprised of a number of small villages; Yarmouth Port, South Yarmouth, and West Yarmouth. It originally included what is now the town of Dennis (which was incorporated in 1793). Yarmouth was named after the town of Great Yarmouth in the county of Norfolk on the east coast of England. While its early economy was based on farming, being a coastal community, it quickly converted to maritime industries (e.g. whaling, merchant trading, etc.). During the American Revolution and the War of 1812, Yarmouth's maritime economy suffered from British blockades. In 1854, the Yarmouth packet ship "Red Jacket" set a trans-Atlantic commercial sailing ship speed record between New York and Liverpool (13 days, 1 hour, 25 minutes) that remains unbroken. By the end of the 19th century, its economy shifted to a summer resort area. This quaint old New England town was a delight to visit.
Across the street from the book store is the Old Yarmouth Inn. Since it was time for lunch, we decided to try this restaurant. Established in 1696, this is the oldest inn on Cape Cod
The interior certainly reflects the ambiance of this late 17th century inn...