Eastham is a coastal resort community straddling the forearm of Cape Cod. Located on the lower Cape, the town is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and Cape Cod Bay to the west. Much of Eastham's Atlantic shore is part of the Cape Cod National Seashore whose visitors' center lies along Route 6 not far from town hall..

Eastham was founded by seven members of a delegation from the Plymouth Colony, who traveled to the town to scout Eastham for a new site for the center of government. They decided not to move, but seven members of the delegation brought their families and established a new town.

The town has several harbors and these and the abundant shellfish are probably what brought these early settlers from the Plymouth Colony. The settlers' economy was based on agriculture, fishing and salt making, but Eastham's summer resort history began as early as 1830 when the Methodist Church established a summer camp meeting ground in town. The coming of railroad connections in 1870 stimulated local market gardening and Eastham specialized in cranberries and asparagus for the city markets. Eastham had cod and mackerel fisheries and oysters to ship north. The town's harbors were not as good as those of other communities in the area, so agriculture remained more important to the town in the 19th century than did maritime trades. Grain production was abundant enough to allow Eastham to export her grain, while industry was never a real factor in the town. Residents note, however, that Swift and Company meat packers began in Eastham before moving to Chicago.

Some original landscapes are still visible in the section of town inside the National Park areas while intensive modern residential growth has taken place in other areas of town. (Narrative based on information provided by the Massachusetts Historical Commission)

Finances

State Report of Eastham's Finances

Employment and Wages

Real Estate

Schools

Nauset School and District Profiles

Miscellaneous

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