Yarmouth, MA

Yarmouth Port is a history buff's paradise with many original buildings carefully maintained and operating as inns or museums. Settled in 1639 by farmers from the Plymouth Bay Colony, Yarmouth was incorporated in 1829.

Many sea captains chose to live in Yarmouth and built graceful mansions there. In town, a number of stores still operate as they did in the 1800's, including Hallet's, a drugstore currently owned and run by the grandson of Thacher Hallet, the original druggist, postmaster and justice-of-the-peace. On the second floor above the store is the Thacher Taylor Hallet Museum, which displays photographs and memorabilia from this old Cape family.

On Main Street is an 1886 hand pump, used by the townsfolk to draw their water. The stone trough beneath the pump used for watering horses is still in tact. Also on Main is the Old Yarmouth Inn, which has been an inn since it was built in 1696. It is the oldest in the Cape and once greeted its guests right off the stagecoach out front. In 1936, Mary Thacher brought the Winslow Crocker House from West Barnstable and donated it to the town for use as a museum. It is a wonderful two-story house furnished with 17th - 19th century antiques.

Another architectural prize in Yarmouth is the Captain Bangs Hallet House, which was originally built in 1740 and added on to in 1840. It is done in Greek Revival style and contains all of the trappings of a sea captain, pewter and china dishes, nautical equipment and clothing and fine antique furnishings.

For a scenic outdoor activity, visit Bass Hole, a beautiful stretch of land between Homer's Dock Road and the salt marsh. Take the boardwalk over the marsh, into a wetland and through the woods to the Callery-Darling nature trail.

Gray's Beach is a good beach for swimming, but keep an eye on the kids; past the roped-off swimming area, the current becomes quite strong. Though there are some fine restaurants in town, there is not a lot of nightlife, making Yarmouth a nice quiet place to visit.