Falmouth is one of the most interesting places, historically, on the
Cape. The first house was built in 1685; the town meeting custom was
established in 1686; the first church was erected in 1796. The Village
Green, most attractive feature of the town, is linked with the colorful
course of Falmouth history.
Opposite the Green is the old meeting house; in its spire is a bell
cast by Paul Revere. An inscription reads: “The living to the church
I call; And to the grave I summon all.” A faded receipt is in a local
bank, bearing the date 1796 and giving the purchase price as $338.94.
The Green had its whipping post. Not many years ago the top of the post
was found in the attic of a house facing the Green and was removed to
the Public Library to go on exhibition.
Outstanding in Falmouth’s story is her rich fund of whaling lore. The
Town’s Museum has a generous assortment of articles reflecting the
great activity in this line: navigation instruments, revolvers used to
put down mutinies, logbooks, handcuffs, harpoon and many ship pictures.
Elijah Swift, who began as a carpenter, is rated the most useful
citizen in Falmouth history and he is credited with first bringing
prosperity to the town. Elijah Swift knew wood, hence his services
were highly valued when he was engaged to supply live oak for the
shipbuilding program of the American Navy after the War of 1812. He
recruited a large number of Falmouth men to go South on the live oak
operation and, incidentally, he was successful in fighting the dreaded
“yellow jack” disease in the swamp country. This business was destined
to run into the millions.