Mattapoisett Vacations, Mattapoisett Vacation Reviews, Tourism Guide

Mattapoisett Vacation Guide

Mattapoisett is a pleasant New England coastal town, with a large harbor on Buzzard"s Bay.
Covering an area of 17.5 square miles, the town offers a wide range of living conditions varying from waterfront residences and colonial village homes to unique suburban developments and farm residences.

The Wampanoag Indians described the harbor and surrounding areas as "Mattapoisett- A place of rest"

Mattapoisett was incorporated as a town on May 20, 1857, but prior to that it was a village within the Town of Rochester.

Early life in the village was relatively independent of other villages since the economy was self sustaining and travel was slow and difficult. Ater 1800, the town grew to be a renowned ship building community, supplying vessels of varying size and tonnage to the shipping and whaling industries. The last vessel to be built in Mattapoisett was the bark "Wanderer" launched in 1878.

Another early industry was the "Salt Works" which produced vast quantities of salt from sea water.
Following the decline of the whaling industry and the age of sail, the town became a "summering place" for residents of New Bedford and Boston.

The history is documented and presented in a delightful Historical Museum, maintained and improved by a dedicated and very active.
(from: http://www.mattapoisett.net/Pages/MattapoisettMA_WebDocs/about)