Mattapoisett is a resort town on Buzzard's Bay which was
incorporated in 1857. The first settlements in the town were seasonal as
European colonists used sites in the area as fishing camps. The draw for
both Indians and colonials were the rich fish, shellfish, water-fowl and
game possibilities of the town as well as the seasonal eel and fish runs
on the Mattapoisett River and eel ponds. Historians believe that the
sheltered harbor may have been used by European explorers long before
any settlements in the community. There are some Indian burial sites.
The earliest settlements after the King Philip wars occurred around 1680
with residents dealing in lumbering, tar and turpentine production.
Shipbuilding was established around 1740 and before the Civil War the
principal businesses in the town were shipbuilding and whaling, with
four shipyards in operation before 1800. The town traded with Nantucket,
Newport, New York and Savannah and a shipping complex was developed at
the head of Mattapoisett Harbor in the first half of the 18th century.
There were few streams and therefore few mills using water power in
town, but by 1855 there were 16 whaling ships in operation. Those
residents who were not involved in the maritime trades farmed and raised
sheep.
The death of the whaling and shipbuilding industry in the 1870's
followed the discovery of oil in Pennsylvania, and resort development
replaced both. The town's mainstay became agriculture and tourists
through the early 20th century. An influx of well-to-do summer residents
built summer homes on big estates, not in densely packed groupings as in
some other shore communities. There has been some suburban growth and
development in the town, but Mattapoisett still contains gracious summer
homes and hosts many summer visitors.
It is located in southeastern Masachusetts, bordered by Fairhaven and
Acushnet on the west, Rochester on the north, Marion on the east, and
Buzzards Bay on the south. Mattapoisett is 6 miles east of New Bedford;
56 miles south of Boston; 39 miles southeast of Providence, and 213
miles from New York City.
The above information has been provided by the Massachusetts Department of Housing and
Community Development (DHCD).
Visit
Middleborough's town web site
