Editing Cape Cod (section)

===Sections===

{{Cape Cod overlay map|width=275|columns=3}}
[[File:Old Harbor Life Saving Station, Sunset.JPG|thumb|Old Harbor Life Saving Station, in the [[Cape Cod National Seashore]]]]

For most of the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries, Cape Cod was considered to consist of three sections (see map):
* The '''Upper Cape''' is the part of Cape Cod closest to the mainland, comprising the towns of [[Bourne, Massachusetts|Bourne]], Sandwich, Falmouth, and Mashpee. Falmouth is the home of the famous [[Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution]] and [[Marine Biological Laboratory]] as well as several other research organizations, and is also the most-used ferry connection to Martha's Vineyard. Falmouth is composed of several separate villages, including [[East Falmouth, Massachusetts|East Falmouth]], [[Falmouth (CDP), Massachusetts|Falmouth Village]], [[Hatchville, Massachusetts|Hatchville]], [[North Falmouth, Massachusetts|North Falmouth]], [[Teaticket, Massachusetts|Teaticket]], Waquoit, [[West Falmouth, Massachusetts|West Falmouth]], and [[Woods Hole, Massachusetts|Woods Hole]], as well as several smaller hamlets that are incorporated into their larger neighbors (e.g., Davisville, Hatchville, Falmouth Heights, Quissett, Sippewissett, and others).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.falmouthchamber.com/documents/FalmouthVillages.pdf |title=Archived copy |website=www.falmouthchamber.com |access-date=14 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060512012921/http://www.falmouthchamber.com/documents/FalmouthVillages.pdf |archive-date=12 May 2006 |url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Bourne, Massachusetts|Bourne]] is home to the [[Massachusetts Maritime Academy]], in the village of [[Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts|Buzzards Bay]], along the canal, [[Joint Base Cape Cod]], [[Aptucxet Trading Post]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://bournehistoricalsociety.org/aptucxettradingpost.html |title=Aptucxet Trading Post Museum {{pipe}} |website=Bournehistoricalsociety.org |access-date=May 13, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130831172223/http://bournehistoricalsociety.org/aptucxettradingpost.html |archive-date=August 31, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> the annual [[Bourne Scallop Festival]] in September, and, until 1884, was part of Sandwich. Sandwich, the oldest town on Cape Cod, founded in 1637, is home to the [[Dexter Grist Mill]], the historic [[Hoxie House]], [[Heritage Museums and Gardens]], and the [[Sandwich Glass Museum]]. [[Mashpee, Massachusetts|Mashpee]], is the home of the [[Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe]] of Native Americans.
* The '''Mid-Cape''' area includes the towns of Barnstable, Yarmouth and Dennis. The area features many beaches, including warm-water beaches along [[Nantucket Sound]], e.g., Kalmus Beach in Hyannis, which gets its name from one of the inventors of [[Technicolor]], Herbert Kalmus. This popular windsurfing destination was bequeathed to the town of Barnstable by Dr. Kalmus on condition that it not be developed, possibly{{clarify|date=June 2024}} one of the first instances of open-space preservation in the US. The Mid-Cape is also the commercial and industrial center of the region. There are seven villages in Barnstable, including [[Barnstable (village), Massachusetts|Barnstable Village]], [[Centerville, Massachusetts|Centerville]], [[Cotuit, Massachusetts|Cotuit]], [[Hyannis, Massachusetts|Hyannis]], [[Marstons Mills, Massachusetts|Marstons Mills]], [[Osterville, Massachusetts|Osterville]], and [[West Barnstable, Massachusetts|West Barnstable]], as well as several smaller hamlets that are incorporated into their larger neighbors (e.g., [[Craigville, Massachusetts|Craigville]], [[Cummaquid, Massachusetts|Cummaquid]], [[Hyannis Port, Massachusetts|Hyannis Port]], Santuit, Wianno, and others).<ref>[http://www.town.barnstable.ma.us/InformationSystems/GIS/VILLAGES.PDF Barnstable, Massachusetts GIS Maps (Retrieved December 21, 2006 E911 Map – Town of Barnstable]. Town.barnstable.ma.us.</ref> The villages of Yarmouth are [[South Yarmouth, Massachusetts|South Yarmouth]], [[West Yarmouth, Massachusetts|West Yarmouth]] and [[Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts|Yarmouth Port]]. There are five villages in Dennis, including [[North Dennis, Massachusetts|North Dennis]], [[East Dennis, Massachusetts|East Dennis]], [[West Dennis, Massachusetts|West Dennis]], [[Dennis Port, Massachusetts|Dennis Port]], and [[South Dennis, Massachusetts|South Dennis]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.town.dennis.ma.us/aboutus.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100324134318/http://www.town.dennis.ma.us/aboutus.htm|url-status=dead |title=Dennis town website (Accessed: May 3, 2009)|archive-date=March 24, 2010}}</ref>
* The '''Lower Cape & Outer Cape''' traditionally includes all of the rest of the Cape, or the towns of [[Harwich, Massachusetts|Harwich]], [[Brewster, Massachusetts|Brewster]], [[Chatham, Massachusetts|Chatham]], [[Orleans, Massachusetts|Orleans]], [[Eastham, Massachusetts|Eastham]], [[Wellfleet, Massachusetts|Wellfleet]], [[Truro, Massachusetts|Truro]], and [[Provincetown, Massachusetts|Provincetown]]. In the present day, the four outermost towns (Provincetown, Truro, Wellfleet, and Eastham) are more commonly and collectively known as the '''Lower Cape'''. This area is home to the [[Cape Cod National Seashore]], a national park that encompasses much of the Lower Cape, including the entire east-facing coast from Orleans to Provincetown. The Lower Cape is home to popular beaches such as Nauset Light Beach and Coast Guard Beach in Eastham, Race Point Beach in Provincetown, Ballston Beach in Truro, and Skaket Beach in Orleans. This area is less populated than the rest of Cape Cod, though Provincetown can have a crowded, city-like atmosphere during the summer season. Provincetown has become a major gay & lesbian resort destination &ndash; the town is regarded as one of the largest [[LGBT]] resort communities in the United States. Provincetown is also renowned for its historic fishing fleets and [[Stellwagen Bank]], a popular fishing ground and [[whale watching]] destination, is located a few miles north of Race Point.