Town of Bourne

The Town of Bourne is a medium-sized community at the gateway to Cape Cod. Long used by the Pilgrims during the 1620's as a center for trading activities, Aptucxet Trading Post was built in 1627, and the area was settled as a part of the Town of Sandwich by 1640, before finally being incorporated as the Town of Bourne in 1884. The Cape Cod Canal, operated by the Army Corps of Engineers, bisects the community, with both the Bourne and the Sagamore Bridges, as well as the Buzzards Bay Railroad Bridge, being the only means to cross the Canal, unless you're travelling by boat. The Canal is world renowned for its superb sport fishing, scenic vistas, relaxing bike rides & walking routes, and for carrying vessels of all sizes flying the flags of all nations. Bourne Scenic Park, founded in 1951 and run by the independent Bourne Recreation Authority, is located beneath the Bourne Bridge along the Canal, and is a perfect location for those seeking to enjoy the Canal and its' many activities. Bourne has numerous quiet harbors and inlets for boating and swimming, and the fishing & shellfishing in the area is particularly enticing and considered some of the most diverse in Massachusetts. The Authority also runs the popular Gallo Ice Arena. Bourne is also home of the National Marine Life Center, an independent, non-profit, rehabilitation & release hospital for the treatment of stranded sea turtles and seals, with future plans to expand to treat dolphins, porpoises, and small whales. The Center has been steadily growing since treating its' first patient in the Summer of 2004, and is destined to become the primary care center and information hub on Cape Cod regarding marine animals and their environment. It is a quiet community without the continual Summer tourist crush experienced by some of the other Cape communities. During the Summer, there are weekly Concerts In The Park, the July 4th Parade has proven quite popular, and in December activities in Buzzards Bay Park to help celebrate the Holiday Season.