Brewster
Known as Cape Cod’s “Sea Captains’ Town,” Brewster was originally settled in 1656 as part of Harwich, before separating in 1693 and officially incorporating in 1803. Named in honor of William Brewster, a Mayflower passenger who became the senior elder and religious leader at Plymouth Colony, this quaint and wooded town soon emerged as a hub of early industry when the land near Stony Brook, which had been purchased from the Wampanoag, became the site of a water- powered grist mill. Colonial-era commerce was driven by the mill, which was used to grind local corn and also served as a fulling mill for homespun woolen cloth. This thriving district eventually
became known as Factory Village, the center of the town’s economy, with a tannery, a cobbler’s shop, a dry goods store, and carding and cotton mills. Brewster’s rich maritime traditions included robust herring and shore-whaling fisheries in the 18th century. The village became popular with sea captains during the glorious clipper ship era of the mid-1800s. Many of these wealthy mariners’ stately homes are now bed and breakfasts, inns, or museums, and the circa 1799 Captain Elijah Cobb House on Lower Road serves as the home of the Brewster Historical Society.
Spring is eagerly welcomed with the annual Brewster in Bloom event, a three-day celebration of art and culture. Held on a weekend in late April or early May, the town-sponsored affair includes self- guided tours of art and crafts galleries, a 5K race, live music, and a festive parade down Route 6A.
The Brewster Flats are an ecological phenomenon created by the ebb and flow of the daily tides. As the waters of Cape Cod Bay recede, they reveal over one mile of sandbars, clam beds, and tidal pools teeming with sea life.
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