Falmouth was first settled in 1660 and was officially incorporated in 1686, and named by Bartholomew Gosnold for Falmouth, Cornwall, England, his home port. Early principal activities were farming, salt works, whaling and shipping, and sheep. Sheep husbandry was very popular due to the introduction of Merino sheep and the beginnings of water-powered mills that could process the wool.
It is the birthplace in 1859 of Katharine Lee Bates, lyricist of America the Beautiful. More recently, Falmouth was the birthplace of Olympic gold medalist Colleen Coyne.
The Falmouth Historical Society seeks to educate, preserve, present, celebrate and share the history of the Cape Cod town of Falmouth through collections, educational programs, interpretive exhibits, and Museums on the Green.