Massachusetts

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Overview

Massachusetts is probably more 'New England' than any of the other states in the northeast of the U.S. Small old towns like Beverly, Old Deerfield, Marblehead or Brewster all bring back the time of the 17th century.

Boston, also known as Beantown, is the capital of the state and one of the oldest cities in the country, with a unique history. In downtown Boston, Old South Meeting House, Old State House, Faneuil Hall, the Paul Revere House and Old North Church bring to life the American ideals of freedom of speech, religion, government, and self-determination.

Boston has also been called the hub of the universe for university students, as it is home to over 50 colleges and universities, including the ever-prestigious Harvard, just across the river in Cambridge.

From the west of the state, where there is a good stretch of Apalachian Trail you can follow, to Cape Cod in the east, there are many outdoor activities available.

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History

Natives of the Wampanoag tribe first inhabited the island of Nantucket. The Wampanoag’s named the island Nantucket, because in their language this means “faraway land.” In the late 1600’s English colonists started arriving on the island to escape from religious persecution. Among the many settlers were members of the Quaker religion. The island soon became a community of small farmers. In addition to farming, both the natives and newcomers fished in the waters surrounding Nantucket. While fishing, they would occasionally come across whales that washed ashore and would use them for their prized oil. Nantucketers soon got the idea to organize whaling expeditions in search for whales that passed close to shore on their annual migration. For almost a hundred and fifty years, from the early 1700’s to the 1840’s, Nantucket was the whaling capital of the world. Whaling voyages were very long and dangerous. Some fleets would take up to five years at sea and some never returned home to the shores of Nantucket. The heroic and traumatic tales of the whale ship Essex inspired Herman Melville’s Moby Dick. It is in keeping with the timelessness of Nantucket. The history of Nantucket is very important to the island and is evident in the 17th century architecture, the Whaling Museum, and the old-fashioned lamps that still line the cobblestone streets (Brief History of Nantucket).

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When to Go

New England gets hot in the summer and bitterly cold in the winter. If seasonal weather like that gets to you, try going in May or September when Massachusetts is most temperate. September is a big sporting month for the area especially because baseball's pennant race heats up and the American football season get going. [Edit]

Essentials