Whaling on Cape Cod

American whaling began on Cape Cod in the seventeenth century. Barnstable played a major part in early shore whaling, and under John GORHAM, were leaders in standardizing the use of share-based whaleboats. While Nantucket learned whaling from a Yarmouth man they brought over to teach them the skill, that man probably learned from Barnstable people. Barnstable still has relics of the whaling days, and seeks to develop a history of the origins of American whaling.

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Prof. James W. Gould