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Orleans, incorporated in 1797, lies in the Lower Cape between Cape Cod Bay to the west and Pleasant Bay and the Atlantic to the east. Orleans still retains a small town feel while being the commercial center of the Lower & Outer Cape. n the 18th century commercial fishing, shellfishing and whaling supported the local economy.
By the 19th century, Orleans serviced coastal packets from Boston, while several windmills provided town power. Fishing was also a staple economic base until competition from bigger boats and larger ports forced its eventual decline. By then the town had established itself as a market center for the Outer Cape.
