The Railroad Comes to Falmouth

The Railroad Comes to Falmouth

Please join us for a brief history of the impact of the arrival of the railroad to Falmouth more than 150 years ago.

By Falmouth Museums on the Green

Date and time

Thursday, July 18 · 4 - 5:30pm EDT

Location

Falmouth Historical Society

55 Palmer Avenue Falmouth, MA 02540

Refund Policy

Refunds up to 7 days before event

About this event

  • 1 hour 30 minutes

The Railroad Comes to Falmouth

Thursday, July 18, 2024, 4pm

After the Civil War, the railroad extension to Falmouth and Woods Hole was completed in 1872, and had a great impact on Falmouth and Martha’s Vineyard. Large estates were built as tourists were attracted to the beaches and climate of the shore and the islands. A small agrarian community and dying maritime economy was transformed to a summer resort and a business center. Carloads of fresh strawberries and fresh fish were sent north on the railroad and many other businesses were dependent on the railroad. A passenger train, the Flying Dude, ran an express train service by subscription from 1884 to 1916 between Boston and Woods Hole in 1 hour and 40 minutes. Passenger service continued to Falmouth and Woods Hole until June 30, 1959.

Please join us for a brief history of the impact of the arrival of the railroad to Falmouth more than 150 years ago.

Paul C. Dreyer is a Professional Environmental Engineer in private practice with extensive international experience. He is a member of the Falmouth Planning Board and other committees in the Town of Falmouth, Massachusetts.

$20 Non-Members/$10 Members, or donation based ticket, includes light refreshments.

Organized by

The Falmouth Museums on the Green, owned and operated by the Falmouth Historical Society, is a two-acre campus that has been serving the residents and visitors of Falmouth since 1900. One of the most popular sites in Falmouth for visitors, it contains the 1790 Dr. Francis Wicks House—a magnificent Federalist-period residence with guided tours demonstrating what life was like for an affluent physician in the late 18th and early 19th centuries; the recently-restored 1730 Conant House—used for exhibits, research and genealogy studies; the Hallett Barn Visitors’ Center—rebuilt in 2002 on the site of an original barn and used a welcoming point for those coming to Falmouth as well as the “Whaling Wives Gift Shop”; the Colonial Gardens—showing off plantings, such as a boxwood tree, that go back to the days prior to the American Revolution; Memorial Park—a tranquil place of refuge that is open to all visitors looking for relaxation; and the recently-opened (2012) Cultural Center—a superb, 3600 square foot structure used for public and private programs and events, public restrooms, kitchen facilities, and as a repository for archival collections to preserve Falmouth’s past. It also has a series of rotating historical exhibits throughout the campus.

$10 – $20