Town Info

Welcome to Bourne, Massachusetts

The Town of Bourne is the gateway to Cape Cod.  Long used by the Pilgrims during the 1620s as a center for trading activities, Aptucxet Trading Post was built in 1627, and the area was settled as a part of the Town of Sandwich by 1640, before finally being incorporated as the Town of Bourne in 1884.

The Cape Cod Canal, operated by the Army Corps of Engineers, bisects the community, with both the Bourne and the Sagamore Bridges, as well as the Buzzards Bay Railroad Bridge, being the only means to cross the Canal, unless you're travelling by boat.  The Canal is world renowned for its superb sport fishing, scenic vistas, relaxing bike rides & walking routes, and for carrying vessels of all sizes flying the flags of all nations.

Bourne Scenic Park, founded in 1951 and run by the independent Bourne Recreation Authority, is located beneath the Bourne Bridge along the Canal, and is a perfect location for those seeking to enjoy the Canal and its many activities.  The Authority also runs the popular Gallo Ice Arena.

Bourne has numerous quiet harbors and inlets for boating and swimming. The fishing & shellfishing in the area is particularly enticing and considered some of the most diverse in Massachusetts.  

Bourne is home of the National Marine Life Center, an independent, non-profit, rehabilitation & release hospital for the treatment of stranded sea turtles and seals, with future plans to expand to treat dolphins, porpoises, and small whales.  The Center has been steadily growing since treating its first patient in the summer of 2004, and is destined to become the primary care center and information hub on Cape Cod regarding marine animals and their environment.

The quiet community of Bourne is less influenced by the summer tourist rush experienced by some of the other Cape communities.  During the summer, there are weekly concerts In the Buzzards Bay Park located near the Train Bridge. The July 4th Parade has proven quite popular, as well as the holiday festivities in December. In 2019, Bourne voted to support a Community Engagement Committee to provide funding for events and activities throughout the Town.