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Mattapoisett is a lovely seafaring town bordered by the town of Marion to the north and surrounded by a large harbor on Buzzards Bay. Mattapoisett's name came from an Indian word describing a spring north of the village as "a place of rest”. Settled about 1750 and incorporated as a town in 1857, the draw for both Indians and colonials were the fishing and shell fishing possibilities of the town as well as seasonal herring runs on the Mattapoisett River.

In the 1800’s, Mattapoisett was one of the most important shipbuilding towns on the East Coast – building some 400 ships over a period of 100 years. Many ships, including famous New Bedford whaling vessels were built in the shipyards of Mattapoisett. Among the ships built were the “Acushnet”, on which Herman Melville of “Moby Dick” fame sailed.

Following the decline of the whaling and shipbuilding industries in the 1870’s, an influx of affluent summer residents built vacation homes on larger estates. The town became a summering place for residents of New York and Boston. Among the famous summer residents was Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes.

Today this seaside village offers a glimpse into the past with its many historic homes. Dated plaques adourn many of the older homes as a reminder of people made famous in bygone days. As with many former fishing and shipbuilding villages, retiree's, vacationer's, second home buyers and commuting families are relocating to the beachfront and village homes to enjoy their days and evenings relaxing by the sea.