In this walking tour, discover the homes of sea captains and their families, including many featured in our exhibition.

Saturday, February 17th at 1 pm

How far would you go to be close to a loved one?

During the whaling era, eleven Falmouth couples confronted that question, and responded, “To the ends of the earth.”

In this walking tour, you’ll discover the hidden history of local whaling families.  Learn about sea captains who brought their wives and toddlers on voyages around the world that lasted up to five years.  Find out about babies born in New Zealand, Hawaii, and St. Helena – or on the open seas.

Your tour guide will be John Bissonnette, a descendant of Falmouth’s famed Lawrence family.  Five Lawrence brothers went whaling in the early 19^th century, and three of them – Thomas, Lewis, and Samuel — brought wives with them.  John will show you houses where local whaling families  lived when not at sea, as well as other landmarks of the whaling industry.  Along the way, you’ll learn a lot about life aboard ship for wives and children, and you’ll grow in admiration for these women who defied convention and refused to stay at home.

The Museums’ exhibition “Better Together:  Falmouth Families at Sea” will be open to walkers for a half hour before and after the walking tour.

$20 Non Members/$ 5 Members. Please register online – Limited capacity 10 people.

Register Here