History of Brewster, Massachusetts, USA

Prior to incorporation, Brewster was the north parish of Harwich.

Brewster, Massachusetts
Barnstable county. This town was the Indian Sawkatucket. It was taken from Harwich in 1830, and took its name from Elder Brewster, one of the first settlers of Plymouth; a man of great learning and piety, who died, 1644. In common with all the towns on Cape Cod, a large number of ship-masters, sailing to foreign ports, belong here. From three ponds in the town, covering about 1,000 acres, a never-failing stream of water is produced, on which are a cotton mill, carding mill, machine shop and other small mills. The value of the manufactures of cotton goods, boots, shoes, leather, axes, chairs, cabinet and tin wares, lampblack, Epsom and common salts, amounted, in one year, to $52,072. Product of the cod and mackerel fishery, $9,050. Brewster lies on the north side of the Cape, 16 miles E. by N. from Barnstable, and 6 N.N.W. from Chatham. Population, 1837, 1,534. Here are about 1,000 sheep.

Brewster, formerly the north parish of Harwich, was named after William Brewster, the venerable elder, who acted as minister to the Plymouth Pilgrims.

Notwithstanding the sandy soil, Brewster has a water power, supplied by several ponds, sufficient to turn several mills.

The town does somewhat in the manufacture of salt, and in fishing, but many of the citizens sail from other ports.

Distance from Barnstable, 16 miles ; from Boston, by water, 69.

Brewster, a post-township of Barnstable county, Massachusetts, about 05 miles S. W. from Boston. Population, 1525.

BREWSTER, a township of Barnstable co. in the state of Massachusetts, U.S., 90 m. SE of Boston, on Cape Cod bay. Pop. in 1840, 1,522.

Brewster lies in the inner side of the bend in the elbow of Cape Cod, 89 miles southeast of Boston by the Old Colony Railroad. The railway stations are Brewster and East Brewster; the post-offices and villages, these, South Brewster and West Brewster, formerly known, also, as Setucket. Cape Cod Bay bounds it on the north, Orleans on the east, Harwich on the south, and Dennis on the west. The harbor, at the middle of the shore line of the town, is formed by a breakwater; and in it small vessels may lie secure at any season of the year.

The area of the town is 8,600 acres, ponds and highways in addition. The surface is uneven to a small degree; and there are about 1,323 acres of woodland, chiefly of well-grown oak and pine. The lowlands are beautified by the azalea, wild rose, lily and other flowers. About 300 acres are devoted to the growth of cranberries. Peat of a good quality is dug at many points in the lowlands, and is used for fuel. There is a line of eminences through the...