P.O. Box 144, Falmouth, MA 02541-0144 - Barnstable County
Copyright Falmouth Genealogical Society, Inc. 2026. All rights reserved.
NEXT meeting:
Connecting People with their Family and History!
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Saturday, February 14th, 2026 - 10:00AM EST - Joe Mattingly - Hybrid Meeting with Live Presenter
- Falmouth Museums on the Green docent - Joe Mattingly : "Falmouth's Whaling Heritage"
- Falmouth was the home port of 13 whaling ships that made 52 whaling voyages, mainly to the
Pacific, between 1820 and 1864. Six whalers were built in Falmouth, most of them at Bar Neck
Wharf in Woods Hole, under the oversight of the patriarch of Falmouth whaling, Elijah Swift. With
a total population of no more than 2,600, Falmouth produced an astounding 65 ship captains,
some of whom took their wives on whaling voyages of three to five years and had children born
at sea. In this presentation, you will compare the Falmouth boys’ dreams of glory and adventure
with the hard, punishing realities of whaling. - Joe is a docent at Falmouth Museums on the Green and a volunteer at the Cape Cod Canal
Visitors Center with a special interest in the history and culture of New England and Falmouth
whaling.
Past Presidents from left: Mary Barry, Ralph Wadleigh, Judy Fenner, Donna Walcovy, Joyce Pendery, Marge Riley, Eleanor Baldic, & John Caspole. Most recent presidents: Thomas Greve then Gerard Luby then currently Tim Martin missing from picture.
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>>> Click Here for our "Get Going with Genealogy" handout.
>>> Click Here for a video playlist about our society.
>>> Click Here for our NEW "Genealogy Tips" video archive.
FGS Monthly meetings
The Society is a nonprofit organization of beginner, amateur, and professional family historians and genealogists dedicated to studying, preserving and sharing family histories. Established in 1985, FGS promotes genealogical research among members; the Barnstable County, MA community; and anyone interested in family history.
The Society generally meets
on a selected Saturday of each month.
Since April 2022 we have resumed live monthly meetings at the Hermann Foundation Room of the Falmouth (Massachusetts) Public Library
- Check the calendar for more information!