Falmouth
Cape Cod MA
2011

In folklore, a mermaid is an aquatic creature with the head and upper body of a female human and the tail of a fish. Mermaids appear in the folklore of many cultures worldwide, including Europe, Asia, and Africa. Mermaids are sometimes associated with perilous events such as floods, storms, shipwrecks, and drownings.

With such a rich and varied history, the symbol of the mermaid is as changeable as the sea itself. In some cultures, the mermaid signifies life and fertility within the ocean. In others, she embodies the destructive nature of the water, luring sailors to their deaths — serving as an omen for storms, unruly seas and disaster.

Falmouth is a coastal town on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. It’s known for its beaches, such as Falmouth Heights, across from the island of Martha’s Vineyard. Inland, Highfield Hall & Gardens, a 19th-century estate, exhibits contemporary art. The landmark Nobska Lighthouse stands at the town’s southern tip. The Woods Hole Science Aquarium is home to marine life such as seals and lobsters.

Cape Cod, a hook-shaped peninsula of the U.S. state of Massachusetts, is a popular summertime destination. It's the site of quaint villages, seafood shacks, lighthouses, ponds and bay and ocean beaches. In the large town of Hyannis, the John F. Kennedy Museum is the first stop on the Kennedy Legacy Trail through downtown, where ferries depart to the resort islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket.