Sagamore Beach, Massachusetts

Sagamore Beach is a village of Bourne, Massachusetts fronting Cape Cod Bay and the east end of the Cape Cod Canal. It occupies the northern half of the Sagamore census-designated place. Along with Buzzards Bay and Bournedale, it is one of only three communities in Barnstable County that are north of the Cape Cod Canal.Sagamore Beach is largely a residential area with a small commercial district near the Sagamore Bridge and Massachusetts Route 3A. A central recreation area provides tennis courts and sports fields. Parking and access to the Cape Cod Canal service road are available on Canal Road. Sagamore Beach also adjoins Scusset Beach State Reservation.Recent development in the 2000s included a new post office, fire station, and several subdivisions.Early yearsWhen the Mayflower arrived in Plymouth just north of Sagamore Beach, there were about 30 Native American tribes in southeastern Massachusetts. The Wampanoag people were the principal tribe of this area. A heavily used trail crossed the area, which tribes used to reach the eastern reaches of Cape Cod. The trail, later widened by white settlers, became the main artery to Cape Cod and roughly followed what is now Massachusetts Route 6A. In honor of those who came before, titles used to name the streets and roads in Sagamore Beach include; Tecumseh, Siasconset, Sachem, Scusset, Manomet, Indian Trail, Indian Hill, and Fox Run. Sagamore and sachem are Native American leadership titles.