Woods Hole, Massachusetts

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Woods Hole is a small port town on the southwest tip of Cape Cod in Massachusetts , known for having several research institutes, especially the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI).

Woods Hole, harbor overlooking the WHOI

The place itself has only 925 inhabitants (2000) and belongs to Falmouth in Barnstable County . Originally a fishing and whaling village, which also housed a guano factory in the 19th century, the summer houses of wealthy townspeople have dominated since the beginning of the 20th century. Here is next to the marine research station WHOI, which has been here since 1930, the Woods Hole Research Center (founded in 1985, mainly climate change), the North East Fisheries Science Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , which has been here since 1871, the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL, since 1888) and a research center of the US Geological Survey for marine geology. The Sea Education Association (SEA), which gives school children sailing experience, is also based here. There is an aquarium and exhibition rooms for the research institutes (WHOI, MBL) and a history museum. The place has a protected inland port (Pond Eel).

Nobska lighthouse

There is a historic lighthouse nearby, Nobska Light , first built in 1828 and rebuilt in 1876. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and the neighboring construction headquarters of the US Coast Guard Commander for Southeast New England.

From Woods Hole a ferry goes south to neighboring Martha's Vineyard .

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Coordinates: 41 ° 32 ′  N , 70 ° 40 ′  W