Yarmouth was founded in 1639 by settlers from the Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay Colonies. They and those who followed have played an important role in shaping Cape Cod and the nation itself.But for thousands of years many others have lived, fished, hunted, and died on this sandy peninsula and on the waters that surround us.The Historical Society of Old Yarmouth (HSOY)was founded in 1953 with a commitment to discover, preserve, and celebrate the history of this place and all of its people and to keep it from being discarded, misplaced, forgotten—lost forever.