The Town of Barnstable is located in the southeastern part of the state of Massachusetts and is a part of Barnstable County. The city sits in between Cape Cod Bay and Nantucket Sound. The first settlers in the area were the farmers who decided to settle on the site by the salt hay that was found around the surrounding marshes and was then assigned as the seat of the county by 1965. Barnstable was recognized as a thriving port for the New England molasses and rum trade during the 18th century. The city’s economy has been depending on tourism during the summer which has been supplemented by the oyster culture, fishing, and cranberry farming. The area is composed of seven villages that make up the city, which includes the Hyannis, and was the primary business center and was the site of the famous Kennedy compound.