Cape Cod is a sandy peninsula created during the ice age that reaches out into the Atlantic Ocean like a crooked arm. Geologists are interested in Cape Cod because it was formed very recently in terms of geologic time and because of the ever-changing shore as the Cape adjusts to the rising sea.

What is a Cape as in Cape Cod?

As defined by the Cape Cod Commissions enabling legislation, Cape Cod is conterminous with Barnstable County, Massachusetts. It extends from Provincetown in the northeast to Woods Hole in the southwest, and is bordered by Plymouth to the northwest .Upper Cape.3Sandwich4Mashpee

Why is Cape Cod not a Cape?

Upon the completion of the canal separating the Cape from mainland Massachusetts in 1916, Cape Cod was officially declared an island, not a peninsula. The collection of islands was a hub for whaling, fishing, and trade for many years, and the history of the area is still very much a part of the regions culture.