Orleans, incorporated in 1797, is a resort community on the outer Cape in southeastern Massachusetts, at the elbow of Cape Cod. The town is about 22 miles from Hyannis and 88 miles southeast of Boston. Orleans's first permanent European settlement was in 1642 and the Colonial economy was built on agriculture, especially corn, rye and wheat, plus the growing of hay and vegetables. In the 18th century commercial fishing and shell fishing supplemented local incomes and residents worked on herring boats and went after whales. By the 19th century, residents relied heavily on cod and mackerel fishing. Fishing in Orleans declined, but the town established a commercial importance on the Cape as a market center for other communities, that continues today. The major modern change in Orleans was spurred by summer home development, which accelerated between 1915 and 1940 and still continues. This had the greatest effect on the town of over 6,300 year round residents and has supported increasing commercial development along Route 6.