Army Corps of Engineers Administration Building Directly on the 17-Mile-Long Cape Cod Canal
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Contact: DeMa Public Relations William DeSousa-Mauk [email protected] 508-790-0566
Cape Cod Admission-Free Sights & Attractions
CAPE-WIDE Cape Cod Baseball League www.capecodbaseball.org All games are played at local town fields and are completely admission-free. The League is recognized as the nation’s premier summer collegiate league which plays on ten glorious settings on beautiful Cape Cod. Pick the next Nomar Garciaparra, Mo Vaughn or Jeff Bagwell, all alumni of the CCBL. Playing since 1885, visitors and residents have had a century-long love affair with the grand old game here on Cape Cod. The League was the inspiration for the movie Summer Catch with Freddy Prinze, Jr. which actually premiered on the Cape. “Watch the stars of tomorrow shine tonight.”
Cape Cod National Seashore Nature Trails http://www.nps.gov/caco/planyourvisit/upload/Self-gui1-2.pdf There are eleven self-guiding nature trails at Cape Cod National Seashore that are open year-round. Individual self-guiding trail folders with information on certain natural historic and natural features are available at some trailheads. All are free.
BOURNE, CAPE COD, MA Army Corps of Engineers Administration Building directly on the 17-mile-long Cape Cod Canal, the widest sea level canal in the world. The Canal, which was opened in 1917, is overseen by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers. Reception area at the administration building features informative displays relating to construction and use of the Cape Cod Canal. It sits right on the Canal itself, dwarfed by the towering legs of the Bourne Bridge. In the marine traffic controller’s office, visitors can see a large diorama of the Canal and watch the controller at work behind a large bank of computer monitors, radios, and closed-circuit TVs. Visitors will overhear the crackling radio transmissions of approaching ships (and 20,000 per year pass through the Canal, making it one of the world’s busiest). A slide show explains how the traffic control system works. Open all year 9am to 4pm weekdays. 508-759-4431. National Marine Life Center www.nmlc.org independent, non-profit rehabilitation and release hospital for the treatment of stranded sea turtles and seals, with future plans to expand to treat dolphins, porpoises, and small whales. Our emphasis is to educate the public about the needs and status of these important animals and their environment, and to research their health needs and threats in captivity and in the wild.
SANDWICH, CAPE COD, MA Cape Cod Canal Visitors Center http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/Missions/Recreation/CapeCodCanal.aspx
Operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Cape Cod Canal Visitor Center offers excellent insight into the rich history, fascinating features, and vigilant operation of the Cape Cod Canal. Inside you will discover a museum that is fun, fascinating, family friendly and free. Interactive exhibits offer something for visitors of all ages. Come on by and…
Board a retired 40-foot US Army Corps of Engineers patrol boat. Scan live radar and camera images to locate vessels in the waterway. Captain a virtual boat ride through the canal. Investigate what’s inside many of the ships that transit the canal Discover wildlife that live in or around the canal View films about canal history, wildflowers and wildlife Participate in various free interpretive programs Or… just relax and soak in the waterfront views from the rocking chairs on our front deck
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Park Rangers and volunteers staff the Center, and provide information about the canal and its recreational opportunities. A small bookstore is also offered. 2015 Hours: Open May 1 - October 25 from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Free Admission.
Sandwich Fish Hatchery. More than 80,000 trout are raised here to stock the state’s various ponds. You can track the stages of fish development and feed the fish. Admission is free. Open year round, 9 AM to 3 PM. Route 6A, 508-888-0008 http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/dfw/about-masswildlife/state-fish- hatcheries.html
Green Briar Nature Center & Jam Kitchen, east of town at 6 Discovery Hill Road. “Tis a wonderful thing to sweeten a world which is in a jam and needs preserving,” wrote conservationist Thornton Burgess to Ida Putnam. The young Burgess wandered the woods surrounding Putnam’s jam kitchen. Children will love this center with changing natural history exhibits, a full summer program of nature classes, self-guided walks through 52 acres of Sandwich Conservation land and weekday tours of the Jam Kitchen, which makes natural jams, jellies, and pickles from Putnam’s original recipes. The Center is nestled deep in the woods adjacent to a pond—the scene looking rather like an illustration from one of the Burgess storybooks.
The Briar Patch, off Route 6A, East Sandwich. An exceedingly pleasant 57-acre area of white pine and black locust trees with meandering trails. This spot was inspiration for many of Thornton Burgess’ writings.
Admission by donation to all three above
Sandwich Boardwalk fords Mill Creek across Sandwich Harbor to a lovely public beach. Relax on the benches for a while, comb the shoreline for treasures, or take a short trek over the sand to the Cape Cod Canal. In 1991, Hurricane Bob and subsequent storms destroyed the original boardwalk here. Right after its destruction, an appeal went out for people to purchase 1,700 individual planks which would be engraved for $25 and $50 (the latter was a larger plank) to complete the new 1,350- foot walkway. The new boardwalk was completely funded by these private donations and was completed in 1992. The boardwalk is presently being partially re-constructed from damage from winter storms. Half the fun of visiting this boardwalk is reading the contributors’ messages carved into the planks. Some pay tribute to loved ones lost. Others like “Friends from Connecticut,” “Mom’s Beach 1992” and “Squibby from M.V.” remind us of past visitors. “Old Man River” and “Hey Diddle Diddle” grace two of the planks. A third cautions “Slippery when Wet.” Perhaps, though, our favorite is “Meet Here,” a cryptic invitation to visit often. Presently, there are just over 2,300 planks on the Boardwalk; planks are replaced as needed to ensure safety of foot traffic
To reach this walkway, follow Route 6A, Sandwich, to Jarves Street. The boardwalk is at the end of Jarves and Harbor Streets. Free entry after 5pm daily but, during the summer, a parking fee is charged for non-residents without beach stickers.
FALMOUTH, CAPE COD, MA Cape Cod Winery, 4 Ox Bow Road, East Falmouth, MA 02536 http://capecodwinery.com/
The Orlandella Family comes from the small village of San Sossio Baronia, Italy where it has long been known for its fertile soils, quality fruit production and where the people are known for their passion and craft of winemaking. To continue the tradition locally, the Orlandella's purchased the Cape Cod Winery in 2013.
The Winery was originally founded in 1994 by the Lazzari Family to create premium wines for residents and visitors to enjoy with the finest seafood and gourmet cuisine available on Cape Cod. In 2013, the winery was relocated to its current address at Ox Bow Road. The land and farmhouse date back to the 1800's and was once a prosperous farm which produced a variety of fruits and vegetables, even grapevines at one point!
Grapevines are planted on a splendid site with sandy gravel soil and gentle slops which are ideal for wine grape growing and parallel the great vineyards of southern France and Italy. The European wine grape varieties we have chosen are particularly suited to the special terroir of the Cape. The extraordinary wines produced from these fruits reflect the very special character of the Cape Cod sun, soil and climate that may be savored in each sip.
Cornelia Carey Sanctuary (aka “the Knob”) http://www.saltpond.info/knob.shtml Off Route 28, right onto Quissett Harbor Road to the dead end. The road winds around Quisset Harbor to the dead end, where a sign announces “Private Road,” there is a turnstile in front of a large house. Go through the turnstile, over a stone- fortified causeway to a small wooded area of red cedar and oak opens to a bare, grassy promontory high up, offering views of Buzzards Bay, the Elizabeth Islands and spectacular seaside sunsets are free for your enjoyment. The Knob, at Quissett Harbor is located at the end of Quissett Road. Hiking trails wind through 13 acres of this protected bird sanctuary with magnificent views of Buzzards Bay. Limited parking.
Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) http://www.mbl.edu/ Candle House, Water Street, Woods Hole. MBL is a non-profit institution dedicated to research and education in basic biology. Free tours of the Marine Resource Center (summer weekdays by reservation). Retired scientists lead tours which begin with a 20-minute slide program. Visitors are then guided through impressive mazes of fiberglass tanks, pipelines and hoses to view species used in research. Open weekdays 10am to 4pm and Saturday 10am to 2pm
National Marine Fisheries Aquarium http://aquarium.nefsc.noaa.gov/ Albatross & Water Streets, Woods Hole. The oldest aquarium in the US features exhibits of marine life from Cape Cod to Georges Bank with hands-on exhibits; harbor seals (summers). Open year round.
Nobska Light http://www.newenglandlighthouses.net/nobska.html Circa 1828; Church Street and Nobska Road. This lighthouse’s stationary blinking light appears red if mariner is in dangerous waters. The vistas are compelling. Limited Parking. Grounds open all year.
Sea Farms Conservation & Trail Area http://www.300committee.org/seafarms.htm Gayle Avenue, East Falmouth. Embracing 67 acres of woodland, field and marsh with frontage on Bourne’s Pond and Israel’s Cove, walk time for the Trail is 25 minutes (distance of 1.1 miles). A wide variety of flora and fauna lives in this relatively small area.
Shining Sea BikeWay http://www.falmouthmass.us/depart.php?depkey=bike The Shining Sea Bikeway (SSB) was named for a line in the song America The Beautiful, written by Falmouth native Katharine Lee Bates. It follows the original route of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad that used to run from Buzzards Bay, through North and West Falmouth, around Woods Hole and into Falmouth Station. In the early 1970's the Town of Falmouth purchased the right of way, tore up the tracks and officially opened the 3.3-mile Shining Sea Bikeway in 1975. In 2009, a new 7.4-mile section was added, extending the trail to North Falmouth. This addition was built with a $3.2 million federal grant. Now the SSB runs 10.7 miles from County Road in North Falmouth all the way to the Steamship Authority parking lot in Woods Hole.
Spohr’s Garden www.spohrgardens.org Off Woods Hole Road at Oyster Pond Road then look left—it’s a sharp backward left onto Fells Road. A wonderful private garden (left to the town in trust when the owner died) where beautiful daffodils in bloom are a “must see” in spring. The garden borders an oyster pond with marine artifacts along a beautiful sea wall. Parking (can even accommodate a motor coach).
Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve www.waquoitbayreserve.org Off Route 28, Waquoit. The reserve contains more than 2,500 acres of open waters, barrier beach, fragile estuary, marshlands and uplands including Washburn Island and South Cape Beach State Park. Call Reserve headquarters (Route 28, Waquoit, 508-457- 0495) for details on walking tours and 11 campsites on Washburn Island. Open daily during daylight hours except during spring and fall hunting seasons.
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI) Exhibit Center www.whoi.edu Private, non-profit research and education organization established in 1930. It is the largest independent oceanographic laboratory in the world. Its WHOI Exhibit Center features informative displays on hydrothermal vents, marine geology, plankton, oceanographic research instruments and WHOI’s research vessels. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute’s (WHOI’s) Exhibit Center visitors learn about the Institution's ocean science research and the vessels and tools developed by its engineers and scientists. Short video introductions to WHOI show a day in the life of the deep submersible Alvin, and highlight the 1985-1986 discovery and exploration of the wreck of the Titanic. Visitors can step inside a full-size model of the inner sphere of Alvin and imagine life at the ocean floor while watching vivid footage taken at deep-sea hydrothermal vent sites. A new interactive exhibit features whale and dolphin research and explores the roles sound and hearing play in the lives of marine mammals. Located at 93 Water Street. No admission charge. Open weekdays year-round from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Information Office offers summer walking tours of WHOI dock area and village facilities. Weekdays at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Tours are free, but reservations are required. Telephone (508) 289-2252.
Woods Hole Historical Museum http://woodsholemuseum.org/wordpress/ The Woods Hole Historical Museum is a lively small museum with changing exhibits and diverse programs appealing to people with wide interests. Founded as an adjunct to the Woods Hole Library “to establish and preserve a collection of objects and materials of cultural, historical, and artistic value,” it has grown to a campus of several buildings housing exhibit, workshop, and archival space, as well as becoming an active publisher of works of local and historical interest.
This Museum is actually a complex of three buildings, the main one being the William Bradley House, the third-oldest house in the village of Woods Hole. It was owned by 19th-century ship captain William Bradley, who was lost at sea. The structure houses the Woods Hole Historical Collection of paintings, portraits, photographs and records. Since the exhibits change annually, it's an interesting visit even if you have been by before. The two other buildings, moved to the grounds in 1996, are a boat barn and an 1890s workshop that at one time belonged to a doctor who puttered with various hobbies including etching and fly-tying.
The Museum Archives (also known as the Woods Hole Historical Collection) are open for research year round on Tuesdays and Thursday from 10am to 2pm and by appointment.
The Museum Galleries and buildings are open from mid-June to late September, Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The Museum galleries are closed from late October to mid-June.
A guided Walking Tour of Woods Hole is featured every Tuesday at 3:30 pm during July and August. During July and August, the houses are open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 AM to 4 PM; in June and September you should call for hours.
Admission is free (donations are accepted). 579 Woods Hole Road 508-548-7270
Pierce Visitors Center www.mbl.edu/pierce-exhibit-center/ Learn more about Woods Hole’s Marine Biological Laboratory at Pierce Visitors Center at 100 Water Street. Observe living marine organisms at play and learn why they are important in biomedical research. What do toadfish tell scientist about how our balance system works? What do clams have to do with cancer? What does your vision have in common with that of a horseshoe crab? Explore Pierce Visitors Center and learn more about the natural world around you. A 1½-hour tour includes a slide show followed by a guided side trip to view undersea wonders. Free tours are held at 1 PM Monday through Friday from mid-June through the end of August. Call to make reservations. 548-3705, ext. 423
May: 11 AM-4 PM (Mon., Weds., Fri.) June: 11 AM-4 PM (Mon., Weds., Fri., Sat.) July-August: 10 AM-4:30 PM (Mon.-Sat.) September: 11 AM – 4 PM (Mon., Weds., Fri., Sat.) October: 11 AM – 3 PM (Mon., Weds., Fri. – Columbus Day) November – April (Open by appointment only.)
MASHPEE, CAPE COD, MA Lowell Holly Reservation http://www.thetrustees.org/places-to-visit/cape-cod- islands/lowell-holly.html Located on Conaumet Neck, a peninsula dividing two ponds) off South Sandwich Road. A 130-acre nature preserve on the shores of Wakeby and Mashpee Ponds—the largest fresh water pond complex on Cape Cod and once a favorite fishing haunt of Daniel Webster and President Grover Cleveland. It is the oldest private land trust in the country and contains 500 holly trees and harbors stands of Native American beech trees untouched for centuries and some rare and beautiful wildflowers. Birders have spotted eagles, osprey and hawks here. Open May-October.
Mashpee River Woodlands http://www.thetrustees.org/places-to-visit/cape-cod- islands/mashpee-river.html With eight miles of hiking trails along the Mashpee River, this is a protected waterway perfect for canoeing, bird watching and hiking. This is an ideal location to see the transition between salt and fresh water habitats.
Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Museum http://www.mashpeewampanoagtribe.com/museum The 1793 building houses exhibits on Wampanoag life. This building was erected by descendants of Richard Bourne, the 17th-century minister and missionary who undertook the cause of the Native Mashpee Indians. The museum, which is owned by the town of Mashpee, contains local artifacts and a diorama depicting Wampanoag home life. Guides are all Wampanoag Indians, and the Wampanoag Tribe runs the Museum itself. Next to the museum is a herring run that helps migratory saltwater herring make their way up the Mashpee River to Mashpee Lake. Monday through Saturday, 10 AM to 2 PM, but be sure to call ahead if you plan on visiting. Admission is free, although donations are accepted. (508) 477-1536
BARNSTABLE, CAPE COD, MA Cape Cod Potato Chips Factory Tour http://www.capecodchips.com/about-us/factory- tour.html Breeds Hills Road, Hyannis. In 1980, Cape Codder Steve Bernard invented a “kettle cooker” to give his thicker-than-usual potato chips better flavor and consistency. Visitors can watch the entire process through glass and afterwards taste for themselves. Cape Cod Potato Chip Company is a success story that has made Cape Cod a household word among people who appreciate a quality potato chip. The company provides visitors with a chance to view the production of the almighty chip. From 9 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday year round, and from 10 AM to 4 PM on Saturdays and Sundays in July and August, you can stop by for a free five-minute tour —and get a free crunchy sample in the process. And of course, you can purchase a supply to take home. (508) 775-7253. Open year round.
Kennedy Memorial http://hyartsdistrict.com/images/uploads/KennedyLegacyTrailbrochure.pdf Ocean Street, Hyannis. With a Lewis Bay vista, this small esplanade pays homage to the president of ‘Camelot.’ JFK once said: “I believe that it is important that this country sail and not lie still in the harbor.” His words were not lost on Hyannis’ citizenry, who installed the Memorial in 1966, mindful of these very words. This venue, replete with brass plaque and small garden, provides an idyllic spot for reflection. This monument to our fallen president and fellow Cape resident was opened in 1966. Situated along a quiet section of Ocean Street in Hyannis, it looks out over Lewis Bay. This touching memorial is a stone monument adorned with Kennedy's image and a fountain where visitors can remember our 35th president. It is open year-round, and the fountain gladly accepts your pennies and your best wishes. Open year round. (508) 790-6320
West Parish Meetinghouse http://www.westparish.org/wp- content/uploads/2012/04/selfguidedtour-final-test.pdf Route 149, Barnstable. This landmark structure was built 1717, its members being the oldest Congregational parish in America. The Congregation traces its origins back to London’s First Congregational Church. In 1634, founder John Lothrop led a band of 22 followers to Scituate in Massachusetts Bay Colony, from whence they then sailed on to Mattakeese (Native American for “plowed fields”). They named the area Barnstable, erecting their Meetinghouse in 1634. After the original structure was built, a bell tower with its gilded rooster weather vane from England was appended. In 1806, Patriot Paul Revere was commissioned to cast the half-ton bell. This oldest public building on Cape Cod is also one of two surviving “First Period” meetinghouses in New England.
Barnstable Village Walking Tour (self-guided) http://hyartsdistrict.com/images/uploads/barnstable_village_historical_mapp2.pdf This self-guided walking tour through Barnstable Village includes 18 wonderful locations, buildings, gardens and more along Route 6A in historic Barnstable Village. Print out from the PDF or inquire at any stop for a free self-guiding map. Map and tour guide available at Tales of Cape Cod at 3046 Main Street (Route 6A and Rendezvous Lane), Barnstable Village. The Olde Colonial Courthouse http://www.talesofcapecod.org/node/1058 Built in 1772, this is a building where the seeds of independence were planted. At this site on September 27, 1774, more than 1,500 people disrupted a court session to protest a British ruling determining how jurors were to be selected. The protest ended peacefully. The building also served as a Baptist church for over a hundred years. Today the building is the home of Tales of Cape Cod, an organization dedicated to the preservation of local history. There are no set hours; in fact the building is only open for special events, or by appointment, by calling the number listed above. Admission is free. Rendezvous Lane at Route 6A, Barnstable (508) 362-8927
Iyannough’s Grave http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=2532505 Monuments to the American Indian Sachem Iyannough appear all around Barnstable. The village of Hyannis and the section of the village of Osterville known as Wianno are both derivations of his name. The village green in Hyannis features a statue of the chief. Another monument to Iyanough is his gravesite, just north of Mass. 6A in the village of Cummaquid. In 1621, when he was in his mid-twenties, the chief died of exposure after being chased into a swamp by Pilgrim Myles Standish, who at the time believed Indians were endangering settlers. Iyanough, however, had displayed only good relations with the settlers. In the mid-19th-century, a farmer plowing his field discovered Sachem's grave. A sign along Mass. Rt. 6A marks the spot. Off Mass. Rt. 6A, Cummaquid
YARMOUTH, CAPE COD, MA Bass Hole (aka Gray’s Beach) http://www.yarmouth.ma.us/index.aspx?NID=678 Runs from Homer’s Dock Road to the salt marsh. This nature area is one of the town’s most beautiful. Bass Hole Boardwalk traverses a marshy creek and the 2½-mile Callery Darling Nature Trail pass through wetlands, upland meadows and salt marshes. (Enter the Trail near the Grey’s Beach parking lot). The Bass Hole Boardwalk stretches across lush marshland near Gray’s Beach. As you walk along this 860-foot boardwalk, look for the Osprey nest across the marsh to your left. Chapin Beach in Dennis is to your right. The buildings in the distance are part of Aquacultural Research Corporation. This Cape company breeds quahogs, which are then planted in beds in Wellfleet waters until large enough to harvest, then sell. While enjoying the surrounding scenery and sunsets here, look below the boardwalk as well. Small fish, fiddler crabs, horseshoe crabs and other wildlife live in the shallow waters. The Callery-Darling walking trails and a picnic area are also nearby.
To reach this walkway, follow Rte. 6A,Yarmouthport, to Church Street (look for the playground). From Church Street, bear left onto Centre Street and follow to end. During the summer, parking fee is collected until 4pm, afterwards free and always free fall, winter and spring.
Taylor-Bray Farm www.taylorbrayfarm.org Whether you're a Cape Cod native or recent wash-ashore or visiting the Cape on vacation, a visit to Taylor-Bray Farm is well worthwhile. The Farm has been here since the days of the Plymouth Colony. Needless to say there is history here but that's not all. Take a look around; there's a lot to see and do. There is livestock (it is a farm, after all) and the friendliest animals have to be Rusty and Dusty, the goats. Those big guys in the pasture are Scotty and Fiona, Scottish Highland cattle. Despite their size, they are quite gentle but with those long horns, you do not want to get too close. Maybe someday, you will get a ride in the donkey cart the Farm hands are training Sam and Nestor to pull. There are chickens too - several different breeds. And of course, there are the sheep. Come visit all of them - kids love them, especially in spring when the new lambs arrive. 108 Bray Farm Road North, Yarmouth Port, MA
DENNIS, CAPE COD, MA Scargo Tower http://www.dennishistsoc.org/Museums/Museums-12-Scargo.html off Scargo Hill Road. The 28-foot Tower was originally constructed as an observatory for the Nobscusset Hotel. Add to its height the 160-foot Scargo Hill and visitors can, on a clear day, usually see the entire Cape, from the Bridges to Provincetown with the azure Bay held captive in the intervening girth. Stretched out directly below is Scargo Lake, subject of several Native American legends. Legends aside, the Tower is a perfect aerie for binocular-ed visitors, camera buffs and, of course, children.
Scargo Stoneware Pottery http://scargopottery.com/ Perhaps the most unusual and enjoyable pottery shops (both interior and al fresco) on the Cape, located on the shores of Scargo Lake in Dennis. Walk among the beautiful creations of their artisans, watch artisans at their craft and take a gander at birdhouses with four-figure price tags! 30 Dr. Lord’s Road (just off Route 6A) in Dennis 508-385-3894.
Josiah Dennis Manse and Old West Schoolhouse. http://www.dennishistsoc.org/Museums/Museums-02-Josiah.html This 1736 saltbox was the home of the town's founding father, Rev. Josiah Dennis, who lived here until his death in 1763. Look closely at the front of this house and you'll see that the windows on the left side are lower than the windows on the right, suggesting that this was once a half-Cape house expanded at a later date. The manse is now a museum featuring artifacts of early Dennis life, with a children's room and a spinning and weaving exhibit. A maritime room holds models, paintings, and equipment from the Shiverick Shipyards, which produced eight large clipper ships during the mid-19th century. On the grounds is a 1770 one-room schoolhouse. The museum, which is owned by the town, is open in July, August, and September on Tuesdays from 10 AM to 12 noon and Thursday afternoons from 2 to 4 PM. Admission is free, but donations are accepted. 77 Nobscusset Rd. at Whig St. (508) 385-2232 Nobscusset Indian Burial Ground http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMGVVJ_Nobscussett_Tribe_Burial_Groun d_Dennis_MA
Although this burial ground is rather difficult to locate, it’s well worth the effort. Along the banks of Scargo Lake, known to the Native Americans as Nobscusset Pond, lies the Nobscusset Indian burial ground. There are no stones to see, only a plot of land encircled with a granite and iron fence, and a plaque that identifies the spot as “The Burial Ground for the Nobscusset Tribe of Indians.” The tribe’s 17th-century Sachem, Mashantampaine, is buried here. To find the burial ground, look for a clearing in the bushes a few hundred feet west of the Scargo Lake town landing on Mass. Rt. 6A. Route 6A, East Dennis
BREWSTER, CAPE COD, MA Crosby Mansion (aka Tawasentha) http://www.crosbymansion.com/ Many consider the Crosby Mansion to be one of the Cape’s hidden gems, wrapped in a love story over a century old. This gracious home was built in 1888 by Albert Crosby for his wife, Matilda. Interestingly, the structure was built around the original four- room Cape house in which Crosby was born. Aside from being a residence, the building has been used as a music school, a summer camp, and for weddings. A continuous slide show, exhibits, and tour allow you to learn about the Crosby family and life in the 1890s. Local volunteers put countless hours into preservation of the building. The house is maintained by the Friends of Crosby Mansion and there are no set hours, although the house is usually opened for the Brewster in Bloom weekend, usually the last weekend in April or the first weekend in May. Or you can call the number above to arrange a tour of the building; $5 donation requested, but not required. Crosby Lane (off Route 6A), across from Nickerson State Park, Brewster (508) 896-3491
Old Higgins Farm Windmill http://www.brewsterhistoricalsociety.org/ Built in 1795, this smock-type windmill was moved from Ellis Landing in Brewster to its current location at Drummer Boy Park in 1974. It ground its last bushel of grain around 1900 and is today maintained by the Brewster Historical Society, which opens it to the public from June to September. The windmill is open weekends for two weeks in June from June 15 through June 30, and then again for two weekends in September between September 1 and September 15. In July and August, the windmill is open Tuesday through Friday, 1 to 4 PM. The visit is free, but donations are welcome. 785 Route 6A, Brewster• (508) 896-9521
The Old Grist Mill and Herring Run http://brewster-ma.gov/committees-mainmenu- 29/millsites-mainmenu-67 Satucket and Stony Brook Roads. Located at one of Cape Cod’s most serene spots, the water-powered mill still grinds corn meal (which is for sale). Visitors from mid- April to early May will thrill to the sight of thousands of alewives—tiny herring— migrate from Cape Cod Bay to fresh water to spawn. Mill closed from September to May.
ORLEANS, CAPE COD, MA French Cable Station Museum www.frenchcablestationmuseum.org 41 South Orleans Road between Cove Road and Route 28). International communications center from 1891-1959 this was the key communications link between Europe and America. Messages were sent, via a 4,000-mile heavy underwater cable, directly from Orleans to Doelen, France. Original equipment is on display. Among the messages relayed this way were Lindbergh’s 1927 successful trans-Atlantic flight and arrival in Paris and Germany’s 1940 invasion of France. Built in 1890, this is the U.S. terminal for the first trans-Atlantic cable laid between the United States and France via Newfoundland. The cable was 3,000 miles long and was used to transmit news of such important events. Many of the original French cable operators immigrated to this country and settled in the area. The cable station was guarded by Marines during World War II because it provided an important link with U.S. operations in Europe. The station was closed in 1959, but all the original cables, instruments, and other equipment are still in place. It is open during JULY & AUGUST: Thursday through Sunday 1 PM to 4PM JUNE & SEPTEMBER: Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 1 PM to 4 PM at other times by special request. No admission fee is charged, though donations are accepted. (508) 240-1735
Jonathan Young Windmill http://www.orleanshistoricalsociety.org/Windmill.html This fine windmill was built in 1720 in South Orleans and moved in the mid-1800s to Orleans Center. It was then bought by private interests in 1897 and relocated again, this time to Hyannisport. In 1983 the windmill was donated to the Orleans Historical Society and moved back to Orleans and placed at Town Cove Park, where it was restored. The windmill is open to the public weekends from 11 AM to 4 PM during the Route 28, Orleans (508) 240-3775
Orleans Historical Society Museum and Meeting House. http://www.orleanshistoricalsociety.org/MHM01.html Opposite Orleans Town Hall, this Greek Revival-style meetinghouse is a former Universalist church built in 1834. Acquired by the Orleans Historical Society in 1971, it now houses collections of historic photographs, paintings, toys, costumes, china, and farm implements. It also has displays of Native American artifacts and Coast Guard lifesaving equipment, as well as items salvaged from one of the most infamous New England shipwrecks, the November 1898 wreck of the Portland, which resulted in the loss of all 176 people aboard. One of the many interesting items here is a letter from Capt. Richard Raggot of the British Navy dated September 30, 1814, containing the British demand for $1,000 to protect the town's salt works from destruction. The museum is open in July and August on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays 10 am to 1 pm , or by appointment. Admission is free. 3 River Road, Orleans (508) 240- 1329.
Church of the Transfiguration, Rock Harbor, Orleans. http://www.churchofthetransfiguration.org/ This magnificent edifice is a contemporary expression of an ancient basilican form drawing from an architectural heritage shared by Protestants, Catholics and Orthodox. The basilican form was chosen to express the Community’s monastic vocation and ecumenical vision, and because it best accommodates and enhances the worship of God as practiced at the Community of Jesus, including daily Eucharist and the Liturgy of the Hours (sung in Gregorian chant). The interior artwork combines mosaic, fresco, and stone and bronze sculpture to illustrate the life of Christ, stories from the Bible, and historic Christian symbols. The iconographic program for the Church of the Transfiguration complements the liturgy to express visually the history of human salvation. Under the dome of the apse, and standing as the destination of the processional path, is the altar. Like the ambo and the font, it is fabricated from Botticino marble from Brescia, Italy. As the altar of an ecumenical community, it reflects both the “memorial’ as well as the “sacrificial’ character of the Eucharist. The structure of the altar was designed by Keefe Associates, Inc., and the artwork was designed by Helen McLean, and sculpted by Regis Demange. Free Guided tours of the Church are offered on Monday – Saturday (closed Wednesday) from 10AM–5PM; fill-in form to schedule tour.
CHATHAM, CAPE COD, MA Chatham Bandstand: http://chathamband.com/ The Whit Tileston Bandstand at Kate Gould Park on Main Street has been the site of band concerts since the 1930’s. The origins of the town band can be traced back to 1931, when members of the community established a volunteer town band that still plays weekly concerts at the Bandstand. Enjoyed by thousands of people each summer, these beloved town concerts take place in a beautiful park donated by Kate Gould to the town of Chatham in 1930. Today we are thankful for the vision this remarkable woman imagined over 70 years ago in the creation of this special place in the heart of town. Free Band Concerts. Every Friday evening at 8:00 pm from July 3 to September 4 all roads on the Cape lead to the band concert in Kate Gould Park on Main Street in Chatham. As many as six thousand people attend these concerts, and it will be one of the highlights of your summer in Chatham. There will be musical numbers by the band, folk dances for the children, dance numbers for grownups and community singing for everyone.
Members of the colorfully uniformed forty-piece band live in Chatham and the surrounding towns. Each Monday evening during the winter the band meets for rehearsal. Funds for the maintenance of the band are voted at town meeting. The band members are not paid and the concerts are their contribution to the summer life of Chatham. Do not miss these concerts. They’re great fun! Our summer evenings may be cool so come prepared with your folding chair and blankets. If you arrive early, you may park in the area near the Town Office, only a short block from the park.
Monomoy Natural Wildlife Refuge http://www.fws.gov/refuge/Monomoy/ This preserve takes in 2,750 acres including the Monomoy Islands, a fragile nine-mile long barrier beach area south of Chatham, was created during a fierce storm in 1958. These islands are a major stop along the North Atlantic Flyway for 285 species of migratory waterfowl and shore birds. North Monomoy has dunes, beach grass, migrating birds and a large summer population of eastern shore birds. South Monomoy, considerably larger, features a wide array of flora and fauna, including deer and seals. Hundreds of harbor seals carpet the coastline from November to May. The Refuge’s visitor center, located on Morris Island, is open daily from 8am to 5pm.
Chatham Fish Pier http://www.telecamsystems.net/fishpier/ Shore Road and Bar Cliff Avenue. Just down the road from the Chatham Light is the Chatham fish pier, where there’s always a small crowd gathered on the visitors deck (the fleet usually returns between 12 noon and 2pm, so judge accordingly). Not only does the pier offer a great view of Chatham's harbor and outer beach with the Atlantic beyond, but when the fishing boats unload their catch, both children and adults get a fascinating glimpse of the Cape's best-known industry. A working pier with an observation deck to provide great views of fishermen and the town’s active fishing fleet in action. The Pier is also the center for commercial and sports fishermen. Aunt Lydia’s Cove (off Shore Road).
Chatham Light http://www.newenglandlighthouses.net/chatham.html Shore Road and Bridge Street. This 1808 lighthouse replaced the earlier two lights (known as the “Twin Sisters of Chatham”). Exceptional views can be found here and the famous Chatham fogs make it a wonderful aerie for photographers. In 1808 two wooden lighthouses were built on a cliff in Chatham east of the location of the current Chatham lighthouse--a cliff that no longer exists. These first two Chatham lights were range lights, meaning they were movable and could be aligned in such a way that mariners approaching Chatham by sea could find the channel to the harbor by lining up the two lights. By 1841, the cliff had eroded so much that both lighthouses tumbled to the beach below. Another pair of lighthouses--these made with brick and mortar--were constructed to replace the old ones, but the cliff continued to erode at a rate of 20 feet per year until these were also destroyed in 1879 and 1881. To replace this second set, two iron lighthouses were built. One is the current Chatham Light, the other was moved to Eastham in 1923 to become the current Nauset Light. Chatham Light overlooks the Chatham Break, a mile-wide hole in the barrier beach that stretches back to the mainland at Nauset Beach in Orleans. The break occurred in early 1987 during a fierce nor’easter Old Godfrey Windmill http://www.chatham- ma.gov/public_documents/ChathamMA_Windmill/Windmill%20booklet %20excerpt.pdf Off Shattuck Place (near Chase Park). Built in 1797 by Colonel Benjamin Godfrey, this wind-powered mill grinds corn. This wind-powered grist mill was built along Stage Harbor Road in 1797 by Colonial Benjamin Godfrey. The mill ground corn until 1898. Over the course of the 20th century it was twice damaged by storms and was closed until 1956 when it was given to the town. The mill was then moved to its current location at Chase Park. It is open every day except Tuesday throughout July and August. This is one of those look-see attractions with no admission fee charged.
EASTHAM, CAPE COD, MA Cape Cod National Seashore www.nps.gov/caco Eastham. The two boardwalks in Eastham are within the Cape Cod National Seashore. If you’re up for a 1.5 mile walk, choose the Fort Hill Trail, which includes a spur loop through the Red Maple Swamp; part of the latter is a boardwalk. From Route 6/North, turn right onto Governor Prence Road (look for the Fort Hill signs). Continue about ¼ mile to the parking area just past the Captain Edward Penniman House. The other trail featuring a boardwalk begins at the CCNS Visitor Center, Route 6 (at the lights), in Eastham. Here, you can bike or walk across the Great Marsh to Coast Guard Beach via a stunning boardwalk.
Salt Pond Visitor Center, Route 6. This interpretive center features a museum with displays of whaling and salt works industries, exhibits of early Cape artifacts (including scrimshaw). There is also a bookstore, an auditorium which shows films on geology, sea rescues, whaling, Thoreau and Marconi. A large showroom features exhibits on Cape Cod’s history, geography, natural history and architecture. During summer evenings, there is always something happening at the outdoor amphitheater, from slide-show talks to military band performances. Cape Cod National Seashore Salt Pond Visitor Center, Route 6. This interpretive center features a museum with displays of whaling and salt works industries, exhibits of early Cape artifacts (including scrimshaw). There is also a bookstore, an auditorium which shows films on geology, sea rescues, whaling, Thoreau and Marconi. A large showroom features exhibits on Cape Cod’s history, geography, natural history and architecture. During summer evenings, there is always something happening at the outdoor amphitheater, from slide-show talks to military band performances. Here you can learn about the geological and natural elements that make up the outer shores of Cape Cod. Part of the Cape Cod National Seashore, the center has a fine exhibit room with displays on various Cape industries, lighthouses, and the lifesaving service. There is also an auditorium that shows short films about the National Seashore. The Salt Pond Visitor Center is generally open daily year-round from 9 AM to 4:30 PM. The summer has extended hours to 5 PM Route 6, Eastham (508) 255-3421 Eastham Grist Mill http://www.eastham- ma.gov/public_documents/easthamma_windmill/index Route 6 and Samoset Road. This smock mill, with its original hand-hewn machinery still operative, was built in the early 1680s and was moved to this site in 1808. It is the only Cape windmill on its original commercial site. Resting upon the town green in Eastham is the oldest and most widely known of all the Cape Cod windmills. The Eastham Grist Mill was built in Plymouth in the 1680s, which means that the corn it ground most likely found its way into the mouths of the sons and daughters of Pilgrims. It was later moved to Truro during the end of the 18th century by floating it across Cape Cod Bay. In 1798 it was moved to Eastham. The mill remained in operation until the turn of the 20th century. It was first open to the public in the 1930s and restored in the 1960s. Nowadays it is open weekends from 10 AM to 4 PM during the summer months when visitors can see its original wooden machinery that still operates today--what craftsmanship! Admission is free, but donations are accepted. Open summers.
Eastham Schoolhouse Museum http://easthamhistoricalsociety.org/?page_id=68 This one-room schoolhouse was built in 1869 as an elementary school. Around the turn of the century, the town had three such one-room schoolhouses. These were later joined to form the Eastham Central School, which operated until 1936. After two of the original schoolhouse deteriorated in the mid-1900's, the old original schoolhouse was restored to its late-19th-century one-room status and serves as a museum of the Eastham Historical Society. It still has two doors marked as separate entrances for boys and girls. Exhibits include farming and household implements, Native American artifacts, shipwreck artifacts, and displays pertaining to area history, including a 13-foot jawbone from a 65-foot finback whale. The museum is open weekdays in July and August from 1 PM to 4 PM and weekends in September from 1 PM to 4 PM. Admission is free, donations accepted. Route 6 at Nauset and Schoolhouse Roads (508) 255-0788
Captain Edward Penniman House http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/maritime/pen.htm Fort Hill Road, Eastham. This whimsical yellow and red Victorian French Second Empire house, set on a knoll overlooking the Atlantic, was built circa 1868 by a rather eccentric whaling captain. Visitors are welcomed by an enormous archway of whale jaw bones at its gate. Located within the boundaries of the Cape Cod National Seashore, the Penniman House in the Fort Hill area of Eastham showcases the fortunes made by the Cape's whaling captains. Retiring from the sea in 1876, Captain Edward Penniman built this impressive Victorian mansion on a knoll with a cupola overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. In front of the house there is a gateway made of two huge whale jawbones marking the entrance to the property. You can tour the house during the summer season; admission is free. The Penniman House is open from May through September, Monday through Friday from 1 PM to 4 PM. Guided tours are available in May and June on Monday and Saturday starting at 10 AM; in July and August guided tours are offered Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10 AM. Admission is free. Reservations are required if you plan to take a guided tour by calling the Cape Cod National Seashore at the number above. Fort Hill Road (508) 255-3421
Swift-Daley House and Tool Museum http://easthamhistoricalsociety.org/?page_id=91 Route 6. Nathaniel Swift (of Swift Meat Packing Company) lived in this circa 1741 residence. The bow-roofed building, furnished with antiques, is a restoration of a full Cape with a central chimney, pumpkin pine floors and borning and mourning rooms. Its second floor contains an exhibit of wedding gowns and trousseaus from the 1800s and 1900s. The parlor has a rosewood melodeon, a unique double oil lamp and old photographs of the Eastham of 100 years ago. Be certain not to miss the adjacent Tool Museum which exhibits tools and implements collected in the area including remnants of salt work and cranberry-growing operations. Built in 1741 by Joshua Knowles, this bow-roofed home has wide floorboards, a minister's cupboard, original wainscoting, and an eight-foot-wide fireplace. Its eight rooms are filled with period furnishings, including artifacts and clothing from the Colonial through the Victorian eras. It is open 10am-1pm, Mon-Fri (Jul-Aug). The Tool Museum, behind the Swift- Daley House, has a display that includes numerous tools and implements collected in the area, including remnants of salt works and cranberry-growing operations. The hours are the same as those of the Swift-Daley House. Admission to both is free. (508) 240-1247
WELLFLEET, CAPE COD, MA Uncle Tim’s Bridge http://chezsven.blogspot.com/2008/09/brief-history-of-uncle-tims- bridge.html This Bridge has been the subject for countless artists and photographers, crosses Duck Creek and the inner harbor, leading to an island conservation area. Access this boardwalk from Commercial Street in Wellfleet.
First Congregational Church, Main Street. An 1850 Greek Revival building with a town clock which strikes ship’s time—the only church in the world known to keep ship’s time, thus revealing Wellfleet’s proud history as a seafaring town. The interior features a beautiful brass chandelier emanating from an enormous gilt rosette, subtly colored stained glass windows, including a Tiffany-style window depicting a clipper ship, and pews which curve to form an amphitheater facing the altar. It also contains an 1873 738-pipe Hook & Hastings tracker action organ (concerts Sundays at 8pm in July and August). For those not familiar with ship's time, the 24-hour day is divided up into six four-hour segments, representing a four-hour watch on board a ship. The first watch begins at 12:00 and concludes at 4:00 when the second watch begins. On each half hour during the watch, the bells chime: one bell at 12:30, two bells at 1:00, three bells at 1:30 and so on until eight bells are chimed and then the cycle begins again.. Call (508) 349-6877 to arrange a visit. Marconi Wireless Site. Many believe this to be the site of the initial transatlantic wireless message though, in fact, the first such message was sent from England to Greenland in 1901, over a year before the South Wellfleet Wireless Transmitting Station sent its first message. Regardless, this site, now known locally as Marconi Wireless Site or Marconi Station, does hold its place as the site of the first wireless message sent across the Atlantic from the United States. On January 19, 1903, the airwaves crackled atop this windswept Wellfleet cliff—helping to change long- distance communication forever. Developed by the Italian physicist Guglielmo Marconi, the first Wellfleet telegraph transmitted a message from President Theodore Roosevelt to King Edward VII of England. On the evening of April 14, 1912, the station received the distress call from the Titanic. The station at South Wellfleet would only be in service until 1917 as cliff erosion was already threatening. Although erosion has destroyed much of the site, a plaque commemorates the site, and you can still view the footings of some of the towers (these towers stood more than 200 feet high) as well as a model of how the station looked in 1903. Marconi Site Rd. (off Route 6) (508) 349-3785
Wreck of the Frances http://www.nps.gov/caco/planyourvisit/head-of-the- meadow.htm This is a unique historic site in that it is a 19th-century shipwreck that can still be seen out in the water off Truro's Head of the Meadow Beach. A 120-foot German bark, the Frances, wrecked here on the evening of December 26, 1872. Though all hands were saved by a crew of Truro volunteers headed up by Capt. Edwin Worthen, the keeper of the newly-built Highland Lifesaving Station, Capt. Kortling of the Frances would die of illness three days later. Today the black iron hull of the Frances pokes up occasionally above the Atlantic waves and serves as a memorial to the more than 1,000 shipwrecks that have occurred along the outer Cape over the past three and a half centuries. Head of the Meadow Beach, Head of the Meadow Road. Free after Labor Day through Memorial Day or after 5pm summers.
PROVINCETOWN, CAPE COD, MA Old Harbor Lifesaving Station http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/maritime/old.htm Race Point is now home to the Old Harbor Lifesaving Station that once protected the shores of Chatham. Built in 1898, it was one of 13 stations that lined the outer Cape beaches from Provincetown to Monomoy Point until the Lifesaving Service became part of the Coast Guard in 1914. The Old Harbor Station was decommissioned in 1944 and sold off to private interests. It was acquired by the National Park Service in 1973 and moved up the coast on a barge in the winter of 1978, just ahead of the devastating Blizzard of '78. Now it rests at Race Point overlooking the Atlantic. Its boat room contains a surf boat and various lifesaving apparatus. The station is open to visitors during July and August from 3 to 5 PM daily and 6 to 8 PM Thursday during the Lifesaving drill presentation. Race Point Road (508) 487-1256 www.nps.gov/caco. Provincetown Breakwater http://www.provincetown.com/beach_cape_cod/seashore_ocean_dunes/_/11881/ One can walk across Provincetown Harbor at the Breakwater located at The breakwater is located in the far west end near the Pilgrim’s Memorial at the juncture of Commercial Street and Route 6.
The Breakwater has done its assigned duty well over the years, but its rock structure has also added to the town’s beauty and the accessibility of the Cape’s tip. Visitors and residents can follow its solid path across the harbor, passing easily to the outermost finger of the jutting Cape and the sentry of Wood End lighthouse. Along the way, if the tide has taken its ritual leave, the harbor floor can be explored, which holds abandoned rowboats, horseshoe crabs, seaweed and other ocean oddities.
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Updated 6/9/215