In My Footsteps: Trip 43: Yarmouthport, Mass. - Part Two

In My Footsteps

Christopher Setterlund

Trip 43: Yarmouthport, Mass. – Part Two

April 15, 2010

            Nothing beats Route 6A in the spring.  The warm, sweet smelling air coupled with the blooming trees and flowers gives every site the appearance of a painting or postcard.  I decided to venture back over to Yarmouthport to check out some places missed during my first article.  I also wanted to find out just how people spell Yarmouthport.  Is it with the space, or without?  According to the highway signs near Exit 7 it is without the space, so I am going with that way until further notice.

            It was a pleasant change to be able to take a stroll along the historic sidewalks of 6A in Yarmouthport while it was sunny and warm.  Most of my other trips had taken place during the dead of winter so I really appreciated this day.  There are plenty of great places to park to get out and walk along 6A, I chose the small parking area of the Kelly Chapel, located behind the Post Office.  I walked east a little ways, deciding to start from the First Congregational Church of Yarmouth(left) and work my way back. 

            The First Congregational Church, which sits on Zion Hill overlooking the Yarmouthport Village Store, was first gathered in 1639 coinciding with the town’s founding.  The current church was built in 1870 due to the increasing need for a larger building to house all of the worshipers in the town.  It has a majestic quality to it, especially after dark when the face of the church is lit up by a large spotlight.  It is the prefect start to a spring stroll. 

            As you walk along this area of Rt. 6A it is important to keep your eyes open for black and gold plaques featuring a sailing ship.  It is along this stretch of road that there are fifty-three such plaques; these make up the ‘Yarmouth Captain’s Mile.’  It is amazing when you do spot all of the plaques adorning the fronts of homes, to realize that so many sea captains once lived in such close proximity during the 18^th and 19^th centuries. 

One such house that intrigued me was the Captain Thomas Ryder House located next to the Yarmouthport Library.  The home itself is beautiful, sitting on a modest hill with a large wraparound front porch.  It was after I had snapped a few shots up close that I noticed something odd.  On the three steps leading from the walkway to the street there were words.  The words read ‘The Hillock.’(right)  I do not know what this meant, or how many people that pass by the steps ever notice them, but it makes for a neat mystery that I am trying to figure out.

            Located across from the post office is the Winslow-Crocker House(left).  Originally built in 1780 this house is a great place to check out just because of the story of how it got to where it currently stands.  The house sat in West Barnstable but was bought and moved by Mary Thacher in 1936; she subsequently used the house to showcase her collection of colonial furniture, hooked rugs, ceramics, and other antiques.  Set back from the road the house has a spacious yard, it can make you feel as though you are looking at this house when it was originally built despite the fact that it is not its original location.  The Winslow-Crocker House is available for tours and operates as a museum where many of Mary Thacher’s antiques are still on display.

            Normally I would not consider a bookstore to be an historic spot that needed to be visited.  When it is the Parnassus Bookstore(left), a Cape Cod landmark, an exception can be made.  Located just before the curve that forks off toward Dennis Pond the Parnassus Bookstore has been a part of Yarmouthport for nearly 200 years.  Before it was a bookstore the building housed Knowles General Store.  Inside you will find shelves of old and rare books, many of which have to do with Olde Cape Cod.  Outside there are more shelves of books underneath an awning, I found it a bit odd to have books located outside of the building itself but I believe that it only adds to the charm of this spot.  Even if you are not a lifelong Cape Codder I recommend taking some time to look through the rare books and discover a lot of what made the Cape what it is today.

            After taking this stroll along Rt. 6A the only spot to end it is at the Hallet’s Store(right).  Established in 1889 by Thatcher Taylor Hallet this Cape institution was originally a pharmacy complete with soda fountain and lunch counter.  Now owned by the great-great grandson of Thatcher, Hallet’s is still serving ice cream and sodas as well as doubling as a museum.  The 121-year-old shop still has all of its original fixtures inside; the fact that they still serve sandwiches, ice cream, and sodas as well makes you feel as though you just sat down in the late 19^th century.  The dedication to retaining that authenticity is what makes Hallet’s special.  It is open from April through November.     

            Whether you choose to spell it Yarmouthport or Yarmouth Port there is one thing that can be agreed on, a trip down the amazing Route 6A in the spring is something that locals and far off visitors alike will enjoy.  I make this drive a few times per week and still marvel at the fact that so much history sits so close to me.  So visit the Winslow-Crocker house, read a few passages at Parnassus, grab some ice cream at Hallet’s, and if anybody knows what ‘The Hillock’ means on the steps in front of the Thomas Ryder House please let me know.  Have fun and happy traveling!

Directions:  From Rt. 6, take Exit 8 and head north on Union Street.  Turn left on Rt. 6A and follow it for about ¾ mi., it is up to you where to park and start to enjoy the sites along 6A.

References:  Parnassus Books

            Yarmouth Historical Society

            Edward Gorey House.org

            Hallets Store

In My Footsteps: Trip 9: Yarmouth Port, Mass.

In My Footsteps

Christopher Setterlund

Trip 9: Yarmouth Port, Mass.

January 23, 2010

Being the most historic roadway on Cape Cod Route 6A is chock full of places to see. So many in fact that all of the places in this article sit within a mile or so of one another, on a warmer day they would make up a tremendous walk.

Our trip begins at Gray’s Beach, known to most locals as Bass Hole. Located off of 6A on Center Street, Bass Hole is a free public beach nestled up against a narrow cove overlooking Cape Cod Bay Bass Hole. Any trip here would have to start with the 800-foot long boardwalk(right) that stretches its way out into the neighboring marsh and gives a wonderful view of the bay as well as Chapin Beach which acts as a barrier for Bass Hole from the harsh ocean waves. The beach area is great for swimming as it is calm; there are visible sandbars at low tide. There is a large open filed and a newly revamped playground area in addition to a covered picnic area which can be reserved for large parties if so desired.

Across the field and playground there are trails to be walked that take you through the woods surrounding Bass Hole and across a marsh which, thanks to a recently built walking bridge, gives a great panoramic view of the area. The trails lead through the woods and across Center Street where they come out on the other side of the marsh.

Center Street can be taken back out to Route 6A; a right turn will take you to the next spot. About a half a mile down the road sits two historic spots in the same parking lot. Getting in is a tricky proposition as the road immediately follows the Post Office on the left. In summer this one is easy to miss. Park in the small lot and decide which way to go first.

Going straight back behind the Tufts Gatehouse along a rocky path you will find the Kelly Chapel(left). Built in 1873 by David Kelly this small church is secluded from the road, although it can be accessed via a path from the Old Yarmouth Inn restaurant next door. It is not routinely open but many weddings take place there; it is still a big part of life in this small village.

Located off to the left of the chapel are a set of trails which cover the nearly fifty acres of land the chapel stands watch over. More than a hundred years ago this area was Cape Cod’s first golf course built by the Thacher family in the 1890’s for private use. The trails lead through the natural beauty of the Cape and eventually will lead you to Miller’s Pond and Dennis Pond. Dennis Pond is located on Summer Street and is a recreation area; it is a very short drive from the chapel grounds.

From the small parking lot near the Tufts Gatehouse a left turn will take you up a sloping driveway to another piece of Cape Cod history. The Captain Bangs Hallet House(left) gives you a great view of life on the Cape more than 200 years ago. Built in 1840, and named for an illustrious 19th century fisherman, it is the only historic house that is regularly open to visitors. Tours of the house take place often during the summer and fall but the grounds are always able to be walked. Located behind the Bangs Hallet House is a natural wonder, a century-plus old English Weeping Beech tree. In the warmer months this giant’s limbs, covered in broad, flat leaves, reach to the ground. You may step inside this awesome piece of nature; it feels like being under an umbrella.

The last stop on the trip around Route 6A in Yarmouth Port starts with a left turn out of the Kelly Chapel parking lot. Less than a mile away, following a trip through the historic ‘center’ of Yarmouth Port on 6A you will come to Mill Lane on the right. It sits on a curve so approach slowly. The Keveney Lane Bridge crosses over Hallets Mill Pond(right) and the subsequent river that empties out into Cape Cod Bay. This bridge is unique in the fact that is a narrow one-lane bridge. There are very few spots to park on Mill Lane leading up to the bridge so a stop to walk might be out of the question in the warmer months. Still, taking a slow drive across the bridge might be enough to soak in the scenery.

When not stopping to take in these sights a trip through Yarmouth Port may take a few minutes, but you could easily spend all day visiting the places mentioned above. There are other spots nearby that have not been mentioned including the 140-year old First Congregational Church which stands up on a hill looking over the village. This is just a guide as there are many places maybe I have missed, but any of these places are well worth the drive or walk. Along 6A it seems that all you have to do is turn around and you are face to face with another piece of Cape Cod and American history. Have fun and happy traveling!

Directions: Bass Hole: From Mid-Cape Highway take Exit 8. Follow Union Street north until you reach Rt. 6A. Cross Rt. 6A to Old Church Street. Bear right onto Center Street and follow it to the beach.

Kelly Chapel & Captain Bangs Hallet House: Follow Center Street to Rt. 6A, turn right. Travel about ½ mi., the turn for the chapel is left immediately following the Post Office.

Dennis Pond: Leaving the chapel turn left on Rt. 6A; bear left onto Summer Street at curve. Dennis Pond is on right.

Keveney Lane Bridge: Exiting Summer Street turn left onto Rt. 6A. Mill Lane is a right turn on a curve diagonally across from Willow Street. Follow Mill Lane until you reach the bridge, there is a spot for one car on the right as you approach the bridge.

References: Yarmouth Historical Society

Yarmouth Port on Dwellable