In My Footsteps: Trip 30: Salem, Mass.

In My Footsteps

Christopher Setterlund

Trip 30: Salem, Mass.

March 6, 2010

            Much like with my visit to Plymouth, Salem, Massachusetts seems to overflow with history.  Just about every street, every house, every building in general has an amazing story.  Certainly the first thing that comes to mind when hearing the name ‘Salem’ is the infamous Salem Witch Trials of 1692.  The ‘Trials,’ in which twenty-six people were found guilty of witchcraft, have left their mark all across this historic town.  Not confined to the Halloween season, witches adorn the police cars that pass by.  It gives Salem an aura unlike most places in the United States. 

            The Witch House, also known as the Jonathan Corwin House, located on Essex Street, is the only building still standing with a connection to the Witch Trials.  For a deeper look into the history of that era there is the Salem Witch Museum and the Witch Dungeon Museum.

            However there are many other sites to see in this town that do not have any connection to the Witch Trials.  A perfect place to start is at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site.  With twelve historic structures on nine acres of waterfront land this was the first American National Historic Site.  As soon as you step foot on the grounds you are face to face with a replica of the Friendship of Salem(left).  The original ship was built in 1797 and captured as a war prize by the British during the War of 1812.  The Friendship of Salem was an East Indiaman ship, meaning that it was chartered to the historic East Indian Company founded by Britain which dealt in trade with the Asia and India.  The ship is open for tours year round, weather permitting, and is a very faithful replica of the original.

            Derby Wharf, Salem’s longest at a half mile, stretches out into Salem Harbor and houses a tremendous view of the Maritime Historic Site as a whole.  Sitting at the end of the wharf is Derby Wharf Light, a brick square lighthouse built in 1871.  Standing only fourteen feet tall, Derby Wharf Light was built due to belief that another lighthouse, in addition to the two that already stood, were needed to complete the lighting of Salem Harbor.  Not open to the public, this lighthouse is solar powered and is still used to this day for private navigation.

            Close by on Derby Street sits The House of the Seven Gables(left), one of the places with a connection to literary legend and Salem resident Nathanial Hawthorne.  Seven Gables is a 17^th Century mansion, now a museum open to the public for a fee.  The seven ‘gables’ refers to the triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof.  In addition to The House of the Seven Gables being a Hawthorne novel, The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne’s most famous work, was set in 17^th Century Purtian Boston.  Hawthorne’s birthplace(below) itself is also a historic landmark located on the ground of the House of the Seven Gables museum. 

As the story goes, Nathaniel Hawthorne was born ‘Hathorne.’  He added the ‘w’ to his last name during his twenties when he discovered that his great-great grandfather was a judge that had presided over the Salem Witch Trials.  Even with a legendary author like Nathaniel Hawthorne it all comes back to the Witch Trials.  All around The House of the Seven Gables are historic homes, it seems like every house you pass has a plaque on it dating the buildings up to 300 years old.  Salem’s Heritage Trail, a painted red line that leads through the towns’ roads, begins at Remember Salem Gifts and ends at Derby Wharf.  It is a great trip through history and some great exercise on a sunny day. 

            A spot visible from Derby Wharf that is another historic area is Winter Island.  Sitting on forty-five acres, Winter Island has two attractions that must be seen.  The first one is Fort Pickering which was originally built in 1644.  Manned during the War of 1812, the Civil War, and the Spanish-American War, Fort Pickering’s remains are still visible in the hills along the shore.  Fort Pickering Light(left) was built in 1871, the same as Derby Wharf Light and Beverly’s Hospital Point Light.  Nearly destroyed by the Blizzard of ’78, this lighthouse was brought back from the brink by a group of concerned citizens in the early 1980’s.  It is a beautiful site along Salem Harbor, you can risk walking the rocks to stand along side the light as I did, but it is probably easier to sit on one of the benches on the nearby hill and have a more comfortable viewing experience.

            On the opposite coast, facing Beverly Harbor, sits the Salem Willows Amusement Park.  Part of an oceanside neighborhood, the thirty-five acre Salem Willows became a public park in 1858 and also became a popular summer retreat for folks living in Boston.  It is home to a remarkable hand-carved carousel originally created in 1866.  There is a tradition of great summer jazz concerts at the Willows and in the past jazz legends like Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong played here.  The first ice cream cones were introduced to Americans on this site in 1906.  As great as the amusement park is, Salem Willows also has some beautiful views of Beverly Harbor and is great for walking or picnicking as well.

            There is almost no way to see all that Salem has to offer in one trip.  I know myself that a second trip is needed for me to fully appreciate this epicenter of so much history.  I loved all I did see and am looking forward to visiting each and every historic spot in the future.  I believe that all Americans, not just locals, should visit Salem at least once it is a gold mine as far as historical and cultural significance.  Have fun and happy traveling!

Directions: Salem Maritime National Historic Site:  From Rt. 128 heading north take Exit 25A.  Turn right onto Rt. 114, follow Rt. 114 until bearing slightly right onto Rt. 107.  Turn right to stay on Rt. 107/Bridge Street, take the 2^nd right onto Williams Street.  Turn right onto Rt. 1-A, left at Derby Street.  The Maritime Historic Site is on the right as well as Derby Wharf Light and The Friendship of Salem.

The House of the Seven Gables: From Rt. 128 heading north take Exit 25A.  Turn right onto Rt. 114, follow Rt. 114 until bearing slightly right onto Rt. 107.  Turn right to stay on Rt. 107/Bridge Street, take the 2^nd right onto Williams Street.  Turn right onto Rt. 1-A, left at Derby Street.  Follow Derby Street, parking area for Seven Gables is in between Hardy St. and Turner St.

Winter Island/Fort Pickering:  From Rt. 128 heading north take Exit 25A.  Turn right onto Rt. 114, follow Rt. 114 until bearing slightly right onto Rt. 107.  Turn right to stay on Rt. 107/Bridge Street, take the 2^nd right onto Williams Street.  Turn right onto Rt. 1-A, left at Derby Street.  Continue onto Fort Ave.  Turn right at Winter Island Rd.

Salem Willows Amusement Park:  From Rt. 128 heading north take Exit 25A.  Turn right onto Rt. 114, follow Rt. 114 until bearing slightly right onto Rt. 107.  Turn right to stay on Rt. 107/Bridge Street, take the 2^nd right onto Williams Street.  Turn right onto Rt. 1-A, left at Derby Street.  Continue onto Fort Ave, follow it to the end, Salem Willows is on the left.    

References: The House of the Seven Gables

            Salem Willows Amusement Park

            Salem Witch Trials.com

            Salem.org

In My Footsteps: Trip 29: Swampscott, Marblehead, Beverly, Rockport, Mass.

In My Footsteps

Christopher Setterlund

Trip 29: Swampscott, Marblehead, Beverly, & Rockport, Mass.

March 6, 2010

            The roughly seventy-five miles of coastline from Boston leading to the New Hampshire border is known as the North Shore.  This area is famous for its historic fishing villages and connections to the dawning of America.  Many of the twenty-two towns which make up the North Shore have immense cultural significance.  Names such as Ipswich, Gloucester, Essex, and Salem have meaning to people who don’t even live in this area.  This trip along the North Shore was a chance to experience these sites for myself and it ended up being even better than I had hoped.

            The journey began by leaving Route 1 for Route 129 and heading east into Swampscott.  This town is one of the most affluent in the state with one of the very first millionaires, Ebenezer Philips, making his fortune here.  Philips learned the process of drying fish from the local Naumkeag Indians which led to greater shelf life for the fish.  First settled as a part of neighboring Lynn in 1629, Swampscott has an amazing view of the Boston skyline(left) sitting twelve miles to the south across Nahant Bay and Broad Sound.  Beaches such as Preston Beach have great views of the many rock islands off of the coast of the North Shore.  These rocks give this area its own identity. 

            An historic spot to visit is the Elihu Thomson House.  Built in 1889 this home is now the Swampscott Town Hall but it was originally built for the noted inventor and industrialist Thomson who cofounded General Electric with Thomas Edison.

            Marblehead neighbors Swampscott and has some spectacular one of a kind areas to visit.  Chief among these is Chandler Hovey Park which is home to the incredible Marblehead Light(right), built in 1832.  Why is it so amazing?  It is the only lighthouse in New England with a skeletal structure as opposed to the classic cylindrical tower that is common.  The next light like Marblehead Light is at Coney Island.  The lighthouse stands tall on a cliff overlooking Marblehead Harbor, its green light visible for seven nautical miles. 

For the daring types you may attempt to scale down one of the rock faces into a sort of gulley that runs down to the edge of the water.  I did undertake this challenge and it was an incredible sight seeing Marblehead Light from down inside the rocks.  The constant crash of the waves on the rocky shore made it well worth any risk.  There are many benches and sheltered areas where one can simply sit and watch the boats entering the harbor, or just listen to the waves crashing on the rocks.

Marblehead, along with Beverly, has lay claim to being the birthplace of the United States Navy.  While both towns may have their own opinions there is no doubting the importance of Marblehead Harbor.  Beginning with the sailing of the Hannah in September, 1775, General George Washington gave orders for the first American vessels to engage the British during the American Revolution.  They were sailed and commanded by men of Marblehead and were the forerunners of the United States Navy.  Thus began the claim by the people of Marblehead that their town saw the birth of the Navy.

Abbot Hall, which is now Marblehead Town Hall as well, is filled with historic artifacts from the area.  Located inside the brick 19^th Century building sits, among other things, the original Spirit of ’76 painting by Archiblad MacNeal Willard, the deed to Marblehead signed by the Nanapashemet Indians in 1684, and a painting of Marbleheaders rowing George Washington across the Delaware River.

A few miles north of Marblehead lies Beverly, the other claimant to the birth of the American Navy.  Originally a part of Salem, and named for a town in Yorkshire, England, Beverly can lay claim to a very important moment in American history.  Beverly is the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution which began with the construction of the first cotton mill in 1787 or 1788.  To this day however, Beverly maintains that the first American vessel to engage the British in the Revolution, the Hannah, was built in, and first sailed from, Beverly.  They have so much faith in this that the Hannah is prominently featured on the police department’s patch.   

Another historic spot which is a little off the beaten path is Hospital Point Lighthouse(right).  Hard to find because it sits along side a private residence, this lighthouse takes its name from a smallpox hospital built on the spot in 1801.  A watch house was built on the grounds all the way back in 1711.  The lighthouse looks out over Salem Sound and is clearly visible from the fence surrounding it.  However, it is on private land and thus cannot be seen any closer except on occasions when there are open houses.

The northern most town visited on this trip was Rockport.  Located just past Gloucester, at the tip of Cape Ann, this area is a well known artist colony.  Rockport was a ‘dry town,’ meaning no alcohol was to be sold within its borders, until 2005.  This law goes back to the story of Hannah Jumper.  She led a revolt of 200 mothers, wives, and daughters in 1856 to destroy all of the liquor in town.  The reason for this was the fact that although fishing was a tremendous industry for Rockport, the Northeast’s weather only permitted it for nine months out of the year.  The other three months were spent by the men spending much of their hard-earned money on booze.  Ms. Jumper’s rebellion against the ‘demon rum’ led to Rockport being ‘dry’ for 149 years.

One particularly beautiful area of is Bearskin Neck.  A small corner of Rockport, Bearskin Neck is a collection of former fishing and lobster shacks that have been gradually transformed into shops and art galleries.  The most famous location of the Bearskin Neck is a dark red fishing shack on Bradley Wharf known as Motif #1(left).  It is America’s most painted building and got its name from art teacher Lester Hornby who proclaimed ‘What, Motif #1 again!’ when student after student chose the venerable shack as a subject for sketches.

These are only the tip of the iceberg as far as amazing areas located along the North Shore.  It is not a place that can be appreciated fully during a day trip, take it piece by piece.  The amazing, rocky coastline and many lighthouses keep the rich, fishing tradition alive in any visitor’s mind.  There is so much to see, make it a point to visit the North Shore the first chance you get.  Have fun and happy traveling!

To see video of some of the places listed check out my video at In My Footsteps - North Shore

Directions: Chandler Hovey Park/Marblehead Light: From Rt. 1 heading north, turn right at Essex St.  Continue onto Lincoln Ave. through the rotary.  Turn right at Ballard St.  Turn left onto Rt. 107, right onto Washington Street.  Left onto Rt. 1-A, right at Ocean St., left at Metropolitan Park St., continue onto Humphrey St., continue onto Atlantic Ave.  Turn right on Ocean Ave., left onto Harbor Ave., continue onto Ocean Ave., left at Follett St.

            Preston Beach, Swampscott: From Rt. 1 heading north, turn right at Essex St.  Continue onto Lincoln Ave. through the rotary.  Turn right at Ballard St.  Turn left onto Rt. 107, right onto Washington Street.  Left onto Rt. 1-A, right at Ocean St., left at Metropolitan Park St., continue onto Humphrey St., continue onto Atlantic Ave.  Drive 1 mile, beach is on right just before ‘Entering Marblehead’ sign.   

            Hospital Point Lighthouse: Take Rt. 128 off of I-95.  Take Exit 18, turn right onto Rt. 22.  Turn left at Corning St.  Continue onto Bayview Ave.  Hospital Point Light is on the left at the end.

            Bearskin Neck, Rockport: Take Rt. 128 off of I-95.  Stay on Rt. 128 through two rotaries and turn left onto Rt. 127.  Rt. 127 becomes Broadway, turn left at Mt. Pleasant Street. Bearskin Neck is on the right.

References: Rockport - The Story of Hannah Jumper

            History of Hospital Point Lighthouse

            Thacher Island Twin Lights - Rockport

            Marblehead Magazine - Birthplace of the American Navy

In My Footsteps: Trip 28: Centerville, Osterville, Cotuit, Mass.

In My Footsteps

Christopher Setterlund

Trip 28: Centerville, Osterville, Cotuit, Mass.

February 28, 2010

            Centerville, Osterville, and Cotuit are three small villages considered part of the larger town of Barnstable on the south side of Cape Cod that can easily be passed by on a trip from Falmouth to Hyannis.  Taking you on a trip through Cape history and passing some of the most amazing natural sites as well these three small villages must be seen and appreciated by any traveler to this area.

            Centerville was originally called Chequaquet by the Wampanoag Indians when it was purchased by Myles Standish in 1648.  The village has done a good job of hanging on to its history as Main Street still feels like a walk back through the 19^th Century.  The best example of this is the 1856 Country Store(left) located on Main Street.  It has been a general merchandise store since 1856 and still to this day sells homemade jams and jellies as well as classic penny candies that will bring you back to childhood days.  The store now sells its catalog online as it has kept up with technology, but nothing beats taking a walk down Main Street and stopping into the 1856 Country Store.

            For those not looking for trips through history there is the very popular and well known Craigville Beach to visit.   Craigville Beach lies on the similarly named Craigville Beach Road and is bordered on the east by the smaller Covell’s Beach.  It is also bordered on the north by a river flowing in from East Bay; there are many beautiful private homes along the river.  The Kennedy Compound is able to be seen after a long walk on the beach, Craigville Beach is a popular starting and finishing point for many road races and marathons on the Cape and Eastern Massachusetts. 

            Continuing west leads you into Osterville.  There are numerous summer residences here along the beautiful oceanfront and especially in the private Oyster Harbors section of Osterville.  There is a drawbridge connecting Oyster Harbors(below) to the mainland but it is a gated community and thus cannot be accessed by visitors unless they are residents.

            A great place that can be visited by anyone is the Osterville Historic Society Museum located on West Bay Road.  On the grounds sits the Herbert Crosby Boat Shop, it still contains many of the same boat building tools originally used by Mr. Crosby and his family in the mid 19^th Century.  The Crosby name is most synonymously associated with the Crosby Catboat which became a hit with sailors not too long after being developed in the latter half of the 19^th Century.  The Crosby’s themselves built over 3,000 Catboats from 1850 to 1970.  The Captain Parker House stands closest to the road and was built in 1824.  It belonged to the afore mentioned Captain Parker who like many 19^th Century Cape residents made his living on the seas as a fisherman.

There is also an authentic ‘jelly house’ on the grounds.  These were used along road sides mostly prior to World War II to sell all sorts of delicious jams and jellies to travelers.  Once gift shops began selling the same products the houses became obsolete and were sold to individuals.  It is a very unique look into Olde Cape Cod when you stand before this tiny shack that now contains a play set for children.  The grounds can be walked at anytime but the museum itself is open daily from mid-June to mid-September.

The third village of Barnstable to be visited was Cotuit.  As with Centerville and Osterville, a trip down through the Historic District of Main Street will give you a great vision of the town’s past.  Located in the same parking area along Main Street is the Freedom Hall, built in 1860.  There is a marker near the road which is dedicated to the memory of those who first settled the Cotuit area in 1648.  Next door is the Old Meeting House, built in 1846.  It now houses the Masons.

On the opposite side of Main Street sits the Cotuit Library, built in 1874 which sits next to the Cotuit Memorial Park.  There are benches giving a great view of one of the least densely populated areas of the Cape.  Along the roadside sits a stone with a plaque naming all of those Cotuit residents that served in World War I and the two who died during that horrible conflict. 

Directly across from the library and park is Oyster Place.  This short road takes you to the town landing where the dock gives you a tremendous view of Cotuit Bay.  Across the bay, almost straight south is the Col. Charles Codman Estate.  Built in 1870 by John Sturgis, it is part of the National Historic Register.   Col. Codman served in both World Wars and was an aide to Gen. George Patton during World War II.

The last spot to visit ended up being the most spectacular for me.  A little further down Main Street is Oceanview Avenue and Loop Beach.  The road itself is a one-way loop, thus the beach name.  The beach itself is nice but it is the walk back up the hill that is Oceanview Ave. that gives some of the most amazing views on the Cape.  Though mostly dotted with private homes there are still several open patches of landscape allowing for a view of Cotuit Bay, Oyster Harbors, and the Sampson’s Island Sanctuary(left).  It is easy to see why these people chose to live on such a spot.  It capped off a great ride through the western sections of Barnstable.

Barnstable has many small villages; each one has its own share of natural beauty and historical significance.  When the bustle of Rt. 28 and Rt. 132 have overloaded your senses, take a turn down Craigville Beach Road and start your journey through a simpler, quieter section of the Cape.  It is worth the trip.  Have fun and happy traveling!

 Directions:  Craigville Beach: From Rt. 28 heading east, turn right onto Old Stage Road.  Old Stage Rd. becomes Main Street, 1856 Country Store is on the left.  Continue on as Main Street becomes Craigville Beach Rd.  The beach is on the right.

Osterville Historical Museum: From Rt. 28 heading east, turn right onto Old East Osterville Rd.  Follow it to the end and turn right onto Bumps River Rd. bear left onto Pond St.  Follow Pond St. to Main Street.  Turn right at Yachtsman Circle, continue onto Parker Rd.  Turn right at West Bay Rd., Historical Museum is on the left.

Cotuit Memorial Park/Loop Beach: From Rt. 28 heading east, turn right onto Main Street just after end of Rt. 130.  Follow Main Street a mile and a half, Cotuit Library and Memorial Park are on the right.  Continue on about 1,000 feet, Oceanview Avenue is on the left, follow it to Loop Beach.

References:  1856 Country Store

            Osterville Historical Museum

            Mass Audubon - Sampsons Island

            Cotuit Cape Cod.com  

Centerville on Dwellable

Cotuit on Dwellable

In My Footsteps: Trip 27: Hyannis, Mass.

In My Footsteps

Christopher Setterlund

Trip 27: Hyannis, Mass.

February 28, 2010

            Taking its name as a derivative of the Wampanoag sachem, or chief, Iyanough, Hyannis is the commercial center of Cape Cod.  It is where most locals go to shop having several large shopping plazas, most notable the 800,000-plus square foot Cape Cod Mall.  Despite the retail prowess of the Hyannis area it was as recently as twenty-five years ago that this most industrialized Cape town still retained some of the quaintness the Cape is known for.  Historic Main Street can be walked and enjoyed at any time of year; there are still a few stores that have been there for more than fifty years including the Puritan clothing store.  Although it is first thought of in terms of shopping and restaurants Hyannis does hold more than just that.

            The first place to go to escape the bustle of Hyannis is to head for the water.  As you head for the water on Ocean Street the first spot to check out is Hyannis Harbor where the Hy-Line Ferries make frequent trips to and from Nantucket.  If you stay long enough you might get to see one of these impressive looking high-speed ferries up close.  There is the Michael Aselton Memorial Park, dedicated to a fallen Barnstable police officer, and the Cape Cod Maritime Museum on the grounds as well that should be taken in. 

            Further down Ocean Street are two great swimming beaches, Veterans Beach and Kalmus Beach.  Veterans Beach is made even more of an attraction thanks to the Korean War Memorial(left) and JFK Memorial located at the Veterans Memorial Park on the beach grounds.  The JFK Memorial consists of a wall with a plaque depicting the late-President’s face and a beautiful fountain.  The entire area is surrounded by sweet smelling flowers in the warmer months including several different colored roses.  The memorial is on a hill which gives a tremendous panoramic view of Lewis Bay and the boats entering and leaving the harbor.

            To the left of the JFK Memorial is the spectacular Korean War Memorial.  The statue of the American Soldier stands high above looking out over the water.  He is surrounded by flags including the American flag directly behind the statue.  It is a great patriotic attraction that needs to be made appointment viewing on any trip through Hyannis.  Veterans Beach itself is located next to the Hyannis Yacht Club and is sheltered somewhat from the harsh ocean.  Located on the north side of the beach is a river(right) that leads to a pond across Ocean Street.  This spot is a great place to see ducks, geese, seagulls, and even crows and hawks congregating.

At the end of Ocean Street is Kalmus Beach Park which straddles Lewis Bay and Nantucket Sound.  This sandy spit is a perfect spot to watch the boat entering the harbor and comes complete with a close up view of the private Great Island in Yarmouth.  It is relatively calm waters with a lot of open beach and a jetty on the Sound side that is commonly used for fishing.  Also on Lewis Bay is Lewis Bay Light(right).  Best seen from on the harbor or at nearby Bay View Beach the small lighthouse is a near replica of Nantucket’s Brant Point Light.  It was built for private use and is not accessible by the public but it can still be appreciated from the beach.

            Historic Main Street houses its own special places to visit.  Located across from the Puritan Clothing Co. is the JFK Museum.  This museum showcases Kennedy’s life and times on Cape Cod, it features more than eighty photos from 1934-63 and a video narrated by legendary journalist Walter Cronkite.  Not to be missed in the JFK Museum is the Cape Cod Baseball League Hall of Fame.  The Hall is located on the lower level of the JFK Museum also known as The Dugout and has a complete history of baseball on the Cape stretching back more than a hundred years.  In front of the museum is a newly dedicated bronze statue of JFK sporting a Hyannisport Polo shirt and walking through the beach sand and grass(below).  It is a great look into history while still being right in the middle of the busiest spot on the Cape.

            Also on Main Street is the Hyannis Village Green which is great for a stroll and also is used for concerts and other various events during the warmer months.  The Cape Cod Melody Tent which has been home to thousands of musical acts since 1950 sits just after the West End Rotary and is opened from June to August.  The Cape Cod Potato Chips factory sits on the north side of Hyannis in the Independence Park and is open for tours year-round.  Originally created by Steve and Lynn Bernard in 1980 Cape Cod Potato Chips rapidly grew in popularity and is now the most visited attraction in town seeing more than 250,000 people per year.

            Most locals and visitors to Hyannis never take the time to see what else this place has to offer.  From the beaches to the museums it is plain to see that Hyannis’s history and natural beauty is only matched by its commercial prowess.  Whatever you choose to do, a trip to Hyannis will be one to remember.  Have fun and happy traveling!

Directions: Veterans Beach Park & Kalmus Beach Park: from Rt. 28 heading east, take first exit at rotary for Barnstable Rd.  Follow Barnstable Rd. across Main St. where it becomes Ocean Street.  Hyannis Harbor is on the left at the lights.  Follow Ocean Street 1 mile, Veterans Beach is on the left; Kalmus Beach is at the end of Ocean Street on the curve.

JFK Museum & Cape Cod Baseball League Hall of Fame: from Rt. 28 heading east, take first exit at rotary for Barnstable Rd.  Follow Barnstable Rd. to Main St.  Turn right on Main Street, JFK Museum is only a few hundred feet up on the left.

Cape Cod Potato Chips Factory: from Rt. 28 heading east, take third exit for Rt. 132.  Turn right onto Independence Drive, turn right onto Breed’s Hill Road.

References: Cape Cod Potato Chips

            JFK Museum Hyannis

            The Kennedy Compound

            Cape Cod Maritime Museum  

           

Hyannis on Dwellable

In My Footsteps: Trip 26: Mashpee & New Seabury, Mass.

In My Footsteps

Christopher Setterlund

Trip 26: Mashpee & New Seabury, Mass.

February 26, 2010

            Once the largest reservation of the Wampanoag Indians, and still claimed as their land to this day, Mashpee is a small town big on history.  It was here after King Philip’s War, between English colonists and their Native American allies who fought against the Native Americans of Southern New England in 1675-76, that the Wampanoags settled.  The leader of the Wampanoag’s who fought against the English was Metacomet, descendant of Masasoit, who had adopted the European name Philip in the years before hostilities broke out.

            Mashpee itself is located in between Barnstable and Falmouth and includes several smaller villages much like all Cape Cod towns.  For a deeper connection to the Wampanoag tribe a visit should be paid to the Old Indian Meeting House(right), also known as the Old Indian Church.  Built in 1684 as a place for the Wampanoags to practice Christianity the church is the oldest on the Cape.  It was moved from its original location in 1717 and relocated to its current spot just off of Rt. 28 on Meetinghouse Road.  A cemetery was built on the grounds in the late 18^th century and the building once doubled as a school as well.  The church is still used for services by Wampanoags to this day.

            Located across Rt. 28, almost diagonally from the Old Indian Church is the beginning of the Mashpee River(left).  There are two separate entrances to trails that span the river, one is on the right only a few hundred feet down Quinaquisset Avenue.  This spot seems to have been recently groomed and its elevated view of the beginnings of the river is spectacular.  The second entrance is located on Mashpee Neck Road.  This trail, called the Chickadee Trail, includes a longer walk through the sweet smelling forest.  At the head of the trail there is a great view of the river and a few homes that sit across the water.  Even on this day there were several ducks congregating on the shore.  In the warmer months the woods should be teeming with birds and other small animals.

            Continuing down Mashpee Neck Road will take you to the Mashpee Neck Marina and the Town Way to Water.  Mashpee Neck is one of the tiny villages within Mashpee; also included in that group is Popponesset.  Popponesset Island is a small community that was used for amphibious assaults and training during World War II.  It is also home to the Popponesset Bird Sanctuary which stretches out into Popponesset Bay.  It is said that the Popponesset name refers to the Algonquin ‘sachem,’ or paramount chief Poppononett who lived in the Mashpee area in the 17^th Century.

            On the north side of Mashpee sits the Lowell Holly Reservation located on South Sandwich Road.  It is a 135 acre plot of land named for Abbott Lawrence Lowell, a former president of Harvard University, who donated the land in 1943.  It is home to more than 250 native holly trees, thus the name of the reservation.  The area itself is accessible year round, though the parking lot located at the end of an old carriage road is only open during the summer months. 

            The Lowell Holly lands sit between Mashpee and Wakeby Ponds.  There is a sandy beach along Wakeby Pond(right) which is a perfect spot to cool off in the summer.  The trails continue on until they reach a small finger of land called Conaumet Point which comes from the Wampanoag word ‘Kuwunut,’ meaning ‘beach.’  There are a few hills that give a better overlook of the two fresh water ponds and the tiny Cleveland and Keith Islands that sit out in them.  The hike from the year round parking area to the seasonal lot is not hard and is a worth while trek as the views of the holly trees as well as the ponds are worth it.

            The small village of New Seabury, located in Mashpee, is a very affluent area.  Although it may not be possible to live in this particular area there are a few tremendous attractions that anybody can visit.  The main spot to see is the South Cape Beach State Park.  Before reaching the beach there is the Cape Cod Children’s Museum located on Great Neck Road South.  It is a great non-profit family destination complete with their own pirate ship, an indoor planetarium, and puppet theater.

            Further up the road is the South Cape Beach State Park.  From the parking lot there is a view of Martha’s Vineyard across Vineyard Sound, but the beach is only the beginning.  There are trails through the wooded areas north of the beach as well as a trail leading between the beach and Sage Lot Pond(left).  The pond is home to lots of swans that were situated on the northern side on this day.  This path is an easier walk to the State Jetty at the mouth of Waquoit Bay.

            There are some who believe that Waquoit Bay was the famed Vinland, the first landing of Viking Leif Eriksson a thousand years ago.  For nearly a hundred years many intelligent minds have been trying to prove just that.  Whether it is the first landing spot of the Vikings in North America or not Waquoit Bay is a beautiful natural spot.  From the State Jetty there is a good look across the mouth of the bay at the Washburn Island State Park in East Falmouth. 

            From the Wampanoag Indians to a potential landfall by Leif Eriksson, Mashpee’s connection to American and World history is unquestioned.   For those not looking for history or nature there is always the immensely popular Mashpee Commons, an outdoor shopping center modeled after an old New England town.  It even has a post office and library.  Whether visiting for the beach or the shopping Mashpee should be visited by anyone planning on seeing Cape Cod.  Have fun and happy traveling!

Directions:  Old Indian Church: From Rt. 28 turn north onto Meetinghouse Rd.  Church is on right side with cemetery directly behind it. 

Lowell Holly Reservation: From Rt. 28 turn north onto Rt. 130.  Follow it 1.5 miles and turn right onto South Sandwich Rd.  Entrance to reservation is ½ mile up on left.

South Cape Beach State Park: From Rt. 28 take Great Neck Road South exit at Mashpee Rotary.  Great Neck Rd. S. becomes Great Oak Rd.  Follow it to the beach.

References: Wicked Local - Leif Eriksson Cape Cod    

            Mashpee Commons

            Cape Cod Childrens Museum

            Pilgrim Hall - King Philip's War

            The Trustees - Lowell Holly Reservation

Mashpee on Dwellable