In Their Footsteps: Helen Keller and Cape Cod

    In life, most people have to deal with some sort of adversity. Only a rare few have a path uninterrupted by tough times. Now imagine being dealt several unimaginable tragedies. How would you react? Most would not be blamed for throwing their hands in the air and giving up.

    Young Helen Keller was robbed of her sight and hearing as a young child. Though incredibly difficult to comprehend to those with all five senses Helen not only navigated those rough waters but thrived in life. Helen Keller became a living miracle and an icon of perseverance.

    The journey from not being able to see or hear the world to writing twelve books was long and arduous. Some of that journey took place on Cape Cod in the town of Brewster. This is the story of Helen Keller and her time spent on the sandy peninsula.

    Helen Keller was born on June 27, 1880, in Tuscumbia, Alabama. She was born a typical healthy baby. In the months leading up to her second birthday, Helen was struck with an illness. It is uncertain if it was scarlet fever, meningitis, or something else, but the results were catastrophic. Barely a toddler Helen was rendered both blind and deaf.

    Early childhood was tough for Helen. She had no formal education and was prone to fits of anger due to not being able to communicate. Without sight or hearing she also did not speak. Therefore Helen developed home signs to convey her needs and wants. It was clear to her family that Helen was extremely intelligent and simply needed a teacher to be able to help her reach her potential.

Helen Keller reading as a teenager.(Boston Public Library)

    Helen’s mother Katherine searched for help from experts including famed telephone inventor Alexander Graham Bell. Ultimately Katherine was referred to a teacher named Anne Sullivan. She ended up being the most important person Helen Keller would ever meet.

    On March 3, 1887, Sullivan first met Helen at her home in Alabama. It seemed to be a match made in heaven. Sullivan was a graduate of Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, Massachusetts. She was also nearly blind herself. This gave Sullivan a great deal of empathy toward what Helen was coping with. However, their relationship started rocky.

    During the first few weeks of their relationship, Helen kicked, bit, and pinched Sullivan, even knocking one of the teacher’s teeth out. She could have easily given up on Helen but she didn’t. Through patience and consistency, Anne Sullivan began to earn Helen’s trust.

    Sullivan taught Helen the alphabet by drawing letters on Helen’s palm. This included giving Helen a doll and spelling d-o-l-l into her hand. Within a few weeks, she had begun to understand. The key turning point was when Sullivan spelled w-a-t-e-r while also pumping water over Helen’s hand. From there on it was off to the races. Helen wanted to learn as many words as possible.

    A year was spent working at Helen’s home in Alabama. In May 1888 Sullivan brought Helen to Perkins School for the Blind. This was where Keller learned to read braille and also type with a specially-made typewriter. Helen learned 1,500 words within a year thanks to the help of Anne Sullivan and the Perkins School. Her miraculous achievements began to be chronicled in newspapers nationwide.

    It was in 1888 while studying at Perkins that Helen Keller’s connection to Cape Cod came to be. During her own studies at the Perkins School, Anne Sullivan met Brewster, Massachusetts resident Sophia Crocker-Hopkins. Hopkins had gotten a job as a house mother at Perkins after the tragic death of her daughter Florence in 1883. A sea captain’s widow, Sophia brought Sullivan home with her to Brewster during the school’s summer break to stay at her home located at 1491 Main Street. Sullivan fell in love with the Cape and wanted to share its majesty with young Helen.

    In July of 1888, Sullivan brought eight-year-old Helen down to Cape Cod for the first time. The pair stayed with Sophia at her boarding house in Brewster. It was during this initial visit that Helen first ventured to the sea. She took a series of sandy paths along with Anne to the area of present-day Breakwater Beach.

Breakwater Beach in Brewster, the area Helen visited in 1888.

    In her first autobiography, The Story of My Life, written in 1903, Helen wrote that her first encounter with the ocean was a mixed bag. She was enraptured by the smell of the salty air and fascinated by the sheer enormity of the ocean. Helen admitted that she could sense how big it was.

    The eight-year-old jumped into the water full of exuberance. It was then that her foot struck a rock and plunged her underwater. Though she was never in danger the experience did make her timid around the mighty ocean. Fortunately by the end of her time on Cape Cod that summer Helen was firmly in love with the ocean again. She even wrote in her autobiography a story of Anne bringing her a horseshoe crab and her amazement at it.

    It was during this first visit to Cape Cod that a famous photo was taken. A local photographer named Cornelius Chenery snapped a brilliant photo of young Helen sitting in a chair and cradling a doll that had been given to her by Sophia Crocker-Hopkins. Kneeling beside the child is Anne Sullivan looking on with what can only be described as pride. Throughout their time together Anne would take up that role of beaming with pride at Helen’s achievements from the background.

The famed photo of young Helen and Anne Sullivan taken in Brewster in July 1888.(Wikipedia)

    The first trip to Cape Cod was such a joy that Sullivan brought Helen back in May 1890 for a week's stay. Again they stayed with Sophia on Main Street in Brewster. The local newspapers heaped praise on Keller upon her return. At that point, they remarked that her vocabulary was north of 3,000 words. She also could recognize people she knew by their scent or even the clothes they wore. The most spectacular news relayed in the article was Helen learning to speak herself.

    The incredible achievement was learned first by Helen placing her hands on Anne’s throat and lips. Sullivan would speak and Helen would try to mimic the words. Not only did she speak but she did an interview. It was here that Helen spoke to a stranger for the first time in her life. In time Helen would also be able to ‘hear’ music as well.

    The next time Helen Keller visited Cape Cod was in July 1894. She and Anne Sullivan stayed with Sophia for much of the summer. However, by this point, fourteen-year-old Helen was somewhat of a national celebrity due to her incredible achievements despite tremendous adversity.

    This could not have been made more evident than when a reception was held in her honor. It was no ordinary reception. This was a party thrown by First Lady Frances Cleveland, wife of the-President Grover Cleveland, at their summer White House known as Gray Gables located in Bourne. Over her lifetime Helen Keller went on to meet every United States president from Cleveland to John F. Kennedy.

    Anne and Helen continued to visit Sophia in Brewster including in 1896 and 1897. In August 1903 Helen brought her mother Katherine with her to visit Sophia in Brewster. This was due to the fact that in 1901 Anne Sullivan suffered a major stroke that left her completely blind and she was recovering.

    1904 saw Helen graduate from Radcliffe College in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Her friend Mark Twain had introduced Helen to Standard Oil magnate Henry H. Rogers. He along with his wife Abbie had paid for Helen’s education. She was the first deaf-blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree.

    In the fall of 1904 Helen and Anne purchased a house in Wrentham, Massachusetts. Located only an hour or so from Brewster meant that Sophia could visit her friends there during the winter. Not long after buying the house, Anne Sullivan married John A. Macy. He was a Harvard instructor and literary critic who had helped Helen in getting her works published.

The Iyanough House in Hyannis the site of Helen's last Cape visit in 1908.

    Macy moved in with Anne and Helen in Wrentham. He even joined them in staying at the then-new Iyanough House hotel on Main Street in Hyannis in September 1908. However, the marriage soon began to fall apart. That said, the couple would never officially divorce.

    Anne Sullivan’s health began to trend downward. Helen Keller’s celebrity and drive for social causes including disability rights and women’s suffrage only grew. This meant that visits to Cape Cod ended after the final trip in 1908. Helen remained in the spotlight on the Cape, just in the form of numerous newspaper articles about her amazing achievements.

Helen Keller's autobiography written in 1903.

    Sadly Anne passed away on October 15, 1936, at the age of 70. She and Helen had been inseparable for fifty years and Helen was there with her at the end. By the time of her own death on June 1, 1968, at the age of 87 Helen Keller was a legend.

    Helen Keller became a 20th-century icon with twelve books published and numerous articles. She championed social causes, was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and was elected to the National Women’s Hall of Fame. All of this was done without the ability to see or hear the world around her. Helen Keller’s courage, intelligence, and unyielding determination, are the types of things that seem impossible.

    Over a period of 20 years, Helen made frequent visits to Cape Cod. She walked to the ocean and smelled the salty air. She soaked up the summer sun, touched the grass, and smelled the flowers. Cape Cod became a beloved part of her life much like it has for many who have lived and visited there.

1491 Main Street in Brewster where Helen stayed numerous times.

    The house Helen Keller stayed in numerous times over the years with Anne Sullivan still stands at 1491 Main Street in Brewster. Several artifacts from Helen’s time on Cape Cod can be viewed at the Brewster Historical Society in the Captain Elijah Cobb House at 739 Lower Road in Brewster.

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Sources:

• Helen Keller - Brewster Historical Society

• Helen Keller In Brewster - Coastal Neighborhoods

• Helen Keller - National Women's History Museum

• Helen Keller Story - Perkins School

Cape Cod History: The Tragic Obsession Murders of Lizzie Coleman and Sadie Hassard

 

    The term murder-suicide is sadly something that is heard far too often in the 21^st century. The idea of a person murdering one, or more, people before ending their own lives is both selfish and cowardly. Killing oneself rather than facing the consequences leaves the families unable to properly achieve closure after such a heinous act.

    Unfortunately in many of these cases, there are warning signs, some quite blatant, that go unnoticed, or worse, unreported. In the end, it leaves the victims’ families with the same question: could the tragedy have been prevented?

    Murder-suicides and unreported threats are sadly not only a present-day issue. Nearly 130 years ago the quiet peninsula of Cape Cod saw two unbelievably tragic cases within a span of fewer than twelve months. Both crimes shook the Cape to its core and only after the fact did it become clear that lives could have been saved if the warning signs had been heeded.

    The stories of Osterville’s Lizzie Coleman and Brewster’s Sadie Hassard are similar but different. Both have the sad murder-suicide label. Both came down to jealousy. As stated above, unfortunately, there were warning signs that could have prevented both crimes.

Lizzie Coleman(3rd from left), and her family outside of their Osterville home. About 1890, she would have been roughly 9 years old.

    It began in Osterville at the end of 1894 when an infatuation was born. German laborer Henry Ledtke, who had been working for a few years on S.S. Leonard’s farm, spotted William and Lucy Coleman’s daughter Lizzie for the first time. Ledtke was a man over forty with a wife and three children back in Germany, Lizzie was thirteen and not yet in high school.

    Ledtke’s obsession with Lizzie grew slowly. He began spending more and more time at the Coleman house, on the corner of Main Street and West Barnstable Road, trying desperately to woo the affection of the girl nearly thirty years his junior. The courtship also included numerous gifts given to Lizzie. During this time Lizzie was seen in the company of Eben Harding, the literal boy next door, quite often. The powder keg was soon lit.

    As time passed and Ledtke noticed Lizzie and Eben’s budding relationship he grew wild with jealous rage. It was in May 1895 that Ledtke was told by Mr. Coleman to not come near his house or his daughter anymore. When his request that all of the gifts he had given Lizzie be returned was denied that was the last straw.

    Ledtke made threats against the entire Coleman family, brazenly admitting to Lizzie that he planned on killing her. Sadly she did not tell her father of the danger. Initially, Ledtke’s plan was to kill both    Lizzie and Eben after church on Sunday June 9^th. He even suggested a shortcut home to the young couple which would have led them deep into the Osterville woods where he would have ambushed them. When they refused Ledtke devised a blunter scheme that unfolded early the following day.

    At 8:30am on Monday June 10^th Lizzie walked to school with her two brothers when Ledtke struck. In broad daylight on a public street, he approached Lizzie brandishing a revolver. The first shot grazed her face while two shots missed her brothers. The three turned and ran but Ledtke pursued. He fired a shot that struck Lizzie in the back of the head, killing her instantly. Ledtke then turned the gun on himself. Both murderer and victim lay next to each other in the middle of the street. Incredibly Mr. Coleman had been contemplating alerting the police about Ledtke’s threats on Monday. He never got the chance.

Lizzie Coleman's grave at Hillside Cemetery in Osterville.

    The outbreak of grief and unimaginable sadness was immediate. Lizzie’s funeral was held the day after at the Osterville Baptist Church on Main Street. Her friends from school sang hymns while surrounding her casket. The situation was made all the worse by the fact that Lizzie Coleman’s murder likely could have been stopped if someone had contacted the authorities earlier. She was laid to rest at Hillside Cemetery on Old Mill Road in Osterville.

    342 days later, twenty miles away, with the tragic murder of Lizzie Coleman still fresh in the minds of Cape Codders, a similar story unfolded.

    The story of Sarah 'Sadie' Hassard is like the other side of the same coin. The main difference between her story and Lizzie’s is the belief reported at the time that Sadie and her killer were at some point romantically linked.

    Sadie and Frederick Alexander both lived in Brewster. She was a pretty and well-liked woman of twenty-five. He was said to be a relatively average young man working odd jobs around town at spots like local cranberry bogs. The pair became a couple with the thought being that they intended to get married at some point. It seemed like a perfect story of young love.

    Sometime early in 1896, there was a dissolution of the relationship. Reports at the time said that although Sadie didn’t have eyes for another she had grown tired of Frederick. The young man grew angry and jealous despite Sadie not starting another relationship.

    The impact was immediate as Frederick began making threats against her and her family which consisted of parents and four sisters. The nature of the threats was not revealed at the time. However, in a sad parallel to Lizzie Coleman’s case, the family refused to report the threats to the authorities for fear of unwanted notoriety. It was a costly mistake.

    On the morning of Sunday, May 17, 1896, Sadie and one of her younger sisters were at home on Lower Road in Brewster. She had been living with elderly Reverend Thomas Dawes for the previous two years, she was likely his caretaker as he was seventy-eight years old at the time. The morning church services were just beginning at the Unitarian Church a few hundred yards away on Main Street(Rt. 6A). As Reverend Dawes gave his opening prayer tragedy was unfolding.

    Frederick Alexander went to Sadie’s residence with malice on his mind and a revolver in his hand. He found the doors locked and attempted to enter through a window. Although he was not able to enter the house he managed to grab Sadie and drag her out through the window. She ran out of the yard through the front gate, narrowly missing being shot by Frederick.

    The sound of the shot startled the churchgoers at the Unitarian Church. Sadie attempted to flee to her parents' house further down Lower Road. Three more shots followed as Frederick gave chase. Sadie fell after being hit and before she could even move Frederick caught up to her, pressed the gun to her head, and fired the final shot. He immediately fled south as the church members approached finding young Sadie Hassard dead.

    After the initial shock of finding Sadie's body, the search was on. Chairman of Selectmen of Brewster, John Clark, and Deputy Sheriff Alfred Crocker, put together the search as it seemed to be apparent to those in the know that Frederick Alexander was the culprit.

Sadie Hassard's gravestone.

    The search party headed south, eventually crossing into what is present-day Sweetwater Forest campground. Along the shore of Snow’s Pond, Frederick’s hat was found. Inside it was the murder weapon and twenty-five unused bullets. There was no sign of the killer along the water’s edge but a boat was sent for and the pond was searched. Several passes found nothing. The search persisted and eventually, the body of Frederick Alexander was found about one hundred feet from shore in five feet of water. He had taken his own life.

    Once pulled to shore his person was searched. A bottle of strychnine was found. Also in his pocket was a note evidently written earlier in the day. In the note, Frederick said he planned on killing Sadie and would not be taken alive. He ended with an ominous threat that if he was cornered he would take others with him. This meant that if the concerned churchgoers had arrived a few moments earlier there could have been more losses of life.

    The outpouring of grief was immense in the quiet town of Brewster. Sadie Hassard’s funeral was held at the Baptist Church on Main Street on Wednesday, May 20, 1896. The church was overflowing with people from all over Cape Cod. Reverend Dawes, beside himself with sadness, gave a heartfelt prayer for Sadie’s soul, and the wounded hearts of her family and the town.

The Hassard house foundation at the head of the Eddy Bay Trail in Brewster.

    Sadie Hassard was laid to rest at the Brewster Cemetery on Lower Road. A few hundred yards east of the cemetery, where the Hassard family home stood, is now the Eddy Bay Trail conservation area. The stone remains of the home’s foundation still stand as a solemn link back to a sad and tragic event in Brewster’s history that possibly could have been prevented if only the threats had been reported.

    Lizzie Coleman and Sadie Hassard both had long lives ahead of them. Both of these young ladies had their flame cruelly snuffed out by jealous men. It is important to remember that there were warning signs in both cases. If you or someone you know is in a similar situation to Lizzie and Sadie before their untimely murders please reach out to the proper authorities.

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Previous Blog Posts:

Cape Cod History - The Great Hyannis Fire of 1904

In My Footsteps - When A Smell Sparks Up Nostalgia

Be sure to check out my website: Christopher Setterlund.com

Zazzle Store: Cape Cod Living

In Their Footsteps: Cape Cod History - Albert Crosby and Tawasentha

     Home is where the heart is. For so many their childhood home is a place of wonder and magic where they grew and learned and became who they were as adults. Most move over time and leave those places behind. Sometimes the call of those cherished memories is so strong people find themselves wishing they could live in those homes once again. For Albert Crosby of Brewster his childhood home was so meaningful to him that even after making millions of dollars in the mid-19th century far away from Cape Cod he never forgot where he came from. So much so that even when he returned home after retiring and had a custom mansion built for him his childhood home needed to remain a part of it. Crosby did so by literally building his new home around the one he grew up in. This is story of the Crosby Mansion also known as ‘Tawasentha’ and the legendary Cape Codder whose life created it.

Tawasentha

     Albert Crosby was born on January 14, 1823 in Brewster, the son of sea captain Nathan Crosby and Catherine Nickerson. The home he grew up in was small and white with a beautiful view of Cape Cod Bay to the north. It was built by his father in 1835 upon returning to Brewster from Chatham.

     During his early years Albert tried his hand at work in the Mercantile Marine Service however his fortunes quite literally lay in the western United States. In 1848 Crosby left Cape Cod and headed for Chicago with his wife Margaret whom he had married the previous year. The Crosby name on Cape Cod carried with it such weight that Albert was able to borrow $10,000 of goods from Boston to begin to create his business empire.

     Albert’s beginnings were in that of dry goods such as teas but by 1851 he had created the largest alcohol distribution business in the west. He even persuaded his younger cousin Uranus to leave Cape Cod and come work with him in Chicago. The business, Albert Crosby & Co., became a success. Albert and Uranus increased their profits in the liquor business by hoarding liquor in 1860 ahead of the Civil War which also brought with it a wartime tax on alcohol. In 1862 the business name was changed to Northbranch Distillery Co. Crosby would increase his wealth selling liquor to the Army during the Civil War.

The Crosby Opera House in Chicago (New York Public Library, Public Domain)

     Despite the success in dry goods, liquor, and even real estate, Albert’s wife Margaret longed to return back east. Crosby relented and moved to West Roxbury with her and their four children in 1862. Albert would however find any excuse he could to return to Chicago. Once such excuse was the opening of the Crosby Opera House by Uranus in 1865. Located on Washington Street the building itself cost $600,000 ($9.4 million in 2020) and it was designed for the purpose of enhancing the arts in Chicago.

     The endeavor was doomed from the start with the desire for opera in Chicago not what Uranus had expected it to be. He attempted to sell the opera house and its collection of art in a lottery in January 1867. The lottery was a huge controversy as the ‘winner’ A.H. Lee immediately sold the opera house back to Uranus Crosby at a fraction of the original cost. In April 1867 Albert Crosby bought the opera house and Uranus left Chicago for Cape Cod.

     Also in 1867 Albert Crosby added to his business portfolio, becoming director of the Chicago Railway company, a position he held for seven years. He had become president of the newly formed Downer & Bemis Brewing Co. the previous year which would serve him well in the future. While in Chicago Crosby would frequently appeal to his wife Margaret to come from West Roxbury, she always refused. During his time as opera house owner he developed a relationship with burlesque performer Matilda Garrison more than twenty years his junior.

     From October 8-10, 1871 the Great Chicago Fire destroyed more than 17,000 structures and left an estimated 300 people dead. In this fire the Crosby Opera House and its art was lost. Albert Crosby himself lost $1.5 million ($31.5 million in 2020) in art and property. The only saving grace for Albert was his railway connection and that of the Downer & Bemis Brewing Co. He was able to almost immediately begin amassing a second fortune.

     In January 1872 Albert quickly divorced Margaret and was married to Matilda that June. The couple toured Europe beginning in 1874 living the lavish lifestyle for nearly ten years. They returned to America in 1884 with Albert spending the next three years in further pursuit of wealth. However in 1887 he retired from business and longed for a return home. Despite Matilda’s lack of enthusiasm the couple arrived in Brewster in April 1888.

The original home of Nathan Crosby built into Tawasentha

     After living a life of grandeur for so long a compromise was made. Crosby’s original childhood home would remain untouched, however an impressive mansion would be built all around it. The finished product took just over a year. It was three-stories and included a 60-foot tower with a view of the bay, 35 rooms, 13 fireplaces, a 75x50-foot art gallery, and a long veranda. The mansion was given the name 'Tawasentha' after Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem “Song of Hiawatha.” The Crosbys told guests the mansion was modeled after Versailles and Buckingham Palace among others.

     Tawasentha became the place to be for the social elite from Cape Cod, Boston, and New York. Even legends such as Mark Twain, Helen Keller, and the Duke of Wales paid it a visit. The high life at times wore on Albert as Matilda loved throwing extravagant parties. Legend has it during these times he would retreat into his childhood home part of the mansion and relax in his favorite rocking chair.

     Albert Crosby died on July 24, 1906 at the age of 83. After his death Matilda opened the art gallery to the public once a week until her death in 1928 with the art inside valued at roughly $100,000 ($2 million in 2020). At this point Tawasentha was passed to the grandnieces of Matilda who in turn sold the home and all of the art in 1929. The former Crosby estate was purchased in March 1939 by former Metropolitan singer Martha Atwood Baker. It became the new home of the Cape Cod Institute of Music. One student who went on to great success was Kirk Douglas. World War II took its toll on the school and it was dissolved in 1943 though the Institute of Music itself ran for several more years.

     Tawasentha sat empty until 1950 when the owners of the Southward Inn of Orleans bought it. It was rechristened the Gold Coast Restaurant and Inn. In 1955 fire destroyed the former art gallery section of the mansion. The tenure as a restaurant was short-lived as in 1959 a group led by Dr. John Spargo purchased it to be used as a weight loss camp for young girls. Spargo bought out his partners in 1978 and had plans in place to turn the former Crosby estate into condominiums. Luckily the plans were not approved by the town and after a few years of battling Spargo sold the mansion and its land to the state in 1986. Tawasentha became a part of Nickerson State Park.

     Over the years the building itself fell into disrepair with the 60-foot tower burned by vandals. The Friends of Crosby Mansion group, founded by Brewster residents Brian Locke and his mother Ginny, has been working to renovate and restore the property for more than 25 years. It is a beautifully impressive site located between historic Rt. 6A and Crosby Landing Beach. It is a mansion built by Albert with love for Matilda while also keeping intact the childhood home built with love for Albert by his father Nathan.

Tawasentha is located at 163 Crosby Lane in Brewster

For more information visit https://www.crosbymansion.com/

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View my previous blog posts: In Their Footsteps: Cape Cod History - The Pacific Guano Company

In Their Footsteps: Cape Cod History - The Journey of the 3 Sisters of Nauset

                       

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In Their Footsteps: Cape Cod History - Bassett's Wild Animal Farm, Brewster

Bassett's Wild Animal Farm

     In today’s technologically-driven world, the younger generation has access to almost anything they could want to view at the tips of their fingers. Video games, on-demand movies, and television, virtual reality, stimulating one’s senses comes easy in the 21^st century. In the decades of the past entertainment was far different for those growing up on Cape Cod. For nearly fifty years the Cape Cod Mall has been a popular hangout spot, the Cape Cod Baseball League has consistently provided family-friendly fun for a century, and miniature golf, bowling, and more have been go-to’s for kids and families. However, once upon a time there was another outlet for family entertainment located in a rural wooded area near Route 6A in Brewster. It was where kids could see creatures both familiar and new to them many in a hands-on way. This was not a zoo, it was an animal farm. It was Bassett’s Wild Animal Farm.

     The idea of the wild animal farm, similar in theory to a petting zoo, on Cape Cod was the brainchild of Harry ‘Bud’ Bassett. Bassett was born and raised in Brewster, a part of the Brewster Bassett family lineage. From an early age, he was a lover of animals and the environment. After fighting in World War II and working in the private sector as part of Cape & Vineyard Electric Co. until he was in his early thirties Bassett decided to act on his love of animals, as well as his large tract of land on Tubman Road in Brewster. In 1959 Bud, along with his wife Olivia, began dreaming up an animal farm after Olivia gave him a pair of deer as a birthday present.

     Bassett would purchase more land to the south of his farm to accommodate more animals. He would include creatures familiar to Cape Codders like rabbits, raccoons, Canadian geese, skunks, and more. The true appeal of the endeavor would be those animals not native to the peninsula. Bassett would purchase those creatures from reputable dealers at game farms in the south. He would prove his love of animals by selling those that did not naturally hibernate during winter to southern farms in the fall and purchasing the animals again in the spring.

A postcard for Bassett's(Sturgis Library)

     

     Initially known as Bassett’s Game Farm it would have its grand opening on May 2, 1959. It cost 50 cents for adults and 30 cents for children to enjoy the sights of the familiar and unfamiliar animals nestled in the peaceful pine forest. It was a much more fulfilling experience for people to see these animals in a natural environment rather than a city zoo. The pony rides, hayrides, petting zoo, and more attracted throngs of families to the twenty-acre farm. The venture was a success and by 1962 there were more than fifty species of animals at the-now Bassett’s Wild Animal Farm. As his farm grew in popularity Bassett added llamas and a black bear among other creatures. It would become a staple of summer family outings and school trips as the 1960s wore on.

     

     In the 1970’s a leopard, mountain lion, several coatimundi, and a few Patagonian cavies became part of the farm. In 1979 after nearly twenty years of sharing his love of animals with Cape Codders, visitors, and their families Bud Bassett decided it was time to sell and retire. He found a buyer in Gail and Donald Smithson who were looking for a place to begin an Appaloosa horse breeding farm. Initially, the Smithsons were not going to continue on with Bassett’s Wild Animal Farm, that was until the grounds were being toured and Gail fell in love with the animals there. She kept the attraction going, simply adding her Appaloosa horses to the mix. Bud Bassett moved to Mariaville, Maine after selling his farm.

     Gail Smithson did not take the legacy of Bassett’s lightly. During her first few years, she did extensive repairs and renovations trying to make the farm as impressive to those perhaps seeing it for the first time. She improved the cages some of the animals were kept in and added Indian zebus, a mountain lion, and an African lion for visitors to gaze upon. Smithson also integrated her horses into the farm as part of the pony rides and hayrides. In 1994 a Bengal tiger cub named Okemo was brought in to be a part of the popular attraction. Although Bassett’s Wild Animal Farm continued to be widely patronized by families and school field trips an incident involving that Bengal tiger would spell the end of the line.

One of my own personal visits to Bassett's Wild Animal Farm. 1982

     

     In May 2000 a fourteen-year-old employee at the farm was bitten by the tiger on her right calf after entering the cage to feed the 500-pound animal not knowing the trap door was open. Concerns from the federal licensing agency which oversaw all animal parks were two-fold, whether the animal was rabid, and whether the girl had the appropriate paperwork to even be employed there. In the years leading up to the incident, there had been minor protests about the captivity of the animals, most notably by local artist Malcolm Wells in 1996, this incident with a large cat was too much to ignore. Bassett’s Wild Animal Farm closed in 2002.

    

     Bud Bassett, despite spending his remaining years in Maine and Florida, continued contributing to the Cape in other ways. Before his passing in 2010, he and his wife Olivia donated a one-and-a-quarter acre chunk of land along Slough Road to the Brewster Conservation Trust. The main parcel of Bassett’s Wild Animal Farm along Tubman Road is seeing a second life as well. In 2014 an affordable housing project through Habitat for Humanity was approved with 13.9 acres of land being used for fourteen homes ranging from two to four bedrooms and being ready for living in 2021. The remaining land would be sold back to the town of Brewster.

     Though it has been closed for nearly twenty years many residents and visitors to Cape Cod have fond memories of wandering the seemingly endless maze of animals, some dangerous, some not, and feeling so far away from the typical Cape surroundings. Because of those memories Bud and Olivia Bassett’s showcase for their love of animals will never be forgotten.

Be sure to check out my website: Christopher Setterlund.com

My 5th book, Cape Cod Nights, is on sale at Amazon.com and through Arcadia Publishing

In My Footsteps: Cape Cod - Nickerson State Park

My first book, In My Footsteps: A Cape Cod Travel Guide, is available at SchifferBooks.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and Amazon.com, and stores everywhere!  Follow me on Twitter and YouTube for more on In My Footsteps.


Come and see me at  Books By the Sea, Osterville July 5th


Falmouth Public Library, July 31st, and


Yellow Umbrella, Chatham August 4th


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Brewster on Dwellable

In My Footsteps: Trip 15 - Nickerson State Park

In My Footsteps

Christopher Setterlund

Trip 15: Nickerson State Park, Brewster, Mass.

January 28, 2010

           

            Worthy of its own article and worthy of more than one trip on its grounds Nickerson State Park in Brewster is in my opinion one of the crown jewels of hiking and natural beauty on Cape Cod.  Located on Route 6A just a short drive from Exit 12 off of the Mid-Cape highway, Nickerson is a huge attraction for locals and visitors alike.  It is a prime area for freshwater swimming and camping as well as hiking and bicycling.  I have been coming here for more than twenty years and with each visit I find something new and exciting in my travels.

            Set on 1,900 acres of prime land, Nickerson houses many kettle ponds formed by glaciers over 10,000 years ago.  The campsites offer breathtaking views and the sweet scents of the pine forest that no words can describe.  The park bears the name Roland J. Nickerson in honor of the multimillionaire who owned the land in the late 19^th century.  His mansion is now the Ocean Edge Resort and Club in Brewster.

            There are times during a hike around Big Cliff Pond(right), or as you ride through the eight miles of bike trails that you may actually feel as though you are in the middle of nowhere.  However, there is actually a trail located at the far end of Nook Road that comes within a few hundred feet of the highway.

            The first place to visit upon entering the park is Flax Pond(left).  Located on the first left after entering Flax Pond is, along with Big Cliff Pond, the most popular places for families to come and enjoy themselves.  Since none of these kettle ponds have streams or rivers to feed them water their level can fluctuate year to year.  Flax Pond has canoes for rent a short walk from the main entrance and with no current the water is very safe and easy to navigate for paddler and swimmer alike.

            At the end of Flax Pond Road you will find Big and Little Cliff Pond.  At their closest the two kettles are separated by about seventy-five feet but they never do connect.  Canoeing is also available here and there are boat ramps available for people coming with their own water transportation.  Up on a hill, a short walk up a lot of steps, brings you to a picnic area with an amazing aerial view of Big Cliff Pond.  In summer when the picnic area would be used the view is quite obscured by the green plants and trees, but on this trip in the dead of winter you could see all the way around the periphery of the pond.  There are cabins for camping at the top of the hill as well and just about any parking area along the whole of Nickerson can be made into an impressive hike.  As much as I am mentioning great places to see at Nickerson State Park there really is no bad spot to choose.  It is just as much fun to point yourself in one direction and just go.

            Further along down Nook Rd. there is a popular fishing spot on Big Cliff Pond.  There is a small dirt parking area located amongst the trees.  The roads at Nickerson although they have names are really just one long road that carries you from the entrance at Rt. 6A to the dead end near the highway.  Flax Pond Rd. is one side road to check out as is Nan-Ke-Rafe Path which is dirt and leads to Rafe Pond.

            Camp Nan-Ke-Rafe, located on the grounds is a seventeen acre campground run by Dream Day On Cape Cod who runs camps in summer in support of special needs children and their families.  The grounds can be walked at any time of year.  There is a parking area right before the entrance to Nickerson for those wishing to bike ride through the park.  Barb’s Bike Shop has a location there and has a great selection of bikes and rental prices that won’t hurt your wallet.

  Also it would not be a proper day out at Nickerson during the summer without stopping at Cobies, a popular restaurant located just before you reach Nickerson.  It has a great atmosphere with outside picnic tables and has been serving great fried food since 1948.  A visit here can be the perfect end or beginning to your day, I know it has been for me many times!    

            Nickerson State Park is a perfect spot for a picnic, for a family outing, or to just take some time to enjoy the sights, sounds, and scents of untouched nature.  This wonderful escape can be enjoyed at any time of year and is a great change of pace from the crowded beaches.  Make it a point to visit Nickerson, no matter what route you choose you will find some amazing scenery.  Have fun and happy traveling!  

Directions:  From the highway, take exit 12.  Head west on Rt. 6A for 1.7 miles, Nickerson is on the left.  Barb’s Bike Shop is next left following Nickerson entrance.  Cobies is 1,000 feet up on the left.

References:  Dream Day On Cape Cod

            Barb's Bike Shop

            Cobies

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In My Footsteps: Trip 14: Brewster, Mass.

In My Footsteps

Christopher Setterlund

Trip 14: Brewster, Mass.

January 28, 2010

            Brewster is a classic small town with a mix of the modern and the quaint.  It may have the most natural beauty of any town on the mid-Cape with the Natural History Museum as well as Nickerson State Park which will be addressed in its own article.  First incorporated in 1803, carved out from the northern part of Harwich, Brewster was named for William Brewster one of the leaders of the Pilgrims.  The sights and history start almost immediately when you cross over into Brewster from Dennis.  This little village is also filled with cozy Bed & Breakfasts that look like they are straight out of the 19^th Century.  The best part is that you do not have to travel very far to find natural and historical beauty.

            On Rt. 6A as you cross into Brewster you come across Drummer Boy Park which houses the Old Higgins Farm Windmill(left).  It was built in 1795 and has been moved several times before winding up in its current location.  Also on the Drummer Boy Park grounds is the Harris-Black House also built in 1795.  The park area is grassy and wide open, perfect for recreation and picnicking. 

            Almost immediately after exiting Drummer Boy Park you will find the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History.  There are trails on the south side of Rt. 6A that take you across a marsh and into the surrounding woods.  The Natural History Museum itself is filled with amazing exhibits featuring the local wildlife and ecology.  It is open everyday during the summer and most days during the spring and fall.  It is what is behind the museum that truly makes the trip memorable, a prime example of what the Natural History Museum’s exhibits are all about. 

            Located across Quivett Creek Marsh and only accessible at low tide is Wing Island.  The John Wing Trail which begins as a series of boards across the mucky marsh leads you across the wooded land and out to Cape Cod Bay is named for John Wing.  Wing was the first white settler to live within the boundaries of what was old Harwich in 1656.  The island trail has several openings which allow a broad view of Quivett Creek Marsh and Cape Cod Bay(right) simultaneously.  The land is filled with birds, butterflies and sweet smelling flowers during the warmer months but it is still an amazing piece of natural beauty during the winter.  Remember that the marsh trail leading to Wing Island is submerged during high tide so check the charts before heading out there.  Paine’s Creek is visible from the beach at Wing Island but in order to get to the beach you must leave the Natural History Museum and head down 6A.  It is a great swimming beach as it is on the bay side of the Cape and therefore has less surf.

            If you follow Paine’s Creek Road to Stony Brook Road you will find a pair of well known attractions.  The Stony Brook Herring Run(right) is a popular site for children and adults alike, especially during the spring when the herring spawn.  During the spring the narrow brook is choked with the fish but as tempting as it may seem, taking them from the grounds is not permitted.  However, it does not have to be spring to enjoy the herring run.  Lower Mill Pond empties through the herring run and out into Paine’s Creek and the series of ‘fish ladders,’ a sort of man made funneling system for the fish, make a constant rush of water that overpowers most other sound.  There is also an old wishing well on the grounds and a walking bridge over the brook that allows for tremendous views of the natural beauty no matter what the season.

            Across the street from the herring run is the Stony Brook Grist Mill(left).  The original mill was 200-years old when it burnt to the ground in 1871, the current mill was built on the original foundation two years later.  It houses a museum inside and is still in operation despite being nearly 140-years old.  The mill has an amazing wooden wheel affixed to its side; this spot is a very popular photographic site.

            A beautiful place to stay and a beautiful place to explore, Brewster holds many natural and historical attractions.  It should be a destination for any traveler wishing to visit Cape Cod.  Any time of year you can enjoy all of the sites Brewster has to offer.  Have fun and happy traveling!

Directions: Drummer Boy Park: On Rt. 6A travel east into Brewster.  The park is located shortly after entering the town on the left side.  The windmill stands on the left side of the park with the Harris-Black house sitting behind it.

Cape Cod Museum of Natural History & Wing Island: On Rt. 6A travel east into Brewster.  The Natural History Museum is a very short drive from Drummer Boy Park and is designated by a large sign.  Wing Island is behind the museum across the marsh, accessible only at low tide.

Paine’s Creek: On Rt. 6A travel east, pass Drummer Boy Park and the Natural History Museum.  Bear left onto Lower Rd. and take first left onto Paine’s Creek Rd.  Follow road to beach parking lot.

Stony Brook Herring Run & Grist Mill: On Rt. 6A heading east turn right onto Paine’s Creek Rd.  Turn right onto Stony Brook Rd.  The herring run and mill are 1,000 feet away.  Parking is on herring run side of road.

References: Cape Cod Museum of Natural History

            Brewster Historical Society

            Cape Cod Herring Runs
           Brewster By the Sea Bed & Breakfast

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