Washburn Island and World War II - Cape Cod History

Despite Cape Cod being a relatively small location (approximately 339 square miles), some places are far less traveled. Most of these locations come in the form of small islands located in and around the peninsula.

A few examples include Strong Island in Chatham, which is 75 acres and consists primarily of marshland. There is Sipson Island, which is 25 acres and has been privately owned for over three centuries. Sampsons Island in Cotuit is a 15-acre nature preserve. Bassetts Island in Pocasset is 60 acres of beaches and upland forest. There is even more to be explored, but none has the wealth of history and the air of mystery that exists on Washburn Island.

Washburn Island is approximately 330 acres in size and sits inside Waquoit Bay off East Falmouth. Today it’s a largely undeveloped, pine-and-oak–covered island with a popular primitive campsite and a handful of sandy beaches. That calm surface hides a layered past: Indigenous seasonal use, 19th-century farms and Gilded-Age summer estates, and dramatic storms. Perhaps most intriguing is the island’s surprising role in World War II amphibious training.

Long before European colonists arrived, the island was used seasonally by Native Americans. They referred to the island as Menauhaunt. Archaeological finds like shell middens, stone flakes, and other artifacts show human activity in and around Waquoit Bay and Washburn Island for many centuries. Through the 1700s and 1800s, the island was intermittently used for grazing livestock and small farms. In the 19th century, three farms existed on the island, two of which were gone by the end of the century. By that point, the future Washburn Island had attracted private owners.

In 1900, Henry A. Bryant, whose family had opened the Pacific Northwest to the shipping trade, acquired the property. On it, he had built a large three-story summer house overlooking Waquoit Bay and Vineyard Sound. For a time, a hand ferry connected the island to the mainland with a landing on the Seapit River at present-day Ferry Road.

Henry Bryant died suddenly on January 6, 1904, at the young age of forty-six. The estate on the island was left to his widow, Alida. She held on to the property until 1912, when it was sold to a group of bankers and corporate investors. This included the former U.S. Ambassador to Austria, Albert Washburn.

Albert Washburn c. 1920(Library of Congress)

At first, the purchase was only for the former Bryant estate, with the rest planned to be sold in parcels for development. Those plans fell through, and Albert Washburn and his wife, Florence, bought the rest of the island for their own private use.

The Washburns erected a wondrous compound. In addition to moving into the Bryant estate, the Washburns constructed a stable, a barn, a boathouse, a pier, and a narrow bridged causeway. The family name is what the island is usually called today.

The bridge to Washburn Island looking west toward the mainland.(Falmouth Historical Society)

The main house burned to the ground on October 26, 1926, thanks to a fire starting inside a defective chimney. The soft sand near the bridged causeway severely affected the arrival time of firefighters. By the time the blaze had been quelled, all that remained were the servants' quarters. The barn and most of the farm remained intact. A modest farmhouse was built to give the Washburns a place to live during their summers on the island.

Albert Washburn died suddenly of food poisoning in Vienna in April 1930, leaving the island in a state of flux. The estate never fully recovered, and the property shifted toward recreational use after that period. This was mostly because while the island was still owned by Florence Washburn, she never marked the property or imposed any restrictions on visitors.

Florence and the rest of her family began spending less and less time on the island in the early 1930s. It became a haven for those using the island for picnicking and recreation. Unfortunately, some took advantage of this generosity by looting the farmhouse and vandalizing parts of the island.

A massive hurricane in 1938 dramatically changed the island's appearance. It washed away the causeway and bridge. This left Florence Washburn with no easy access to the island where the farmhouse remained. The storm surge also ripped a channel open in the area that was 125 feet wide and seven feet deep. For the first time in decades, Washburn Island truly was an island.

Washburn Island’s most dramatic chapter came along with World War II. Florence Washburn, who had been living exclusively in Hanover, New Hampshire, said in June 1942 that she wanted to rebuild her beloved island that had been severely damaged by vandals. However, she couldn’t get the assurances needed to protect her property rights.

A perfect storm came up as the U.S. military rapidly expanded amphibious training in the early 1940s. Needing coastal areas to prepare troops for beach landings in both the European and Pacific areas, the military looked to Washburn Island. With Florence unable to rebuild the island the way she wanted, she instead leased several tracts of land to the federal government.

The Army’s amphibious units (Engineer Boat and Shore Regiments and associated training commands operating out of Camp Edwards and nearby facilities) used the island for landing exercises. To create a proper base, there was the construction of a crisscross of several temporary roads and five finger-like piers that stretched nearly 900 feet out into the water. Washburn Island also saw drill fields, parade grounds, and an obstacle course. Once completed, the island served as a training ground for two years.

Despite wishing for the operations at Washburn to be secret, it was easy for locals to spot what was going on. It became commonplace to spot barges landing on the beach and soldiers wading through the water in full gear with rifles held overhead. After the war ended, Cape Codders proudly referred to Washburn Island as the ‘Cradle of Invasions,’ and the troops as ‘Cape Cod Commandos.’

Perhaps the wildest scene during these operations was the full-scale mock invasion the troops performed on Martha’s Vineyard. This included traversing the rough seas of Vineyard Sound and landing at designated sites at Vineyard Haven and Oak Bluffs on the north side of the island, more than five miles away.

A World War II amphibious vehicle, the DUKW.

For training purposes, the island was temporarily reconnected to the mainland via a sand causeway and wooden drawbridge that began at Ovington Point. Temporary structures were also built to support the effort. Contemporary accounts and later histories emphasize Washburn Island’s role as one of the local training beaches where soldiers practiced the skills, including small-craft landings, that would be vital in Normandy, the Mediterranean, and Pacific operations.

Washburn Island’s importance began to dwindle in 1943 due to harsh weather. The majority of the program was moved south to Carrabelle, Florida. Another major hurricane roared through in September 1944. This storm again destroyed the bridge and causeway. For a time, the military decided not to rebuild. It seemed as though this chapter of the story was over.

As World War II was coming to a close in the summer of 1945, Washburn Island got a new purpose. It became a place of recovery for those G.I.s returning from battle. The island that was not long before filled with amphibious vehicles and soldiers preparing for battle now looked far different.

On August 9, 1945, Washburn Island opened the Convalescent Hospital. It was staffed by twenty-five officers and men and was visited daily by 800 men who were transported to the island over the causeway via bus.

Recovering soldiers had access to surfboards, diving rafts, boats for fishing, lounge chairs, and various other beach games. Lt. Victor Dauer, the commanding officer of Washburn Island, emphasized that the facilities were meant for total physical and mental relaxation. Soldiers from all across the country came to Washburn. They got a slice of the good life as the highly regarded Coonamessett Club temporarily operated only to serve those veterans.

When all of the soldiers who had needed help had been taken care of, it was time for Washburn Island to be returned to its namesake. The structures that had been erected were all torn down, leaving only cement slabs on the island. The government gave the island back to Florence Washburn; however, it had changed dramatically.

Numerous trees had been cut down to make way for the military buildings, or they had been felled by the hurricane. The structures that did remain included the old farmhouse, the barn, an ice house, and a bath house. One thing that would not remain was the bridge. In late September 1946, the wooden bridge was removed, and Washburn truly was an island again.

The structures left on the island were left to slowly decay over the years, leading to their eventual razing. Despite the island being deserted, Florence refused to sell, even stating on numerous occasions that she would ‘never’ sell the island. She did, however, continue to allow visitors to the island for recreation up until her death on January 27, 1953.

Florence’s son, Dr. Lincoln Washburn, continued his mother’s policy of allowing visitors and also to never sell the property. This finally changed in 1976 when large increases in taxes in Falmouth got Dr. Washburn’s attention. Talks were loud in the coming years about potentially building a fifty-luxury-home subdivision complete with a 150-spot parking lot and a 200-foot dock. Luckily, the state stepped in to preserve the natural beauty.

In June 1983, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts acquired the island for $2.1 million($6.83 million in 2025). This was a far better option than the alternative.

Washburn Island was incorporated into the Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, which manages it for habitat protection, research, and low-impact recreation. Today, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation (in partnership with the Reserve) manages camping, trails, and visitor access; the island contains primitive campsites, composting toilets, and marked trails but no developed utilities, preserving much of its wild character. What remains today on Washburn Island includes the natural features like a barrier beach, dunes, and salt ponds. There are also oak and pine forests and marshes, which are habitats for shorebirds and marine life. Except for the very small concrete slabs being overtaken by nature, there is nothing that remains from the days when the island was used as preparation for battle and the recovery from it.

Those looking to visit the island may do so. There can be day visits, beaching boats, hiking, and a small, reservation-only primitive campground (ten sites, plus one group site). Access to Washburn Island is by private boat only; there’s no public ferry. One can easily kayak to the island. The closest point to Washburn is at the Menauhaunt Yacht Club, which is less than one hundred feet. The island’s management emphasizes research, stewardship, and low-impact recreation.

In a local newspaper article in 1951, Washburn Island was seen as a place so badly damaged by storms and people that it could not be able to be salvaged. Nearly eighty years later, it stands as a pristine escape within an escape on Cape Cod. From the Native Americans, to the Bryants, to the Washburns, to the military, back to the Washburns, and finally to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, this 330-acre property has had an incredible story. Luckily, it will remain a beautiful getaway for hikers, campers, and beachgoers when it easily could have become another private haven for the filthy rich, which makes up too much of Cape Cod as it is.

Looking across Waquoit Bay with Washburn Island on the right.

In Their Footsteps: Cape Cod History - Billingsgate Island

     Time gives and time takes away. Throughout history people, places, and things arrive and disappear, some lost to history. This is no different on Cape Cod. When driving along the main streets and back roads longtime residents often remark of what used to be where and who used to live there. Losing a building is common, but an entire community? That is something far more rare. It happened 150 years ago in Provincetown at Long Point when the majority of the settlement was floated across the harbor to make up some of the homes along Commercial and Bradford Streets. However Long Point itself still exists. Another community was lost to time about a century ago. This was different. This was nature reclaiming the land it stood on. Shoreline change and erosion is nothing new. This is the story of Cape Cod’s ‘Atlantis.’ This is the story of Billingsgate Island.

     Today Billingsgate is a shoal, and a footnote in Cape Cod history. For many decades though it was a bustling community. Located approximately three miles west of Eastham's Sunken Meadow Beach, just south of Jeremy Point, sat Billingsgate Island. At its peak size the island encompassed roughly 60 acres of land. For comparison the small island of Muskeget, just off of Nantucket, is roughly 292 acres in size and just over a mile across at its widest. Noted by the Pilgrims on their journey from Provincetown to Plymouth its first known European inhabitants were Mayflower passenger Constance Hopkins and her husband Nicholas Snow in the 1640’s.

     During the first quarter of the 18^th century Billingsgate, along with neighboring Great Island, were made the headquarters of the fishing and whaling industry in the area. In 1721 Billingsgate was designated a parish and officially the North Precinct of Eastham. At the time there were many complaints by the people of mainland Eastham about fishermen and whalers sneaking to the town commons and cutting down trees to be used on the island. Billingsgate became part of the new town of Wellfleet when it separated itself from Eastham in May 1763.

     The peak of Billingsgate was the mid-19^th century. It was a prosperous fishing village which would be inhabited during the warmer months by as many as 80 people. The population of the island began to grow in 1821 when a salt works was constructed and in 1822 when the Federal government bought four acres of land for $100 ($2,200 in 2020) upon which a lighthouse was built. The first keeper was William Moore and he would remain on the island year-round, sometimes alone for months at a time in winter. In the decades following the construction of the lighthouse the island would grow to include thirty homes, a schoolhouse, a store, oil works, and a baseball team which would row across the bay to play other teams from the Outer Cape. It was a paradise out of a storybook.

     However, not too long after the lighthouse was built it became apparent that something was happening to the island. The same erosion which batters the coastline today was slowly chipping away at Billingsgate. As early as 1850, in a report by then-lighthouse keeper Francis Krogman, it was noted that the island was ‘washing away very fast.’ An 1854 storm damaged the lighthouse so badly that $14,000 ($426,000 in 2020) was appropriated for the construction of a new one, located further to the north on higher ground, which was completed in September 1858.

1871 Map of Cape Cod with Billingsgate Island circled
(National Public Domain Archives)

     In 1863 it was noted that at high tide the island stood only 13-feet above sea level. With one eye on the booming fishing and whaling industries and the other on the creeping erosion the community would continue to thrive into the latter half of the 19^th century. The eroding shores created dangerous shoals around Billingsgate, leading to several ships running aground. This included the schooner S & E Corson from Philadelphia which sunk in April 1879 with its cargo of coal. In 1888, with erosion threatening the lighthouse, a 1,000-foot sea wall and bulkhead was constructed to try to buy some time. It ended up doing the opposite and speeding up the erosion.

     Slowly but surely the fishermen and their families left Billingsgate. The homes would be taken down and floated across the bay to be resurrected in the towns along the Outer Cape. The twenty-by-twenty-foot schoolhouse would be taken down around the turn of the 20^th century when only about six families remained on the island. Despite the mass exodus some still saw Billingsgate as an attractive destination. This included Dr. Maurice Richardson of Boston who paid a total of $785 ($24,400 in 2020) for two lots on the island and built a summer home there in 1897.

Billingsgate Lighthouse circa 1897
(Lighthouse Friends.com)

     The 20^th century saw the demise of Billingsgate Island. A 600-foot breakwater built in 1905 failed to stem the tide. The homes which had dotted the land had been moved, only oyster shacks and hunting camps remained. The lighthouse would crumble in a storm on the day after Christmas in 1915 and be replaced by a skeleton light fixture on a tripod. Around this same time, after his death, the summer home of Dr. Richardson was taken down. The last keeper of the light, Henry Daniels, would spend three nearly-uninterrupted years on the disappearing land mass at the same time guarding the valuable oyster beds from 1917-1920. The island remained a haven for shellfishing, but these were mostly day-trips from the mainland as it shrunk to a mere 5 acres by the 1920’s.

     The natural process of erosion never ceases and in December 1932 the skeleton lighthouse had fallen due to the high tides. It was replaced by a lighted bell buoy. The breakwater was dismantled in 1935 to be used for repair work at Wellfleet Harbor. In 1942 the tides would submerge the entire island for the first time, officially ending Billingsgate Island and creating Billingsgate Shoal. In the years after its loss fishermen asked for a new lighthouse to be built at the tip of Jeremy Point to aide in navigation, however that never occurred.

Present-day coordinated of where Billingsgate Lighthouse stood circa 1853
(Google Maps)

     Today Cape Cod’s ‘Atlantis’ still lives on in photographs, the homes which are dotted around Wellfleet and surrounding areas, artifacts, and writings about the island including from Henry David Thoreau in his Cape Cod book. The shoal is frequently visible at low tide making it a popular picnicking spot. If one is lucky they may even stumble upon a brick from the old lighthouse’s foundation. It is impossible to step foot on the sandy shoal of what was once a thriving community and not take a moment to think about the power of the sea. It is impossible not to think of all that once stood there and remember to enjoy each and every day because at some point it could all be but a memory, much like Billingsgate Island.

In My Footsteps: Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts

     The northeast corner of the island of Martha’s Vineyard is home to a town that combines the plentiful ocean views with spectacular attractions and history. Here is a little taste of Oak Bluffs.

     

     The town of Oak Bluffs was originally incorporated in 1880 and known as Cottage City based on the fact that it was mainly a seasonal village in the beginning. As it became more of a year-round place to live the name was changed to Oak Bluffs in 1907. The town covers 7.37-square miles and is stocked full of incredible restaurants, shops, historical sites, beaches, and natural beauty.

     The ferry is the most common way to traverse across Vineyard Sound to the island, although it is also possible to fly. The Steamship Authority runs ferries from Woods Hole to Vineyard Haven year round. They also run ferries directly into Oak Bluffs from mid-May through late-October. These ferries take approximately forty-five minutes and are quick and safe.

     The approach to Oak Bluffs is dotted with anchored boats and other vessels passing by as you head in toward an island which feels like Cape Cod yet not. The ferry terminal faces Seaview Avenue and Oak Bluffs Avenue while giving you a feast for the eyes as far as sights go. Directly to the north of the terminal is the Oak Bluffs Fishing Pier. Stretching just over 300-feet out into the ocean this pier was first opened in June 2014 and cost $1 million. It is a tremendous spot to watch the passing boats, take in the sea breezes and salt air, or of course fish.

The Ocean Park bandstand

     Before even stepping on to dry land your eyes are drawn to Ocean Park and its historic bandstand. Surrounded by Victorian homes this green open space is routinely filled with people. One of the homes facing the park, the Tucker House, is famous for having President Ulysses S. Grant there in 1874 to watch fireworks from the roof of the home. The annual summer fireworks held in August draw upwards of 5,000 people in and around the park.

     Whether you travel north or south from the ferry docks there are great recreation opportunities. There are many ways to get around if you don’t bring your own transportation from the Vineyard Transit Authority buses to stopping at Anderson’s Bike Rentals in season on Circuit Avenue Extension.

     To the north you pass around Oak Bluffs Harbor which is filled with boats coming and going. Turn right off Lake Avenue onto East Chop Drive and head out to East Chop Lighthouse situated on Telegraph Hill. The route out to East Chop Light has changed in the last year or so. In April 2018 it was announced that a particularly vulnerable section of the roadway would be closed to vehicle traffic, although still open to pedestrians and bicycles. The 2,000-foot gap in the road between Brewster Avenue and Munroe Avenue are still closed as of September 2019 due to the severely eroding bluffs. A plan is ready to help stabilize the bluff, however the town still needs much of the funding to enact it.

East Chop Lighthouse

     

     The current East Chop Lighthouse is the third structure at the site having been erected in 1878 and stands forty-feet tall. Ironically the previous East Chop Light, which was built as part of a home, still stands on the corner of East Chop Drive and Sandy Bluff Lane a few hundred yards east, although greatly altered so one would never know it used to be a lighthouse. East Chop Lighthouse has beautiful views of Vineyard Sound and Falmouth in the distance and the entrance way through a turnstile surrounded by white picket fence is sublime.

     When venturing south from the Steamship Authority docks it is a tale of spectacular beaches. It begins only a few hundred yards south with Inkwell Beach. This small stretch of beach bordered by a pair of jetties sitting adjacent from Waban Park has a name that has been up for debate regarding its origins. It is possible that Inkwell Beach got its name from the fact that it was frequented by African-Americans beginning in the late 1800’s. The other possibility is that it was named Inkwell due to the fact that many prominent writers from Oak Bluffs went there as a way to clear their minds.

     Further south along Beach Road, running into Edgartown, is Joseph Sylvia State Beach. Originally known as State Beach the two-mile barrier beach is very popular due to its connection to the movie Jaws. The bridge which connects Oak Bluffs to Edgartown across Sengekontacket Pond is known as the Jaws Bridge due to its appearance in a famous scene in the movie. The beach was renamed after Joseph A. Sylvia in 1968. He was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives who was instrumental in the state’s acquisition and protection of the beach.

     The crown jewel of Oak Bluffs sits away from the beaches. The Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meeting Association Campground is home to the iconic Gingerbread Cottages. There are just over 300 cottages situated roughly in a circle around the iron Tabernacle which was built in 1879. The unique and colorful cottages draw countless visitors to the grounds which began as a religious ‘camp meeting’ site just after the Civil War. It began with tents and grew to more permanent dwellings in the form of small cottages. Earlier camp meetings were held on Cape Cod, including the first on record at Bound Brook Island in Wellfleet in 1819.

A gingerbread cottage during Grand Illumination Night

     Although any time is a good time to visit the thirty-four acres of wonderful gingerbread cottages perhaps there is no better time than Grand Illumination Night. Held on the third Wednesday evening in August annually this tradition began all the way back in 1869. It was a way to honor the visit of Massachusetts Governor William Claflin and has grown into the highlight of the summer on Martha’s Vineyard. The event is known for all of the gingerbread cottages being creatively decorated with Chinese lanterns that draws thousands of people. Earlier festivities in the evening consist of sing-alongs in the Tabernacle and a ceremonial lighting of the first lantern to kick things off. It is an unforgettable event, although it is likely for the best if you spend the night as trying to catch the last ferry off of the Vineyard is extremely difficult with thousands of onlookers crowded into the MVCMA area.

     

     There is so much to see and enjoy in Oak Bluffs that it is not possible to take it all in if you are pressed for time. Take the time to see all of the sites mentioned above, but don’t forget other gems like the Flying Horses Carousel, Sweet Life Cafe, and the one-of-a-kind Back Door Donuts.  Oak Bluffs is a vacation within a vacation on Martha’s Vineyard.

Have fun and happy traveling!

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

Links:

Steamship Authority Schedules

MVCMA.org

Martha's Vineyard Chamber of Commerce: Oak Bluffs

Back Door Donuts

In My Footsteps: Cape Cod - Mashnee Island

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