Eastham Historical Society
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Eastham Historical Society |
A tablet on the knoll at the north end of First Encounter Beach marks the location of the first encounter between the Pilgrims and the Native Americans. While the Mayflower remained in Provincetown, Captain Miles Standish and his party explored along Cape Cod Bay. While camped here they were surprised by a group of Nausets; arrows flew and shots were fired, but no harm resulted. The inscription on the tablet, erected in 1920, reads:
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Another plaque, reflecting a more fair representation of the incident, was placed at the beach edge of the parking lot in 2001. The same above listed names are prefaced by:
NEAR THIS SITE
THE NAUSET TRIBE
OF THE
WAMPANOAG NATION
SEEKING TO PROTECT THEMSELVES
AND THEIR CULTURE
HAD THEIR
FIRST ENCOUNTER
8 DECEMBER 1620
WITH...
Not seen by the great majority of visitors passing through Eastham is the Old Town Centre Historic District, located just west of the National Seashore Visitor Center. The district includes nine homes, the oldest dating to 1765, with classic examples of original Cape Cod architecture. All are within easy walking distance. The district was placed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.
This district includes 20 properties located on Route 6, Samoset Road, Depot Road and Mill Road. Notable properties include Eastham Town Hall, the Windmill and Windmill Green, Public Library, Chapel-in-the-Pines, and the Swift Daley House. The district was placed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.
This district includes seven cottages, a fieldstone seawall, and a shucking house. Six of the seven cottages were built in 1928-1929 with some of the materials used coming from chicken coops that previously stood on the site and from the former Chatham Naval Air Station. The district was placed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1999. It was cited as an exceptional representative of the type of small-scale cottage colonies that were appearing on Cape Cod in the early twentieth century to serve the region's thriving tourist industry.
The society conducts an active year-round program: a spring plant, book and white elephant sale, an August and October antiques show, a periodic lecture series and a quarterly newsletter. See calendar of events below.
The archives of the society are located on the lower level of the Eastham Public Library at 190 Samoset Road. General hours for the archives are Tuesday from 1:30 to 6:30 p.m.
The archives and genealogical help are also available by appointment; write archivist Marilyn Schofield at Box 163, Eastham, MA 02642. Or contact Marilyn by e-mail at easthamarchives@easthamhistorical.org
Sunday, May 18 - Eastham Historical Society Annual Meeting. Eastham Methodist Church 5pm to 7pm. Join members of the Historical Society at their annual meeting. An annual event featuring the best food in town made by our good cooks. Pot luck - bring a salad, main dish or dessert to serve 6 people, and bring your own plate and utensils - we supply the coffee. Voting for officers and an overview of the Society's business after the social. All are welcome, come join us.
Saturday and Sunday, May 24 and 25 - Open House at the 1869 Schoolhouse and Schoolhouse Museum. Two days of activities. Tour the newly renovated old schoolhouse and the new schoolhouse museum