Pam Tice, Citizen of New York’s Upper West Side, and part-summer resident of Prospect Hill in South Wellfleet. Retired from a non-profit career that included the Ford Foundation, the Central Park Conservancy, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, the Mayor’s Office, American Youth Hostels, and Bike New York First brought to South Wellfleet when three weeks old.
History Major, digging into history now.
South Wellfleet, Massachusetts 
Hi Pam, Bill Iacuessa told me of your Old Wharf history project, and solicited some of my recollections about the area. I’m thrilled that you have taken this on and are preserving, and bringing to life, the local history, which is significant for both of our families. I live in California now, but visit family in Wellfleet and Eastham for a week or so every summer. Just for your information, my folks spelled Erick’s name with a “k”, since my dad’s name was Frederick, as is Erick’s. Keep us the good work. Regards, Bruce Eastman
Hi Bruce,
I’m so glad to hear from you —- thanks for the spelling correction — I’ll fix it in a minute. I’m curious about the Tide mill just south of the Barker’s land (?) — over near what we now call Mill Hill. Do you know anything about it?
I’m getting started now on putting the Barkers —Isaiah and his children into a narrative. Do you know anything about Lewis Cheever Barker’s later life? I know that he died in California — and that he remarried. But do you know why he went to California?
Also, what do you know of the ship “Lizzie Barker” named for Isaiah Barker Jr.’s first wife.
Stay in touch!
Best,
Pam
Hi Pam,
I only know that there was a mill on the side of Mill Hill facing the land. There was also a so called “stone bridge” on the little tidal creek on the boundry between our property and the Mill Hill property. It was still fairly visible when I was young, and Erick could still probably locate it in the marsh grass today. It is mentioned in the legal description of the boundaries of the Kildee property. Seems to me I recall my mother saying her grandfather or great grandfather used to drive cattle over the bridge to pasture on the Mill Hill property. My brother Ron probably knows the most about it, as he did considerable research when he put the property through land court to get a clear title.
I’m drawing a blank on Lewis Cheever Barker, and also the vessel Lizzie Barker, although I sort of remember hearing someone speak the name.
Not sure if you are aware of it, but Isaiah and George W. Barker are buried in the S. Wellfleet cemetery.
Regards,
Bruce
Hi Bruce,
Many thanks for the update —- do you know when or why the property is called “Kildee?” Such an interesting name …
Pam
Hi Pam,
The property is called Kildee after the Kildeer bird, which nests there. The point of land facing Lt. Island, where Ron built his new home some years ago, is called Kildee point. I’m not sure when these names came into being, but it was before my mother’s time, as she always referred to the property by that name, and I think there is reference to it in family communications before her time.
Besides Kildee point, we referred to other points of interest on the property: Cannon Hill, where we had our flag pole (now almost completely obscured by the pine trees); Chicken Hill, right beside the old homestead, so called because my great grandfather George W. Barker had a chicken coop there; the garden, where there were still some asparagus and rhubarb plants growing on their own when I was a kid, on the other side of Chicken hill; the mud hole, a tidal inlet between Kildee point and the beach where we moored our boats; the dump, a dump typical of most farms where we threw cans, glass, etc. (we burned our paper trash, and buried the garbage in a garbage hole) located on a bank near Kildee point and the mud hole; the bog, a small cranberry bog just down the slope from Ron’s house on Kildee point; and the dike, one of the old tidal control dikes that protected the meadow in front of our house from flooding by tidal waters. There was a fresh water spring at the head of this meadow, and apparently some of my family before my mother’s time had a garden or pasture there.
Regards,
Bruce
Exceptional research and terrific writing! A joy to read.
If you like, perhaps I might offer some additonal personal history on Prospect Hill from the 1950’s and 1960’s. But be advised: I am willing to name names!
Ed Jr.
Just an FYI. The first non-Puritan church in America was First Baptist Church in Province RI founded by Roger Williams in 1638.
Thanks for your comment — much appreciated! But I think the point I was trying to make was not about about a particular church but a church organization. I’ll see if I can re-write to make that more clear! (And I’ll check that Methodist fact!)
Pam
Since the other denominations were in other states, it very well could be true in Massachusetts. Most of my early lines fled to Rhode Island almost as soon as they arrived in the 1630s.
Hi, Pam. I discovered your blog about the history of South Wellfleet through a Facebook post by Chuck Cole. I have written a blog about living green in Wellfleet for almost eight years and last June wrote an ebook about our town. I will tell my readers about your blog. It’s great!
Hi Alexandra! I love your blog and read it often —- I would be honored if you mentioned my blog. I also bought your e-book recently and LOVE it.
I had planned to let you know about my blog after I had enough solid pieces done, so am so pleased that Chuck Cole posted it.
I’d love to meet you sometime when I’m in South Wellfleet!
Best,
Pam
Hi Pammy, your Big Brother loves your blog! RLF……………..
Hi Pam – I just came across this blog and think its just great. FYI, the folks at Wellfleet Conservation Trust are conducting a Guided Walk through South Wellfleet on Saturday September 7th at 9AM. The guides include local historians and naturalists and the walk is free. Just thought you might want to know about it in case you weren’t already!
…And I see you are one of the guides for the WCT Walk on Sat, Sept 7th!
Can you please tell me who painted the the land/seascape displayed at the top of your blog?
Thanks for such an informative and detailed history of the area.
Thanks for your kind remarks Susan — that’s not a painting. It’s a photograph I took at sunset one evening looking out over Blackfish Creek, from the southern side.
Best,
Pam
Pam-I am holding my grandfather, Richard Parmenters ships log of Dr Austin’s expedition Sch. Ariel June-sept 1927! Lots of photo albums.
Hi Melanie,
Wonderful story — have you contacted Audubon about the albums? I’ll be they’d love to know.
Pam
Not yet, overwhelmed with stuff back to mayflower, richard and isabella parmenters best friend Edwin Dickinson, artwork, pictures of wellfleet, original documents, boxes of letters 1921 forward, then ledgers 1700’s, court seal for anthony marvine, nathaniel GORHAM etc. I will eventually. Thanks
Good luch — sounds like you have a real treasure trove — are you in Wellfleet?
Thanks. I’m on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. My grandparents and Dickinson’s were very ingrained in Wellfleet. Also Provinceton, Ithaca, Geneva. Paris during the war.
Pam I have been meaning to tell you how absolutely stunning your photograph is. I was hoping it was a painting as I have been looking for something just like that for my home! You have a great eye.
Awwww, thanks!
Pam
Pam –
I am thrilled to have found your blog. Chuck Cole told me about it this weekend and I have been scanning it today. Can’t wait to get more time to dig into it!
My family has been coming to Wellfleet since 1939 when my Great Aunt bought a property on Ocean View Drive, it is still in the family today! In 2006 my wife Joy and I purchased the James Maguire property on LeCount Hollow Rd (The Paine House from 1847).
Hi Bill (and Joy)
Wonderful to hear from you — I slightly referenced your property when I wrote about the General Store — the Paines were there, and then it became the Depot Master’s House?
Will you be there in June? — I’d love to meet you then, when I’m back in South Wellfleet.
Best,
Pam
Hi Pam,
Starting in 1954 my family began spending two weeks surrounding July 4th and another two weeks surrounding Labor day at the Peter Clark cottage two houses up and across the street (rutty sand road) from Miss Joy’s house. A few years later my father and grandfather became the second owners of Frank McCallum’s cottage on lot 1. By that time I was spending all summer with my grandparents and each summer my grandfather and I built or rebuilt (the McCallum’s) a house. There were three sand roads at the end of Old Wharf Rd.The left went to the Eastman’s, straight went over the causeway to the Joy’s and to the right went through my grandfather’s property. In those days paper roads and on the ground roads were unrelated. There was some sparse local complaints about the need to take a left and then a right on the new by-pas we built. Some drivers used what was now the driveway until the foundation of the first house was installed and they could no longer get by our cars parked in the “driveway”. In the next few seasons we gained two neighbors: the Boyles from New York city (Mrs Boyle’s husband, Harry, was a subway engineer who had had a stroke and was confined to a wheelchair and they were the only Old Wharf people, that I knew of, to live there year round.) and Lincoln Almond and his family. Mr Almond was the United States District Attorney for Rhode Island and later became the Governor of Rhode Island.
As a child I spent a lot of time with Mr Rogers. Miss Joy gave me her top secret recipes for her famous beach plum jelly, but she had equally famous India relish and mustard pickles. Mr Rogers spent much of his day shucking and canning (jars) oysters. If you give me a email address or tell me how to post a photo in your comment section I can forward pictures of Mr Rogers, Miss Joy, and Miss Thornrose. Helen (I think that was her first name) was Miss Joy’s sister who started spending the summers after we arrived.. (I never saw her last name written so am unsure of the spelling).
They carefully explained to me one of their families strict rules regarding potential childhood arguments. If the family was serving a food item that needed to be proportioned, like slicing a cake, then the girl who didn’t do the division would get the choice of the first piece. This put pressure on the other sister to divide the food exactly equally as she could never get the bigger piece (or smaller piece if they didn’t like the food).
In 1954 they were still using an outhouse and had only cold water in the house. The same was true of the McCallum house. Peter Clark’s house and indoor plumbing as did the Leazott’s next door (the house between Clark’s and Joy’s). There was electricity but it was often out after a storm. There was no garbage collection. On first arrival, a garbage pit was dug in the sand. All cans had their tops and bottoms removed and the sides flattened. Once ever few weeks or before a rain, the paper in the pit would be burned (often non-returnable bottles we broken to reduce size) and at the end of the season the pit would be refilled. I am amazed that in those days of two months of renters, guests, family visitors that the final amount of garbage would be less than a foot. Now, I generate that much in a week by myself.
Bob Beckerer
Hi, Pam,
Just came across your blog! It is great.
Ann Wyllie Mulroy (FF days!)
Thanks Ann! If you hadn’t added the FF Days I might not have noticed — hope all is well with you!
Pam
Hi Pam- I am in process of buying a home on Chipman’s Cove in Wellfleet that includes the studio of the artist Edwin Dickinson. He did some paintings of the South Wellfleet Inn, and also owned a window and a dining room cupboard from this Inn, obtained I believe after the Inn burned down. I have not been able to find any information on this inn. Do you know anything about it? Thanks, Cathy
Hi Cathy,
I haven’t written about Indian Neck yet but am collecting information. The Indian Neck Inn was Luther Crowell’s home until M. Burton Baker turned it into an Inn in the 19-teens (I have an 1920 advertisement). It burned later — don’t have the year yet.
You mentioned Melanie Dixon in a subsequent post — where did you find that?
Best,
Pam
PS- I see now that Melanie Dixon wrote last year about her grandparents and Edwin Dickinson. I would be interested in anything else she can share. My primary home is in Alexandria VA by the way, not that far from the eastern shore of Maryland.
Cathy, Pete Schindler from UofR chanced upon your entry in a BU alumni mag, sent it to me, and this is the best I can do to track you down. Chances you will view this seem slight. My wife Robin and I have been going to the outer Cape since the 1980’s, when I worked at Brown in Providence. We now live in Philadelphia. We have been going to Wellfleet every August for 2 weeks, since the early-mid 1990’s and have rented exclusively on Indian Neck for what must be at least 15 years. Past 5-6 years in the Glennon house, 50 Indian Neck Road, which is a stone’s throw from your place (?). This year (2017), July 29-Aug 12. I saw your art on Flickr (I don’t usually stalk people…) and really like it. We have various watercolors and acrylics in our house from Wellfleet or Ptown. I hope you drop me a line. All the best, Ken Zaret (zaret@upenn.edu)
Pam, Your blog is great. I just discovered it and I am glad I did.
My interest in South Wellfleet’s history centers around the cranberry bog my Father owned, just south of Lieutenant’s Island Road. I can’t find many records of it’s history but do know that it was once owned by the Wellfleet Cranberry Company (some connection to L.D. Baker). There was also a South Wellfleet Cranberry Association connected to it. Do you have any information on the cranberry industry in South Wellfleet’s history?
Also, I am curious about the location of the Pilgrim Spring, and the history of the Pilgrim Springs Bottling Company. Do you know anything about this?
Thanks,
Don
Hi Don,
Two excellent questions! I have bits and pieces on both topics but not enough (yet) for a blog post. But both are on my list of to-dos. I remember your Dad!
Best,
Pam
Hi Pam. I’ve just discovered your excellent blog. What a great resource. Do you know anything about the history of the Garrison camp on Duck Pond?
I moved to Wellfleet full-time from New York City a few years ago and since July have been working as an editor at the Provincetown Banner. Would you be interested in perhaps writing something about South Wellfleet history for the Banner when you are in town this summer?
Ed
Hi Ed,
Sorry for the delay!! Sure, I’d love to write a piece for you — I usually don’t “work” while I’m at my cottage so do let me know what you’re thinking of, and I’ll try to respond.
Best,
Pam
Great! Let me talk to Kaimi Lum, the editor of the Banner, and we will come up with a few possible topics for you to write about for the paper.
Ed
My father said he visited with you yesterday and told me about your blog. I look forward to reading! And tell Pat Sekarak I said hello when he visits the cottage!
Amy (Almond) Cubbage
Say “Hi” to your father for me … Bob (Frank Beckerer, Jr)
Will do!