Category Archives: Uncategorized

One of the most poignant graves in the South Wellfleet Cemetery is that of the unknown sailors buried there. To me, this marker stands for all the suffering sailors, found and lost, who did not make it past Cape Cod’s … Continue reading →

The Atlantic shore along Cape Cod is known as the “graveyard of ships” — many accounts estimate that 3,000 or more shipwrecks occurred there.   The treacherous shoals along the Cape coast were well known by mariners and avoided when possible. … Continue reading →

Early in 1904, Mr. Paget and Mr. Taylor — Marconi engineers — came to South Wellfleet to prepare the Marconi station to become part of the company’s service of press and private messages for subscribing ships at sea on the … Continue reading →

In May 1901 an article in the Barnstable Patriot reported that a wireless telegraph system was underway in South Wellfleet, describing it as a “plant” that would operate the Marconi system “…by which signals can be exchanged with passing ships.” … Continue reading →

January is a good month to write about Marconi and the years his company operated in South Wellfleet. On January 19, 2013, we’ll be celebrating the 110th anniversary of his historic accomplishment. Marconi’s choice of South Wellfleet as his American … Continue reading →

Last summer, in an effort to learn more about the families that lived in South Wellfleet, I was welcomed for a visit to the historic home of Ed Ayres and his son, and the home of Valerie and Bill Scheel. … Continue reading →

The years before the Civil War brought a good degree of prosperity to South Wellfleet. The South Wharf and its fishing operation brought many families to this part of town, and soon it had two churches, a store, and its … Continue reading →

In late July 1928, Peter Hesselbach, premier flier of the Darmstadt Academic in Rossiten, Germany, was catapulted up from Corn Hill in Truro in a glider craft just like the one that had recently set a world record for time … Continue reading →

On the night of May 2, 1859, between 12 and 1 AM, Eben S. Ward was murdered by his son-in-law, Samuel S. Rich.  The Wards lived between the South Wellfleet church/cemetery and the area noted on early maps as “Fresh … Continue reading →