1600 - present
THE history OF
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Wellfleet
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1600
1800
2000
1900
1800-1810
1900s
2000s
1600-1619
1815-1834
1910s
2010s
1620-1699
index
1835-1839
2020s
1920s
1700
1840-1844
1930-1935
1845-1849
1936-1939
1700-1750
1850s
1940s
1750-1768
1860s
1950s
1770-1799
1870s
1960-1979
1880s
1980-1999
1890s
Before 1600
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A Long History of Indigenous People
Approx. 1600
1600
Caboto pre-1600
1600
Active, Permanent Lifestyle of Native-Americans
1602
Gosnold Began Written History of Cape Cod
1606
Champlain Explored Cape Cod
1614
Billingsgate Explored by John Smith
1616
Native American Communities Struck with Epidemics
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1620
1600
Plymouth Colony Established
1643
European Colonizers Bought Land from Native Americans
1651
Town of Eastham, including Wellfleet, is Incorporated
1692
Plymouth Colony Merged
1697
Billingsgate (now Wellfleet) Settled
1717
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Pirate Ship Whydah Sank
1718
1700
Billingsgate Petitions the General Court
1719
Bound Brook Settled
1720
First Wharf Built at Griffin Island
1734
Fresh Brook Settled
1734
New Meetinghouse Built
1746
Samuel Smith Purchased Land For Tavern
1747
Tax for Small Pox Victims Passed
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1761
Wellfleet Became Common Name
1700
1763
Schools Kept In Private Houses
1763
Wellfleet Separated From Eastham
1765
First Windmill Built
1765
Population Reached 500
1768
Cutting of Trees Restricted
1770
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Oyster Beds Died Off
1771
1700
Whaling Reached Prime In Wellfleet
1775
Population Reached 1200
1779
Wreck of the Ship America
1788
Second Wharf Built on Duck Creek
1797
First Postmaster Appointed
1798
First School Built
1800
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Free Mason Schooner Built
1800
1800
Packet Service with Boston Began
1801
First Mail Service Established
1802
Humane Society Built Huts
1802
Methodists Hold First Class
1802
Offshore Whaling Schooners Active
1807
Five School Districts in Wellfleet
1816
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First Methodist Church Built
1819
1800
First Methodist Revival Held
1819
First Lighthouse in Wellfleet
1830
Duck Creek Wharf Built
1830
Mackerel Fishing 1830-1870
1831
South Wharf Built on Blackfish Creek
1833
2nd Congregational Church Built in South Wellfleet
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1835
Commerical Wharf Built on Duck Creek
1835
1800
Methodist Church Built in South Wellfleet
1836
Marine Benevolent Society Organized
1837
Enterprise Wharf Built
1837
39 Salt Works in Production
1839
Mayo Beach Lighthouse Built
1840
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Lorenzo Dow Baker Born
1840
1800
First Universalist Society Formed
1840
River Wharf Built
1843
Methodist Church Built on Main St.
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1846
1800
Daily Mail Service Started
1847
Wreck of the Barque “Cactus”
1848
Schooners Built at Duck Creek Shipyard
1849
Thoreau Visited Wellfleet
1849
Wreck of the Franklin
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1850
Uncle Tim's Bridge Built
1800
1850
New Congregational Church Built
1857
Pond Hill School Built
1858
30 Families Lived on Billingsgate
1859
12 School Houses Existed
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1860
Mackerel Fishing Industry Flourished
1800
1862
Luther Crowell Submits First Patent
1863
Central Wharf Built
1865
Schools Consolidated
1866
Advent Society Organized
1867
J.A. Stubbs Oyster Company Formed
1870
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Mercantile Wharf Built
1870
1800
Railroad Arrived in Wellfleet
1872
Cahoon Hollow Station Built
1874
U.S. President, General Grant, Visited
1874
Wellfleet Savings Bank Built
1876
First Circulating Library Established
1877
Adams Masonic Lodge Built
1879
Steeple Blown Off Congregational Church
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1880
L.D. Baker & Company Established
1880
1800
Schoolhouse on Bound Brook Island is Sold
1883
Schooner Freeman Built
1884
Massive Pilot Whale Stranding
1885
Mercantile Wharf Purchased
1889
High School Moved
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1890
Oyster Transplantation Took Hold
1892
1800
New Methodist Church Built
1892
Prospect Hill Development Laid Out
1893
Workers Free Public Library Established
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1900
First Catholic Church Formed
1900
1902
Chequessett Inn Opened
1902
First Gasoline Powered Oyster Boat
1903
First Transatlantic Wireless Communication
1909
Herring River Dike Built
1912
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Our Lady of Lourdes Church Built
1914
1900
Castagna Wrecked Off Cahoon Hollow
1914
Chequessett Girls Camp Opened
1915
Billingsgate Island Inundated
1915
The Wellfleet Hotel Created
1917
U.S. Navy Took Over Marconi Station
1919
Second Congregational Church Moved to Town Center
1920
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Population of 826
1920
1900
Tourist Economy Became Important
1921
Town Dump Established
1927
Electricity Comes to Wellfleet
1927
First Fire Tower Erected
1929
Austin Ornithological Station Founded
1929
Chequessett Country Club Established
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1931
The Curtain Factory Built
1900
1933
American Legion Hall Built
1933
Big Chief Dance Pavilion Destroyed
1934
Chequesett Inn Destroyed
1934
Fire Department Established
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1937
Four Rock Jetties Built on Mayo Beach
1900
1937
Jack Hall Bought Property on Bound Brook
1937
S. Wellfleet Neighborhood Assn. Established
1938
Police Dept. Established
1938
Wellfleet Consolidated School Built
1939
Passenger Service on Railroad Ended
1941
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Fire Station Constructed on Commercial Street
1941
New Town Hall Opened
1942
1900
Edmund Wilson Bought House On Money Hill
1943
Camp Wellfleet Opened
1944
Serge Chermayeff Bought Home on Slough Pond
1947
Summer Painting School Opened
1948
Route 6 Bypassed Town Center
1948
The Colony Built
1949
Biddles Bought the Baker Homestead
1951
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Ocean View Drive Built
1951
New Marina and Pier Begun
1951
1900
Wellfleet Historical Society Inc.
1953
The Beachcomber Opened
1955
Freight Railroad Ended
1956
Chapel of St. James the Fisherman Built
1959
Audubon Bought Austin Ornithological Station
1959
Nauset Regional High School Opened
1959
Spit and Chatter Club Became Captain Higgins Restaurant
1960
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Town Hall Burned Down
1961
1900
CC National Seashore Created
1961
Post Office Dedication on Main Street
1966
A.I.M. Medical Center Established
1966
Police Dept. Moved to Commercial Street
1974
Herring River Dike Rebuilt
1975
Wellfleet Cannon Dedicated
1976
Fire on Main Street
1984
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The Pirate Ship Whydah Found
1984
Funding Devoted for New Police and Fire Stations
1900
1984
Police and Fire Departments Moved to Lawrence Road
1984
Wellfleet Conservation Trust Established
1985
New Town Charter Approved
1985
Spirit of Massachusetts Visited Wellfleet
1985
Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater Formed
1990
The Library Moved to the Former Candle Factory
2002
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The First Oysterfest Held
2003
2000
First “State of Harbor" Conference
2004
Fireworks Faux Pas
2007
WHAT Opened A New 210 Seat Theater
2008
Uncle Tim’s Bridge Rededicated
2009
New Fire Station Dedicated
2009
Our Lady of Lourdes Moved to Route 6
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2010
Community Gardens Established
2010
2010
Water Tower Completed
2011
Preservation Hall Opened
2012
Spike in Dolphin Stranding
2013
Wellfeet's 250th Anniversary
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2024
Largest Mass Stranding in US History
2020
The Wellfleet Hotel Created
The Wellfleet Hotel and Annex was created at the house of Solomon Higgins on the corner of Main Street and Holbrook Avenue by Clarence W. Ryder.
A.I.M. Medical Center Established
A.I.M. Medical Center in Wellfleet was established. It was reorganized as Outer Cape Health Services in 1987.
Electricity Comes to Wellfleet
Electricity came to Wellfleet, and a year later at a Town Meeting vote, gas street lamps were discontinued.
Chapel of St. James the Fisherman Built
In 1956, the Chapel of St. James the Fisherman was built above Route 6. The architect was Finnish born Olav Hammarstrom, who also designed modernist houses in Wellfleet.
Serge Chermayeff Bought Home on Slough Pond
Serge Chermayeff, who became head of the architecture departments at Harvard and Yale, bought a home on Slough Pond on the Wellfleet-Truro border. Here, he entertained a number of renowned modernist architects including Walter Gropius and Eero Saarinen, and Katharine Kuh, curator of modern art at the Chicago Art Institute.
Big Chief Dance Pavilion Destroyed
The Big Chief Pavilion was destroyed as a result of suspected arson. It was the site of high school basketball games, senior proms, roller skating, Saturday night dances, and other social events. It was located on the east side of Route 6 between South Wellfleet and Wellfleet.
Castagna Wrecked Off Cahoon Hollow
The Castagna was wrecked on a bitterly cold night off Cahoon Hollow Beach. Her captain and 3 crew members were frozen to death in the rigging where they had climbed in panic. The bodies of the 3 seamen were buried in the Catholic cemetery.
The Colony Built
Designed and built in 1948 by architects Nathaniel Saltonstall and Oliver P. Morton, the Mayo Hill Colony Club first served as a private club and art gallery for artists and their patrons. The cottages and the furnishings were in the Bauhaus style with pieces designed by leading modernists of the time.
Wellfleet Separated from Eastham
In 1723, the town that is now Wellfleet attepted to establish as a town separate from Eastham, but was denied by the General Court. In 1763, After 40 years of petitioning, Wellfleet successfully separated from Eastham to become its own town.
Schools Kept In Private Houses
In 1763, it was agreed that school terms of five weeks each be kept at the homes of James Atwood, Joseph Atkins, Joseph Pierce and Zoeth Smith. The remainder of the six-month school terms would be kept at the home of Widow Doane.
Methodists Hold First Class
The first Methodist class meeting was organized in 1802 with three members, Abigail Gross, Thankful Rich, and Lurana Higgins. Ephraim Higgins was the first class leader.
30 Families Lived on Billingsgate
In 1858, there were 30 families living on Billingsgate Island along with a lighthouse, store, school, and oil works.
Passenger Service on Railroad Ended
Passenger service on the Old Colony railroad ended. The passenger station had been demolished in 1935.
Champlain Explored Cape Cod
It is believed that Norsemen visited Cape Cod starting in 1000 A.D. Prior to 1600, other explorers passed the Cape (among them John and Sebastion Cabot in 1498 and Giovanni da Verazzano in 1524 ), however there are no records of these men stopping to explore. The first to explore Cape Cod extensively was Samuel de Champlain.
Mackerel Fishing 1830-1870
With the decline of whaling, Wellfleet fishermen turned to off-shore mackerel fishing. By the middle of the nineteenth century, Wellfleet was third in the nation in mackerel catch. In 1851, the town had 79 schooners with 852 men chasing mackerel.
Mercantile Wharf Purchased
In 1885, Lorenzo Dow Baker purchased Mercantile Wharf and spent $100,000 converting the old wharf buildings into the elegant Chequessett Inn. It was open only in the summer and staffed by Jamaican workers.
New Meetinghouse Built
In 1734, it was voted to build a new meetinghouse to the south of the head of Duck Creek. Elisha Holbrook gave the land and a Second Meetinghouse of the First Congregational Church was built, which replaced the first meetinghouse on Chequessett Neck Road.
Schooner Freeman Built
Built for the L. D. Baker Company in 1883 in Bath, Maine. It became a whaler when the company retired all of its sail powered vessels, and was once captained by Provincetown's infamous John Atkins Cook. It was trapped in ice in North Pacific off coast of Alaska, caught fire, and burned out on Sept. 22, 1897.
Wellfeet's 250th Anniversary
Wellfleet celebrated its 250th anniversary of being incorporated as a town on August 8th, 2013.
U.S. Navy Took Over Marconi Station
In April, 1917, due to World War I, the U.S. Navy took possession of Marconi Station in South Wellfleet and created the U.S. Navy Radio Station. In 1926, the Navy decommissioned the operation.
Our Lady of Lourdes Moved to Route 6
In 2009, a new 500-seat Catholic church on Route 6 was dedicated. The altar and reredos from the 1912 church on Main Street, hand-carved from chestnut wood in Belgium, were refinished and installed in the new church.
First Transatlantic Wireless Communication
The first transatlantic wireless communication took place between Marconi Station in South Wellfleet and England. Messages were exchanged by President Theodore Roosevelt and the King of England, Edward VII.
Population Reached 1200
The population of Wellfleet is recorded and reaches 1200, double the population of 1765 and less than half of Wellfleet's population in 2020.
Freight Railroad Ended
The last trains carrying freight to Wellfleet ended in 1955.
Library Moved to Former Candle Factory
The former candle factory on West Main Street was renovated, and the library moved there from the 2nd floor of Town Hall.
The First Oysterfest Held
Main Street was shut for 2 days of celebration of the Wellfleet oyster. The first festival held the promise of a new tradition. Since then, every October, the Oysterfest has been held annually in Wellfleet.
Massive Pilot Whale Stranding
827 Black Fish were driven ashore by fishermen. About 1500 were captured and sold for $15,000, which was divided amongst the Wellfleet inhabitants.
Mercantile Wharf Built
The Mercantile Wharf was built west of the Mayo Beach Lighthouse. At the height of cod and mackerel fishing, 100 vessels sailed from the harbor.
Billingsgate Island Inundated
In 1915 the brick lighthouse and keeper’s house were inundated (flooded). A local man ferried the last of the bricks to the mainland in 1922, and by 1935 all that remained of Billingsgate was a tidal mudflat.
1850 - Uncle Tim's Bridge Built
Uncle Tim's Bridge, named after ship’s chandlery owner, Timothy A. Daniels, constructed a bridge from Hamblen Island (Cannon Hill) to the village over Duck Creek.
Schoolhouse on Bound Brook Island is Sold
The Bound Brook Island schoolhouse was sold in 1880. The belfry became a well house at the David Baker homestead on the Island and the bell was moved to a Wesleyan Chapel in Jamaica. It was carried there by Captain L. D. Baker, a native of Bound Brook Island.
Native American Communities Struck with Epidemics
Explorers and fishermen brought European diseases to the New World. A particularly deadly plague swept through native communities from 1616 until 1619. This was most probably small pox, but it could have been a viral typhus or even bubonic plague.
First Gasoline Powered Oyster Boat
L.D. Baker built the first gasoline powered oyster boat, The Cultivator, for his newly-formed Wellfleet Oyster Company. Nicked named "the cheese box on a raft", it was unattractive but practical.
U.S. President, General Grant, Visited
U.S. President, General Grant, visited and rode on the completed railroad line.
Police Dept. Moved to Commercial Street
The police department moved from Town Hall to the second floor of the fire department on Commercial Street.
Chequessett Girls Camp Opened
A Nautical camp for girls was opened by Alice Hamilton Belding and William Gould Vinal off Nauhaught Bluff Road. The site was later occupied by Camp Mar-Ven.
Wellfleet Consolidated School Built
A final consolidation of Wellfleet schools resulted in the building of a school overlooking Long Pond Road at the cost of $60,000.
Nauset Regional High School Opened
Nauset Regional High School opened in Orleans on Route 28 with an enrollment of 415 students. For the first time since Wellfleet’s incorporation, children went out of town for schooling.
Wellfleet Became Common Name
The town of Wellfleet was originally refered to as "Billingsgate" by the initial settlers of Massachussettes. By 1761, "Wellfleet" had become the common name for the town. It was chosen to evoke the thought of the then famous Wellfleet oysters, collected in the eastern waters of England.
Offshore Whaling Schooners Active
Although whaling out of Wellfleet declined after the Revolutionary War due to the drop in North Atlantic whales caused by over harvesting, in 1802 Wellfleet still had 5 schooners, out of a fleet of 25, active in the hunt for whales. As the number of whales declined, Wellfleet whalers increasingly turned to fishing.
Railroad Arrived in Wellfleet
The Fall River and Old Colony Railroad extended its line from Boston and arrived in Wellfleet on Dec 9th, 1870. The station was off Commercial Street, opposite Railroad Avenue.
Wreck of the Barque “Cactus”
The Barque Cactus wrecked at South Wellfleet, and all hands were lost. It was on its way from Boston to Ireland with a cargo of grain for the famine-stricken country.
Methodist Church Built in South Wellfleet
The Methodist Church at South Wellfleet was built in 1835 and was located on the west side of the road, a little to the south of the 2nd Congregational Church. After becoming inactive, in 1869 it was moved to town and converted into a dwelling house by Dr. George T. Wyer.
Population of 826
The 1920 Census recorded a population of 826 for Wellfleet.
CC National Seashore Created
"The Cape Cod National Seashore was created by an act of Congress and approved by President John F. Kennedy. It encompassed more than 44,000 acres. The park stretches for 40 miles along the shoreline of the “Great Beach” of Cape Cod from Chatham to Provincetown. It is the first National Park that included privately-owned land.
Camp Wellfleet had reached its final days of usefulness. It was closed, and a small crew left to manage the site until the National Park Service arrived."
First Mail Service Established
The first mail service that reached Wellfleet was established in 1801. For many years, this service was only once a week.
Oyster Transplantation Took Hold
The business of buying seed oysters from the Long Island Sound and planting them in Wellfleet Bay, to be taken up on their maturity and prepared for market, was started. Buildings were erected for handling the product, which in 1903 had reached the amount of 200,000 bushels.
39 Salt Works in Production
There were 39 establishments in Wellfleet manufacturing salt. They were located at the Cove, on Griffith and Bound Brook Islands, and in South Wellfleet. By 1860 the salt works industry was abandoned.
Police Dept. Established
A vote at the annual town meeting in 1938 established a police department with John C. Daniels, Chairman of the Board of Selectmen, as police chief. He received no extra pay and did not wear a uniform. Elmer Wiles and George Barrio were the first two officers. The office of the department was in the town hall.
Active, Permanent Lifestyle of Native-Americans
By 1600 there were extensive permanent Native American settlements on the Outer Cape, including Wellfleet. They grew corn, beans, squash and harvested deer and small game, fish, shellfish, whales and native plants. They manufactured mishoons, (canoes), we-tus, pottery, fishing weights and other tools and numerous styles of bi-face projectile points. Wampanoag people acknowledge the Earth as a living being, including all that live on her, grow from her, or are part of her body. (Linda Coombs)
Community Gardens Established
On June 27, 2010, there was a ribbon-cutting for 33 garden plots at the Wellfleet Council on Aging building at 715 Old Kings Highway.
Humane Society Built Huts
The large number of wrecks on the back side of the Cape encouraged the formation of a Humane Society, which built huts along the coast where seamen who washed ashore could find shelter. The huts in Wellfleet were located in the hollows at Newcomb, Pearce, Cahoon, and Snow. There were also huts at Fresh Brook and Great Island.
Billingsgate Petitions the General Court
Wanting more control over their taxes and resources, the families of North Eastham attempted to separate from Eastham in 1700. Eastham allowed those to the north to support their own minister and teacher and not contribute to those in Eastham, but did not support the establishment of a separate town. In 1718 those in North Eastham petitioned the General Court for separation. Separation was opposed by Eastham.
Plymouth Colony Merged
Plymouth Colony was merged with Massachusetts Bay Colony, and the seat of government for the Cape shifts to Boston.
Whaling Reached Prime In Wellfleet
In 1771, Wellfleet was credited with having 30 whaler ships of 75 tons, each employing 15 men. By the 1780's, whaling had significantly depleted whale populations in the North Atlantic.
Fresh Brook Settled
Fresh Brook is located in the south east area of Wellfleet. Its first known resident was Sylvanus Snow in 1734. It eventually grew to a village with over 50 inhabitants and a school.It is now part of the Cape Cod National Seashore.
Summer Painting School Opened
Painter Xavier Gonzalez established a summer studio and summer painting school. His art was displayed throughout the United States, including at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, as well as in Paris, Venice, Brussels and Tokyo. He designed a 300 pound aluminum Christmas angel for the Town Hall in 1955. It was destroyed in the fire that destroyed the Town Hall in 1960.
Wellfleet Cannon Dedicated
In 1903, Clarence B. Hicks and some friends carried the Wellfleet Cannon from Cannon Hill to Hicks' property and buried it there. It was unearthed in 1974, and presented to the Town of Wellfleet by the current owner of the homestead, Mrs. Otto Andl. In 1975, the cannon was dedicated and placed on the Town Hall green, with an inscription describing its journey, as seen in picture.
Wellfleet Savings Bank Built
The Wellfleet Savings Bank was built on Bank Street.
Wreck of the Ship America
In 1779, the ship America of Wellfleet, captained by William Doane, was lost with all twenty-three men on board.
Samuel Smith Purchased Land For Tavern
Samuel Smith purchased land for a tavern on Great Island. Thomas Rich & Co. conveyed by deed parcels of land on Great Island to him for 3 pounds and 10 shillings. The site is now a part of the Cape Cod National Seashore and accessible through the Great Island Trail.
Cutting of Trees Restricted
Faced with significant erosion, especially into the town harbor from Great Island, Wellfleet petitioned the General Court to restrict the cutting of trees and grazing on common land.
Camp Wellfleet Opened
For about 18 years, starting in March, 1943, the U.S. government used Camp Wellfleet as a military training facility. The facility was located in South Wellfleet at what is now the Marconi area of the National Seashore.
First Postmaster Appointed
Thomas Holbrook, responsible for building the second wharf on Duck Creek, was offered the position of first postmaster but declined. Lewis Hamlen thus became the first postmaster on October 30, 1797.
Before 1600
For over 10,000 years Indigenous people accommodated their life ways as the land retreated and changed. The bluffs on the ocean side of Wellfleet extended as much as four miles further east than they do today (2022). The Wampanoag continue to live as they have for millennia in Mashpee, Herring Pond and Aquinnah.
New Congregational Church Built
In 1850, the present First Congregational Church was built on Main Street. In 1873, it was remodeled and repaired at an expense of $10,000.
Tax for Small Pox Victims Passed
There was a smallpox epidemic from 1746-1748. The General Court passed a tax bill to support families afflicted by smallpox, including support for the local Native Americans.
Fire Department Established
Town Meeting voted to organize a modern fire department. They to appropriated $500 for the purchase of equipment. A whist party and dance raised $110.60 to pay for other department expenses. A board of fire engineers was appointed consisting of Dr. C.J. Bell, Cyril Downs, Edward B. Lane, Fred Howard, Benjamin Paine, and Clarence Hicks.
Gosnold Began Written History of Cape Cod
The first recorded history of Cape Cod begins May 15, 1602. Having sighted land the day before, the English explorer, Bartholomew Gosnold, found himself "embayed within a mighty headland near this cape." He anchored in fifteen fathoms deep. They caught so many codfish that he named the place Cape Cod.
Mayo Beach Lighthouse Built
The Mayo Beach lighthouse began operation in 1839.
Enterprise Wharf Built
Enterprise Wharf was built by Benjamin Rich and Stephen Young in Chipman's Cove at Old Pier Road. It was abandoned in 1862.
Police and Fire Departments Moved to Lawrence Road
The police and fire departments moved out of the station on Commercial Street into a modern public safety facility on Lawrence Road. The new station housed the fire department on the lower level and the police department above.
Adams Masonic Lodge Built
The Adams Ancient Free and Accepted Temple was opened on the corner of Bank and Commercial Streets. The construction was done by local architect and builder, Zoheth Sparrow.
European Colonizers Bought Land from Native Americans
The first European settlers moved from Plymouth Colony to the Outer Cape. In 1643, Governor Bradford and others made a land survey and purchased territory from the Indian Sachem. The area is now the towns of Orleans, Eastham and part of Wellfleet.
Four Rock Jetties Built on Mayo Beach
Town Meeting approved $1500 for 4 rock jetties on Mayo Beach.
First Wharf Built at Griffin Island
Taking advantage of laws which granted owners property rights to the low water line, and with growing need to move goods in and out of the area, the first wharf in Wellfleet was built at Griffin Island.
Bound Brook Settled
Farm families moved out to Bound Brook to take advantage of the wide expanse of salt marsh. It provided feed for their cattle and access to the bay through Duck Harbor.
Mackerel Fishing Industry Flourishes
In 1851, there were 79 vessels employing 852 men for the purpose of catching Mackerel. The business increased and was at its best between 1860 and 1870, when about 100 vessels were in operation. After that, date fishing declined, until in 1884 there were only 30 vessels employing about 500 men.
Oyster Beds Died Off
Wellfleet’s famous oysters died off due to local farmers over harvesting them and removing their shells to create lime (a soil additive) for their fields. In a weakened condition, disease struck the oysters and killed off most of the natural beds. Oystermen turned to importing spat (oyster larvae) from the Long Island Sound and Chesapeake Bay.
Pond Hill School Built
The Pond Hill School was built in South Wellfleet.
Chequesett Inn Destroyed
The famous Chequesett Inn built by Captain L. D. Baker was destroyed by ice in February, 1934.
Town Hall Burned Down
The Town Hall burned down during a March blizzard. In 1961, it was rebuilt in the same style with an extension on the back for more office space.
Daily Mail Service Started
In 1846, mail delivery service in Wellfleet was changed from only occurring weekly to occurring daliy.
Duck Creek Wharf Built
The slow silting in Duck Harbor encouraged the migration of people and economic activity to the present harbor area. John Harding built the first Wharf on Duck Creek which would soon become the location of several wharves and the center of town commercial activity.
Central Wharf Built
The Central wharf was built on Duck Creek by 60 shareholders. It was 300 feet long and was a thriving business. It later became the town landing.
Marine Benevolent Society Organized
The Marine Benevolent Society was organized to provide relief for shipwrecked seamen and families.
Biddles Bought the Baker Homestead
Francis Biddle, Attorney General under Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and his wife, poet Katherine Garrison Chapin Biddle, bought the Baker homestead on Bound Brook Island from Jack Hall. Francis spent summers there until his death in Wellfleet in 1968.
First Fire Tower Erected
The State Forestry Service built the first fire tower as a direct result of a disasterous fire in 1927 that destroyed 2500 acres of woodland.
High School Moved
The high school was moved to Main Street, next to the Congregational Church.
Herring River Dike Rebuilt
Repairs were made to the Herring River Dike, originally built in 1909.
Ocean View Drive Built
The construction of Ocean View Drive was started in 1950, connecting Lecount Hollow Road and Long Pond Road. It was paved in 1951. This connected Lecount Hollow Beach with Cahoon Hollow Beach. White Crest Beach and Parking was created at a later date. Construction on the section from Long Pond Road to Gross Hill Road and on to Newcomb Hollow Beach was started in 1958 and paved in 1960.
Spit and Chatter Club Became Captain Higgins Restaurant
At the death of Captain Everett Higgins, the Spit and Chatter Club building was sold and remodeled to become Captain Higgins Restaurant. Construction of the inner basin of the marina required the building be moved from the east side of Commercial Street to the west side in 1951. The building now houses the restaurant The Pearl.
Post Office Dedication on Main Street
On January 1, 1961 the post office at the corner of Holbrook and Main Street was dedicated. The post office sat on the lot previously occupied by Hotel Wellfleet. The flag for the ceremony had been flown over the Post Office Department in Washington and the Capitol Building.
First “State of Harbor" Conference
In what was to become an annual event, on Sept 6th, 2003, the State of Wellfleet Harbor Conference filled the Council on Aging. The purpose was to provide information to the general public on issues and research affecting Wellfleet Harbor.
Fire on Main Street
The Penny Patch fire destroyed two storefront buildings on Main Street. The Penny Patch was a penny candy store which had formerly been the popular Newcomb’s Soda Shop.
Preservation Hall Opened
Preservation Hall opened in the renovated former Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church on May 5th, 2011. Under the leadership of Marla Rice, Anne Suggs, and Ellen LeBow, a nonprofit 501c3 organization was formed to preserve a unique part of Wellfleet’s architecture, breathing new life and new use into the space left vacant and deteriorating. The opening of “Prez Hall” brought back a vibrancy and sense of community to Main Street.
First Catholic Church Formed
By a vote of the town on October 19, 1900, the schoolhouse opposite the old cemetery was sold to Henry Delory for $59. The abandoned one-room schoolhouse was cut in sections and moved to Route 6, on the site now occupied by the Mobil Service Station, to serve as a chapel for the Catholic community. It was named Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel.
Pirate Ship Whydah Sank
Pirate Captain Sam Bellamy’s ship, the Whydah, sank off South Wellfleet. The Whydah smashed into the shoals of Wellfleet near the present day Marconi beach, drowning most on board, including Bellamy, and sending the treasure of 50 plundered ships into the sea.
Tourist Economy Became Important
By 1920, Wellfleet was becoming a summer destination.
First Universalist Society Formed
The First Universalist Society was organized in 1840. Subsequent meetings were held in Lyceum Hall. In 1844, the original Masonic Hall was remodeled into a suitable place for worship. The Union Hall was purchased in 1868, where regular services were held until 1889.
Caboto pre-1600
Prior to 1600, Giovanni Caboto, aka John Cabot, was an Italian navigator and explorer. His 1497 voyage to the coast of North America under the commission of Henry VII of England is the earliest-known European exploration of coastal North America since the Norse visits to Vinland in the eleventh century. His son, Sebastiono Caboto was also an explorer.
Uncle Tim’s Bridge Rededicated
Uncle Tim’s Bridge was rebuilt with funds provided through the Community Preservation Act. It was retained as a wooden structure as a result of community input.
Our Lady of Lourdes Church Built
In 1912, Our Lady of Lourdes church was completed on Main Street and dedicated on September 1. The architect was Matthew Sullivan of Boston.
South Wharf Built on Blackfish Creek
Leonard Battelle and Robert Little, both of whom were in the shipping business in Boston, joined Richard Arey, a South Wellfleet local, in building the South Wharf on Blackfish Creek. It was 100 feet long and berthed as many as 100 ships.
Free Mason Schooner Built
Since 1730, boat builders had utilized local lumber and constructed boats of varying sizes, from small skiffs to large schooners. In 1800, the Free Mason was built at Bound Brook. The schooner had a carrying capacity of 100 tons.
Methodist Church Built on Main St.
A new Methodist Church was erected on Main Street, which was, at that time, the most elaborate church edifice on the Cape. The church was struck by lightning and burned in 1891.
Fire Station Constructed on Commercial Street
A new three-bay fire station was constructed for $2500 on lands purchased from the Methodist Church and Lydia Scott. Money to fund the construction came from sale of town property.
Prospect Hill Development Laid Out
Prospect Hill Development is laid out in South Wellfleet south of Old Wharf Road.
Lorenzo Dow Baker Born
Lorenzo Dow Baker, one of Wellfleet's most prominent citizens, was born in 1840. He was a sea captain, banana exporter, and entrepreneur. He was founder of what became the United Fruit Company.
2nd Congregational Church Built in South Wellfleet
The Second Congregational Church was organized December 4, 1833, in South Wellfleet, with 42 members withdrawing from the First Church to join it. The church was moved to Wellfleet in 1919 and eventually became Town Hall.
Luther Crowell Patented Flying Machine
Luther Crowell, a local inventor, submitted his first of 293 patents. He is most known for his invention of a machine to produce flat-bottomed paper bags.
Plymouth Colony Established
The Pilgrims reached Provincetown and explored parts of the Cape including Wellfleet. They established Plymouth Colony, the third permanent English colony in America.
Jack Hall Bought Property on Bound Brook
Jack Hall, a self-taught Modernist architect, purchased the 18-century cottage which was the birthplace of Lorenzo Dow Baker along with several acres on Bound Brook Island from author John Dos Passos and his wife, Katy. Jack Hall created a welcoming environment for European Modernists who arrived in Wellfleet in the mid-1940s. He designed a number of Modernist houses, including the Hatch Cottage.
Second Wharf Built on Duck Creek
A second wharf was built by Thomas Holbrook in 1788 on Duck Creek below the residence of Charles Marsh. When whales were caught in the Bay, they were secured at this wharf and tried out on Physic Point.
The Beachcomber Opened
Russell Gallagher bought the former Coast Guard station at Cahoon Hollow Beach, converted it into a small inn and called it The Beachcomber. In 1978 Todd LeBart and Hugh Dunbar bought it and it became a restaurant, bar, and dance club.
Workers Free Public Library Established
Town meeting voted to establish the Workers Free Public Library in a rented building where the Town Hall now stands.
Audubon Bought Austin Ornithological Station
In 1959, the lands and the buildings of the Austin Ornithological Station were sold to the Massachusetts Audubon Society. The sale was supported by private gifts from the Mellon family.
Route 6 Bypassed Town Center
Route 6, the state highway, was rebuilt to bypass the town center.
Billingsgate (now Wellfleet) Settled
John Doane III farms on Chequessett Neck, formerly a part of North Eastham known as Billingsgate.
Town Dump Established
The town dump was established off Coles Neck Road.
L.D. Baker & Company Established
L.D. Baker & Company was established by Lorenzo Dow Baker and Capt. Jesse H. Freeman. L.D. Baker was born in 1840 on Bound Brook Island. He became one of Wellfleet's most prominent citizens. He was a sea captain, entreprenuer, and is most known for beginning the industry of exporting bananas from Jamaica to the U.S.
Commerical Wharf Built on Duck Creek
Paine Atwood and Elisha Perry built Commercial Wharf and ran it until 1853 when the twenty-man Commercial Wharf Company bought them out and established an oyster plant.
Population Reached 500
The population of Wellfleet was estimated to be 500 in 1765, with only 5 Native Americans on record.
Town of Eastham, including Wellfleet, is Incorporated
Seven families composed of some 50 individuals took up land in the new town of Eastham and allocated farms of about 200 acres composed of marshland, woodland, easily-worked sandy plowland and grass-covered dunes. Land was set aside for Native Americans and Great Island was reserved for common land.
First Windmill Built
The first windmill was built for grinding grain. It was located on the present area in town known as Mill Hill.
Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater Formed
Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater (WHAT) was formed and took residence on Kendrick Avenue. The nucleus of the founders were Kevin Rice, Gip Hoppe, Lori Swift, Dick Morrill, Dan Walker and Vicki Shephard. Jeff Zinn arrived later as a co-director.
Second Congregational Church Moved to Town Center
The Second Congregational Church in South Wellfleet was moved to the center of town and renamed Colonial Hall. It eventually became Town Hall in 1941.
First Circulating Library Established
The first circulating library was established by Dr. Thomas Stone.
Edmund Wilson Bought House On Money Hill
Critic and author Edmund Wilson bought a home on Money Hill on March 15, 1942 and moved there with his 3rd wife, author Mary McCarthy. Wilson owned the house until his death in 1972.
Austin Ornithological Station Founded
Oliver L. Austin and his son founded the Austin Ornithological Station which became one of the largest private bird-banding stations in the world. Today, it is the location of Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary.
Packet Service with Boston Began
The packet system was established around 1800, and was the only means of conveying freight and passengers between Wellfleet and Boston.
Water Tower Completed
The completion of the water tower in 2010 greatly expanded the municipal water supply. The tower joined the steeple of the Congregational Church as a main focus of the town's skyline.
First Methodist Revival Held
Cape Cod’s first Methodist revival camp meeting took place in South Wellfleet in 1819. It was on the Isaac Rich property in Paine Hollow. Rich was a wealthy Wellfleet citizen, a Boston fish dealer, a devout Methodist, and founder of Boston University, which was originally a school to train Methodist ministers. From 1823 to 1825, the camp meeting was held on Bound Brook Island.
Herring River Dike Built
A dike was built across the Herring River to decrease mosquitoes by restricting tidal flow.
Advent Society Organized
A small Advent Society was organized in 1866. A chapel was fitted up over the store of Mr. Payne W. Higgins, the current location of the Wellfleet Historical Society Museum.
New Methodist Church Built
Lorenzo Dow Baker financed a new Methodist Church on Main Street after the first one was struck by lightning and burned in 1891. It replaced a church built after the great revival movement of 1842-43. The lumber was shipped from Maine. Noted English artist, Claire Leighton, designed some of the stained glass windows.
12 School Houses Existed
In 1859 the town had a total of twelve school houses and 600 students. The town paid teachers' salaries but did not own all the school houses. An example is the case of the Pond Hill School in South Wellfleet built on a shares basis by men of the community. The site was donated by the Lewis family who owned large tracts of land in the area.
Spike in Dolphin Stranding
From Jan. 12 to Feb. 16, 2012, a total of 178 dolphins were stranded. The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) had workers in town for over a month to rescue as many as they could. Of 71 stranded alive, 56 were released back into the wild.
New Fire Station Dedicated
The ground breaking for a new fire and rescue station took place on March 6, 2008. The dedication took place a year later on April 1, 2009. The new station is located on Route 6 and is a state-of-the art building.
Wellfleet Historical Society Inc.
The Wellfleet Historical Society was incorporated. It later became Wellfleet Historical Society & Museum.
New Town Hall Opened
A new town hall opened in the former South Wellfleet 2nd Congregational Church which was moved in 1919 from the east entrance of the South Wellfleet cemetery to the center of Wellfleet. At that time, the building was renamed Colonial Hall.
Billingsgate Explored by John Smith
John Smith, a famous English adventurer, briefly explored the Cape. He sailed into Cape Cod Bay and set ashore at Billingsgate. He named the region "New England", which is still used to refer to the area to this day.
New Marina and Pier Begun
The town bought Shirttail Point and began to build the marina and pier over the next 8 years. The picture (right) shows the pier completed.
Schools Consolidated
All the schools were consolidated into five primary schools, two grammar schools and one high school. For the first time, a high school building was erected on the hill in back of a residence occupied by David C. Lombard. This location at that time accommodated pupils from the outlying districts of the town.
Chequessett Country Club Established
A golf club was established just before the October 1929 stock market crash, with stocks being sold for cash as well as goods. An oil painting by Gerrit Beneker, presently over the fireplace in the clubhouse, was payment for 5 shares. In 1936 the name was changed to Chequessett Country Club as tennis had been added. In 1934, the Wellfleet Yacht Club started to use the anchorage.
Steeple Blown Off Congregational Church
In December, 1879, the steeple and town clock were blown down, but were later replaced.
J.A. Stubbs Oyster Company Formed
J.A. Stubbs Oyster Company formed. It was the first viable oyster planting and shipping company.
Spirit of Massachusetts Visited Wellfleet
In observance of the 300th anniversary of Barnstable County, the newly-constructed schooner, Spirit of Massachusetts, visited Wellfleet. Four days of events were held to coincide with the occasion.
River Wharf Built
River Wharf was built opposite Great Island for fish packing.
First Lighthouse in Wellfleet
The first lighthouse in Wellfleet was erected on Billingsgate Island. It was the third lighthouse on Cape Cod, after the Highland Light in Truro and the Race Point Light in Provincetown.
American Legion Hall Built
The American Legion Hall was completed on land purchased from Nickerson Lumber Company, now Mid Cape Home Center. A stone watering trough was donated by Emmanuel Davis with a plaque reading, “American Legion, John R. McKay Post 287, April 1933".
Fireworks Faux Pas
On July 10, 2004, a fireworks show was set off prematurely during the day causing a large fire near the Indian Neck parking area. The fire chief called it “one of the largest and most dangerous incidents we have yet to manage.”
Chequessett Inn Opened
The Mercantile Wharf was converted into a hotel resort, the Chequessett Inn, by Lorenzo Dow Baker. Open only during the summer tourism season and staffed primarily by Jamaican workers, it created an international staffing tradition continued by many restaurants in Wellfleet today.
Wellfleet Conservation Trust Established
The Wellfleet Conservation Trust was established in 1984 to assist and promote the preservation of open spaces and natural resources and to protect the rural character of the town of Wellfleet. This purpose is consistent with and supportive of the vision of the residents of Wellfleet, who place a high priority on protection of their natural environment, precious natural resources, and improved access to open spaces. The mission of the Wellfleet Conservation Trust is to conserve land in perpetuity for enjoyment by current and future generations.
Cahoon Hollow Station Built
"A life saving station was built at Cahoon Hollow Beach by the Federal Government along with 8 others on the Cape's east shore. They were located at about 8-mile intervals from Provincetown to Chatham.
These stations contained everything needed for a sea rescue. They were manned by a brave and experienced captain and crew and were critical in the saving of life and property. Every mile of the backshore was patrolled at night and on foggy days. After the establishment of the Life Saving Service, all shipwrecked mariners were cared for at the expense of the government."
New Town Charter Approved
A new town charter was approved, creating a governing body of 5 selectmen and a town manager. A new Board of Health was appointed, a responsibility previously held by the selectmen.
First Methodist Church Built
The First Methodist Church was built on Pleasant Hill.
WHAT Opened A New 210 Seat Theater
The Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater, formed in 1985, built a state-of-the-art facility on Route 6. On Saturday, June 23, a gala opening night featured a cheering ovation for Julie Harris as she knelt onstage, kissed her hand, and slapped the floor to dedicate the Julie Harris stage.
S. Wellfleet Neighborhood Assn. Established
South Wellfleet Neighborhood Association and Social Union was established for and by residents and visitors. The center of its activities is the former Pond Hill School.
First School Built
In 1798, a number of men in the north parish of the town built a schoolhouse divided into 32 shares. It was located on the King's Highway, north of the Herring Brook, about 250 feet south of the Truro town line. It was the first schoolhouse built in Wellfleet and was maintained as a private school with seats for 32 students.
Five School Districts in Wellfleet
In 1807, there were 5 school districts in Wellfleet, each with its own teacher. There also was one grammar school offering a classical curriculum that served the whole town.
The Curtain Factory Built
The Powdrell and Alexander, Inc., business known by all as The Curtain Factory, was built on the corner of West Main Street and Howland Avenue. All of its curtains were sold by Sears, Roebuck and Co. The building later housed the Colonial Candle Factory and is presently the Wellfleet library.
Funding Appropriated for New Police and Fire Stations
Voters appropriated $654,000 for a new combined police and fire station, which was located at the intersection of Gross Hill Road, Lawrence Road, and Route 6.
The Pirate Ship Whydah Found
The ship of pirate Black Sam Bellamy, which sank in 1717, was found in 14 feet of water and 5 feet of mud by Barry Clifford off Marconi Beach. In 1985, the bell with the words “The Whydah Gally 1716” was recovered, making the Whydah the first authenticated pirate shipwreck ever to be discovered.
Thoreau Visited Wellfleet
Henry David Thoreau, a famous American philosopher, visited Cape Cod and Wellfleet in 1849 as he walked along the back shore. He spent a night with John Young Newcomb, an oysterman, and his wife, Thankful, in Wellfleet on present day Williams Pond. They were mentioned in his book Cape Cod.
Schooners Built at Duck Creek Shipyard
From 1848 to 1853, Henry Rogers & Sons built 8 schooners at the Duck Creek Shipyard. Besides this, boat building occurred there only on a small scale.
Wreck of the Franklin
The Franklin foundered at Newcomb's Hollow on her way from London to Boston. It carried among its cargo: apples, pears, and linden trees which were salvaged and planted in town. The descendants of these can be seen around town today. The captain and several crew members were lost, emphasizing the need for more life-saving facilities. It appeared from the Captain's private papers picked up by Capt. Isaiah Hatch that the ship was purposely wrecked in a failed attempt at insurance fraud.
Largest Mass Stranding in US History
On June 8, 2024, at least 146 Atlantic white-sided dolphins were stranded along Chequessett Neck Road and into the Herring River. The Marine Mammal Rescue (MMR) of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), along with over 100 volunteers, worked to tag and refloat as many dolphins as they could; in total, 102 of the 146 survived and were returned safely to the ocean.
WHSM Timeline
Jane Potee
Created on July 26, 2024
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Transcript
1600 - present
THE history OF
timeline
Wellfleet
index
1600
1800
2000
1900
1800-1810
1900s
2000s
1600-1619
1815-1834
1910s
2010s
1620-1699
index
1835-1839
2020s
1920s
1700
1840-1844
1930-1935
1845-1849
1936-1939
1700-1750
1850s
1940s
1750-1768
1860s
1950s
1770-1799
1870s
1960-1979
1880s
1980-1999
1890s
Before 1600
Return to Index
A Long History of Indigenous People
Approx. 1600
1600
Caboto pre-1600
1600
Active, Permanent Lifestyle of Native-Americans
1602
Gosnold Began Written History of Cape Cod
1606
Champlain Explored Cape Cod
1614
Billingsgate Explored by John Smith
1616
Native American Communities Struck with Epidemics
Return to Index
1620
1600
Plymouth Colony Established
1643
European Colonizers Bought Land from Native Americans
1651
Town of Eastham, including Wellfleet, is Incorporated
1692
Plymouth Colony Merged
1697
Billingsgate (now Wellfleet) Settled
1717
Return to Index
Pirate Ship Whydah Sank
1718
1700
Billingsgate Petitions the General Court
1719
Bound Brook Settled
1720
First Wharf Built at Griffin Island
1734
Fresh Brook Settled
1734
New Meetinghouse Built
1746
Samuel Smith Purchased Land For Tavern
1747
Tax for Small Pox Victims Passed
Return to Index
1761
Wellfleet Became Common Name
1700
1763
Schools Kept In Private Houses
1763
Wellfleet Separated From Eastham
1765
First Windmill Built
1765
Population Reached 500
1768
Cutting of Trees Restricted
1770
Return to Index
Oyster Beds Died Off
1771
1700
Whaling Reached Prime In Wellfleet
1775
Population Reached 1200
1779
Wreck of the Ship America
1788
Second Wharf Built on Duck Creek
1797
First Postmaster Appointed
1798
First School Built
1800
Return to Index
Free Mason Schooner Built
1800
1800
Packet Service with Boston Began
1801
First Mail Service Established
1802
Humane Society Built Huts
1802
Methodists Hold First Class
1802
Offshore Whaling Schooners Active
1807
Five School Districts in Wellfleet
1816
Return to Index
First Methodist Church Built
1819
1800
First Methodist Revival Held
1819
First Lighthouse in Wellfleet
1830
Duck Creek Wharf Built
1830
Mackerel Fishing 1830-1870
1831
South Wharf Built on Blackfish Creek
1833
2nd Congregational Church Built in South Wellfleet
Return to Index
1835
Commerical Wharf Built on Duck Creek
1835
1800
Methodist Church Built in South Wellfleet
1836
Marine Benevolent Society Organized
1837
Enterprise Wharf Built
1837
39 Salt Works in Production
1839
Mayo Beach Lighthouse Built
1840
Return to Index
Lorenzo Dow Baker Born
1840
1800
First Universalist Society Formed
1840
River Wharf Built
1843
Methodist Church Built on Main St.
Return to Index
1846
1800
Daily Mail Service Started
1847
Wreck of the Barque “Cactus”
1848
Schooners Built at Duck Creek Shipyard
1849
Thoreau Visited Wellfleet
1849
Wreck of the Franklin
Return to Index
1850
Uncle Tim's Bridge Built
1800
1850
New Congregational Church Built
1857
Pond Hill School Built
1858
30 Families Lived on Billingsgate
1859
12 School Houses Existed
Return to Index
1860
Mackerel Fishing Industry Flourished
1800
1862
Luther Crowell Submits First Patent
1863
Central Wharf Built
1865
Schools Consolidated
1866
Advent Society Organized
1867
J.A. Stubbs Oyster Company Formed
1870
Return to Index
Mercantile Wharf Built
1870
1800
Railroad Arrived in Wellfleet
1872
Cahoon Hollow Station Built
1874
U.S. President, General Grant, Visited
1874
Wellfleet Savings Bank Built
1876
First Circulating Library Established
1877
Adams Masonic Lodge Built
1879
Steeple Blown Off Congregational Church
Return to Index
1880
L.D. Baker & Company Established
1880
1800
Schoolhouse on Bound Brook Island is Sold
1883
Schooner Freeman Built
1884
Massive Pilot Whale Stranding
1885
Mercantile Wharf Purchased
1889
High School Moved
Return to Index
1890
Oyster Transplantation Took Hold
1892
1800
New Methodist Church Built
1892
Prospect Hill Development Laid Out
1893
Workers Free Public Library Established
Return to Index
1900
First Catholic Church Formed
1900
1902
Chequessett Inn Opened
1902
First Gasoline Powered Oyster Boat
1903
First Transatlantic Wireless Communication
1909
Herring River Dike Built
1912
Return to Index
Our Lady of Lourdes Church Built
1914
1900
Castagna Wrecked Off Cahoon Hollow
1914
Chequessett Girls Camp Opened
1915
Billingsgate Island Inundated
1915
The Wellfleet Hotel Created
1917
U.S. Navy Took Over Marconi Station
1919
Second Congregational Church Moved to Town Center
1920
Return to Index
Population of 826
1920
1900
Tourist Economy Became Important
1921
Town Dump Established
1927
Electricity Comes to Wellfleet
1927
First Fire Tower Erected
1929
Austin Ornithological Station Founded
1929
Chequessett Country Club Established
Return to Index
1931
The Curtain Factory Built
1900
1933
American Legion Hall Built
1933
Big Chief Dance Pavilion Destroyed
1934
Chequesett Inn Destroyed
1934
Fire Department Established
Return to Index
1937
Four Rock Jetties Built on Mayo Beach
1900
1937
Jack Hall Bought Property on Bound Brook
1937
S. Wellfleet Neighborhood Assn. Established
1938
Police Dept. Established
1938
Wellfleet Consolidated School Built
1939
Passenger Service on Railroad Ended
1941
Return to Index
Fire Station Constructed on Commercial Street
1941
New Town Hall Opened
1942
1900
Edmund Wilson Bought House On Money Hill
1943
Camp Wellfleet Opened
1944
Serge Chermayeff Bought Home on Slough Pond
1947
Summer Painting School Opened
1948
Route 6 Bypassed Town Center
1948
The Colony Built
1949
Biddles Bought the Baker Homestead
1951
Return to Index
Ocean View Drive Built
1951
New Marina and Pier Begun
1951
1900
Wellfleet Historical Society Inc.
1953
The Beachcomber Opened
1955
Freight Railroad Ended
1956
Chapel of St. James the Fisherman Built
1959
Audubon Bought Austin Ornithological Station
1959
Nauset Regional High School Opened
1959
Spit and Chatter Club Became Captain Higgins Restaurant
1960
Return to Index
Town Hall Burned Down
1961
1900
CC National Seashore Created
1961
Post Office Dedication on Main Street
1966
A.I.M. Medical Center Established
1966
Police Dept. Moved to Commercial Street
1974
Herring River Dike Rebuilt
1975
Wellfleet Cannon Dedicated
1976
Fire on Main Street
1984
Return to Index
The Pirate Ship Whydah Found
1984
Funding Devoted for New Police and Fire Stations
1900
1984
Police and Fire Departments Moved to Lawrence Road
1984
Wellfleet Conservation Trust Established
1985
New Town Charter Approved
1985
Spirit of Massachusetts Visited Wellfleet
1985
Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater Formed
1990
The Library Moved to the Former Candle Factory
2002
Return to Index
The First Oysterfest Held
2003
2000
First “State of Harbor" Conference
2004
Fireworks Faux Pas
2007
WHAT Opened A New 210 Seat Theater
2008
Uncle Tim’s Bridge Rededicated
2009
New Fire Station Dedicated
2009
Our Lady of Lourdes Moved to Route 6
Return to Index
2010
Community Gardens Established
2010
2010
Water Tower Completed
2011
Preservation Hall Opened
2012
Spike in Dolphin Stranding
2013
Wellfeet's 250th Anniversary
Return to Index
2024
Largest Mass Stranding in US History
2020
The Wellfleet Hotel Created
The Wellfleet Hotel and Annex was created at the house of Solomon Higgins on the corner of Main Street and Holbrook Avenue by Clarence W. Ryder.
A.I.M. Medical Center Established
A.I.M. Medical Center in Wellfleet was established. It was reorganized as Outer Cape Health Services in 1987.
Electricity Comes to Wellfleet
Electricity came to Wellfleet, and a year later at a Town Meeting vote, gas street lamps were discontinued.
Chapel of St. James the Fisherman Built
In 1956, the Chapel of St. James the Fisherman was built above Route 6. The architect was Finnish born Olav Hammarstrom, who also designed modernist houses in Wellfleet.
Serge Chermayeff Bought Home on Slough Pond
Serge Chermayeff, who became head of the architecture departments at Harvard and Yale, bought a home on Slough Pond on the Wellfleet-Truro border. Here, he entertained a number of renowned modernist architects including Walter Gropius and Eero Saarinen, and Katharine Kuh, curator of modern art at the Chicago Art Institute.
Big Chief Dance Pavilion Destroyed
The Big Chief Pavilion was destroyed as a result of suspected arson. It was the site of high school basketball games, senior proms, roller skating, Saturday night dances, and other social events. It was located on the east side of Route 6 between South Wellfleet and Wellfleet.
Castagna Wrecked Off Cahoon Hollow
The Castagna was wrecked on a bitterly cold night off Cahoon Hollow Beach. Her captain and 3 crew members were frozen to death in the rigging where they had climbed in panic. The bodies of the 3 seamen were buried in the Catholic cemetery.
The Colony Built
Designed and built in 1948 by architects Nathaniel Saltonstall and Oliver P. Morton, the Mayo Hill Colony Club first served as a private club and art gallery for artists and their patrons. The cottages and the furnishings were in the Bauhaus style with pieces designed by leading modernists of the time.
Wellfleet Separated from Eastham
In 1723, the town that is now Wellfleet attepted to establish as a town separate from Eastham, but was denied by the General Court. In 1763, After 40 years of petitioning, Wellfleet successfully separated from Eastham to become its own town.
Schools Kept In Private Houses
In 1763, it was agreed that school terms of five weeks each be kept at the homes of James Atwood, Joseph Atkins, Joseph Pierce and Zoeth Smith. The remainder of the six-month school terms would be kept at the home of Widow Doane.
Methodists Hold First Class
The first Methodist class meeting was organized in 1802 with three members, Abigail Gross, Thankful Rich, and Lurana Higgins. Ephraim Higgins was the first class leader.
30 Families Lived on Billingsgate
In 1858, there were 30 families living on Billingsgate Island along with a lighthouse, store, school, and oil works.
Passenger Service on Railroad Ended
Passenger service on the Old Colony railroad ended. The passenger station had been demolished in 1935.
Champlain Explored Cape Cod
It is believed that Norsemen visited Cape Cod starting in 1000 A.D. Prior to 1600, other explorers passed the Cape (among them John and Sebastion Cabot in 1498 and Giovanni da Verazzano in 1524 ), however there are no records of these men stopping to explore. The first to explore Cape Cod extensively was Samuel de Champlain.
Mackerel Fishing 1830-1870
With the decline of whaling, Wellfleet fishermen turned to off-shore mackerel fishing. By the middle of the nineteenth century, Wellfleet was third in the nation in mackerel catch. In 1851, the town had 79 schooners with 852 men chasing mackerel.
Mercantile Wharf Purchased
In 1885, Lorenzo Dow Baker purchased Mercantile Wharf and spent $100,000 converting the old wharf buildings into the elegant Chequessett Inn. It was open only in the summer and staffed by Jamaican workers.
New Meetinghouse Built
In 1734, it was voted to build a new meetinghouse to the south of the head of Duck Creek. Elisha Holbrook gave the land and a Second Meetinghouse of the First Congregational Church was built, which replaced the first meetinghouse on Chequessett Neck Road.
Schooner Freeman Built
Built for the L. D. Baker Company in 1883 in Bath, Maine. It became a whaler when the company retired all of its sail powered vessels, and was once captained by Provincetown's infamous John Atkins Cook. It was trapped in ice in North Pacific off coast of Alaska, caught fire, and burned out on Sept. 22, 1897.
Wellfeet's 250th Anniversary
Wellfleet celebrated its 250th anniversary of being incorporated as a town on August 8th, 2013.
U.S. Navy Took Over Marconi Station
In April, 1917, due to World War I, the U.S. Navy took possession of Marconi Station in South Wellfleet and created the U.S. Navy Radio Station. In 1926, the Navy decommissioned the operation.
Our Lady of Lourdes Moved to Route 6
In 2009, a new 500-seat Catholic church on Route 6 was dedicated. The altar and reredos from the 1912 church on Main Street, hand-carved from chestnut wood in Belgium, were refinished and installed in the new church.
First Transatlantic Wireless Communication
The first transatlantic wireless communication took place between Marconi Station in South Wellfleet and England. Messages were exchanged by President Theodore Roosevelt and the King of England, Edward VII.
Population Reached 1200
The population of Wellfleet is recorded and reaches 1200, double the population of 1765 and less than half of Wellfleet's population in 2020.
Freight Railroad Ended
The last trains carrying freight to Wellfleet ended in 1955.
Library Moved to Former Candle Factory
The former candle factory on West Main Street was renovated, and the library moved there from the 2nd floor of Town Hall.
The First Oysterfest Held
Main Street was shut for 2 days of celebration of the Wellfleet oyster. The first festival held the promise of a new tradition. Since then, every October, the Oysterfest has been held annually in Wellfleet.
Massive Pilot Whale Stranding
827 Black Fish were driven ashore by fishermen. About 1500 were captured and sold for $15,000, which was divided amongst the Wellfleet inhabitants.
Mercantile Wharf Built
The Mercantile Wharf was built west of the Mayo Beach Lighthouse. At the height of cod and mackerel fishing, 100 vessels sailed from the harbor.
Billingsgate Island Inundated
In 1915 the brick lighthouse and keeper’s house were inundated (flooded). A local man ferried the last of the bricks to the mainland in 1922, and by 1935 all that remained of Billingsgate was a tidal mudflat.
1850 - Uncle Tim's Bridge Built
Uncle Tim's Bridge, named after ship’s chandlery owner, Timothy A. Daniels, constructed a bridge from Hamblen Island (Cannon Hill) to the village over Duck Creek.
Schoolhouse on Bound Brook Island is Sold
The Bound Brook Island schoolhouse was sold in 1880. The belfry became a well house at the David Baker homestead on the Island and the bell was moved to a Wesleyan Chapel in Jamaica. It was carried there by Captain L. D. Baker, a native of Bound Brook Island.
Native American Communities Struck with Epidemics
Explorers and fishermen brought European diseases to the New World. A particularly deadly plague swept through native communities from 1616 until 1619. This was most probably small pox, but it could have been a viral typhus or even bubonic plague.
First Gasoline Powered Oyster Boat
L.D. Baker built the first gasoline powered oyster boat, The Cultivator, for his newly-formed Wellfleet Oyster Company. Nicked named "the cheese box on a raft", it was unattractive but practical.
U.S. President, General Grant, Visited
U.S. President, General Grant, visited and rode on the completed railroad line.
Police Dept. Moved to Commercial Street
The police department moved from Town Hall to the second floor of the fire department on Commercial Street.
Chequessett Girls Camp Opened
A Nautical camp for girls was opened by Alice Hamilton Belding and William Gould Vinal off Nauhaught Bluff Road. The site was later occupied by Camp Mar-Ven.
Wellfleet Consolidated School Built
A final consolidation of Wellfleet schools resulted in the building of a school overlooking Long Pond Road at the cost of $60,000.
Nauset Regional High School Opened
Nauset Regional High School opened in Orleans on Route 28 with an enrollment of 415 students. For the first time since Wellfleet’s incorporation, children went out of town for schooling.
Wellfleet Became Common Name
The town of Wellfleet was originally refered to as "Billingsgate" by the initial settlers of Massachussettes. By 1761, "Wellfleet" had become the common name for the town. It was chosen to evoke the thought of the then famous Wellfleet oysters, collected in the eastern waters of England.
Offshore Whaling Schooners Active
Although whaling out of Wellfleet declined after the Revolutionary War due to the drop in North Atlantic whales caused by over harvesting, in 1802 Wellfleet still had 5 schooners, out of a fleet of 25, active in the hunt for whales. As the number of whales declined, Wellfleet whalers increasingly turned to fishing.
Railroad Arrived in Wellfleet
The Fall River and Old Colony Railroad extended its line from Boston and arrived in Wellfleet on Dec 9th, 1870. The station was off Commercial Street, opposite Railroad Avenue.
Wreck of the Barque “Cactus”
The Barque Cactus wrecked at South Wellfleet, and all hands were lost. It was on its way from Boston to Ireland with a cargo of grain for the famine-stricken country.
Methodist Church Built in South Wellfleet
The Methodist Church at South Wellfleet was built in 1835 and was located on the west side of the road, a little to the south of the 2nd Congregational Church. After becoming inactive, in 1869 it was moved to town and converted into a dwelling house by Dr. George T. Wyer.
Population of 826
The 1920 Census recorded a population of 826 for Wellfleet.
CC National Seashore Created
"The Cape Cod National Seashore was created by an act of Congress and approved by President John F. Kennedy. It encompassed more than 44,000 acres. The park stretches for 40 miles along the shoreline of the “Great Beach” of Cape Cod from Chatham to Provincetown. It is the first National Park that included privately-owned land. Camp Wellfleet had reached its final days of usefulness. It was closed, and a small crew left to manage the site until the National Park Service arrived."
First Mail Service Established
The first mail service that reached Wellfleet was established in 1801. For many years, this service was only once a week.
Oyster Transplantation Took Hold
The business of buying seed oysters from the Long Island Sound and planting them in Wellfleet Bay, to be taken up on their maturity and prepared for market, was started. Buildings were erected for handling the product, which in 1903 had reached the amount of 200,000 bushels.
39 Salt Works in Production
There were 39 establishments in Wellfleet manufacturing salt. They were located at the Cove, on Griffith and Bound Brook Islands, and in South Wellfleet. By 1860 the salt works industry was abandoned.
Police Dept. Established
A vote at the annual town meeting in 1938 established a police department with John C. Daniels, Chairman of the Board of Selectmen, as police chief. He received no extra pay and did not wear a uniform. Elmer Wiles and George Barrio were the first two officers. The office of the department was in the town hall.
Active, Permanent Lifestyle of Native-Americans
By 1600 there were extensive permanent Native American settlements on the Outer Cape, including Wellfleet. They grew corn, beans, squash and harvested deer and small game, fish, shellfish, whales and native plants. They manufactured mishoons, (canoes), we-tus, pottery, fishing weights and other tools and numerous styles of bi-face projectile points. Wampanoag people acknowledge the Earth as a living being, including all that live on her, grow from her, or are part of her body. (Linda Coombs)
Community Gardens Established
On June 27, 2010, there was a ribbon-cutting for 33 garden plots at the Wellfleet Council on Aging building at 715 Old Kings Highway.
Humane Society Built Huts
The large number of wrecks on the back side of the Cape encouraged the formation of a Humane Society, which built huts along the coast where seamen who washed ashore could find shelter. The huts in Wellfleet were located in the hollows at Newcomb, Pearce, Cahoon, and Snow. There were also huts at Fresh Brook and Great Island.
Billingsgate Petitions the General Court
Wanting more control over their taxes and resources, the families of North Eastham attempted to separate from Eastham in 1700. Eastham allowed those to the north to support their own minister and teacher and not contribute to those in Eastham, but did not support the establishment of a separate town. In 1718 those in North Eastham petitioned the General Court for separation. Separation was opposed by Eastham.
Plymouth Colony Merged
Plymouth Colony was merged with Massachusetts Bay Colony, and the seat of government for the Cape shifts to Boston.
Whaling Reached Prime In Wellfleet
In 1771, Wellfleet was credited with having 30 whaler ships of 75 tons, each employing 15 men. By the 1780's, whaling had significantly depleted whale populations in the North Atlantic.
Fresh Brook Settled
Fresh Brook is located in the south east area of Wellfleet. Its first known resident was Sylvanus Snow in 1734. It eventually grew to a village with over 50 inhabitants and a school.It is now part of the Cape Cod National Seashore.
Summer Painting School Opened
Painter Xavier Gonzalez established a summer studio and summer painting school. His art was displayed throughout the United States, including at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, as well as in Paris, Venice, Brussels and Tokyo. He designed a 300 pound aluminum Christmas angel for the Town Hall in 1955. It was destroyed in the fire that destroyed the Town Hall in 1960.
Wellfleet Cannon Dedicated
In 1903, Clarence B. Hicks and some friends carried the Wellfleet Cannon from Cannon Hill to Hicks' property and buried it there. It was unearthed in 1974, and presented to the Town of Wellfleet by the current owner of the homestead, Mrs. Otto Andl. In 1975, the cannon was dedicated and placed on the Town Hall green, with an inscription describing its journey, as seen in picture.
Wellfleet Savings Bank Built
The Wellfleet Savings Bank was built on Bank Street.
Wreck of the Ship America
In 1779, the ship America of Wellfleet, captained by William Doane, was lost with all twenty-three men on board.
Samuel Smith Purchased Land For Tavern
Samuel Smith purchased land for a tavern on Great Island. Thomas Rich & Co. conveyed by deed parcels of land on Great Island to him for 3 pounds and 10 shillings. The site is now a part of the Cape Cod National Seashore and accessible through the Great Island Trail.
Cutting of Trees Restricted
Faced with significant erosion, especially into the town harbor from Great Island, Wellfleet petitioned the General Court to restrict the cutting of trees and grazing on common land.
Camp Wellfleet Opened
For about 18 years, starting in March, 1943, the U.S. government used Camp Wellfleet as a military training facility. The facility was located in South Wellfleet at what is now the Marconi area of the National Seashore.
First Postmaster Appointed
Thomas Holbrook, responsible for building the second wharf on Duck Creek, was offered the position of first postmaster but declined. Lewis Hamlen thus became the first postmaster on October 30, 1797.
Before 1600
For over 10,000 years Indigenous people accommodated their life ways as the land retreated and changed. The bluffs on the ocean side of Wellfleet extended as much as four miles further east than they do today (2022). The Wampanoag continue to live as they have for millennia in Mashpee, Herring Pond and Aquinnah.
New Congregational Church Built
In 1850, the present First Congregational Church was built on Main Street. In 1873, it was remodeled and repaired at an expense of $10,000.
Tax for Small Pox Victims Passed
There was a smallpox epidemic from 1746-1748. The General Court passed a tax bill to support families afflicted by smallpox, including support for the local Native Americans.
Fire Department Established
Town Meeting voted to organize a modern fire department. They to appropriated $500 for the purchase of equipment. A whist party and dance raised $110.60 to pay for other department expenses. A board of fire engineers was appointed consisting of Dr. C.J. Bell, Cyril Downs, Edward B. Lane, Fred Howard, Benjamin Paine, and Clarence Hicks.
Gosnold Began Written History of Cape Cod
The first recorded history of Cape Cod begins May 15, 1602. Having sighted land the day before, the English explorer, Bartholomew Gosnold, found himself "embayed within a mighty headland near this cape." He anchored in fifteen fathoms deep. They caught so many codfish that he named the place Cape Cod.
Mayo Beach Lighthouse Built
The Mayo Beach lighthouse began operation in 1839.
Enterprise Wharf Built
Enterprise Wharf was built by Benjamin Rich and Stephen Young in Chipman's Cove at Old Pier Road. It was abandoned in 1862.
Police and Fire Departments Moved to Lawrence Road
The police and fire departments moved out of the station on Commercial Street into a modern public safety facility on Lawrence Road. The new station housed the fire department on the lower level and the police department above.
Adams Masonic Lodge Built
The Adams Ancient Free and Accepted Temple was opened on the corner of Bank and Commercial Streets. The construction was done by local architect and builder, Zoheth Sparrow.
European Colonizers Bought Land from Native Americans
The first European settlers moved from Plymouth Colony to the Outer Cape. In 1643, Governor Bradford and others made a land survey and purchased territory from the Indian Sachem. The area is now the towns of Orleans, Eastham and part of Wellfleet.
Four Rock Jetties Built on Mayo Beach
Town Meeting approved $1500 for 4 rock jetties on Mayo Beach.
First Wharf Built at Griffin Island
Taking advantage of laws which granted owners property rights to the low water line, and with growing need to move goods in and out of the area, the first wharf in Wellfleet was built at Griffin Island.
Bound Brook Settled
Farm families moved out to Bound Brook to take advantage of the wide expanse of salt marsh. It provided feed for their cattle and access to the bay through Duck Harbor.
Mackerel Fishing Industry Flourishes
In 1851, there were 79 vessels employing 852 men for the purpose of catching Mackerel. The business increased and was at its best between 1860 and 1870, when about 100 vessels were in operation. After that, date fishing declined, until in 1884 there were only 30 vessels employing about 500 men.
Oyster Beds Died Off
Wellfleet’s famous oysters died off due to local farmers over harvesting them and removing their shells to create lime (a soil additive) for their fields. In a weakened condition, disease struck the oysters and killed off most of the natural beds. Oystermen turned to importing spat (oyster larvae) from the Long Island Sound and Chesapeake Bay.
Pond Hill School Built
The Pond Hill School was built in South Wellfleet.
Chequesett Inn Destroyed
The famous Chequesett Inn built by Captain L. D. Baker was destroyed by ice in February, 1934.
Town Hall Burned Down
The Town Hall burned down during a March blizzard. In 1961, it was rebuilt in the same style with an extension on the back for more office space.
Daily Mail Service Started
In 1846, mail delivery service in Wellfleet was changed from only occurring weekly to occurring daliy.
Duck Creek Wharf Built
The slow silting in Duck Harbor encouraged the migration of people and economic activity to the present harbor area. John Harding built the first Wharf on Duck Creek which would soon become the location of several wharves and the center of town commercial activity.
Central Wharf Built
The Central wharf was built on Duck Creek by 60 shareholders. It was 300 feet long and was a thriving business. It later became the town landing.
Marine Benevolent Society Organized
The Marine Benevolent Society was organized to provide relief for shipwrecked seamen and families.
Biddles Bought the Baker Homestead
Francis Biddle, Attorney General under Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and his wife, poet Katherine Garrison Chapin Biddle, bought the Baker homestead on Bound Brook Island from Jack Hall. Francis spent summers there until his death in Wellfleet in 1968.
First Fire Tower Erected
The State Forestry Service built the first fire tower as a direct result of a disasterous fire in 1927 that destroyed 2500 acres of woodland.
High School Moved
The high school was moved to Main Street, next to the Congregational Church.
Herring River Dike Rebuilt
Repairs were made to the Herring River Dike, originally built in 1909.
Ocean View Drive Built
The construction of Ocean View Drive was started in 1950, connecting Lecount Hollow Road and Long Pond Road. It was paved in 1951. This connected Lecount Hollow Beach with Cahoon Hollow Beach. White Crest Beach and Parking was created at a later date. Construction on the section from Long Pond Road to Gross Hill Road and on to Newcomb Hollow Beach was started in 1958 and paved in 1960.
Spit and Chatter Club Became Captain Higgins Restaurant
At the death of Captain Everett Higgins, the Spit and Chatter Club building was sold and remodeled to become Captain Higgins Restaurant. Construction of the inner basin of the marina required the building be moved from the east side of Commercial Street to the west side in 1951. The building now houses the restaurant The Pearl.
Post Office Dedication on Main Street
On January 1, 1961 the post office at the corner of Holbrook and Main Street was dedicated. The post office sat on the lot previously occupied by Hotel Wellfleet. The flag for the ceremony had been flown over the Post Office Department in Washington and the Capitol Building.
First “State of Harbor" Conference
In what was to become an annual event, on Sept 6th, 2003, the State of Wellfleet Harbor Conference filled the Council on Aging. The purpose was to provide information to the general public on issues and research affecting Wellfleet Harbor.
Fire on Main Street
The Penny Patch fire destroyed two storefront buildings on Main Street. The Penny Patch was a penny candy store which had formerly been the popular Newcomb’s Soda Shop.
Preservation Hall Opened
Preservation Hall opened in the renovated former Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church on May 5th, 2011. Under the leadership of Marla Rice, Anne Suggs, and Ellen LeBow, a nonprofit 501c3 organization was formed to preserve a unique part of Wellfleet’s architecture, breathing new life and new use into the space left vacant and deteriorating. The opening of “Prez Hall” brought back a vibrancy and sense of community to Main Street.
First Catholic Church Formed
By a vote of the town on October 19, 1900, the schoolhouse opposite the old cemetery was sold to Henry Delory for $59. The abandoned one-room schoolhouse was cut in sections and moved to Route 6, on the site now occupied by the Mobil Service Station, to serve as a chapel for the Catholic community. It was named Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel.
Pirate Ship Whydah Sank
Pirate Captain Sam Bellamy’s ship, the Whydah, sank off South Wellfleet. The Whydah smashed into the shoals of Wellfleet near the present day Marconi beach, drowning most on board, including Bellamy, and sending the treasure of 50 plundered ships into the sea.
Tourist Economy Became Important
By 1920, Wellfleet was becoming a summer destination.
First Universalist Society Formed
The First Universalist Society was organized in 1840. Subsequent meetings were held in Lyceum Hall. In 1844, the original Masonic Hall was remodeled into a suitable place for worship. The Union Hall was purchased in 1868, where regular services were held until 1889.
Caboto pre-1600
Prior to 1600, Giovanni Caboto, aka John Cabot, was an Italian navigator and explorer. His 1497 voyage to the coast of North America under the commission of Henry VII of England is the earliest-known European exploration of coastal North America since the Norse visits to Vinland in the eleventh century. His son, Sebastiono Caboto was also an explorer.
Uncle Tim’s Bridge Rededicated
Uncle Tim’s Bridge was rebuilt with funds provided through the Community Preservation Act. It was retained as a wooden structure as a result of community input.
Our Lady of Lourdes Church Built
In 1912, Our Lady of Lourdes church was completed on Main Street and dedicated on September 1. The architect was Matthew Sullivan of Boston.
South Wharf Built on Blackfish Creek
Leonard Battelle and Robert Little, both of whom were in the shipping business in Boston, joined Richard Arey, a South Wellfleet local, in building the South Wharf on Blackfish Creek. It was 100 feet long and berthed as many as 100 ships.
Free Mason Schooner Built
Since 1730, boat builders had utilized local lumber and constructed boats of varying sizes, from small skiffs to large schooners. In 1800, the Free Mason was built at Bound Brook. The schooner had a carrying capacity of 100 tons.
Methodist Church Built on Main St.
A new Methodist Church was erected on Main Street, which was, at that time, the most elaborate church edifice on the Cape. The church was struck by lightning and burned in 1891.
Fire Station Constructed on Commercial Street
A new three-bay fire station was constructed for $2500 on lands purchased from the Methodist Church and Lydia Scott. Money to fund the construction came from sale of town property.
Prospect Hill Development Laid Out
Prospect Hill Development is laid out in South Wellfleet south of Old Wharf Road.
Lorenzo Dow Baker Born
Lorenzo Dow Baker, one of Wellfleet's most prominent citizens, was born in 1840. He was a sea captain, banana exporter, and entrepreneur. He was founder of what became the United Fruit Company.
2nd Congregational Church Built in South Wellfleet
The Second Congregational Church was organized December 4, 1833, in South Wellfleet, with 42 members withdrawing from the First Church to join it. The church was moved to Wellfleet in 1919 and eventually became Town Hall.
Luther Crowell Patented Flying Machine
Luther Crowell, a local inventor, submitted his first of 293 patents. He is most known for his invention of a machine to produce flat-bottomed paper bags.
Plymouth Colony Established
The Pilgrims reached Provincetown and explored parts of the Cape including Wellfleet. They established Plymouth Colony, the third permanent English colony in America.
Jack Hall Bought Property on Bound Brook
Jack Hall, a self-taught Modernist architect, purchased the 18-century cottage which was the birthplace of Lorenzo Dow Baker along with several acres on Bound Brook Island from author John Dos Passos and his wife, Katy. Jack Hall created a welcoming environment for European Modernists who arrived in Wellfleet in the mid-1940s. He designed a number of Modernist houses, including the Hatch Cottage.
Second Wharf Built on Duck Creek
A second wharf was built by Thomas Holbrook in 1788 on Duck Creek below the residence of Charles Marsh. When whales were caught in the Bay, they were secured at this wharf and tried out on Physic Point.
The Beachcomber Opened
Russell Gallagher bought the former Coast Guard station at Cahoon Hollow Beach, converted it into a small inn and called it The Beachcomber. In 1978 Todd LeBart and Hugh Dunbar bought it and it became a restaurant, bar, and dance club.
Workers Free Public Library Established
Town meeting voted to establish the Workers Free Public Library in a rented building where the Town Hall now stands.
Audubon Bought Austin Ornithological Station
In 1959, the lands and the buildings of the Austin Ornithological Station were sold to the Massachusetts Audubon Society. The sale was supported by private gifts from the Mellon family.
Route 6 Bypassed Town Center
Route 6, the state highway, was rebuilt to bypass the town center.
Billingsgate (now Wellfleet) Settled
John Doane III farms on Chequessett Neck, formerly a part of North Eastham known as Billingsgate.
Town Dump Established
The town dump was established off Coles Neck Road.
L.D. Baker & Company Established
L.D. Baker & Company was established by Lorenzo Dow Baker and Capt. Jesse H. Freeman. L.D. Baker was born in 1840 on Bound Brook Island. He became one of Wellfleet's most prominent citizens. He was a sea captain, entreprenuer, and is most known for beginning the industry of exporting bananas from Jamaica to the U.S.
Commerical Wharf Built on Duck Creek
Paine Atwood and Elisha Perry built Commercial Wharf and ran it until 1853 when the twenty-man Commercial Wharf Company bought them out and established an oyster plant.
Population Reached 500
The population of Wellfleet was estimated to be 500 in 1765, with only 5 Native Americans on record.
Town of Eastham, including Wellfleet, is Incorporated
Seven families composed of some 50 individuals took up land in the new town of Eastham and allocated farms of about 200 acres composed of marshland, woodland, easily-worked sandy plowland and grass-covered dunes. Land was set aside for Native Americans and Great Island was reserved for common land.
First Windmill Built
The first windmill was built for grinding grain. It was located on the present area in town known as Mill Hill.
Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater Formed
Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater (WHAT) was formed and took residence on Kendrick Avenue. The nucleus of the founders were Kevin Rice, Gip Hoppe, Lori Swift, Dick Morrill, Dan Walker and Vicki Shephard. Jeff Zinn arrived later as a co-director.
Second Congregational Church Moved to Town Center
The Second Congregational Church in South Wellfleet was moved to the center of town and renamed Colonial Hall. It eventually became Town Hall in 1941.
First Circulating Library Established
The first circulating library was established by Dr. Thomas Stone.
Edmund Wilson Bought House On Money Hill
Critic and author Edmund Wilson bought a home on Money Hill on March 15, 1942 and moved there with his 3rd wife, author Mary McCarthy. Wilson owned the house until his death in 1972.
Austin Ornithological Station Founded
Oliver L. Austin and his son founded the Austin Ornithological Station which became one of the largest private bird-banding stations in the world. Today, it is the location of Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary.
Packet Service with Boston Began
The packet system was established around 1800, and was the only means of conveying freight and passengers between Wellfleet and Boston.
Water Tower Completed
The completion of the water tower in 2010 greatly expanded the municipal water supply. The tower joined the steeple of the Congregational Church as a main focus of the town's skyline.
First Methodist Revival Held
Cape Cod’s first Methodist revival camp meeting took place in South Wellfleet in 1819. It was on the Isaac Rich property in Paine Hollow. Rich was a wealthy Wellfleet citizen, a Boston fish dealer, a devout Methodist, and founder of Boston University, which was originally a school to train Methodist ministers. From 1823 to 1825, the camp meeting was held on Bound Brook Island.
Herring River Dike Built
A dike was built across the Herring River to decrease mosquitoes by restricting tidal flow.
Advent Society Organized
A small Advent Society was organized in 1866. A chapel was fitted up over the store of Mr. Payne W. Higgins, the current location of the Wellfleet Historical Society Museum.
New Methodist Church Built
Lorenzo Dow Baker financed a new Methodist Church on Main Street after the first one was struck by lightning and burned in 1891. It replaced a church built after the great revival movement of 1842-43. The lumber was shipped from Maine. Noted English artist, Claire Leighton, designed some of the stained glass windows.
12 School Houses Existed
In 1859 the town had a total of twelve school houses and 600 students. The town paid teachers' salaries but did not own all the school houses. An example is the case of the Pond Hill School in South Wellfleet built on a shares basis by men of the community. The site was donated by the Lewis family who owned large tracts of land in the area.
Spike in Dolphin Stranding
From Jan. 12 to Feb. 16, 2012, a total of 178 dolphins were stranded. The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) had workers in town for over a month to rescue as many as they could. Of 71 stranded alive, 56 were released back into the wild.
New Fire Station Dedicated
The ground breaking for a new fire and rescue station took place on March 6, 2008. The dedication took place a year later on April 1, 2009. The new station is located on Route 6 and is a state-of-the art building.
Wellfleet Historical Society Inc.
The Wellfleet Historical Society was incorporated. It later became Wellfleet Historical Society & Museum.
New Town Hall Opened
A new town hall opened in the former South Wellfleet 2nd Congregational Church which was moved in 1919 from the east entrance of the South Wellfleet cemetery to the center of Wellfleet. At that time, the building was renamed Colonial Hall.
Billingsgate Explored by John Smith
John Smith, a famous English adventurer, briefly explored the Cape. He sailed into Cape Cod Bay and set ashore at Billingsgate. He named the region "New England", which is still used to refer to the area to this day.
New Marina and Pier Begun
The town bought Shirttail Point and began to build the marina and pier over the next 8 years. The picture (right) shows the pier completed.
Schools Consolidated
All the schools were consolidated into five primary schools, two grammar schools and one high school. For the first time, a high school building was erected on the hill in back of a residence occupied by David C. Lombard. This location at that time accommodated pupils from the outlying districts of the town.
Chequessett Country Club Established
A golf club was established just before the October 1929 stock market crash, with stocks being sold for cash as well as goods. An oil painting by Gerrit Beneker, presently over the fireplace in the clubhouse, was payment for 5 shares. In 1936 the name was changed to Chequessett Country Club as tennis had been added. In 1934, the Wellfleet Yacht Club started to use the anchorage.
Steeple Blown Off Congregational Church
In December, 1879, the steeple and town clock were blown down, but were later replaced.
J.A. Stubbs Oyster Company Formed
J.A. Stubbs Oyster Company formed. It was the first viable oyster planting and shipping company.
Spirit of Massachusetts Visited Wellfleet
In observance of the 300th anniversary of Barnstable County, the newly-constructed schooner, Spirit of Massachusetts, visited Wellfleet. Four days of events were held to coincide with the occasion.
River Wharf Built
River Wharf was built opposite Great Island for fish packing.
First Lighthouse in Wellfleet
The first lighthouse in Wellfleet was erected on Billingsgate Island. It was the third lighthouse on Cape Cod, after the Highland Light in Truro and the Race Point Light in Provincetown.
American Legion Hall Built
The American Legion Hall was completed on land purchased from Nickerson Lumber Company, now Mid Cape Home Center. A stone watering trough was donated by Emmanuel Davis with a plaque reading, “American Legion, John R. McKay Post 287, April 1933".
Fireworks Faux Pas
On July 10, 2004, a fireworks show was set off prematurely during the day causing a large fire near the Indian Neck parking area. The fire chief called it “one of the largest and most dangerous incidents we have yet to manage.”
Chequessett Inn Opened
The Mercantile Wharf was converted into a hotel resort, the Chequessett Inn, by Lorenzo Dow Baker. Open only during the summer tourism season and staffed primarily by Jamaican workers, it created an international staffing tradition continued by many restaurants in Wellfleet today.
Wellfleet Conservation Trust Established
The Wellfleet Conservation Trust was established in 1984 to assist and promote the preservation of open spaces and natural resources and to protect the rural character of the town of Wellfleet. This purpose is consistent with and supportive of the vision of the residents of Wellfleet, who place a high priority on protection of their natural environment, precious natural resources, and improved access to open spaces. The mission of the Wellfleet Conservation Trust is to conserve land in perpetuity for enjoyment by current and future generations.
Cahoon Hollow Station Built
"A life saving station was built at Cahoon Hollow Beach by the Federal Government along with 8 others on the Cape's east shore. They were located at about 8-mile intervals from Provincetown to Chatham. These stations contained everything needed for a sea rescue. They were manned by a brave and experienced captain and crew and were critical in the saving of life and property. Every mile of the backshore was patrolled at night and on foggy days. After the establishment of the Life Saving Service, all shipwrecked mariners were cared for at the expense of the government."
New Town Charter Approved
A new town charter was approved, creating a governing body of 5 selectmen and a town manager. A new Board of Health was appointed, a responsibility previously held by the selectmen.
First Methodist Church Built
The First Methodist Church was built on Pleasant Hill.
WHAT Opened A New 210 Seat Theater
The Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater, formed in 1985, built a state-of-the-art facility on Route 6. On Saturday, June 23, a gala opening night featured a cheering ovation for Julie Harris as she knelt onstage, kissed her hand, and slapped the floor to dedicate the Julie Harris stage.
S. Wellfleet Neighborhood Assn. Established
South Wellfleet Neighborhood Association and Social Union was established for and by residents and visitors. The center of its activities is the former Pond Hill School.
First School Built
In 1798, a number of men in the north parish of the town built a schoolhouse divided into 32 shares. It was located on the King's Highway, north of the Herring Brook, about 250 feet south of the Truro town line. It was the first schoolhouse built in Wellfleet and was maintained as a private school with seats for 32 students.
Five School Districts in Wellfleet
In 1807, there were 5 school districts in Wellfleet, each with its own teacher. There also was one grammar school offering a classical curriculum that served the whole town.
The Curtain Factory Built
The Powdrell and Alexander, Inc., business known by all as The Curtain Factory, was built on the corner of West Main Street and Howland Avenue. All of its curtains were sold by Sears, Roebuck and Co. The building later housed the Colonial Candle Factory and is presently the Wellfleet library.
Funding Appropriated for New Police and Fire Stations
Voters appropriated $654,000 for a new combined police and fire station, which was located at the intersection of Gross Hill Road, Lawrence Road, and Route 6.
The Pirate Ship Whydah Found
The ship of pirate Black Sam Bellamy, which sank in 1717, was found in 14 feet of water and 5 feet of mud by Barry Clifford off Marconi Beach. In 1985, the bell with the words “The Whydah Gally 1716” was recovered, making the Whydah the first authenticated pirate shipwreck ever to be discovered.
Thoreau Visited Wellfleet
Henry David Thoreau, a famous American philosopher, visited Cape Cod and Wellfleet in 1849 as he walked along the back shore. He spent a night with John Young Newcomb, an oysterman, and his wife, Thankful, in Wellfleet on present day Williams Pond. They were mentioned in his book Cape Cod.
Schooners Built at Duck Creek Shipyard
From 1848 to 1853, Henry Rogers & Sons built 8 schooners at the Duck Creek Shipyard. Besides this, boat building occurred there only on a small scale.
Wreck of the Franklin
The Franklin foundered at Newcomb's Hollow on her way from London to Boston. It carried among its cargo: apples, pears, and linden trees which were salvaged and planted in town. The descendants of these can be seen around town today. The captain and several crew members were lost, emphasizing the need for more life-saving facilities. It appeared from the Captain's private papers picked up by Capt. Isaiah Hatch that the ship was purposely wrecked in a failed attempt at insurance fraud.
Largest Mass Stranding in US History
On June 8, 2024, at least 146 Atlantic white-sided dolphins were stranded along Chequessett Neck Road and into the Herring River. The Marine Mammal Rescue (MMR) of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), along with over 100 volunteers, worked to tag and refloat as many dolphins as they could; in total, 102 of the 146 survived and were returned safely to the ocean.