by Jeff Shaw
Three roads – or four, depending on the “mid-town” option described below – and a mere 3.1 miles, showcases much of Chatham’s natural beauty, historic significance and best kept secrets. Those roads: Main Street, Bridge Street, Stage Harbor Road (the fourth, Cross Street) connect to make the Chatham Loop (The Loop).
The Loop is well-known to locals and most summer residents. But everyone who visits Chatham should at least drive The Loop. If time is not an issue, I recommend walking it. While the scenery can be enjoyed by bike or on a run, the slow pace of walking (and controlled breathing; no sweating) will make it much more enjoyable. Any non-motorized approach should provide time to snap pictures, pursue a detour, or take a break without worrying about parking.
The Loop begins at the downtown rotary on Main Street, and runs around the Chatham Lighthouse onto Bridge Street. Bridge Street is the home of Chatham’s only drawbridge, the Mitchell River Bridge, and eventually intersects with Stage Harbor Road, which passes Oyster Pond, ending at the downtown rotary.
Now, if you want to be precise, the shape of The Loop is more of a triangle than the assumed circle. Regardless, it is a quintessential summer outdoor activity for anyone who enjoys the sights and sounds of a beautiful place.
The Chatham Loop (3.1 miles/5K!)
Main Street (1.2 miles from Downtown Rotary to Chatham Lighthouse)
One could argue there is no better downtown than the Town of Chatham. Sure, Provincetown, Falmouth, Hyannis and Harwich Port receive high marks, too. But Chatham’s downtown is just 0.5 miles and is the home address to many notable locations, including the Chatham Lighthouse, Orpheum Theatre, Eldridge Public Library, Kate Gould Park (home of the Chatham Band and a brand-spanking new engraved brick walkway), Chatham Squire and a range of high- to low-end stories and shops that feature homemade chocolate fudge, locally roasted coffee, colorful ducks, soft serve ice cream and so much more. Within walking distance of Main Street is Veteran’s Field (home of the Chatham A’s of the Cape Cod Baseball League), a 9-hole golf course (Seaside Links), the fabulous Chatham Bars Inn, and the iconic Chatham Fish Pier.
The downtown block ends where Main Street turns right, into the Old Village (a Historic District, beyond and down School Street) and around the Chatham Lighthouse. Monomoy Wildlife Refuge is a short drive from where the road intersects with Bridge Street, at the Chatham Beach and Tennis Club.
Bridge Street (0.8 miles to Lighthouse)
Bridge Street is a bit of an underappreciated time-warp. A mix of old, historic homes (many proudly displaying preservation awards near their front door) are close to the road as well as mansions (if not compounds) tucked out of sight behind tall vegetation and long driveways.
A vast stretch of woodlands appear, somewhat surprisingly, on both sides of Bridge Street between the residential neighborhood and Mitchell River.
As for the drawbridge area, the active harbor will soon be the home of a historic Coast Guard Boathouse. The historic boathouse will be retrofitted for use as a municipal shellfish grow-out facility. The boathouse once served as home base for the famed motor lifeboat CG36500 that participated in one of the Coast Guard’s most heroic rescues, saving 32 crewmen from the stricken tanker SS Pendleton in February of 1952.
Note: If you are up for a short detour, take a left onto Stage Harbor Road from Bridge Street. The road will take you to Stage Harbor Yacht Club, with gorgeous views of the harbor. Nearby is a stone marker honoring Samuel DeChamplain, the first known man to land on these shores (1606), not to mention beautifully restored homes along Champlain Road.
Stage Harbor Road (1.0 miles to Rotary)
The final stretch of The Loop passes the Atwood House & Museum, home of the Chatham Historical Society. Also, at the intersection of Stage Harbor Road and Cross Street (the “mid-town” route) is a historic schoolhouse, the Atwood School. Finally, the route passes Oyster Pond, a public beach with free parking suitable for families, with moored boats floating with the tide.
“Mid-Town” Route (Cross Street 0.4 miles)
The Midtown Route contains everything above except the views of Oyster Pond. From Stage Harbor Road, turn right onto Cross Street back to downtown (rather than proceeding past Oyster Pond back to the downtown rotary). Along the way is lesser-known Chase Park, home of special outdoor events (commonly arts and craft fairs) and also home to the Chatham Croquet & Lawn Bowling Clubs (and courts), which are free and open to the public when not reserved by the club.
Beyond Chase Park is the historic Godfrey Windmill (built in 1791), which is open for viewing every Monday, Wednesday and Friday (11-3) during the summer. Volunteers conduct live demonstrations of making cornmeal. Finally, past the Windmill is the Chatham Labyrinth, which celebrated its 10-year anniversary this year.
Another oddity, which will probably make you smile, across from Shattuck Lane is a home (76 Cross Street), with a replica life-sized “dollhouse” version of the larger home. There is also a life-sized glass blown cow in the backyard.
See the best of Chatham on The Loop!
September 1, 2022