by Jeff Shaw
A few months ago, the Cape Cod Chronicle published a list of all twelve Chatham landmarks on the National Register of Historic Places. Familiar locations include Chatham Lighthouse & Coast Guard Station, Eldredge Public Library, Marconi-RCA Wireless Receiving Station and the Chatham Railroad Museum & Depot. Locals and regular visitors would also recognize the old Calico Cat Building, one of the more unique buildings in Chatham’s Old Village Historic District.
Photo credit: Wikipedia.
But there are also lesser-known historic gems worth a visit. Some of these locations are actually hidden in plain sight, while one will require a boat ride and pre-approval to visit. Here you go:
Half Way House
“Perhaps the most unusual of the town’s National Register listings, the Half Way House, was originally located off Andrew Harding’s Lane along Chatham Harbor [near Chatham Lighthouse]. The small shed was used by members of the U.S. Lifesaving Service as they patrolled the beach; it was called the “Half Way House” because it was halfway along the patrol route. It was also probably used as a shelter by shipwrecked mariners. The town’s historic inventory form lists the date of construction as around 1870. It was moved from Chatham Harbor to Forest Beach when threatened by erosion in 1991. The privately-owned shed is now used for storage and was added to the National Register in 1978.”
For the Chatham Marconi Wireless Antenna Challenge fund-raiser, I created a 5-mile running route beginning at their historic campus and ending at the old transmission site at Forest beach. It recently dawned on me having completely overlooked the Half Way House! Finishing in front of the 1870 structure would have been equally as [historically] satisfying.
Location: Forest Beach (west side of parking lot)
Godfrey Grist Mill
“Built in 1797 by Col. Benjamin Godfrey, a Revolutionary War officer off Stage Harbor Road, it was moved to its present site off Shattuck Lane, at the rear of Chase Park, in 1955 after it was donated to the town by Stuart Crocker. The mill has undergone numerous restorations and is historically authentic. During the summer, a crew of volunteers give tours and grind corn, just as the mill has done during its 225-year history. The mill was added to the National Register in 1978.”
Located between downtown Chatham and Oyster Pond, Chase Park is somewhat tucked away in the middle of a residential neighborhood. You can easily miss it when driving along Cross Street. It’s worth a stop.
A few years ago, I coincidently found myself in the park during a windmill demonstration. Indeed, my appreciation grew for living (well, surviving) in colonial times after seeing the windmill in action. Indeed, good things take time.
Additional notes about Chase Park: a labyrinth is located in the far end of the park (behind the windmill). Also, across the windmill parking lot is a bocce or croquet lawn open to the public. Chase Park also hosts a variety of seasonal craft fairs and other outdoor events.
Location: Shattuck Lane, Chatham
“Originally established in 1823, the existing lighthouse and keeper’s house were built in 1849 near the south tip of South Monomoy Island when it was a thriving maritime community. The lighthouse was deactivated in 1923, and came under ownership of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with the creation of the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge in 1944. It underwent extensive restoration in recent years and solar power was added. The keeper’s house is used by the refuge to house summer interns monitoring the island’s extensive tern colony. It was added to the National Register in 1979.”
Admittedly, I’ve never set foot in, on or around Monomoy Point Lighthouse. I have passed it by boat over the years and always read articles about the various summer programs maintaining, staying (overnight) and surveying the area. There is something awe-inspiring of having a seat at the end of the [Cape Cod] world, where the rowdy seas of Nantucket Sound and the Atlantic Ocean meet.
Location: Southern Tip of Monomoy Island
Other locations hidden in plain sight:
Location: Downtown Chatham, next to Seaview Street
Location: Downtown Chatham, next to Chatham Bars Avenue
Mercelia Evelyn Eldridge Kelley House
Location: 2610 Main Street, South Chatham, near Morton Road
Location: Judges Way, off Stage Neck Road (off Cedar Street), Chatham
Finally, while not listed on the National Register of Historic Places, a dozen or so additional historic landmarks can be found in Chatham. Historic Chatham is another good reference.
May 9, 2022