Tales of Cape Cod | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Tales of Cape Cod

  • Collection DOI:
    Principal Investigator:
    Rebekah Ambrose-Dalton
Interviewee Sort descending Description Interviewer Date of Interview Location of Interview Affiliation Collection
Beatrice M. Lapham

Born in 1898, Mrs.

Frank Rudd Marstons Mills, MA The William Brewster Nickerson Cape Cod History Archives Tales of Cape Cod
Bernard Collins

Born in 1896, Mr.

Frank Rudd Eastham, MA The William Brewster Nickerson Cape Cod History Archives Tales of Cape Cod
Carleton R. Crosby

Dr. Crosby was born in Brookline in 1895.  He reads from the introduction to his unpublished memoirs for approximately 10 minutes.  This section deals primarily with the train trip from Boston to Buzzards Bay and then on to the Chatham depot, the ride from the depot to their summer home in East Harwich, and his earliest memories as a child during the summer with his family and relatives.  Dr.

Renée Magriel East Harwich, MA The William Brewster Nickerson Cape Cod History Archives Tales of Cape Cod
Cecil I. Goodspeed

Born in 1898, in West Barnstable, Mr.

Frank Rudd Osterville, MA The William Brewster Nickerson Cape Cod History Archives Tales of Cape Cod
Donald E. Higgins

Born in 1904, Dr.

Susan Shaw Cotuit, MA The William Brewster Nickerson Cape Cod History Archives Tales of Cape Cod
Dorothy Fawcett

Ms. Fawcett was born in Boston in 1898 and brought to the Cape as young child in 1900.  Her grandfather with a business partner had purchased 100 acres of land called Seaside Park which later became West Hyannisport.  Her father’s occupation was as a painter/decorator and later the postmaster of the local post office.  She attended Barnstable schools and the Hyannis Normal School.  She taught school in South Dennis for two years.  She worked in the post office part-time for 12 years during the summers and then became the full time postmistress.  She retired after 28 years.

Frank Rudd West Hyannisport, MA The William Brewster Nickerson Cape Cod History Archives Tales of Cape Cod
Dudley Winthrop Hallett

Born in 1902, Mr. Hallett describes his childhood experiences from 1907-1909 while vacationing in South Dennis, Massachusetts. He also describes his experiences living as a summer resident in Silver Beach, North Falmouth, Massachusetts from 1910 to the 1920. He describes the costs of rentals and food in 1907, his experiences with Captain Howard Kelley family in South Dennis; his great uncle Joyce Taylor in Hyannis who was a prominent realtor and business man; Mr. Hallett's life as a child and teenager in Silver Beach, North Falmouth and the affluent neighbors who were summer residents.

William Pride Falmouth, MA The William Brewster Nickerson Cape Cod History Archives Tales of Cape Cod
Eleanor Small

Eleanor Small interview with Tales of Cape Cod, November 17, 1977. Born in 1909, Ms. Small describes her ancestors from Harwich. Her grandmother was related to Jonathon Walker, of "the branded hand" who married an Indian woman and went down south to help the slaves. He was captured and branded for helping slaves escape. She lived on the Cape with her grandmother and recalls several stories of local residents. She recalls the great Dennisport fire and Dr. Ginns block burned. Also remembers Ernie Cole, the blacksmith in Harwich Port and the Catholic church in Harwich Center burning.

Renée Magriel Chatham, MA The William Brewster Nickerson Cape Cod History Archives Tales of Cape Cod
Elizabeth Woodman

February 14, 1978 interview with Elizabeth Woodman, who describes her experiences in the Lighthouse Service. One track towards the end of the tape is distorted, but it is still audible.

Notes: The Tales of Cape Cod Oral History Collection is housed at the William Brewster Nickerson Archives in the Wilkens Library at Cape Cod Community College in West Barnstable, Massachusetts. For more information about the collection, please contact the Nickerson Archives, http://www.nickersonarchives.org/.

William Steere Dennisport, MA The William Brewster Nickerson Cape Cod History Archives Tales of Cape Cod
Elsie Chadwick

Born in 1903, Ms. Chadwick describes her experiences growing up on Main Street in the village of Osterville. She describes the stores on Main Street in 1912; her school experiences at grammar school, Hyannis high school and two years at the State Normal School. She relates her experiences at holidays and describes Dr. Higgins, who had the first automobile in town.

Frank Rudd Osterville, MA The William Brewster Nickerson Cape Cod History Archives Tales of Cape Cod

By clicking the "I understand" button you acknowledge that the Voices Oral History Archives offers public access to a wide range of accounts, including historical materials, that may contain offensive language or negative stereotypes.

Voices Oral History Archives does not  edit or verify  the accuracy of materials submitted to us. These interviews are presented as part of the historical record.  The opinions expressed in the interviews are those of the interviewee only.

The interviews here have been made available to the public only after the interviewer has confirmed that they have obtained consent from the interviewee.