Cape Cod National Seashore: The First 50 Years

Images of America: Massachusetts

by Daniel Lombardo

When Pres. John F. Kennedy established the Cape Cod National Seashore in 1961, it was acclaimed as the "finest victory ever recorded for the cause of conservation in New England." When erosion and overdevelopment threatened the Cape, the idea of a national seashore took hold, forever protecting this treasured place. The park preserves 44,000 acres of forest, marsh, bog, and ponds, and a 40-mile stretch from Provincetown to Chatham, which Henry David Thoreau called the "Great Beach." Unlike other national parks at the time, the Cape Cod National Seashore was created from a combination of private, town, state, and federal lands. Cape Cod National Seashore: The First 50 Years captures the political drama of the creation of this extraordinary seashore. Images detail an early Native American presence and the romance of whaling, shipwrecks, lighthouses, windmills, and dune shacks.

128 pages, Paperback

First published July 7, 2010

Reviews

[John Galluzzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book like this one is difficult to put together. Most Arcadia "Images" books focus on something much smaller, like a town, a specific business, a college. This one incorporates six towns and a wide variety of themes that don't always coalesce. Lighthouses and the Life-Saving Service go together historically, but the broad spectrum of topics from the military to Henry Beston to salt harvesting to Guglielmo Marconi's transatlantic wireless communication stations can be hard to bring together in one formatted tome like this one. Of course, these are the topics that make the Cape Cod National Seashore such a national treasure.

The first 50 pages or so of text (excluding the front matter) cover the interesting backstory of the Seashore's formation, including the stories of both the proponents and opponents of the idea. It's a study in time and place, and one of forecasting. What would have happened to the Cape had the Seashore not been accepted? Few places like this one remain.

As a side note, it was wonderful seeing so many good friends put into the context of the historical impact they've had. I've had the privilege of knowing Dave Spang, Bill Burke, Bill Quinn (whose photos are featured) and have even met George Price, the park superintendent. It was also good to see Wallace Bailey of Mass Audubon quoted, an inspirational character for conservationists on the Cape.

[William · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a good place to start reading about Cape Cod National Park if — like me — you know very little about the park. Unfortunately fully half the book is devoted to details about the many zoning fights and congressional maneuvers that took place over nearly a century to make CCNS what it is today, and featuring laundry lists including the names of literally everyone involved.
It felt like reading a book about all the individuals one might encounter while treading on one of those ubiquitous brick “donor paths” found at nearly every public park or monument.
Still, the book does provide a good baseline for further research for anyone intending to travel to CCNS. And the many pictures chronicling the history of CCNS certainly enhance the value of the book

[Katie McKay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved reading this book and seeing images of a place I love so much. I only wish that there were a bit more discussion of the small subset of homeowners, like my grandparents, who lost their cottages in the creation of the National Seashore. Still, I have always appreciated the parks for what they preserved and am cognizant of the bigger picture.

[John Peel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another of those wonderful "Images of America" books, this one deals with the beauties of Cape Cod. It details the history of the area and the rise of the National Seashore. Delightful.

[Britt · Rating 3 out of 5]

These Images of America books are nothing spectacular. They are best for looking at the historical pictures and getting some factual tidbits. The writing is usually done by not the most sophisticated authors and the organization is poor. This one focuses on the history of Cape Cod from the destruction of the Native American dwellers, being the first sight of the Pilgrims, to the early days of small tourism by horse and car, the development of the national seashore in the 1960s, and into the booming tourist attraction ir is today. The book conveys how Cape Cod is a special, picturesque place with lots of great history. The most heartbreaking stories are some of the shipwrecks, the whaling industry, and the young lifeguard who later became a pilot who died in the 9/11 attacks.