Mt. Rainier and Lenticular Clouds - Dec. 2008 copyright: JMM

October 20, 2011

Sandwich: The Oldest Town on Cape Cod

Sandwich, MA is the oldest town on the Cape, having been founded in 1637 and incorporated in 1639.  Sandwich has a very long and interesting history and it's worth checking out the link to learn more about my hometown.

This jaunty fellow is located on Rte. 6A near the Shady Nook Inn.


Kousa dogwood, aka Japanese flowering dogwood.


This is Clark-Haddad Hall, which was built in the 1880's as the Sand Hill School for kids of families that worked at the old Sandwich Glass Factory.  When I was a kid, it was known as the Legion Hall, before the 'new' Legion was built out on Rte. 130.  The town doesn't know what to do with this building, which is now empty and boarded up, and is contemplating moving the entire structure to another location.  





Rusted door at the back of the building.  Yes it's rust, not blood.  ;-P


I found the back of the building to be more than a little bit creepy.

I thought this bulkhead looked like a collapsing coffin.


Birdhouses in the marshes near Boardwalk

Looking towards Town Neck Beach, across the marshes, near Boardwalk.

I will spend more time in this neighborhood shooting photos of the old homes.  The Glass Factory used to be located in this area, and was in operation from 1826 to 1888.  Most of these homes date to that era.

In front of the old MacDonald's Hardware Store, on Jarves Street x Rte. 6A.  I remember going here in the early 70's when I was little, to buy trinket holiday presents for my friends, as they had everything. I used to get my Duncan yo-yo's here.  Kites too and stuff for the beach. Gerry MacDonald was a friend of my dad's. His daughter now runs it as a really cool craft collective and souvenir shop, and she's married to one of my closest  friend's brother. Small world!!  I am hoping to get my stuff on display here.  

I keep teasing my squeeze that I'm gonna pose him under this old sign, which has marked the building on the corner of Jarves Street and Rte. 6A for as long as anyone can remember.  He is much less enthusiastic than I am about that photo session.  He's already grown weary of me saying, "Oh look, there's your corner" whenever we pass by. hahaha  


Joe's Lobstah Maht, on the Canal.  If you like shellfish/seafood, this is the place to get it.

7 comments:

  1. Couldn't Sand Hill School be redeveloped and turned into residential units? Surely people would love to live there. It seems such a shame to let it go to ruin...

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  2. I think it's way too small for a multi unit residential place. There would maybe be 4 small apartments to be created out of it. The town currently owns it too and they aren't in the landlord business. Not sure anyone has the money to buy and renovate it.

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  3. I love old buildings! It would be nice to move the building somewhere and restore it as a museum piece. But I'm sure the costs are astronomical.

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  4. What a shame about the building. What are aquatters' rights like in the US? You could squat and fix it up!

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  5. Anonymous12:11 PM

    I can see I'll have to add Cape Cod to my (seemingly endless!) list of 'places to visit'

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  6. Anonymous5:14 PM

    That dogwood is gorgeous!

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  7. The backside of that building has "nosy kid horror flick" written all over it. Those are some funky looking dogwoods,but I like them. They look like some sort of gummy candies that Wonka's factory would have.

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