Cape Cod History

1988: There's a Cape Cod town for every character. 1985: Bourne Bridge gets final touch; 2004 Red Sox win World Series

2004: Red Sox win World Series- "Curse of the Bambino" finally ends

On this day in 2004, the Boston Red Sox ended an 86-year drought and buried the "Curse of the Bambino." They won the World Series! Their sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals was almost — but not quite — anti-climactic. The pivotal battle had taken place in the American League championship against their nemesis, the New York Yankees. Down three games to none, and facing elimination, again, Boston did what no team had ever done before in baseball history. They came back to win the series 4–3. Then they took on and dispensed with the Cardinals. Jubilant Red Sox fans around the world celebrated. Three days later, an estimated 3,000,000 of them lined the parade route in Boston and cheered themselves hoarse as the victorious team passed by.

1985: Road to Cape Cod takes Final Bow in Bourne

Buzzzards Bay side during the reconstruction

In Bourne on this day in 1985, a 50-year-old concrete landmark tumbled to the ground in a cloud of dust last week as nearly 100 people stood by, cheering and clapping.
   The landmark was an elevated roadway, specifically the approach to the Bourne Bridge, by which New Yorkers generally get to Cape Cod.
   The old ramp, a third of a mile long, was dynamited to make way for a new connection to Interstate 195-495 that should be in use by Memorial Day. In the meantime, motorists will use a temporary roadway that some have called a traffic hazard.
   Allan Blanchard, resident engineer for the Massachusetts Department of Public Works, which is overseeing the project, said he felt sorry for the old ramp. ''They don't make them that way any more,'' he said. ''It had a nice bent to it.'' The replacement will be wider and straighter, he said.
   John Loizeaux, owner of the company that demolished the ramp, said the job went exactly as planned. "But all we did was eliminate the supports," he said. "The good Lord brought it down."

1988 on Cape Cod:
There's a Cape Cod town for every character

It's only been twenty-odd years since this column was written, but read the difference those two decades have made on our Narrow Land.

WHAT'S DOING ON: Cape Cod
By CORINNE K. HOEXTER; CORINNE K. HOEXTER, A WRITER WHO LIVES IN NEW JERSEY, FREQUENTLY VISITS CAPE COD.

There's a Cape Cod town for every character.

The New Yorker's Cape Cod centers in Wellfleet, a former whaling port that cuts from ocean to bay with an active colony of artists, writers and psychiatrists who may first have thought to escape their patients but now are occupying the square of beach next to them.

What isn't preserved as National Seashore in Provincetown has long been referred to as Greenwich Village north, with a large population of artists and gays but with Portuguese fishermen still setting out to sea.

On Buzzards Bay, in North Falmouth, Pocasset and Cataumet, weather-beaten shingle homes have been in Boston families for generations, while the cottages, fast-food chains and factory outlets on Route 28, especially between Hyannis and Harwichport, seem to suit those who like conveniences nearby.

Recently, the increasing influx of tourists and retirees who have gentrified New England's fastest-growing region have begun to induce nostalgia for the Cape's once expansive fields. Suddenly, the 15 towns are taking a serious look at their vanishing heritage, in some cases rezoning and buying vacant land.

For those who take the time to search them out, scattered remnants of the Cape's New England past remain. In Mashpee, near Falmouth, the original Indian tribe still owns a lot of the land and cultivates cranberries. Church suppers of fried chicken or clam chowder, clambakes and pancake breakfasts sponsored by fraternal orders, bake sales and band concerts flourish. In Chatham's Florence Gould Park, the best-known of the Cape band concerts commences at 8 P.M. And at the Barnstable County Fair, on the fairgrounds, Route 151 in Falmouth, down-home pleasures include horse-pulling contests, needlework and canned goods displays and prize cattle as well as a carnival midway. The number for information on the fair is 617-563-3200. Note that, on July 16, the Cape's area code, as well as that of most of central and eastern Massachusetts, changes to 508 from 617, which will remain the area code of metropolitan Boston only.

What isn't preserved as National Seashore in Provincetown has long been referred to as Greenwich Village north, with a large population of artists and gays but with Portuguese fishermen still setting out to sea.

Beaches

For most visitors, a favorite beach remains at the heart of a Cape summer. Those attracted to high dunes and surf, and willing to brave the chilliest water south of Maine, seek out the eastern, or Atlantic, shore. Here 40 miles of uncluttered, unpolluted National Seashore-protected beaches run from Race Point in Provincetown to the newly detached South Beach Island in Chatham.

Along the south-facing beaches of Nantucket Sound the waves are gentler and the water warmer. The Cape Cod Bay beaches on the north and west side from Sandwich to Herring Cove in Provincetown offer similar but cooler conditions.

Freshwater swimmers consider the Cape's best-kept secret to be the delicious sandy bottoms and clear waters of glacial ponds, such as Pilgrim Lake in Orleans and Great Pond in Eastham.

Those who would rather play on the water than in it may launch small boats or the increasingly popular sailboards off the beach. Cape Sailboard (Main Street, Falmouth; 617-540-8800) specializes in the sport, renting a sailboard for $50 a day, $100 for three days and has a list of qualified instructors. Sailboards may also be rented from Cape Water Sports (off Exit 10, Route 28, in Harwichport; 617-432-7079) for $65 a half day.

For sailing or fishing in scenic Wellfleet Harbor, try Wellfleet Marine (on the town pier; 617-349-2233). A 14-foot fishing skiff costs $15 the first hour and $60 a day, as does a 14-foot catboat (sail).

For fishing in deeper waters, party boats or smaller boats for charter line the docks in the major ports such as Hyannis, Chatham, Barnstable Harbor, Wellfleet and Provincetown. Rock Harbor Charter Service (Rock Harbor, Orleans; 617-255-9757), provides a fleet of 15 boats with licensed captain and a crew member to help. A boat accommodates six and costs $240 for four hours, $350 for eight.

For devotees of the whale watch, most boats leave from MacMillan Wharf in Provincetown. The Dolphin fleets, which started it all, continue to offer the most trips - nine a day in July and August and six in April, May, September and October. Rates run $15 for adults, $13 for children 7 to 12 with those under 7 free (617-255-3857; 800-826-9300 in Massachusetts).

Land Sports

Bicycling remains the best way to explore the Cape's back lanes. Scenic trails wind through the National Seashore and the Rail Trail runs almost 20 miles from Route 134 in Dennis to Locust Road in Eastham.

Most towns have shops that will rent bicycles by the hour, day or week. Convenient to the beautiful Salt Pond Trail that leads from the Visitors Center in Eastham to Coast Guard Beach, the Little Capistrano Bicycle Shop (Salt Pond Road and Route 6; 617-255-6515), has three-speed bicycles at $6 for two hours, $12 a day, $40 a week.

Serving the other major Seashore bicycle trail past the Provincelands Visitors Center to Race Point and Herring Cove Beaches, Arnold's (329 Commercial Street, Provincetown; 617-487-0844), supplies a three-speed at $6 a day, $36 a week, and a 10-speed mountain bike at $10 a day, $54 a week.

Nature is alive and well on the Cape, thanks in part to the National Seashore, which provides a variety of summer programs focusing on nature and seafaring.

A complete listing of programs for the month may be picked up at the Salt Pond Visitors Center (617-255-3421) or at the Provincelands Visitors Center (617-487-1256).

Well-known to birders, the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary of the Massachusetts Audubon Society (West Road off Route 6S. Wellfleet; 617-349-2615) sponsors an assortment of hikes, cruises, day camps and the like.

Arts and Crafts

Now in its 74th year, the Provincetown Art Association and Museum (460 Commercial Street; 617-487-1750), will be showing a Boris Margo retrospective until Aug. 17; thereafter, selected prints of Robert Motherwell and selections from the permanent collection will serve as a preview for next year's 75th anniversary. The museum is open seven days a week from noon to 4 P.M. and from 7 to 10. Admission is $2, $1 for seniors and children.

In Wellfleet, the active art scene becomes especially so on Saturday night when you can often catch openings at the many art galleries.

Upcape (meaning, curiously, farther south) in Dennis, the Museum of Fine Arts (800 Main Street, Theater Marketplace; 617-385-4477) will have an outdoor show, ''Art in the Garden,'' on Aug. 14. Admission is $3. The museum itself is open from Wednesday to Saturday from noon to 5. Admission is free. The Cape Cod Art Association (Route 6A, Barnstable; 617-362-2909) will mount a major juried show of paintings and sculptures by New England artists July 24 to Aug. 15. The association is open from 10 A.M. to 4 P.M. Monday to Saturday and from noon to 5 on Sunday. Admission is free.

Performing Arts

New this year, the Chatham Theater (617-945-5333) on Main Street will alternate two repertory productions - Beth Henley's ''Crimes of the Heart'' ($12) and the musical ''Personals'' ($15) - with such performers (about $18) as Herbie Mann, the Modern Jazz Quartet, Blood, Sweat and Tears and, on closing night, Sept. 2, Ray Charles.

The innovative Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater in its 60-seat building near the town pier will offer at $9 David Rabe's ''Goose and Tom-Tom'' through July 24 and Peter Shaffer's ''Black Comedy'' through Labor Day. The granddaddy of summer stock is the Cape Playhouse (Route 6A, Dennis; 617-385-3911). Among this year's shows are ''The Bad Seed'' with Sandy Dennis from July 11 to 17 and ''Marvin and Mel'' with Gavin MacLeod from July 18 to 23. Tickets run from $10 to $20; musicals cost $3 more.

Where to Stay

Those whose idea of proper Cape lodging runs to country inns in sea captains' houses can find help from three organizations, which typically charge $5 for finding appropriate accommodations, ranging from $40 to ???

Editor's note: this article is a reprint. All telephone numbers in the article are incorrect.  All land lines on Cape Cod (some cell phones excluded) have a 508 area code now.