Discovering Historic Wellfleet

A review of two audio histories

T

he popularity of books on CD is growing in leaps and bounds.  You can purchase audio books on sites such as audible.com or amazon.com among others. "The Legend of the Whydah" and "Sailors, Whalers & Witches" by Patrick Fitzhugh are two such CDs.

Both are theatrical reenactments of fantastic Wellfleet legends. They are like carrying an animated storyteller or community theatre troupe in a jewel case. Each disc includes a detailed fold-out map of Wellfleet showing the location of legendary historic events and places.

Fitzhugh is a historian and teller of tales whose love of Wellfleet is palpable.  In "The Legend of the Whydah", Fitzhugh recounts the torrid tale of the love affair between Black Sam Bellamy, the Captain of the pirate ship Whydah and Maria Hallet a young local girl.  Like an 18th century Jackie Collins paperback, Bellamy departs the Cape after a night of unbridled passion leaving Hallet behind to face the wickedly judgmental townsfolk. 

A tale of judgment and witchcraft

The story unfolds into a tale of judgment and witchcraft,  suspense and the infamous shipwreck of the pirate ship Whydah.  Fitzhugh breaths life into the legend using different voices and sound effects to create a believable backdrop.  As in movies, music is employed to punctuate the tale.  Fitzhugh uses poetic license to describe the emotions and conversations not included in history books.  "The Legend of the Whydah" is clearly a labor of love on Fitzhugh's part.

"Sailors, Whalers & Witches" follows a similar vein.  The map enclosed with this disc marks the location of the story with numbers that coincide with the disc's the tracks--a handy way to trace Wellfleet's interesting past.  "Sailors, Whalers & Witches" includes more topics such as Billingsgate Island, otherwise known as Cape Cod's Atlantis, the  dory at the intersection of Commercial Street and Main Street and the bell at the First Congregational Church in the center of town.  Anyone who lives in or visits Wellfleet will be intrigued by these stories.

Both CDs would appeals to locals and visitors alike.  Either would make an unusual gift for history buffs and lovers of Wellfleet. This is a great way to spend an evening in front of the fire or tour the bumpy back roads of this Outer Cape gem. Both discs may be purchased on Patrick Fitzhugh's website or at the following local stores: Abiyoyo in Wellfleet, Barnes & Noble in Hyannis, Booksmith in Wellesley and Falmouth and the Whydah Museum in Provincetown.

More about Patrick here.