Mashpee
Overview
- Beaches - Points
of Interest - Schools - Chamber
of Commerce - Mashpee Lodging
Overview
 In 1660, missionary Richard Bourne gave a 16-square mile parcel of
Cape Cod land to the Wampanoag Indians.
Now known as Mashpee, it is one of only two Massachusetts towns governed
completely by Native Americans (Gay Head on Martha's Vineyard is the
other). Over 600 current Mashpee residents are direct descendants of the
Wampanoags.
Every Fourth of July, the town sponsors a powwow visited by Native
American tribal cultures from around the United States.
Exhibits of Native American hunting/fishing tools, weapons, weaving
and clothing are on display at the Wampanoag Indian Museum. American
primitive art from the 19th and 20th centuries is also
exhibited at the Cahoon Museum of American Art, a 1775 Georgian Colonial
farmhouse.
For outdoor enthusiasts, South Cape Beach has nearly four miles of
sandy beach, marsh and ponds. The Great Flat Pond Trail winds through
woods and marshland for a mile. Mashpee River Woodlands also has over
eight miles of trails following the Mashpee River.
The 300-acre Mashpee Pine Barrens contains
Atlantic White Cedar as
well as its namesake conifers. John's Pond Park, with 258 acres, offers
walking trails with scenic cranberry bog views. The interconnected
Mashpee and Wakeby ponds are popular for swimming, fishing and boating.
Beaches
Points
of Interest
- Wampanoag Indian Museum - Entering this museum is like
traveling back in time before Europeans settled on Cape Cod. The
main diorama is a depiction of typical Wampanoag village life,
complete with a restored wigwam. Located across from the
herring run on Lovells Lane off Route 130.
- Old Indian Meetinghouse - Standing beside the edge of a
former Wampanoag burial ground, this building stores colorful
stitched-block quilts. Every quilt tells a story about a Wampanoag-Mashpee
Indian who passed away. Built in 1684, it is the oldest meetinghouse
on Cape Cod. The loft is also an exhibit, featuring carvings of tall ships. Located on the corner of Meetinghouse Rd.
and Route 28.
- Annual Indian Powwow – Native Americans from around the
country travel to this event in Mashpee very second week of July.
Originally, these events were scheduled for tribal chiefs to convene
and discuss important issues. Now the weeklong festival features
tribal dance ceremonies, fireworks, crafts and refreshments. A large
dinner is held on Saturday and a traditional Cape Cod clambake on
Sunday. Check with town hall for exact dates and an events schedule.
Located on Route 130.
- 1800s Cemetery - This cemetery is a tiny plot established
in the early 19th century. A closer look reveals unusually
decorative headstones covered with handwritten symbols, scenes and
inscriptions. Located on Route 130.
- Lowell Holly Reservation - Around 130 acres, this nature
reserve was created by Harvard University President Abbott Lawrence
Lowell. Picnic areas and scenic trails dot the entire area. An ideal
place for a quiet escape. Located off Route 130 at the edge of
Mashpee Pond.
Schools
- Kenneth C. Coombs Elementary School
152 Old Barnstable Road, Mashpee
- Mashpee Creative Children's
Center
133 Shell Back Way, Mashpee
- Mashpee High School
500 Old Barnstable Road, Mashpee
- Mashpee Middle
School
150 Old Barnstable Road, Mashpee
- Rainbows and Rhymes
47 Wampanoag Avenue, Mashpee
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