Chatham Railroad Museum
Also on the Register of Historic Places, this is the original railroad depot for the town. There was a special spur of the Cape Cod Railroad that ran seven miles down to encompass Chatham and provided much needed transportation for necessities as well as people. Running from 1887 – 1937, at the beginning it was a very popular alternative to a stagecoach! Today it is open to the public and your children will love exploring the old caboose as well as seeing objects from that era and a diorama of the Chatham railroad yard.
Chatham Gristmill
Another National Historic Place, the gristmill was built in the late 1700s and moved from Stage Harbor Road to Chase Park. Currently there is talk of getting its wind-powered sails in motion again.
Eldredge Public Library
A successful native son, Marcellus Eldredge, returned home and built this impressive library in the Renaissance/Romanesque style in 1896. There is an exceptional library upstairs for genealogy students. Naturally this is another Historic Register Place and is on Main Street.
Chatham Marconi Maritime Center
Built in 1914 by Guglielmo Marconi, a Nobel Prize winner, this campus of 14 acres has a place in history as it was the home of the Wireless Telegraph Company of America Receiving Station being the largest ship-to-shore station on the East Coast. This was in the days when telegraph operators communicated in Morse Code. Currently plans are underway for the town to make a master plan to preserve this unique historical collection of buildings for various uses. It is on Route 28 in the Ryders Cove area.
Monomoy Point Lighthouse
Located almost at the tip of Monomoy Island, this is one of the earliest cast-iron lighthouses in the country, built in 1823. While it is now decommissioned, many people visit there and there is talk of restoring it and making it more accessible to the public. National Register of Historic Places
Chatham Light and Coast Guard Station
Do see my home page for the whole story of Chatham Lights! They had an unfortunate tendency to fall into the sea due to the erosion of the bluff. This one was built in 1877…and so far is still there and visited by thousands every year. Great old pictures of the various lighthouses on my website!
David Bassett House
Built around 1840 for this sea captain, it is now the Visitors’ Center on the corner of Routes 28 and 137. Do stop there! Friendly people will be delighted to help you and answer questions!
The Atwood House Museum of the Chatham Historical Society
A “must see” in Chatham, this is one of its oldest homes and a real treasure trove of information and collections. Located on Stage Harbor Road, there is something for everyone in the family to enjoy from the famous Alice Stalknacht murals to the China Trade collections, to children’s toys, to the fishing industry of the past and also a genuine North Beach “camp” rescued just in time. There are well informed docents to give you a tour. Again…this is highlighted on my home page.
Caleb Nickerson House and William Nickerson Cabin Site
As a Nickerson descendant by marriage, I am excited about this attractive home located on Route 28 (Orleans Road) overlooking Ryders Cove. The Nickerson Family Association did a fine job with this home owned by Caleb Nickerson, great-great grandson of William Nickerson, who bought land from the Indians to found Chatham.