We're fortunate to be able to witness the Cape's natural beauty and historic significance. Both of these wonders are highlighted in this edition of Cape Cod Girl, by listing some of my favorite "Walks & Blocks".
"WALKS": Observe the natural beauty of the Cape by walking the many miles of conservation land trails that are found in every town. Most trails meander around the tree-lined marshes of our coastal communities. Many of you may even drive by them without ever noticing! Murkwood Conservation Land and Brady's Island, both in Sandwich, are just a couple local conservation areas with short, easy-to-walk trails.In 1986, the Compact of Cape Cod Conservation Trust was formed on the belief that there is still an opportunity to preserve the essence of the Cape, "which exists in the collective imagination: A place of white sand beaches, broad salt marshes, quiet pine woods, intriguing cranberry bogs, and startlingly blue kettle ponds." The CCCT is a non-profit service center assisting six local land trusts on the Lower Cape. For a complete list of the Conservation lands they support throughout the entire Cape, please visit their website at:
http://www.thecompact.net/ or http://www.capecodchamber.org/cape-cod-trails
to find a walking trail near you!
So where do the "BLOCKS" come in? I'm glad you asked. There are blocks of granite with historical markers and memorials scattered throughout every town on Cape Cod. Within an easy walk of the Sandwich Village, there are easily a half dozen different memorials ranging from recognition of wartime veterans to simple memorials of local public figures. One of particular interest is found on the corner of Main Street and Beale Ave. in Sandwich. This monument honors Samuel M. Beale, known as "Our Friend and Doctor".
Some of the more popular, well known monuments found on the Cape include the JFK Memorial located on the Lewis Bay waterfront in Hyannis, and of course, the Pilgrim's Monument tower in Provincetown.
Every town on the Cape has memorials, markers and monuments. The fun is in finding them, reading them, and getting to know who made that town so special. It's also important and rewarding to discover even now, decades later, who is still remembered & honored for their bravery, contribution or sacrifice to that particular town. Happy hunting!
