W.B. Nickerson Cape Cod History Archives

12/30/2024

09/19/2024

Jodhpurs, tie, saddle shoes, double breasted blazer... and she's ready to go! From the Barnstable Patriot Collection.

08/30/2024

Completed in 1973 and designed by architect John E. Barnard, Jr. of Osterville, the Cape Cod Ecology house was built to conserve green space and reduce energy costs. To promote the design, Barnard opened the house for tours and sold postcards.

08/09/2024

The high quality graphics on this Cape Cod Steamship brochure (ca. 1920's?) advertising day trips on the S. S. Dorothy Bradford and the S. S. Steel Pier were a great way to promote Provincetown as an art center. Two dollars round trip from Boston!

07/25/2024

Remember bottle caps like this one? Remember the Mystic Lake Dairy Farm?

07/08/2024

Back in 1937, you could hop on the "Picture Train" to Provincetown in the morning, take a sketch class with Henry Hensche of the Cape Cod School of Art enroute, and then visit a "choice" location in Provincetown for personal criticism from Hensche, watch him do a painting demonstration, and be home in Boston by 10PM!

02/24/2023

This image of the Hoxie House in Sandwich from the Barnstable Patriot Collection dates to 1952. We are so glad it is so well looked after now!

An online library of photographs, manuscripts, audio recordings, and other materials of historical interest from libraries, museums, archives, and historical societies across Massachusetts.

11/10/2022

Provincetown High School, Class of 1929!

04/26/2022

These two young women got sent home from Provincetown High School in 1937 to change out of ski pants and into dresses. The Cape Cod Colonial reported that "modern-minded parents in the Cape-tip town, which is so widely known for its unconventional ways," thought the action by the school “ridiculous.” Photo from the Barnstable Patriot Collection.

04/13/2022

04/13/2022

No one in this photo from the Barnstable Patriot Collection looks very happy!

03/15/2022

We love that it is hats off for almost everyone in this unidentified photograph from the Barnstable Patriot Collection. We especially love the girl in plaid in the front row at right, with the girls beside her smiling in her direction!

08/13/2021

This picture was included in a folder of photographs of unidentified children in the Barnstable Patriot photo collection, ca. 1982.

07/20/2021

This photograph of nature writer and co-founder of the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History John Hay with students from Barnstable appeared in the Barnstable Patriot on July 9, 1959 with the following caption:

"On their first field trip of a summer session, members of the Barnstable class of Cape Cod Junior Museum of Natural History listen to John Hay, of Brewster, museum president, explain tree life in Hathaway’s Pond area. The group meets on Tuesday mornings under the supervision of Mrs. P. Gordon Nelson. In picture, left to right are David Hinckley, Steve Hinckley, Robert Sedgewick, Carol Williams, Anney Watson, Lloyd George, Prudie Howes, David Bush-Brown, Leezie Clark, Richard Lay, Jay Simpkins, Philip Nelson and Mr. Hay."

02/04/2021

01/22/2021

Storyland, a theme park featuring buildings and sets based on nursery rhymes, was once a main attraction along Rt. 132. The park opened ca. 1955 and continued operations until 1969, when it moved to Orleans, making way for the Cape Cod Mall. It closed in 1974. Anyone have memories to share?

12/08/2020

The Hoxie House in Sandwich after a snowstorm, n.d. Photo from the Barnstable Patriot Collection.

11/13/2020

Barnstable Village School Pet Show, May 1953. The two cats at lower left seem to have mixed feelings about this event! Photo from the Barnstable Patriot Collection.