Keay, Donald L.

Virtual Commons - Bridgewater State University

Bridgewater ReviewVolume 20 | Issue 2 Article 10Dec-2001A History of Washburn IslandDonald L. KeayBridgewater State CollegeThis item is available as part of Virtual Commons, the open-access institutional repository of Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, Massachusetts.Recommended CitationKeay, Donald L. (2001). A History of Washburn Island. Bridgewater Review, 20(2), 22-25.Available at: http://vc.bridgew.edu/br_rev/vol20/iss2/10THE HISTORY OF WASHBURN ISLAND  DONALD L. KEAYWashburn Island, located in Falmouth, Massachusetts,is one of the last  undeveloped coastal properties onupper Cape Cod and a remarkable example of the Cape’s shoreline ecology.The island, over 300 acres, consists of pine and oak forests, extensive systems ofsand dunes, tidal flats, marshlands, and salt ponds. It isbounded on the east by Waquoit Bay, on the north andwest by the Seapit River and Eel Pond, and on the southby Vineyard Sound.The importance of Washburn Islandextends beyond its scenic beauty and physical resources.Its geographic location affects natural processes, makingit an integral component of the Waquoit Bay estuarinesystem. After my retirement from Bridgewater State College,my wife and I moved to Falmouth where I became a vol-unteer for the Waquoit Bay Reserve, a part of theNational Estuarine Research Reserve System establishedto create a network of protected coastal sites for moni-toring and research. When the Director of the Reservelearned of my academic background, she requested thatI research and write a history of Washburn Island. It wasinteresting to learn about the military training inamphibious warfare which had taken place in theWaquoit area during World War II. As a teenager, I hadsummered with my family in Wareham and, althoughaware of the existence of Camp Edwards on Cape Cod, Ihad never heard of Washburn Island and its unique rolein the preparation of special units for overseas invasions.During my research, I became interested in increasingefforts on the part of governmental agencies and privateorganizations to preserve the dwindling naturalresources of Cape Cod.Although now protected in its natural state, WashburnIsland has been utilized for a variety of purposes, someof which have brought permanent changes in its ecolo-gy. Archaeological surveys have failed to discover evi-dence of any long term residential patterns prior to thenineteenth century. Remnants from stone tool makershave been found, but in the absence of more definitiveinformation, it is believed that the artifacts were left byitinerant hunters and food gatherers. It has been specu-lated that Washburn Island was the site of Vinland, acolony founded by the Vikings around 1000 A.D., butthere is no corroborating evidence. European settlers arrived in the seventeenth century andpurchased lands along the shores of Waquoit Bay. Specificsites are difficult to trace, but records show thatReverend Richard Bourne of Sandwich acquired owner-ship of several parcels which might have includedWashburn Island, then known by the Indian nameMenauhant. Over the years the island was partiallycleared of trees and brush, providing grazing lands forcattle and sheep. In the mid-nineteenth century therewere three working farms on Menauhant, two of whichhad disappeared by the end of the century. From 1893 to 1895, Menauhant was acquired by HenryBryant, a retired sea captain and businessman, through aseries of negotiations with several members of theBourne and Davis families. Bryant commissionedIgnatius Sargent to design and construct a residenceoverlooking Waquoit Bay and Vineyard Sound. Thehouse was three stories, flanked by two ells. Built as aseasonal retreat, the house was lighted by kerosene lampsand heated by several fireplaces.To facilitate crossing tothe mainland, Bryant obtained a permit to operate ahand ferry linking the island with a landing on the SeapitRiver.  Henry Bryant died in l904, leaving the estate to hiswidow Alida. In 1912, she sold the property to a corpo-rate group of investors and bankers including  AlbertHenry Washburn.To recoup their investments, the part-ners planned to sell parcels of land for private develop-ment. The only sale to materialize was  an area ofapproximately 4.5 acres along the southern beach to Fredand Fannie Collins, who built a summer home, a guesthouse, and a garage in front of a glacial outwash stillknown as Collins’ Hill.The corporate members changed their plans and Henryand Florence Washburn purchased the rest of the islandfor their own use. They moved into the Bryant house,which they did not change except to bring in electric andtelephone lines. To improve access, a narrow-bridgedcauseway was constructed across the sandspit separatingEel Pond from Vineyard Sound. The Washburn familyThe History of      Washburn Islandby Donald L. KeayBRIDGEWATER REVIEW                                     DECEMBER 2001  23enjoyed the peace and tranquillity of the island wherethey spent extended summer vacations. During thistime the property became known as Washburn’s Island.On October 26, 1926, the residence was destroyed by aspectactular fire which lit up the skies of Falmouth.Shortly before midnight a maid discovered  smoke andflames and alerted other members of the household. Asthe fire enveloped the upper floors, alarms sounded atthe Menauhant Village fire department. Firefightersresponded and rushed to the scene, but their trucksbogged down in soft sand as they crossed the causeway.Upon arrival, the firefighters found no adequate watersupply and had to pump from a nearby pond. The winghousing the servant quarters was the only section whichcould be saved. The cause of the fire was traced to adefective chimney in the den. Henry Washburn died of food poisoning in Vienna in1930. During  the succeeding years in which FlorenceWashburn owned the Island, she never posted  her prop-erty or restricted recreational use by visitors. WashburnIsland became increasingly popular as a picnicking,camping, and swimming site. As  more people tookadvantage of her generosity, vandalism became a seriousproblem. Thieves stole anything of value and wantonlydestroyed what was left. Beer and bonfire partiesincreased the danger of fire and left the grounds litteredwith rubbish and garbage.In September 1938, a severe hurricane hit Cape Cod. Atidal surge washed out the sandspit and causeway, open-ing up a channel 125 feet wide and seven feet deepbetween Vineyard Sound and Eel Pond. Washburn Islandwas now truly an island, to the delight of yacht owners.Boats could  navigate through the breach into the Soundwithout having to travel the two or three miles formerlyrequired to circumnavigate through Waquoit Bay.The entry of the United States into World War IIbrought many temporary displacements on Cape Cod,but nowhere were they greater than in the Waquoit Bayregion. It was obvious to military strategists that win-ning the war would require specially trained amphibiousforces. The shores of continental Europe were held bythe Axis troops and vital islands in the Pacific occupiedby  Japanese forces. Successful invasions would requiretransportation across stretches of rough water to landtroops on enemy territory and secure beachheads forlarger follow-up units.The U.S. Navy announced that it could transport troopsto invasion sites but lacked the manpower to carry outlanding operations. The army took over responsibilty forpreparing special units for amphibious warfare. Soldierswould be trained as boat operators working in teams toestablish techniques and skills required for stormingenemy shores.Navy personnel designed and supervised the construc-tion of various types of shallow draft, ramp-loadinglanding craft for transporting troops, supplies, and heavyequipment. Camp Edwards on Cape Cod was chosen tobe the headquarters for the unit primarily because it hadsuitable billeting and support facilities. A few milesaway were the bays, beaches, and islands of Nantucketand Vineyard Sounds, which provided ideal conditionsfor development and training.The federal government leased several tracts of landaround Waquoit Bay, including Washburn Island, for theduration of the war. To gain access to the island, theArmy Corps of Engineers filled the breach in the sandspitand constructed an asphalt road across the sand. A pon-toon bridge that spanned the Seapit River from Waquoitwas later replaced by a  permanent drawbridge linkingthe island to Ovington Point.Washburn Island,with Falmouth to the left.THE HISTORY OF WASHBURN ISLAND  DONALD L. KEAYConstruction proceeded rapidly. A network of pavedroads criss-crossed the island. Cement slabs were laid asplatforms for necessary buildings. There were alsoparade grounds, drill fields, and an obstacle course. Five12-foot wide finger piers stretched almost 900 feet intoWaquoit Bay, augmented by smaller service docks alongthe shores. When the base was ready for operation,training continued day and night for almost two years.Boat handlers were taught navigation skills, the use ofsignalling devices, and methods of avoiding anti-landingarmaments.The Waquoit training area was one of the most closelyguarded installations on Cape Cod. Despite efforts tomaintain secrecy, residents and visitors could easilyobserve training activities from the surrounding shores.They became accustomed to the sight of landing bargesmaking their way up and down the beaches and soldiersswimming or wading with full packs, rifles held over-head. The units demonstrated their readiness by launching afull-scale training exercise on Martha’s Vineyard.Successive waves of landing craft plowed through therough seas, landed at designated sites, unloaded troopsand equipment, and established beachheads. The mockinvasion was a great success, on target and schedule.Although it was a relatively small maneuver, and no onewas shooting at the “invaders,” the lessons laid thegroundwork for techniques later used in battle. Soldierstrained on Cape Cod spearheaded campaigns in NorthAfrica, Sicily, Salerno, Normandy, and many islands inthe Pacific. Local residents proudly referred to WashburnIsland as the “Cradle of Invasions” and the troops as“Cape Cod Commandos.”Over the winter, weather became a serious impediment.The War Department decided to transfer the program toCarrabelle, Florida. Washburn Island was nearly desertedby March, 1943. The military maintained a presencebut, for the most part, tents were gone and buildingsbarred and locked. The federal goverment announcedplans to restore leased properties to the owners after allmilitary construction had been demolished. Bids wereaccepted for the razing of the buildings, the piers, andthe drawbridge.In September 1944, another hurricane roared into theregion, washing out the  causeway, again opening thechannel between Eel Pond  and Vineyard Sound. It wasagreed that the breach would not be refilled and thatnature should be allowed to take its course.The army then announced a change in plans. At therequest of the commanding officer of the hospital atCamp Edwards, the leases were extended, demolitionhalted, and plans developed to create a recreation andrecovery center for convalescing patients. A large cementblock bathhouse was constructed. During the summer of1945, as many as 800 soldiers a day were transported tothe island, where they could swim, fish, go boating, orjust relax. They had the use of exercise equipment, bar-beque pits, and basketball and volleyball courts. With the end of the war, the army again announced thatWashburn Island would be returned to its owner uponcompletion of demolition. Special consideration wasgiven to the only remaining crossing to the island, thebridge at Ovington Point. The army had planned todemolish it before the leases were cancelled, but witheasy access from Route 28, it would provide means bywhich visitors could cross to a  potential park and/or res-idential area. It was argued that the drawbridge did notseriously interfere with river traffic. Town officialsattempted to persuade the State WaterwaysCommission not only to allow the bridge to remain, butto maintain it. The request was rejected and the bridgewas quickly torn down.When Washburn Island was restored to FlorenceWashburn, it had changed considerably. Most of theforests had been cleared to make room for military facili-ties or had been destroyed during the hurricanes.Cement pads dotted the landscape. Four structuresremained: an old farmhouse, a barn, an icehouse,and thebathhouse, all of which were later abandoned. With nomaintenance, they deteriorated badly over the  years andwere eventually razed.There was a move among the selectmen of Falmouth topurchase Washburn Island and restore it as a park com-memorating the soldiers who had trained there. Mrs.Washburn asserted that she would never sell the estate.Over the years she received offers from potential buyers,but consistently rejected them.Although not able to utilize the estate herself, Mrs.Washburn gave permission for visitors and campers tocontinue using her property. Day trippers, arriving insmall boats, had free access for hiking, swimming, camp-ing, berry picking, shellfishing, and other leisure activi-ties. The Falmouth Rod and Gun Club, the FalmouthBeagle Club, and scout units were among those whoBRIDGEWATER REVIEW                                     DECEMBER 2001  25benefited from her generosity. The island remained in anundeveloped state. There were no facilities, so visitorshad to bring their own supplies, including water. Attimes there were problems. Out of towners (according toresidents) held noisy parties and often left the area cov-ered with litter and debris.Florence Washburn died on January27, 1953, leaving the estate to her son,Dr. Lincoln Washburn. The future ofthe island was again a source of specu-lation. Among the townspeople therewere lingering hopes that Falmouthmight be able to purchase the proper-ty, but the new owner said that theisland was still not for sale. He statedthat he intended to continue hismother’s policy of maintaining it as anatural, recreational preserve open toeveryone.In 1976, town property reassessments resulted in a hugeincrease in taxes, causing Dr. Washburn to offer to sellhis estate to the town of Falmouth, but proposals failedto materialize when funds were not made available. Twodevelopment companies negotiated agreements to pur-chase the property for the construction of luxury homesand recreational and support facilities, subject to govern-ment approval. In the meantime, state and local agen-cies had issued stringent regulations for land use whichmade it next to impossible to build in areas deemedenvironmentally sensitive. Washburn Island had beendesignated as a crucial barrier beach and a fragile bufferwhich helped protect inland areas from storm damageand flooding. The federal government declared that suchdesignated regions are not suitable for developmentbecause of erosion and shifting sand patterns and shouldbe preserved for both ecological and aesthetic reasons.The Commonwealth of Massachusetts had issued direc-tives which did not prohibit construction but grantedwide discretionary power to local conservation andplanning authorities. Despite carefully prepared plans by the development companies, local opposition frommunicipal boards and private organizations prevailedand permits were not granted. The Commonwealth then appropriated sufficient fundsto seize Washburn Island by eminent domain at theappraised evaluation. Nearby South Cape Beach hadbeen recently purchased and the two properties werecombined into a new state park. Washburn Island was tobe maintained in its natural state to be used for passiverecreational purposes with provisions forlimited camping, swimming, hiking, andnature studies. Access is difficult sincethe island can only be reached by small,private boats, part of a deliberate policyto discourage visitors from venturing into sensitive areas,a policy geared to protect the ecology rather than toaccommodate large numbers of visitors.The Falmouth Enterprise editorialized in 1951 thatWashburn Island had been so badly violated that it could not be rehabilitated without huge expenditures of time, energy, and resources. This gloomy outlookproved to be unduly pessimistic. The island has regener-ated into a beautiful and peaceful refuge, providing evi-dence that whatever damage human beings or naturaldisasters might inflict on the landscape, the dynamicforces of nature will ultimately prevail, not necessarilyby restoring previous conditions, but by creating newones which can prove to be equally productive and beneficial.           —Donald L. Keay is a retired member of the History Department. He lives in East Falmouth.   The Bryant-Washburn House on Washburn Island.Built in the late nineteenth century, it was destroyed by fire on  October 26, 1926. 

A History of Washburn Island

http://vc.bridgew.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1034&context=br_rev

A History of Washburn Island

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Virtual Commons - Bridgewater State University