The photographs and stories gathered at the Eastham Mass. Memories Road Show are available online now for research.
The event, held on Sunday, May 7, 2017, was organized by the Eastham Public Library and hosted in its new building. Library Director Debra DeJonker-Berry led a town-wide collaboration among a large number of organizational partners including the Eastham Historical Society and the Town of Eastham Clerk’s Office. The program was supported by the Friends of the Eastham Public Library and the Eagle Wing Inn. Nearly thirty local volunteers came out on a beautiful spring day to partner with a team of UMass Boston staff members and public history graduate students, as well as “Roadies” from previous Mass. Memories Road Show events. Together they welcomed more than 100 adults and children with connections to the Cape Cod town.
Participants contributed images of growing up–and living year-round–in this seashore community over the years. They shared stories of their work in family businesses, the fire department, schools, and town politics. Memories of summer vacationing in Eastham with family and friends–enjoying recreational activities together such as swimming, fishing, crabbing, and boating along the ocean and bay shores–are also documented in the collection.
Many contributors shared photographs and stories of their participation in lively community gatherings over the years, commemorating town anniversaries, marching in the Windmill Weekend parade, and celebrating Eastham’s agricultural heritage with an annual turnip festival.
Several images illustrate community members’ pride in the town’s landmarks–such as Cape Cod National Seashore, an historical windmill, Nauset Light, and Coast Guard Beach. They further document residents cultivating the Eastham Famous Flower Island (EFFI) and exploring lesser-known corners with the Eastham Hiking Club.
Browse the Eastham Mass. Memories Road Show collection.
The Mass. Memories Road Show is a statewide digital history project that documents people, places and events in Massachusetts history through family photographs and stories. In partnership with teams of local volunteers, we organize public events to scan family and community photographs and videotape “the stories behind the photos.” The images and videos are indexed and incorporated into an online educational database. Since its launch, the project has gathered more than 9,000 photographs and stories from across the state. It is supported in part by the Patricia C. Flaherty ’81 Endowed Fund at UMass Boston.
University Archives & Special Collections in the Joseph P. Healey Library at UMass Boston was established in 1981 as a repository to collect archival material in subject areas of interest to the university, as well as the records of the university itself. The mission and history of UMass Boston guide the collection policies of University Archives & Special Collections, with the university’s urban mission and strong support of community service reflected in the records of and related to urban planning, social welfare, social action, alternative movements, community organizations, war and social consequence, and local history related to neighboring communities. To learn more, visit blogs.umb.edu/archives.
The turnip-kissing photo was so funny! I happen to be vacationing in Eastham right now – enjoying a gin & tonic on the deck in front of our rental cottage after an afternoon of swimming & sunning at Campground Road beach. Jeanne McKnight