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 This genteel town, occupying eight miles along Cape Cod Bay—named for Mayflower passenger Elder William Brewster—was part of Harwich, named North Parish, until 1803 when the towns separated. Prosperous town sea captains wished to be divested of their poorer southern neighbors. Considering that Brewster has no harbors, it was the domicile to sea captains galore—and their legends endure. Its first settler, John Wing, was a Quaker who likely fled Sandwich because of religious persecution. Early town settlement was centered around the area of what is presently Route 124 and the Brewster Store. Local legend has it that Captain David Nickerson, while in Paris during the French Revolution, was handed a male child and was implored to take it to America. It is now claimed that Nickerson brought the Lost Dauphin of France—the son of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI—to New England in 1789, rescuing him from certain death at the guillotine. He named the boy Rene Rousseau and he went on to emulate his adopted father by becoming a sea captain. Rousseau was lost at sea at age 26 Brewster sea captains also defied President Jefferson’s shipping embargo during the War of 1812, continuing to trade with the British. During the early 19th century, Brewster was the terminus for Boston-Brewster packet cargo service . Throughout the 19th century, Brewster sea captains were paragons of adventure, commerce —and profit. Their stately mansions, built with the profits of their global trading forays, are testaments to the affluence of the age of sail. Today, 22-square mile Brewster, comprising three villages—Brewster, East and West Brewster—has remained primarily free of the commercial encroachments of other Cape towns and it remains ‘apart.’ Some of its sea captains’ houses have been reincarnated as country inns. Its Main Street, Route 6A, is lined with smart eateries and boutiques patronized by a sophisticated clientele. Hills and dales and a smattering of glacial ponds give the town a decidedly bucolic feel. And, over the centuries, little has changed—The Brewster Store, once a Universalist church, still reigns supreme as the town’s social ‘heart.’ Bewster’s eight calm bay beaches are like as many gems. Low tide, when the Bay recedes nearly two miles, reveals sparkling, garnet-tinted flats for exploration and delight. There are also more than two dozen freshwater ponds, most of them stocked with game fish. The 800-acre Punkhorn Parklands, a favorite of mountain bikers, and 1,961-acre Nickerson State Park are best appreciated by learning of the area’s sylvan ecology at The Cape Cod Museum of Natural History, also conveniently located on Route 6A in Brewster. Punkhorn is an idyllic place, featuring glacial kettle ponds and three marked paths comprising more than 50 miles. Nickerson State Park is the residue of a former private businessman’s hunting and fishing estate and boasts eight miles of bicycle paths, eight ponds, sandy beaches and 400 very popular campsites.
Main Beaches: Breakwater Beach, off Breakwater Road. Calm beach with rest rooms is ideal for young children. Flax Pond, in Nickerson State Park. Large freshwater pond surrounded by pines. Bathhouse, water sport rentals. Linnells Landing Beach, Linnell Road, East Brewster. A half-mile Bay beach ideal for families and is wheelchair accessible. Paines Creek Beach, off Paines Creek Road. A 1½-mile beach perfect for both sunbathers and nature lovers.
The Old Mill and Harris-Black House (both circa 1795), Route 6A. An octagonal smock-type mill shingles in weathered pine and a roof (not surprisingly) like an upturned boat. The Mill was moved to this site in 1974 and was restored (milestones are original). The 16-foot-square, one-room Harris-Black House, though diminutive, was once a homestead for a family of 13 people. It is furnished but the hearth and original woodwork dominate the interior. Closed November-April. The Old Grist Mill and Herring Run, Setucket and Stony Brook Roads. Located at one of Cape Cod’s most serene spots, the water-powered mill still grinds corn meal (which is for sale). Visitors from mid-April to early May will thrill to the sight of thousands of alewives—tiny herring—migrate from Cape Cod Bay to fresh water to spawn. Mill closed from September to May. Cape Rep Theatre Company, Route 6A. A repertory troupe which stages outdoor productions in a tree-locked natural amphitheater. Summers. Cape Cod Museum of Natural History, 869 Route 6A. This museums features nature and marine exhibits, guided field walks, a natural history library, museum shop, lectures, classes and self-guided walks on 80 acres of forest, marshland and ponds, all populated by a plethora of avian and other wildlife. From May to September, the Museum offers guided canoe and kayak trips and cruises which explore natural Cape waterways—Nantucket Sound, Pleasant Bay and Nauset Marsh. Open year round. New England Fire & History Museum, 1429 Route 6A. Set on a re-created 19th century common with a picnic area, the Museum features 35 antique vehicles (including the only surviving 1929 Mercedes-Benz fire engine), former Boston Pops’ conductor Arthur Fiedler’s private collection of fire-fighting memorabilia, a dozen mannequins in historical fire-fighter uniforms, Victorian apothecary shop, animated diorama of the Chicago Fire of 1871, a historic working forge and medicinal herb garden. Closed Columbus Day-mid-May. First Parish Church. Gothic windows and capped bell tower distinguish this circa 1700 Brewster landmark, known as ‘Church of the Sea Captains.’ Church pews are marked with the names of famous Brewster sea captains. Bassett Wild Animal Farm, Tubman Road between Routes 124 & 137. A 20-acre ‘animal farm’ featuring domestic and exotic birds, lions, tigers, monkeys, llamas and a petting zoo. Hay and pony rides, snack bar and picnic area. |
