The WCT Fourteenth Annual Walk will take place on Saturday morning, September 17th. The walk is free and is 2.4 miles in length. The terrain will be mostly on dirt roads and paths in the woods. Topics will include Spectacle Pond, Kinnacum Pond, ice houses, the Gross sisters, Dr. Belding and perhaps Tupelo trees.
Parking is a concern so it is important to register in advance by sending an email no later than August 31st to: wct.annual.walk@gmail.com
Please include email address and the names of all participants who will be arriving in your car.
Final details, including start time and parking locations will be sent to you the first week in September. Rain date will be the next day, Sunday the 18th.
The Wellfleet Conservation Trust’s Fourteenth Annual Walk will take place on Saturday morning, September 17, 2022. The walk is free and is 2.4 miles in length. The terrain will mostly be on dirt roads and paths in the woods. Topics will include Spectacle Pond, Kinnacum Pond, ice houses, the Gross sisters, and Dr Belding.
Parking is going to be a concern. Consequently it is important that all participants register by sending an email no later than August 31 to wct.annual.walk@gmail.com
Please include in your email the names of all participants who will be arriving in your car.
Final information, including the start time and parking locations, will be sent to you the first week in September. In case of rain on the 17th, the walk will be held the next day Sunday, September 18.
After much consideration in regards to the latest Wellfleet Board of Health Covid requirements and recommended guidelines, the Wellfleet Conservation Trust has decided to cancel our annual guided walk scheduled for 11 September.
Normally the walk has involved over 75 people. The Health Board recommends that all people not from the same household should maintain six feet of distancing and when closer, masks should be worn, even outside and regardless of vaccination status. Trying to keep six feet physical distancing and masking among our normal numbers would be extremely difficult and would eliminate the group discussions and socializing that walkers have enjoyed in the past.
The walk we planned this year will still be there next year when we will try again. We support the Board of Health in their concern for keeping Wellfleet a safe healthy community.
The Wellfleet Conservation Trust is planning its 14th annual guided walk to take place the morning of 11 September. The walk will be in the area bounded by Gross Hill Road, Ocean View Drive, and Long Pond Road. It will be almost exclusively on dirt roads and paths, about 2.4 miles in length with some moderate hills. We will have short discussions/lectures at points of interest. The walk is FREE to participants and expected to take about 2.5 hours. Walkers who have not received a Covid vaccination are asked to wear masks since social distancing will not always be possible.
This year, walkers are asked to register in order to participate. Parking will be at a premium so we encourage carpooling when possible.
Plans have not yet been finalized, but WCT intends to offer the Annual Guided Walk in September. The target date is Saturday, September 11, and the route will follow dirt roads and trails from Long Pond to Spectacle Pond and back. It should be about a two mile walk. Timing and parking logistics need more planning, so you will need to follow our website and Facebook page for more details as they become available.
Hurricane Dorian’s leftovers caused a one-day postponement, but other than that the Wellfleet Conservation Trust (WCT)’s annual guided walk, entitled “Three Great Ponds”, was one of the best ever.
Mike Fisher relating history of the firing range
It was held on Sunday, September 8th, 2019 at 9:00 am starting at the Wellfleet Senior Center at 715 Old Kings Highway. Despite the postponement, 87 people participated. The weather was perfect, sunny, with the lightest tinge of fall.
The WCT Annual Guided Walk is a tradition that began in 2007. It offers the public an opportunity to experience the beauty of Wellfleet’s open space and conservation lands while being guided by naturalists and other local experts who share their knowledge of the history, geology, and ecology of the areas being explored.
Great Pond
Topics this year included the Council on Aging, the Community Garden, the Municipal Water System’s well pumping station, the old Boy Scout Camp, a discontinued firing range, the dog park, early 20th century Governor Eugene Foss’s Wellfleet connection, a visit to two early 1900s camps, and views of three of Wellfleet’s great ponds: Duck, Great, and Dyer.
Walkers spread along the trail, with trail organizer, Bill Iacuessa
The camps were a special treat. They’re private, so one normally cannot see inside, but because of this special event we were able to view them and to hear great stories from current owners. One was the Garrison family, for a camp established by Frank Garrison’s grandfather, MA Governor Eugene Foss and his brother. The other was the Lay family.
Susan Anthony describing the community garden
It looked as though nothing had been changed in these beautiful spots for over a 100 years. In one camp we saw the propane toilet in the outhouse, the pump in the kitchen, the propane fridge, kerosene lanterns. There was a list of birds killed by each hunting party long ago.
Chet Lay describing early lake cottage life
The walk was a bit over 2.5 miles in length and took three hours, allowing ample time for wandering about and hearing presentations. The terrain was a combination of sandy roads, narrow paths and a few paved roads, most of it shaded. There were a couple of steep bits.
The annual walks are free of charge. They’re held shortly after Labor Day.
All are welcome to participate, and no reservation is required. There are cars posted at various spots for anyone who can’t easily make it the full three miles. The difficulty level is easy to moderate.
12th
Annual Guided Walk around Indian Neck Dedicated to Memory of Don Palladino
About 90 people gathered at the Indian Neck breakwater for the
start of our 12th Annual Guided Walk at 9 a.m. on Saturday, September 15th. Vice president Bill Iacuessa dedicated the 3.5-mile walk to the memory of the late Don
Palladino, who introduced the walk as our signature event in 2006.
To kick off the walk, Dwight Estey, president of the Wellfleet
Historical Society, discussed historic background and changes to the Wellfleet harbor
front.
The group proceeded along Indian Neck beach to WCT land where erosion
has revealed a Native American shell midden. South Wellfleet historian Pam Tice
discussed the year-round community of Nausets in the vicinity.
The walk continued along the open beach to just beyond the Town
landing at Burton Baker Beach. There John
Portnoy explained jetties, groins, and revetments—all attempted means of
mitigating beach erosion, some now out of favor, others still used today.
Walkers enjoyed splendid views of Great Island across Wellfleet
Bay. After crossing Sewell’s Gutter, the
group awaited Shellfish Constable Nancy Civetta for her scheduled 10:30
talk. Since the walk had arrived ahead
of time, Assistant Constable Johnny (Clam) Mankevetch pitched in until Ms. Civetta
arrived. She discussed oyster
propagation, as well as recent efforts to increase quahog production in
Wellfleet.
The
route continued along the beach to Field Point, where walkers turned into the
Fox Island Marsh area. At WCT’s Field
Point turtle garden, Dr. Barbara Brennessel released terrapin hatchlings into
the marsh with the help of her grandson, Sterling. Alice Iacuessa spoke about Wise family’s
midcentury modern home designed by Marcel
Breuer. Jeremy Wise, whose family donated the land which
now includes the turtle garden, invited participants to walk around the home
and explore the property.
Some
participants took advantage of a ride back to the breakwater parking lot, but a
hardy group continued back on their own.
It was a long but memorable morning’s walk. After the walk, many gathered at a memorial
event put on by Don Palladino’s family.
Thus, the walk ended as it began, with a tribute to Don.
It was a perfect day for exploring the most northeasterly corner of Wellfleet, and that is exactly what 100 stalwart walkers set out to do on September 9th for the Eleventh Annual Guided Walk by the Wellfleet Conservation Trust. At 9 o’clock, WCT President Dennis O’Connell welcomed the crowd gathered at Gull Pond Landing, and Bill Iacuessa introduced the route which would include two antique homes, a mid-century modern house and studio, viewing of four ponds, the site of the first schoolhouse in Wellfleet and a number of uphill climbs on the sand roads.
Engineer Chet Lay, newly retired from his long career at Slade Engineering, presented information on William Rawlins, former owner of much of the land we were about to see. Early in the twentieth century, Rawlins bought up old woodlots in the area with a goal of preserving the woods and ponds. Had he lived to see the creation of the Cape Cod National Seashore, he would have seen his vision fulfilled. He also was responsible for installing the marker at the site of the first schoolhouse. His initials “W.R.” appear on that plaque.
We set off, surging or trudging up Old School House Hill Road towards the sluiceway between Gull and Higgins Ponds. The route veered onto Steele Road. Just before the sluiceway we were met by Pat and Randy Bartlett at their home on Gull Pond. Pat gave the history of the lovely home built by the Higgins family in 1770. She displayed an old photo of the full Cape cottage, situated on a knoll facing the pond. She inherited the house through her mother’s line of ancestors. In response to a question about the location of the outhouse, Pat explained that her family had installed works of art in it and called it the “Art House.” Today’s house with all modern amenities serves as the Gull Cottage Bed & Breakfast as well as the Bartlett’s year-round home. Pat says she continues a family tradition of a morning swim every day as much as possible.
While still gathered around for more background information, we heard geologist John Portnoy’s lucid explanation of the Cape’s pond and land formation by the glaciers. We then returned to School House Hill Rd., stopping at Patience Brook that connects Higgins Pond to Herring Pond. There Herring Warden, Dr. Ethan Estey, discussed the herring count and some of the other denizens of the Herring River such as the snapping turtles who lurk in the culverts and the eel population.
The group stopped again to visit the outside of Nora and Sideo Fromboluti’s modern style home designed by Charlie Zehnder. We walked through the courtyard and looked into the house interior through the glass wall on the Gull Pond side. A second free standing art studio for this family of artists lay beyond their residence.
We proceeded to a small parking area at the intersection of Old School House Hill Rd. and Black Pond Rd. and walked to an approximate borderline to get a better look at Slough Pond in Truro. Bill Iacuessa gave an explanation of the terrible name for such a beautiful pond and Horseleech Pond beyond it. The folks in Truro renamed the ponds, formerly Newcomb’s and Long, to dissuade tourists from disturbing their pristine state. The locations for the Breuer, Chermayeff and Phillips mid-century modern homes were noted, but they are all on private grounds and not a part of the tour.
The walk turned back westerly along Black Pond Road, providing another full view of Herring Pond and a roof top look at the Saarinen modern home. Designed by Olav Hammarstom, the structure is nestled into the banking below the road at pond level. At the junction of Old King’s Highway, walkers headed up the hill towards Truro on that road to the site of Wellfleet’s first schoolhouse. There Dwight Estey, former WCT trustee and current president of the Wellfleet Historical Society and Museum, enlightened us on the early days of schooling when Wellfleet was still a part of Eastham. Teachers boarded in revolving homes which also served as schools. The fishermen’s schools met only during times when the boys were not called to sea. Curriculum at the first schoolhouse was New Testament Bible and psalter only.
Chet Lay spoke again on the route of the Old King’s Highway when it was the main road traversing the town. It still exists disappearing and reemerging in its original location. In Colonial times, the Old King’s Highway along the ocean side of East Harbor/Pilgrim Lake was also the only land route to Provincetown. Chet reminded everyone that to see the original Wellfleet layout of the road, one would have to look in Eastham maps because Wellfleet was not incorporated as a separate town until 1763.
Everyone went back towards Wellfleet on the Old King’s Highway, crossing the intersection with Black Pond Rd. and passing over the Herring River stream. Just after the stream was the driveway into Peter Matson’s 1800’s house. He and his friendly black Lab welcomed us in the front yard of his three-quarter Cape house, which his father had purchased in derelict state in the 1930’s for $400. By that time, it was one of the few remaining homesteads from the settlement that bordered the Herring River. After the mouth of the river had been diked in 1909, the area had become undesirable with too many mosquitoes and the low water level. He did recall that the Peters family’s cattle still came to graze in the fields that still existed before the trees took over the abandoned neighborhood.
The walk resumed going uphill on Old King’s Highway to the intersection of Old Hay Road. There we turned east back towards Gull Pond and eventually took a path that completed the loop and brought us right back to Gull Pond Landing where we began our trek three hours earlier.
WCT 10th Annual Guided Walk; map by Wellfleet Conservation Trust
“I stayed just for the walk.” For frequent summer visitor Deb Firtha, this was her fifth Wellfleet Conservation Trust (WCT) annual walk, so she knew that it would be worth it to delay her return to Ohio, and stay for another.
She was not disappointed. Along with 101 others, she enjoyed one of the best walks yet. The weather was perfect: sunny skies, low 70’s, and gentle sea breezes.Walk leader Bill Iacuessa pointed out that there were few ticks in this habitat, the mosquitoes were diminished by the drought, the green heads were past, and there was little poison ivy to worry about.
The walk (open to the public and free as always) began at 9 a.m. at the Lieutenant’s Island causeway in South Wellfleet. It continued a tradition dating to 2007 for the public to experience the beauty of Wellfleet’s open space and conservation lands.
Along the way, we paused at key locations to hear from naturalists and other local experts who could share their knowledge of the history, geology, and ecology of the area. For example, Fire Chief Rick Pauley related several anecdotes about the challenge of providing emergency services to an island, whose road is often impassable at high tide.
Terrapin garden
Zigzag, double fence for erosion control
Bill Huss and Bill Iacuessa
Pam Tice
Fire Chief Rick Pauley
Pam Tice, who writes the South Wellfleet history blog, explained why the island’s name is spelled two different ways. She also told us about early settlers, how Lt. Island was once an area for raising horses, and how it later developed as a residential area.
Bob Prescott from Mass Audubon spoke about that organization’s role in preserving habitat in the area, and especially about the terrapin gardens. Bill Huss spoke for the Lt. Island Association, sharing what it’s like to live there. Ginie Page talked about the problem of erosion and the revetments used to counter that. She also talked about how the shoreline had changed over the years. Dwight Estey filled in more of the history, especially about shellfishing and blackfish. Bill Iacuessa helped to connect many ideas throughout and to keep the balance between walking, exploring, and discussing.
Other topics included the causeway and bridge, whale try works, salt haying, and aquaculture. We also talked about specific conservation lands, and how town and private organizations coordinate both to preserve these beautiful habitats and to make them accessible to the public. We discussed potential acquisitions on Lt. Island, which would further connect conservation lands and expand opportunities for enjoying nature. Several of the participants were Lt. Island residents, who were learning new things about their own neighborhood.
The walk was about 2.7 miles, with some soft sand and a few stairs. Walkers were offered the opportunity to leave the walk earlier if necessary. Much of the route was exposed to the wind, especially on the shore of Blackfish Creek, but the mild weather kept the walking pleasant.
Deb Firtha wasn’t the only repeat walker to experience the unique combination of outdoor fitness with learning about nature, history, and the community. But for many of the walkers, this was their first WCT guided walk. They were already asking where next year’s walk would be.
Wellfleet has so much natural beauty that we’ve been able to conduct ten of these walks so far, each to a different area. Wellfleet is full of hidden gems and breathtaking vistas. We hope it always stays that way. That’s what we’re working for.
[Thanks to Susie Quigley and Dwight Estey for many of the photos, to Mark Gabriele, Mary Rogers, and Susan Bruce for suggestions on the text.]
Ten thousand steps – that’s what one participant’s pedometer recorded on September 12 at the end of the Trust’s 9th Annual Guided Walk that began and ended at the LeCount’s Hollow Beach parking lot. The 4 mile walk included talks at the start and at five points along the route by South Wellfleet historian Pam Tice, and by Trustees Dennis O’Connell, Bill Iacuessa, Dwight Estey, Don Palladino, and Mary Rogers.
Around seventy-five enthusiastic walkers gathered at 9 a.m. on a perfect day in the parking lot where President Dennis O’Connell and Walk Director Bill Iacuessa welcomed everyone and introduced the speakers. Mary Rogers discussed the original Maguire co”ages which were located at the beach. Pam Tice gave history of the brief-lived German glider school and Cook’s Camp to the south of the area.
The group headed up Ocean View Drive and into the woods along a trail that comes out onto the old Buffum Road, the way into Wellfleet-by-the-Sea before Ocean View Drive was built. The first stop was at a Modernist house, designed by Olaf Hammerstrom around a preexisting dwelling. There the group learned about the old road, about the creation of Ocean View Drive, and about the Surf Side Colony which they had passed on the way into the woods.
From there, the walkers went deep into the wood on a trail known as the “Gauntlet,” which runs roughly parallel to Ocean View Drive. Dwight Estey expanded upon the various colorful names given to different sections of the Gauntlet according to their terrain. The group proceeded west to the outskirts of the WCT Clover Trail. The walkers followed the railroad bed to LeCount Hollow Road, passed through the Rail Trail parking area and crossed Blackfish Creek, walking along the bike trail. From a vantage point high above the east side of Blackfish Creek, Pam Tice gave background on the early South Wellfleet General Store and Post Office, and Don Palladino discussed Blackfish Creek.
The group followed an old section of the Old King’s Highway to Marconi Wireless Road. In front of the newly rebuilt home of Bill Carlson and Lonni Briggs on Marconi Wireless Road, Dennis O’Connell explained their conservation restriction (CR), and Bill Iacuessa discussed the Marconi Station, which was located on top of the dune at the end of the sand road. This was the last stop before returning to the starting point, LeCount’s Hollow Beach parking lot. The total walk took about two and a half hours at a leisurely pace.
Participants were delighted with the walk which opened up new territory to many from Wellfleet and from far away. Come back again next year. We’re already making plans for our 10th Annual Guided Walk in Wellfleet on the Saturday after Labor Day.
Hurricane Dorian’s leftovers caused a one-day postponement, but other than that the Wellfleet Conservation Trust (WCT)’s annual guided walk, entitled “Three Great Ponds”, was one of the best ever.
Wellfleet Conservation Trust 
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