Wellfleet is among the most picturesque villages on Cape Cod. Its rich history weaves a tale of sailors and boatbuilders, travelers and artists, and even ghosts and pirates. Here, in the pages of Wellfleet, trace the story of this fascinating village, from the old Congregational church steeple, which still tolls the hours according to ships' bells, to Billingsgate, the lost island whose lighthouse and village were swallowed by the sea. Wellfleet's history is undeniably tied to the sea. Of the many shipwrecks off Wellfleet's shores, the most famous is the wreck of the Whydah--the pirate ship captained by "Black Sam" Bellamy. It sank in a storm in 1717, and artifacts from the ship now form a museum. The fishing boats still leave the harbor every morning as their predecessors did, and the remains of the old wharves, the shipbuilders' shops, the customs house, and the lighthouse can still be seen today in a town transformed into a thriving artists' community.

by Daniel Lombardo

Images of America Series (Arcadia Publishing)

128 pages

Arcadia Publishing 2000

ISBN-10: 0738504025
ISBN-13: 978-0738504025