Located at the opposite end of Route 6 from the Inn, Sandwich is the oldest town on Cape Cod and the home of the wonderful Sandwich Glass Museum.
Settled in 1637, Sandwich was primarily an agricultural area, supplemented by fishing and the exporting of timber to England. But that began to change in 1825 when Deming Jarvis, a Boston businessman, chose the town for his glass company. He brought in master glassblowers from the New England Glass Company, where he had previously worked, and from England and Ireland—all skilled in creating blown glassware with a high lead content, the most desirable at the time. Eventually they added pressed glass items, a newer form that was becoming popular.
You can learn all about this rich history in a visit to the Sandwich Glass Museum, as well as see marvelous representations of glass works. There are quite a few permanent exhibits, including nearly 6,000 pieces of glass that were produced at the Boston & Sandwich Glass Company between 1825 and 1888.
To get a good appreciation of what is involved in glassmaking, plan to take in a glassblowing demonstration. The 20-minute program takes place every hour on the hour.
Sandwich Glass Museum
129 Main Street, Sandwich, MA
Parking and entrance on Tupper Road
508-888-0251
Winter hours: February and March, Wednesday – Sunday, 9;30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Summer hours: April 1 – December 30, Monday – Sunday, 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Admission: Adults/$9, kids 6-14/$2, kids age 6 and under/free
There’s rich history up and down Cape Cod, including right here in our Eastham area. Plan to stay with us on your next trip and enjoy a bit of it!