USA > Massachusetts > Dukes County > Gosnold > The story of Cuttyhunk > Part 4
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Merchant Marine
In the scrap collection drive Cuttyhunk won $100., a prize offered by The New Bedford Standard Times for the largest metal scrap collection per capita. The money was turned over to the American Red Cross. The list of civilians who did their part would be too long to print in this phamphlet, so suffice it to say that Cutty- hunk has a right to be proud of its record.
The use of Gull Island as a bombing target gave the Island an idea of what a real air raid might be like and since the navy still uses that ledge of rocks for the same purpose we are still mindful of "what could happen here."
THE HURRICANES
Wednesday afternoon, September 21st, 1938 the is- land was visited by a ninety mile an hour hurricane and a twelve foot tidal wave. Between three and four o'clock in the afternoon the wind which had been blow- ing a smart gale suddenly increased and the tide which was supposed to full at 6:37 P.M. increased corres- pondingly.
Around 5:00 o'clock the entire South Beach between the village and the Old Coast Guard Station was cov- ered with angry waves many feet high which swept away the building and planking from the Town Wharf, demolished the boat houses, bath houses, and all the buildings surrounding the Coast Guard Station.
Between 5:00 and 6:00 o'clock buildings belonging to Mildred Stubbs, Thomas Cornell and Howard Cor- nell, which were situated on the south-west shore of the inner harbor were swept across the harbor and pounded to kindling on the South shore of Copicut Neck.
Meanwhile the Coast Guards and fishermen were laboring desperately near Fishermen's Wharf to save the fishing fleet. Three boats, The Louise, belonging to Clarence W. Allen, The Mildred T. and The Martha
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property of Carlton L. Veeder broke away from their moorings and piled up on the Neck beach.
The lighter and pile driver which belonged to The Taylor Construction Company and which had begun work on the Coast Guard Boat House broke adrift and landed high and dry on top of the Neck. The lighter broke apart in the center.
The buildings and gear from the Fisherman's Wharf, locally known as "The Point" were a total loss. The wharf itself was badly battered and separated from the road.
The North Side of the island was equally hard hit with surf pounding it both from Buzzard's Bay and from the Inner Harbor, known hereabouts as The Pond. A bungalow belonging to Thomas Jones was swept out into the Bay and never seen again. The summer cot- tage known as the Lower Bungalow belonging to Mrs. C. B. Church was also washed into The Bay. Cora Doubleday's cottage was swept from the South Shore of The Pond and landed on the Neck Beach. The cottage known as "The Overedge," property of Mrs. George C. King also washed away. The fishing boat Hazel, owned by John McKay, which was tied up at the end of the wharf was lifted up and pounded upon the spiles damaging her hull.
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Loveridge and daughter Shir- ley, who were living in the Howard Cornell house lost practically all of their belongings including their clothes. Mrs. Loveridge's brother, John Cornell, lost most of his personal belongings, too. Thomas Cornell lost most of his effects and quite a sum of money. Mrs. Stubbs lost all of her equipment for catering, ice chests, stoves, booths, tables, chairs, etc. all were smashed to pieces by the sea.
No lives were lost and no one was badly injured. This happy fact was due in large part to the efficient work of the Coast Guards under the excellent seamanship
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of Captain Alfred Volton. The boys worked desper- ately and indefatigably all through the afternoon and evening. They stood by all night in the Life-boat and were at work early Thursday morning trying to salvage some of their own lost gear. Several men who were working on the Coast Guard Boathouse and were in the Taylor Construction Company's shed on the Town Wharf were saved by the Coast Guards with only a few minutes to spare. Captain Volton ordered them into the Lifeboat and took them to safety. Two boys who were in a catboat in the harbor were also rescued only a few minutes before their boat was swept up on the Neck Beach.
The Old Coast Guard Station was left on an island separated from the village by several feet of water.
At high tide the entire beach leading to the Town Wharf was a roaring mass of surf. The road from the Town to the wharf along the beach was wrecked. At high water the bungalows belonging to Mrs. Stubbs and her mother were but a few feet from the water. They stand on a rise in the middle of the South meadow.
The water supply for the Town which was owned by Mrs. Elisabeth M. Allen miraculously escaped the ocean which was at one time within sixty feet of the well house.
THE HURRICANE OF 1944
The radio warned in the morning that a Florida storm of hurricane proportions was proceeding up the coast and would probably strike New England around eleven o'clock in the evening.
All day the wind increased and at six in the evening was blowing a good gale. We went for a walk down the beach to look at the surf. It was exceedingly heavy and the waves were very high. The ocean looked ominous and angry. The clouds which were piling up in the Southwest were terrifying.
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Fortunately for Cuttyhunk, high tide was at 7:15 P.M. and the full force of the hurricane did not arrive until about 10:00 P.M. It sounded as though all the fiends of the universe were unleashed from 10:00 P.M. until 1:00 A.M. The wind shrieked and wailed and everything loose blew through the air.
The porch on the East and North side of Elsie Bauer's house was ripped off cleanly from the house leaving only the floor in place. The steps too, were torn away. The rose trellis on the Southeast corner of the Bos- worth cottage was ripped away from the house with a noise that sounded as if the side wall of the house had gone. Chimneys were blown down on the church, The Bosworth House, the MacKay House, the Tilton House, the Garfield House and the Frothingham House. Shingles were ripped off The Poplars, the Stetson House, the Tilton House, the Church, the Library, and various other places. The pergola over the walk from the Poplars going up to the store collapsed. The Coast Guard Boat House doors were broken open by big boulders and the whole floor was strewn with rocks and sand. The beach between the village and the Old Coast Guard Station which had been partially de- stroyed by the 1938 hurricane washed completely through and left a tide rip between the village and the Station. The road from the village to the Town Wharf was badly undermined and broken up in many places. Two large plate glass windows at the Wood House were shattered. Several of the smaller fishing boats were sunk and Winslow Hall lost one of his boats. John Cornell narrowly escaped drowning when his boat foundered.
The Vineyard Sound Lightship went down with all her crew. Everyone on Cuttyhunk suffered from water which poured into the houses around every East and South window and door.
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The wind and rain were much worse than in the 1938 hurricane and the pitchy darkness of the night added to the feeling of helplessness. The main wharf was raised from its spiles next to the land about eighteen inches, and everything loose on the wharf was washed away. The Boathouse belonging to Mr. Wood disap- peared with no trace left, and the float stage next to it also washed away.
The wind played a queer trick at the King house. It sucked a sash curtain between the frame and the glass of the kitchen window on the west side of the house.
The wind reached a velocity of one hundred miles an hour and sounded like it!
IS CUTTYHUNK THE SCENE OF SHAKESPEARE'S TEMPEST ?
That is one of the unanswerable questions of the ages. Who can be sure? It well might be for Gosnold was a protegee of the Earl of Southampton as was Shakespeare: and who can tell whether or not the great playwright was enamored by the tales of the island visited by the great mariner
Anyhow, Edward Everett Hale makes quite a case for the affirmative in his "Prospero's Island" which is part of the larger work called Discussions of The Drama. Those of us who have studied the case are inclined to agree with Mr. Hale, for his argument seems sound to us. We like to think so anyway and it adds lustre to our island.
WERE THE ELIZABETH ISLANDS NAMED FOR THE QUEEN OR FOR GOSNOLD'S SISTER
Again who can say? However, it seems much more likely that the Captain had his sister in mind for Queen Elizabeth had refused to allow her favorite Sir Walter
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Raleigh to name the land known as Virginia for her and he compromised on the name which honored her as the Virgin Queen. Naming a small chain of islands Elizabeth for the great Queen would be considered not a compliment but an insult. Besides, all mariners from time immemorial have thought of their dear ones when far away from home.
CONCLUSION
And now with so much that might be told I bring this account to its conclusion with a list of birds and wild- flowers which may be seen on Cuttyhunk by those who are interested and know their fauna and flora.
MISS MARGARET BREWER'S WILDFLOWER LIST
Sweet pepperbush, Wild Bean, Colopogon, White Clover, Ladies' Tresses, Pearly Everlasting, Cinquefoil, Buttercup, Dandelion, Rattlesnake Weed, Hedgebindweed, Dewberry, Pink knot weed, Joe Pyewood, Pimpernel, Blue Flag, Pickerel Weed, Toad Flax, Yellow Star Grass, Blackberry, Strawberry, Mullein, Primrose, Steeplebush, Yarrow, Queen Annes Lace, Chicory, Wood Sorrel, Swamp Honeysuckle, Beach Plum, Chickweed, Bouncing Bet, Wood Lily, Bluebell, Self-heal, Indian Tobacco, Ground Nut, Red Clover, Water lily, Cow lily, Milkweed, Cynthia, Loose- strife, St. Johnswort, Butter and Eggs, Goldenrod, Yellow Thistle. White Daisy, Ox-eyed Daisy, Nightshade, Elder, Rabbit Clover, Blue Eyed Grass, Blue Vetch, Sea Lavender, Yellow Clover, Wild Aster.
BIRDS SEEN ON CUTTYHUNK - 1944-1952
BY GEORGE W. HASKELL
January - Black Duck, Catbird, Chicadee. Gull, Loon, Phoebe, Pur- ple Grackle, Robin, Starling, Tree Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow.
February - Black Duck, Dove, Duck Hawk, English Sparrow, Slate Junco, Tern, Gull, Tree Sparrow.
March - Bluebird, Chicadee, Cormorant, Cowbird, Dove, English Sparrow, Purple Grackle, Redwinged Blackbird, Robin, Slate colored Junco, Song Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow.
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April - Barn Swallow, Kingfisher, Spotted Sandpiper, Bittern, Myrtle Warbler, Cormorant, Redwinged Blackbird, Junco, Savan- nah Sparrow, Tern, Vesper Sparrow, Catbird, Old Squaw Duck, Whitebreasted Nuthatch, Cowbird, Purple Grackle, Flicker, Brown Creeper, Hooded Warbler, Song Sparrow, Tree Spar- row, White Crowned Sparrow, Wilson Snipe, Dove, Redbreasted Merganser, White-winged Scoter, English Sparrow, Black Duck, Mourning Dove, Crow, Robin, Spotted Sandpiper, Tree Swallow.
May - Baltimore Oriole, Black-throated Green Warbler, Bobolink, Catbird, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Cliff Swallow, Fish Hawk, Gold- finch, Kingfisher, Night Hawk, Pine Warbler, Redstart, Sandpiper, Tern, White-Crowned Sparrow, Barn Swallow, Blue Jay, Brown Thrasher, Cedar Waxwing, Chipping Sparrow, Connecticut Warb- ler, Fox Sparrow, Grackle, Meadow Lark, North Carolina Warb- ler, Pigeon Hawk, Red-eyed Vireo, Scarlet Tanager, Tree Swal- low, White-throated Sparrow, Yellow Throated Warbler, Black- burnian Warbler, Black-poll Warbler, Canada Warbler, Cheewink, Chimney Swift, Cowbird, Golden Plover, Kingbird, Myrtle Warb- ler, Palm Warbler, Red-Shoulder Hawk, Rose Breasted Grosbeak, Sharp-tailed Sparrow, White-breasted Nuthatch, Yellow Warbler.
June - Brown Thrasher, Crow, Flicker, Kingbird, Maryland Yellow- throat, Red-eyed Vireo, White-throated Sparrow, Chimney Swift, Downey Woodpecker, Fox Sparrow, Kingfisher, Meadow Lark, Tohee, Wilson Warbler, Chipping Sparrow, Fish Hawk, Gold- finch, Least Sandpiper, Northern Shrike, Tree Swallow.
July - Black-billed Cuckoo, Blue Heron, Cormorant, Humming Bird, Indigo Bunting.
August - Cormorant, Flicker, Humming Bird, Least Bittern, Red- Eyed Vireo, Arctic Tern, Black-billed Cuckoo, Brownheaded Nuthatch, Brown Thrasher, Cedar Waxwing.
September -- Black and White Warbler, Cedar Wax Wing, Cliff Swallow, Flicker, Kingfisher, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Thrasher, Chickadee, Cormorant, Hairy Woodpecker, Redstart, Sparrow Hawk, Veery.
October - Black-poll Warbler, Cheewink, Meadow Lark, Sparrow Hawk, Whitebreasted Nuthatch, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Hairy Woodpecker, Philadelphia Vireo, Vesper Sparrow, Yellow- Crowned Kinglet, Black and White Warbler, Fox Sparrow, Ruby- Crowned Kinglet, Upland Plover, Yellow Throated Vireo, Brown Creeper, Lesser Yellowlegs, Slate Junco, Wild Geese, Bittern,
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House Wren, Savannah Sparrow, Winter Wren, Blue Jay, Cliff Swallow, Red-eyed Vireo, Towhee, Veery.
November - Meadow Lark, Pigeon Hawk, Red-breasted Warbler, Snow Bunting.
December - Chickadee, Junco, Raven, Starling.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
American Journal of Science-Series 3-B. F. Koons.
Annals of Gosnold-Charles Edward Banks-1911
Annals of Naushon-Edith E. Forbes-1901
Annals of The Thirteen Towns of Barnstable County-1862
Brief and True Relation of John Brereton-Mass. Historical Society Collection, Vol. 28-1843.
Birl List-George W. Haskell
Capawack, Alias Martha's Vineyard-Warren Foote Gookins
Compendious History of New England From The Discovery By
Europeans to the First General Congress of the Anglo-American Colonies-John Gorham Palfrey-1873
Discussions of The Drama, III, Prospero's Island-Edward Everett Hale-1919
Early English Voyages To America-Richard Hakluyt-1891
Early History of Naushon Island-Amelia Forbes Emerson-1935
Excerpts from letter from Professor Frederick Slocum to Charles W. Tilton Sr.
Excerpts from letter from Alice H. Tripp to Charles W. Tilton Sr.
History of New Bedford-Daniel Ricketson-1858
History of New Bedford and Its Vicinity-Leonard Bolles Ellis- 1602-1892
History of Martha's Vineyard-Charles Edward Banks-1911
History of The Slocums of America
History of Cape Cod-Frederick Freeman-1858
Massachusetts Volunteer Militia War of 1812
Newes From America - Captain John Underhill-1638-III Mass. Historical Col1. 6
Old Dartmouth Historical Leaflets-Nos. 3, 4, 28
Old South Leaflets-Nos. 31, 120, 154
Old Town Records of Gosnold
Prologue To New England-Henry F. Howe
Relation of Captain Gosnold's Voyage-Gabriel Archer-Mass. His- torical Coll., Vol. 28
Scrapbook of Miss Margaret Brewer
Sir Ferdinando Gorges and His Province of Maine-Edited by James Phinney Baxter-1890
Various Old Newspaper Articles
Voyages To Vineland-Translated by Einar Haugen
Wildflower List-Miss Margaret Brewer
OWN OF GOSNOLD MASSACHUSETTS
UZZARD'S
BAY
WASH POND
First English Settlement in New England in 1602
CUTTYHUNK LIGHT
EWEST END POND
BASS STANDS
e
BARTHOLOMEW GOSNOLD MONUMENT
A
ST
1
DS
BASS STANDS
BASS
...
COPICUT NECK
&
e UTTYHUNKE
POND
S
CANAPITSIT CHANNEL
MARTHA'S VINEYARD 7 MILES
TIYHUNK
ISLAND
SWORDFISH MILES 5 TO 25
NEYARD
SOUND
REYNOLDS. PRINTING 1953
...
COAST GUARD STATION
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