Frommer's Review
Long before the Canal was a twinkle in Myles Standish's (and later, George Washington's) eye, Native Americans had been portaging goods between two rivers, the Manomet and Scusset, that once almost met at this site; its name in Algonquian means "little trap in the river." The Pilgrims were quick to notice that Aptucxet made an ideal trading spot, especially since, as Gov. William Bradford pointed out, it would allow them to trade with the Dutch to the south without "the compassing of Cape-Codd and those dangerous shoulds [shoals]." In 1627, the Pilgrims built an outpost here, hoping to cash in as conduits for native-caught pelts. The present building is a replica, built after a pair of local archaeologists, using ancient maps, uncovered the original foundation in 1926. The other detritus they dug up (arrowheads, pottery shards, and so on) is displayed in a roomful of rather dim, crowded display cases. Also be sure to have a look at the Bournedale Stone, which was discovered serving as a threshold for a Native American church built in the late 17th century. Overturned, it revealed strange, runelike inscriptions -- fueling the legend (unsubstantiated as yet) that Vikings roamed the Cape around A.D. 1000.
Even though the building is not authentic, the curator does a very good job of conjuring up the hard, lonely life led by the pair of sentinels assigned here. Several other odd artifacts are scattered about the grounds, such as President Grover Cleveland's personal train station from his estate at Gray Gables, and a windmill used as an art studio by his good friend and fishing companion, the hugely successful actor Joseph Jefferson. Driven out of Sandwich for his scandalous profession (he was a Democrat to boot!), Jefferson was avenged when he was buried there with a tart epitaph: "We are but tenants; let us assure ourselves of this, and then it will not be so hard to make room for the new administration, for shortly the Great Landlord will give us notice that our lease has expired."
One exhibit focuses on the making of salt, once a booming industry on Cape Cod. Replica saltworks have been constructed, and the knowledgeable docent will walk you through the process. You might even get a sample of gourmet salt to take home.
The Cape Cod Canal bike path runs right behind the museum. This is a good spot from which to observe the Vertical Lift Railroad Bridge, which represented state-of-the-art technology for its time (1935, when it cost $1.5 million). Rush hour, between 5 and 6pm, is your best chance to catch the bridge lowering its trestle (for the garbage cars headed off-Cape). In the off season, you might get a colorful sunset thrown in for good measure.
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planning your trip.
