Sandwich MA

Sandwich is the oldest town on Cape Cod, having been established in 1637 by Plymouth Pilgrims.

It is the New England village that calendars are made of with its Town Hall with the large white columns, Shawme Pond in the Town Center and the First Church of Christ complete with tall, white spire built in 1848.

The homes are from the 18th and 19th centuries, and most were built with beautiful examples of etched glass art from the Boston and Sandwich Glass Factory, which operated from 1825 to 1888, when cheaper glass from the Midwest and a union strike forced it to close its doors.

The Cape has a long history of fine glass making, and Sandwich glass is very popular with collectors today. The Sandwich Glass Museum has a large collection of hand-blown and pressed glass.

After strolling through the town center and a picnic at Shawme Pond, where the ducks and geese are happy to join you for lunch, you can take a short one mile walk to Town Neck Beach for a swim and see the Sandwich Boardwalk, where you can purchase a personalized plank to be added to the boardwalk and commemorate your visit. The boardwalk is a wonderful place to watch the sunset, with excellent views of the entrance to the Cape Cod Canal and the white cliffs that are just beyond Sagamore.

If the numerous museums in town aren’t your thing, you can visit the Sandwich Fish Hatchery and the rainbow, brook and brown trout that are raised there for restocking the state’s ponds. Alternatively, you can check out the Green Briar Nature Center and Jam Kitchen; yes, jam kitchen. Wildflower gardens, the Smiling Pool, and a variety of birds grace the outdoors, while indoors, April through December, you can watch the jam and pickles being made or take a class on how to make your own. A trip to Sandwich is truly a trip back in time.