Historical Society of Santuit Cotuit

Tucked away in the quiet seaside village of Cotuit, the historical society's Cotuit Museum revisits the time when Cotuit Harbor bustled with fishing boats and coastal trading schooners and many local seaman (and a few wives) set out on long whaling voyages. Other villagers farmed bogs for cranberries or the bay for world-famous Cotuit oysters. The little community also once boasted three resort hotels, including the Cape's very first. At one time Cotuit was such a popular getaway for professors, artists and writers, it was dubbed the "Summer Harvard."

The historical society's star attraction is the 1808 Samuel Dottridge Homestead, a modest one-and-a-half-story Cape, built by one of Cotuit's first residents and reflecting 19th-century life on Cape Cod. Visitors love the walk-in fireplace and wide-board floors in the keeping room and hearing the tale of how Samuel and Abigail Dottridge moved their home and young family from Brewster on a skid pulled by 17 oxen. The HSSC campus also features a Historical Kitchen Garden, the Rothwell Ice House, a 1916 Ford "Model T" Fire Engine, and a Museum Store with apparel, books, decor and gifts reflecting the essence of Cotuit.

Cotuit Historical Society is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from Memorial Day through Christmas.