Chatham - The Town That Was Bought With a Boat
William Nickerson scalps Mattaquason
Today Chatham is arguably "the quaintest town on Cape Cod," full of stately waterfront homes and magnificent waterfront inns like the Chatham Bars Inn shown here. But back when William Nickerson stumbled upon it in 1656 it was 4,000 acres of wilderness and the home of the Monomoyck tribe lead by a Sachem named Mattaquason.
These Native Americans didn't think they "owned"
the land, but were its guardians for their children, so Mattaquason must have
been amused when Mr. Nickerson offered to "buy" the area then known as Monmoit
in exchange for a small boat called a shallop.
Today a home on a saltwater acre can sell for $3 to $5 million, and a Victorian like the Azubah Atwood Inn B&B on the left is worth over one million. This town has 44 miles of shoreline and 20 miles of ocean beaches.
When you visit Chatham, be sure to stop by the observation deck at the Fish Pier and watch the boats unload their catch, and take the "Loop" bike path on town streets around this lovely seaside village.
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