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Oysters, parks and boatbuilding make Osterville a slice of paradise
Osterville, one of the seven villages of the town of Barnstable, is a charming place with the feel of quaint New England and a community that has a long and proud history. The first colonial settlers arrived in Osterville in 1639. They named the area Oyster Island Village, in large part due to the oysters that grew in abundance in the three bays in the area. The area was later deeded to the colonial settlers after negotiations with the Native American Cotochese in 1648. The name, Oyster Island Village was shortened to Oysterville then later voted to be further shortened to Osterville in 1815.
Nestled along Nantucket Sound, the people of Osterville have always had an affinity for the sea whether enjoying oysters from the bay, captaining schooner boats, or going to sea as cooks and cabin boys. Interestingly the Wianno oyster is still cultivated in the bays off the shores of Osterville. The Cotuit Oyster Company with origins dating back to the mid-1800’s still grows and harvests oysters from the five bay areas in which Osterville borders. The oysters from these bays offer a slightly sweet flavor with a profoundly salty blast and are a delicacy that is in demand worldwide.
Boatbuilding was an important industry in the village. In 1913 Horace Manley Crosby, at the request of a group of sailors from the Wianno Yacht Club, built the first Wianno Senior Catboat. The boat was designed specifically to race in Nantucket Sound. The shallow hull and adjustable centerboard, trademarks of the Wianno Senior, made navigating the shoals of the Sound easier. The now famous brothers C. Worthington and Horace S. Crosby opened their boat yard in 1850 in order to continue the production of not only the original Wianno Senior but to also expand the boat offerings to include the Wianno Junior, Crosby Striper, Canyon, and Hawk. The Crosby’s and the Crosby Yacht Yard put Osterville on the map. The superior catboats that the Crosby’s built are respected throughout the sailing world and were a favorite of President John F. Kennedy.
Those who did not make the sea their career created other opportunities for themselves in Osterville. Many chose to farm and others opened up shops in the downtown area. The tradition of running small shops and restaurants continues today in what is one of Cape Cod’s most notable downtowns. Main Street and Wianno Ave are lined with boutiques, galleries, dress shops, salons and real estate offices. During the summer months the population swells as second homeowners return to the area to get away from the busy city to rest and relax.
The community of Osterville enjoys getting together and many town festivals, galas and strolls are put on each year by the merchants and citizens. These festivals celebrate the seasons and community that loves this village.
Parks and Beaches
Osterville is home to lovely beaches. Two beaches take advantage of Osterville’s location on Nantucket Sound. Dowse’s Beach on East Bay Road is the larger of the two beaches on the Sound and is a favorite for families with bath houses, parking and lifeguards on duty in the high season. The second seawater beach is smaller with limited parking but offers incredible views of the Sound. Joshua’s Pond is Osterville’s one fresh water pond offering beachgoers an alternative to a saltwater experience. Joshua’s Pond has a nice beach for families to gather, a bath house and lifeguards in season.
Osterville is home to the largest privately owned park on Cape Cod. The Armstrong-Kelley Park is owned by The Cape Cod Horticultural Society who maintains the eight-and-a-half acres of gardens, woodland and lawns. Those who visit the park are welcome to bring their pets, enjoy lunch at one of the many picnic tables or simply walk the grounds; occasionally resting on one of the donated park benches.
The extensive gardens include such flowers and plants as the flowering Umbrella Tree, Bleeding Hearts, Columbine, Forget-Me-Nots, Hosta, iris and peonies, water lilies, goldenrod, bayberry, lizzianthus and many more. It has been a tradition in the past for kindergarten students from area schools to plant daffodil bulbs in the fall and return in the spring to see the beautiful and vibrant flowers blooming. A group of men also tend to a collection of bee hives housing hundreds of thousands of bees that help pollinate the gardens and also provide honey which is sold each year to continue to support the Park. Another unique feature in the Park is the Garden of Verses where favorite poems are selected by a donor then engraved on a plaque and posted along the Woodland Walkway.
