The Chatham Historical Society was established in 1923 and is the owner of the Atwood House Museum that you can visit with your Cape Cod car rental. The Atwood House is likely the only house in Chatham that is preserved in its original form.

History of the house

The Atwood House was built in 1752 by Joseph Atwood, a sea captain and “navigator of unfrequented parts”. He moved to the area from Eastham and bought thirty acres in Chatham bordering Stage Harbour and the Mill Pond. He stayed home from the open sea for a year when he feared losing his ship while England and France were at war. Early houses on Cape Cod were an adaptation of English cottages in Cornwall and Devon, where many of the earlier settlers cam from.

Explore the full house

When you visit with your Cape Cod car rental, you will find a typical full house of the time. The first floor has a sinkroom, a kitchen, parlor, sitting room, two bedrooms, and a buttery. The second floor has a large open attic and one finished bedroom. In this house, it is larger than many houses of the type and is also unique in that it has a fireplace. There are also three fireplaces on the first floor (parlor, sitting room, and kitchen). There is another unusual feature in the house, a corner cupboard in the parlor. In 1833, John Atwood added a wing for his second wife. This was a new kitchen with a cast iron stove, a great improvement over the open fire in the former kitchen. When you visit the Atwood House with your Cape Cod car rental, it is unchanged from the 18th and 19th centuries, except for the addition of electricity.

Learn more about the Chatham Historical Society

The Chatham Historical Society is responsible for maintaining the Atwood House Museum as well as museum galleries that have been added to the original structure over the years. There are eight galleries with permanent exhibits, plus a large special exhibit gallery that can also be used as a meeting room. The mission of the Society is to inform and educate people about the history and culture of the area by preserving their records.

Plan your trip

When you visit with your Cape Cod car rental, you will find the museum open from June through mid-October. In June, September, and October, they are open Tuesday through Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m., and in July and August they are open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for students. It is free for members and children under 12. The museum is located at 347 Stage Harbor Road in Chatham.

When you visit with your Cape Cod car rental, you can visit the Atwood House Museum to get a glimpse at life in Cape Cod in the 18th and 19th century.