Wequassett Resort Celebrates Its Centennial

 There have been several owners of the Wequassett Resort  and Golf Club over the past 100 years. Each has worked to grow and improve the accommodations located on the edge of Pleasant Bay, which earned Forbes Five Star Resort status in 2016. 
 The Wequassett House first opened its doors in 1925.
 In the late 1890s the primitive roads of Cape Cod were being upgraded to accommodate the emergence of automobiles. The state built a surfaced road — route number 28 — along the south face of Cape Cod. Model Ts, Cadillacs and Packards were replacing the horse and carriage as the mode of transportation, providing access to the outermost beaches from Boston with a five-hour drive. Transient travelers had few places to stay, especially along the edge of Pleasant Bay from Chatham to Orleans.
Emogene Nickerson could hear the rumble of vehicles from her home. Her husband, Capt. Carroll Nickerson, was a fisherman who sailed his catboat Gladys daily out of Pleasant Bay, earning a living from the codfish he returned with each day.
According to Robert D.B. Carlisle’s book “Under A Crescent Moon: The Story of Wequassett Inn 1925 to 2005,” the Nickerson home had replaced a wind mill on the property constructed by Elnathan Eldredge and used to grind corn in the late 1700s. The land eventually passed on to the Nickerson family.
Carroll and Emogene raised their family of five children in the nine-room home. In June 1924, the building became the first house in East Harwich to have Cape and Vineyard Electric Company install wiring and lights.
  With rooms available and a reputation for creating bountiful meals, Emogene decided to address the need for accommodations.
After placing an oilcloth sign on the side of the road advertising the Wequassett House, the Model T’s, Cadillacs and Packards that had been chugging by hit their brakes.
“Mrs. Nickerson really had no need to advertise, other than by hanging out her oilcloth sign,” Carlisle wrote. “Word of mouth worked for her, too, telling people in those parts about a good thing, a most hospitable one, on Route 28. In any case, by early September that summer of 1925, Wequassett House was in business to stay.”
As for the name “Wequassett,” it is what the native Monomoyicks, who lodged along the shores during the summer months, gave to the area. Wequassett is said to mean ”crescent on the water.”
“If you look at it, the narrow spit of land bordering today’s Round Cove wears a crescent shape,” Carlisle wrote. “Maybe that gave the Indians reason to fix on the name. Then again, consider this: In their reverence for all things natural, the Wampanoags put great faith in that nocturnal event when the first new moon — a crescent — appeared at the vernal equinox, announcing the birth of spring. So, did ‘Wequassett’ get its name from the sliver of new moon, or from the encircling sand barrier of Round Cove?”  
This year’s centennial celebration comes after the resort completed a number of major renovations.
“A century of hospitality is a monumental milestone, and this renovation pays tribute to Wequassett’s storied history while preparing us for an exciting future,” said Gary Thulander, the resort’s regional area manager. “Our commitment to excellence drives us to continually evolve, ensuring that Wequassett remains a beloved Cape Cod destination for generations to come.