Archaeological Dig Fleshes Out The Story Of Chatham's Founding Family CHATHAM – When he was first asked to investigate what was believed to be the original homestead of the town's first European settlers, William and Anne Nickerson, archaeologist Craig Chartier didn't expect to find much. He figured he'd dig a few holes “just to make the Nickersons happy.” And indeed, the first few holes yielded nothing. Bu...

CHATHAM – The Massachusetts Shellfish Initiative (MSI) Task Force held a public meeting to solicit preliminary stakeholder and public feedback on its strategic plan. It was one of four public meetings being held in the Commonwealth as part of an overall process of studying, analyzing, and strategizing for the future development and regulation of shellfishing in Massachusetts. The task force, rather than shellf...

Waterfowl Hunting Will Be Allowed CHATHAM – A plan to allow recreational coyote hunting on the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge has been scrapped. Waterfowl hunting will be allowed on the waters west of South Monomoy, but overwhelming opposition to coyote hunting, as well as the inability to complete the necessary coordination with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration regarding concern about ...

CHATHAM — Though they said they would investigate the possibility of planting shrubs to screen the view of the Chase Park labyrinth from a neighboring house, selectmen this week rejected the idea that activities at the park are disruptive to the neighborhood. Selectmen this week heard from Ernest “Tripp” Walen, who owns the house next to the labyrinth and who complained to the parks and recreation commission i...

CHATHAM — The owners of Outermost Harbor Marine are hoping that a special long-reach excavator owned by Plymouth County might be the best tool for dredging the entrance to Outermost Harbor. The excavator, used last year to clear portions of Allen Harbor and Wychmere Harbor in Harwich, is expected to be needed for around seven days’ work, the marina’s attorney William Riley told selectmen this week. Plymouth Co...

Benefit Screening Of 'One Big Home' Saturday CHATHAM – The process Ellen Briggs went through to save a 1930s-era windmill-shaped summer home built by her uncle along the shore of Chatham Harbor was long and complicated, involving permissions from multiple boards and negotiations with neighbors and contractors. But it worked, and today the restored building sits behind her home, just a few hundred yards from it...

CHATHAM – A new proposal has been filed for the historic home at 154 Champlain Rd. that would save the antique building but would relocate it on the property to make room for a new house. Known as Starboard Light, the circa 1860 Cape—portions of which may date to 1800—is currently under an 18-month demolition delay order from the historical commission. Prospective buyer Robert Moss filed the application las...

In the early days of his weir fishing business, Kurt Martin had a friend who asked him take along 20-year-old Nick Muto, who was kicking around at home. Martin did. One April day the new guy was fooling around in the skiff and the outboard motor popped off and sank about 20 feet. “‘I screwed up,’” Martin remembers Muto saying. Muto stripped down, dove into the water, tied a rope around the outboard motor, a...

CHATHAM – A new Ms. Eelgrass has been crowned! That may sound bit grandiose for the somewhat subdued event—at least by Ms. Eelgrass standards—held at the VFW Sunday afternoon. But the beauty pageant (if you could call it that) carried on a tradition first begun more than 35 years ago, albeit in a more family-friendly atmosphere. There were four contestants, one fewer than the first Ms. Eelgrass contest held...

CHATHAM — Without discussion, the conservation voted unanimously last week to accept the town’s request to withdraw plans to dredge in Chatham Harbor near the North Cut. At least for now, that move hasn’t ended a waterfront property owner’s suit against the town. On Sept. 4, about a week after the town issued a press release announcing that it had withdrawn the North Cut area from its dredging plans for the ...

CHATHAM — When it comes to controlling shorefront erosion and maintaining navigation, Chatham Harbor poses some problems. The solution, or at least part of it, might be found on Tern Island. On Wednesday, the state announced that Chatham has received more than $50,000 from the office of Coastal Zone Management to support a study of the island. Officials want to know whether adding sand to the island from nea...

CHATHAM — Soil sampling around Homestead Lane shows no detectable levels of cancer-causing polychlorinated biphenyl, or PCB, following the failure of an electrical transformer during the July 23 severe storm. The spill prompted town officials to prohibit shellfishing and swimming in Little Mill Pond, Mill Pond and part of the Mitchell River immediately after the storm. First responders noticed a sheen on the...