How Things Used to Be
Orleans Theater & Orleans Pharmacy
The theater was owned and run by Charlie & Florence Wilcox. The Pharmacy, (originally "Heath's Pharmacy") was owned & run by Bob Peno & Omer Chartrand.
Even Older
Orleans Theater flanked by (L) Milton's 5 & 10 and (R) Heath's Pharmacy.
Southward Inn Ca 1953
In 1953 the Inn was owned by Eva Rich and was run by son, Alan. They had a parrot that used to call out "Alan, Alan!" somewhat to the annoyance of patrons. This rambling old Inn was originally the residence of Alexander T. Newcomb, a prominent resident of the Town.
Winslow mansion before razing
Delbert and Vera Johnson bought the former summer mansion that belonged to Sidney Winslow, former president of the United Shoe Machinery Corporation, and stood on the left atop the hill on Rte. 28, S. Orleans, just before descending the road that passes very close to Pleasant Bay.
Decision Time
Because the house was so big and leveling it by hand was too much of an undertaking, the Johnson's looked into the possibility of burning it to the ground. The 15-acre plot was later divided and several private homes were built there. The Johnson's built a new saltbox house and the family still lives there.
Firemen Standing By
On March 16, 1957, members of the Orleans, Eastham, and Harwich fire departments stood by as a safety precaution and to keep the fire under control. Orleans firemen watching the fire while resting against Harwich’s 1941 Buffalo, Engine 4. From L-R: George Landers, Robert Freeman, Eddie Rogers, Emery Soule, Paul Deschamps
Mission Complete
The 32-room mansion, built in 1905, didn't last long, and the light from the flames could be seen for miles.
Johnson house today - 2009
Strand Theater
The building, owned and operated by Chris Wilcox, formerly owned by Harry Snow was a three story wooden building with the theatre on the ground floor and on the upper levels a large auditorium used for dances and high school basketball games plus living quarters. The Theatre had the first air conditioning on the Outer Cape. On a hot summer evening space under the stage was filled with ice and a fan turned on before the performance to blow cooled air into the auditorium.
Strand Theater
In addition to the movies, Chris also booked live entertainment - singers, dancers, magicians, comedians and an occasional minstrel show. In 1937 Chris built a new Brick building , which became the Orleans Theater. The cost to build was $38,000.
Eastham's Ocean View Garage
"Hermie" Dill's "Ocean View Garage" - ca 1950. Later run by his son Tom. Guess what kind of gas he sold?
Nettie Knowles' Home
Nettie Knowles was a Midwife and lived just beyond the Old Cove Cemetery in Eastham. Nettie's husband became ill and couldn't work, so she added a room to her house and took in expectant mothers for about twelve years. She aided in the birth of about 84 babies. In 1934 she somehow got an infection in her thumb. There were no antibiotics at the time, so she died of that infection.
Eastham's 1st Town Hall
Built in 1851, this building was owned later by the Smart family. Mr. Smart worked for the French Cable Station. Situated on the far left corner (looking toward P' Town) of the intersection of Rte 6 and Salt Pond Rd., it was used as the town hall until the construction of the current town hall in 1913.
Knowles Store & Post Office
A lot of history here. Click on the link to learn about it. Brewster Store
Orleans Town Hall & Civil War Monument
Many town activities took place in this building: dances, card parties, plays, meetings of local organizations, and town meetings. Later, the Town Hall moved to School St., site of the old elementary school, and this building became the Arena Theater and then the current Academy of Performing Arts. The Civil War Monument has engraved the names of the servicemen who gave their lives during that war. On the right, the barn of Wm. B. Sherman, grandfather of Ruth, June, Carol, and Sam Sherman.