MASHPEE

Just east of Falmouth, fast-growing Mashpee (which means “land near the great cove”) is one of two Massachusetts towns administered by Native Americans (the other is Aquinnah on Martha’s Vineyard).

The largest developed area of Mashpee is New Seabury, a 2.5-square-mile enclave of homes, condos, restaurants, golf courses, shops, and beaches. When developers won their lengthy legal battle with the Wampanoag, the tribe—and the town—lost much of its prettiest oceanfront property. The only noteworthy beach is South Cape Beach, a relatively pristine barrier beach with several miles of marked nature trails and steady winds that attract sailboarders. Compared with its neighbors, Mashpee is a quiet place, with a year-round population of 14,000, plenty of commuters into Boston, and an upscale outdoor mall, Mashpee Commons.

When the Mayflower arrived at Plymouth, the Wampanoag population was an estimated 30,000; there are about 1,600 Wampanoag in Mashpee today.

For 1,000 years prior to the colonists’ arrival, native Wampanoag Indians had established summer camps in the area, but with the settlement of Plymouth Colony they saw larger and larger pieces of their homeland taken away from them and their numbers decimated by imported disease.

MASHPEE PUBLIC LIBRARY

In 1617, three years after Capt. John Smith explored the area, six Native Americans were kidnapped and forced into slavery. By 1665, the missionary Rev. Richard Bourne appealed to the Massachusetts legislature to reserve about 25 square miles for the Native Americans. The area was called Mashpee Plantation (or Massapee or Massipee, depending on who’s doing the translating), in essence the first Native American reservation in the U.S. In 1870 the plantation was incorporated as the town of Mashpee.

Mashpee wasn’t popular with wealthy 19th-century settlers, so there are few stately old homes here. The Wampanoag maintain a museum and church, both staffed by knowledgeable tribespeople. In the 1930s classic Cape Cod Ahoy! Arthur Wilson Tarbell observed something about Mashpee that could still be said today: it’s “retiring, elusive, scattered, a thing hidden among the trees.”

GUIDANCE Mashpee Chamber of Commerce (508-477-0792; mashpeechamber.com), 5 N. Market Street within Mashpee Commons, Mashpee.

GETTING THERE By car: From the Sagamore Bridge, take Route 6 east to Route 130 south to North Great Neck Road to the Routes 151/28 Mashpee rotary. The Mashpee Commons shopping area at the rotary acts as Mashpee’s hub.

MEDIA The Mashpee Enterprise (capenews.net) dishes up the local scene.

PUBLIC RESTROOMS Mashpee Commons (see Selective Shopping).

PUBLIC LIBRARY Mashpee Public Library (508-539-1435; friendsofmashpeelibrary.org), 64 Steeple Street, off Route 151 and adjacent to Mashpee Commons. One of the best on Cape Cod. Period.

MEDICAL EMERGENCY Mashpee Family Medicine (508-477-4282), Mashpee Health Center, 5 Industrial Drive at Route 28.

It’s not an “emergency” (the kind you’d expect under this category, anyway), but many area water wells have been contaminated by years of training with grenades and other live munitions at the Massachusetts Military Reservation. I drink bottled water on the Upper Cape.

To See and Do

HISTORIC HOUSES Mashpee Indian Meetinghouse (508-477-0208, Wampanoag Tribal Council; mashpeewampanoagtribe.com), 410 Meetinghouse Road off Route 28. Completely restored and located on the edge of what was once a Wampanoag-only cemetery (“They even took our burial ground away from us and made it theirs,” laments a volunteer guide), this is the Cape’s oldest surviving meetinghouse. It was built in 1684 by the descendants of Massasoit and moved to its current spot in 1717.

Mashpee Wampanoag Museum (508-477-9339; mashpeewampanoagtribe.com), 414 Main Street, on Route 130 across from Lake Avenue. This small, early-19th-century house was built by Richard Bourne, minister and missionary to the Mashpee Wampanoag. (Check out the herring run at the end of the parking lot.)

MASHPEE INDIAN MEETINGHOUSE

FISHING & SHELLFISHING Procure freshwater and saltwater fishing licenses and regulations online (http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/licensing). That said, the town clerk’s office will be happy to answer pertinent questions (508-539-1418), Town Hall, 16 Great Neck Road North.

Fish for trout, smallmouth bass, chain pickerel, and white perch at Mashpee–Wakeby Pond and the Mashpee River (access from Quinnaquisset Avenue). Surf casting is great at South Cape Beach State Park (see Green Space).

FOR FAMILIES Cape Cod Children’s Museum (508-539-8788; capecodchildrensmuseum.org), 577 Great Neck Road South. Toddlers love the castle, puppet theater, and 30-foot pirate ship; younger kids enjoy arts and crafts. Older kids I know . . . not so much. Check out the Starlab Planetarium and high-tech submarine with a working periscope, too. $.

GOLF Quashnet Valley Country Club (508-477-4412; quashnetvalley.com), 309 Old Barnstable Road, off Great Neck Road. This semiprivate course winds around woods and cranberry bogs; ponds and marshes surround 12 of 18 holes. Par 72, 18 holes. $$$$+.

WAMPANOAG INDIAN MUSEUM

PADDLEBOARDING Mocean Cape Cod (508-477-1774; moceancapecod.com), 34 Steeple Street, Mashpee Commons. Arrange your own group paddleboarding lesson, join a scheduled tour, or shop for top-quality water sport gear that enjoys raves from enthusiasts. $$$–$$$+.

TENNIS Mashpee High School, 500 Old Barnstable Road (off Route 151), has public courts.

Green Space

BEACH South Cape Beach State Park (508-457-0495; waquoitbayreserve.com), on Vineyard Sound, Great Neck Road. Open late May to early September. The 432-acre state park boasts a lovely mile-long, dune-backed barrier beach, boardwalks, and nature trails. In-season facilities include restrooms and a handicap ramp onto the beach. Parking $ in-season; free off-season.

PONDS Mashpee and Wakeby Ponds, off Route 130. Combined, these ponds create the Cape’s largest freshwater body (729 acres), wonderful for swimming, fishing, and boating. This area was a favorite fishing spot of both patriot Daniel Webster and President Grover Cleveland.

WALKS Lowell Holly Reservation (508-636-4693; thetrustees.org), off South Sandwich Road from Route 130. Open year-round. Donated by Harvard University President Abbott Lawrence Lowell to the Trustees of Reservations in 1942, this tranquil 135-acre preserve contains an untouched forest of native American beeches and more than 100 varieties of wild hollies, as well as white pines, rhododendrons, and wildflowers. There is a small bathing beach (no lifeguard) and 4 miles of walking trails and former carriage paths. $ parking fee late May to early September.

SOUTH CAPE BEACH

Mashpee River Woodlands/South Mashpee Pine Barrens. Parking on Quinnaquisset Avenue (off Route 28 just east of the rotary) and at the end of River Road off Great Neck Road South. The 8-mile hiking trail winds along the Mashpee River, through a quiet forest, and along marshes and cranberry bogs. Put in your canoe at the public landing on Great Neck Road.

Jehu Pond Conservation Area. Established in late 1990s, there are almost 5 miles of trails here on almost 80 acres encompassing woodlands, marshes, an abandoned cranberry bog, two islands, and Atlantic white cedar swamplands. Take Great Neck Road South toward South Cape Beach and follow the CONSERVATION AREA signs.

Great Flat Pond Trail, at South Cape Beach State Park. This easy-grade trail, a little less than a mile long, winds through woodland and wetland.

LOWELL HOLLY RESERVATION

The Mashpee Environmental Coalition (mashpeemec.us) is a good source for trails.

See also South Cape Beach State Park under Beach.

Lodging

Family-style accommodations rule in Mashpee.

New Seabury Resort (508-477-9400; newseabury.com), 20 Red Brook Road. This self-contained resort fronting Nantucket Sound consists of 13 “villages” of small, gray-shingled buildings that offer a variety of rental accommodations. Your best bet is to check VRBO and similar platforms. Facilities are de rigueur: restaurants, tennis courts, private golf courses, health club, outdoor pools, miles of private beach on Nantucket Sound, a small shopping mall, and mini-golf. You needn’t leave the grounds, although that would be a shame. $$$–$$$$.

Cape Cod Holiday Estates (508-477-3377; capecodholidayestates.com), 97 Four Seasons Drive. These 34 upscale time-share houses consist of airy one-, two-, and three-bedroom units with a full modern kitchen, Jacuzzi (except one-bedroom units), central air-conditioning, separate living and family room, and private patio. On-premise activities and facilities include an indoor heated pool, shuffleboard, game room, tennis, basketball, and a putting green. $$$ nightly but inquire about weekly rates.

RENTAL HOUSES & COTTAGES I can’t recommend one agency over another in Mashpee; you’ll be best served by an Internet search.

Where to Eat

There aren’t many choices in Mashpee, but the ones here are good. If you’re not satisfied with these, stop at Mashpee Commons shopping area to see if any new restaurants opened recently.

DINING OUT Bleu (508-539-7907; bleurestaurant.com), 10 Market Street at the Mashpee Commons. Open L, D; B on wintertime Sundays. I really love Bleu—from the very cool blue interior to the cushy seats where you could sit all afternoon to the side-alley alfresco dining. It’s upscale but casual and definitely stylin’, with a smart waitstaff decked out in all black. French chef-owner Frederic Feufeu excels in both inspired bistro and contemporary cuisine, from regional French classics like cassoulet with duck confit to seafood specialties. You’d almost be certifiably nuts not to save room for their caramel arborio rice pudding. In fact, let’s just start and end with that. There’s a nice wine selection, too. L $–$$, D $$$–$$$$.

BLEU

Siena Italian Bar & Grill (508-477-5929; siena.us), 17 Steeple Street at the Mashpee Commons. Open L, D. Graham Silliman’s spacious Italian ristorante features a contemporary, sophisticated menu that has been dishing from an open kitchen since 2006. In general, I always expect the quality of the cuisine to be a tad higher for the prices. That said, the skewered seared scallops are absolute perfection! If you cannot live by scallops alone, consider their addictive Caesar salad, thin-crust pizzas, or the Cotuit oysters and clams that hail from waters less than 3 miles away. As an added bonus, Siena offers discounted movie tickets to patrons heading to a flick at Mashpee Commons. Although I like the buzz and the booths in the dining room, there is also popular patio dining in the summer (when service can hit some rough patches). Either way, the bartender is known for margaritas and pomegranate martinis; wines are poured liberally. L $–$$, D $$–$$$.

EATING OUT Marketplace Raw Bar (508-539-4858; therawbar.com), 252 Shore Drive, Popponessett Marketplace, New Seabury. Open mid-June to mid-October. You know this tiny place has something going for it because locals outnumber tourists. Part Cape Cod, part Caribbean, the raw bar boasts loyal staff and fresh seafood. Since 1985, Bob Weekes’ little joint has been offering casual fare from hot dogs to lobster. In fact, the lobster salad may be the best on Cape Cod! Grab a picnic table outside and chow down. $–$$$$.

Wicked (508-477-7422; wickedrestaurant.com), 680 Falmouth Road, in the South Cape Village shopping area. Open L, D. Wicked takes the traditional slice one step further. The dozen adventurous “fire-kissed pizza” offerings include organics, gluten-free, fig and prosciutto, scallop BLT, and BBQ chicken and pineapple. You gotta love TVs and loud music to enjoy the experience here. L $–$$, D $–$$$.

MASHPEE COMMONS

Popponeset Marketplace (popponessetmarketplace.com), New Seabury. If you’re staying in the neighborhood, this little collection of shacks and seashell-lined pathways also has a good coffee joint, pizza place, and an Emack & Bolio’s.

Cooke’s Seafood (508-477-9595; cookesseafood.com), 7 Ryan’s Way, off Great Neck Road North adjacent to Mashpee Commons. Open L, D seasonally. The area’s best fried clams, along with other seafood, of course, and lighter fare. L $–$$, D $$.

Entertainment

Mashpee Commons (508-477-5400; mashpeecommons.com), Routes 151 and 28, Mashpee. Dozens of performances, including some free concerts, take place here. Keep your eyes peeled for current listings.

Regal Mashpee Commons (844-462-7342), Mashpee Commons, 15 Steeple Street (Routes 151 and 28). With six movie screens.

Selective Shopping

Mashpee Commons (508-477-5400; mashpeecommons.com), Routes 151 and 28. Open daily. If you’re familiar with Seaside, the planned community of architectural note in Florida, you might recognize elements of this 30-acre outdoor shopping mall–cum–new town center. It’s located at what the Wampanoag used to call “pine tree corner,” back when Mashpee was quieter than it is today. Developers have won numerous awards for transforming a strip mall into a veritable downtown commercial district. It’s one of the most concentrated shopping venues on the Cape, boasting several good clothing stores, specialty boutiques, a movie theater, restaurants, cafés, and free outdoor entertainment in summer. Shops range from the Gap, Coldwater Creek, Origins, Pottery Barn, and Starbucks to more one-off shops like Market Street Bookshop (an excellent independent; 508-539-6985) and McDermott Glass Studio (with one-of-a-kind pieces; 508-477-0100).

Special Events

See the “Fairs and Powwows” sidebar in “Falmouth and Woods Hole.”