Teaticket History

Teaticket History. . , Why is it called "Teaticket"? , The Wampanoag Indians named this area "Tataket," which translates roughly as "At the principal tidal stream." Fresh water springs here flowed to the ocean and provided an abundance of fish. , The Wampanoag , The Wampanoag people were the original natives of Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. They befriended the pilgrims at Plymouth Rock and brought them corn and turkey for the famous first Thanksgiving. Even though their population was depleted by disease and British attacks, the Wampanoag tribe still lives in New England and works to keep native traditions alive. , Cranberries , The land that became Teaticket Park was first owned by Howard Swift, a large-scale cranberry grower. He developed many bogs in Teaticket and East Falmouth, including a long spread along the Coonamessett River. By 1890, cranberry cultivation was one of the leading industries in the area, with 15,000 barrels shipped out of town in 1895. This was one-tenth of the state's total production for that year. Remnants of cranberry vines can still be found at Teaticket Park. , Teaticket through the years , From Native American hunting and fishing grounds, to farm land, pasture, driving range, and now a public park, this 10.7-acre property in the center of Teaticket has remained open land for more than a century. , The 300 Committee Land Trust purchased Joe's Driving Range in 2011 to preserve and protect this natural landscape forever. Teaticket Park not only provides public green space in the most densely developed village in Falmouth, it also provides a direct link to Teaticket's farming heritage. , Community Character and Change , In the early 1800s, most landowners and farmers were Yankees. Their names from Falmouth's English colonial history include Lawrence, Swift, Jenkins and Fish. Many of the first Portuguese immigrants arrived aboard whaling vessels in the late 1800s. They brought new family names such as Santos, Demello, Perry, Sylvia and Souza. By the late 1920s, Teaticket was primarily a Portuguese community, with a mix tradesmen and small-scale farmers. , The expansion of roads and the age of the automobile brought traffic and tourism to the picturesque coastal town. In general, the people of Teaticket viewed this new exposure favorably. Farming was difficult and not very profitable, and many local farmers discovered they could increase their incomes by setting up roadside stands, opening small stores, or renting out rooms overnight. Small businesses grew. Rented rooms became motels. Commercial development took over Main Street. And so the character of Teaticket changed. But the traditional Cape values and virtues remained: hard work, self-reliance and a strong sense of neighborhood cohesiveness. , Strawberries , Many of Teaticket's Portuguese and Cape Verdean immigrants brought their farming traditions with them. They worked as day-laborers until they were able to buy land to start family farms. They discovered that the area's light, sandy soil provided the right drainage for strawberry plants, and that there was enough rain and sunshine for the strawberries to grow and thrive., By the 1930s, Portuguese families were farming more than 600 acres of strawberries spread over 400 small farms. At the end of 1937, pickers harvested an all-time high of 13 million quarts of berries for the Boston market. By this time, the strawberry had surpassed the cranberry as the major agricultural product grown in Teaticket and East Falmouth. Falmouth was unique among the towns on Cape Cod and was proud of being called "the strawberry capital of the world." , Modern Times , In 1951, Joe and Angie Vieira bought land in Teaticket and opened Joe's Driving Range, which thrived as a recreational facility for locals and visitors. Amidst a growing commercial strip of fast-food restaurants and other businesses, the driving range remained an "island of open space" - the last large parcel of undeveloped Land in Teaticket. In 2001, ownership passed to Joe's son and daughter-in-law, Bill and Donna Vieira. , Luckily, when the Vieiras were ready to sell the property, their vision was to keep the land open, reclaim a bit of the past, and create a place of peace and serenity. The 300 Committee and the Teaticket Civic Association shared the family's vision and helped them make it a reality. At Teaticket Park today, you can take a walk, watch birds, have a picnic and simply enjoy nature. The Park's pathways wind through these 11 acres, around the streetscape, through the meadow of native grasses, across the restored wetland and along the hillside and woodland, As you explore the Park you can stop at the benches, the outdoor classroom, observation platform or picnic grove to breathe the fresh air and appreciate the views. We hope your visit to Teaticket Park is enjoyable, and we welcome you back any time!