The Historical Society of Old Yarmouth is committed to learning about and sharing the history and traditions of Yarmouth’s native peoples. With the help of Nipmuc Waban Webquish we began offering programs describing indigenous life before and after European settlers arrived.
In the Spring of 2020, Waban erected a Too’noopahs (Turtle) Wetu in our meadow near the Nature Trails and Kelley Chapel. Over time, due to lack of available materials such as the appropriate bark for covering, that space is now called a shade arbor, where we continue to hold occasional programs and school visits.
In 2026 we plan to continue these programs with Waban and other partners. Please keep an eye on our events page, and subscribe to our bimonthly newsletter to find out more.
The wetu was dedicated on May 16, 2021. Left to right are Mary Michel, Devin Wixon, Waban Webquish, Bob Kelley, George Slama and Mark Forest.
A middle school visits the turtle arbor and takes a trail walk with Waban. If your school would like to arrange a visit, please contact us.
Did you know Yarmouth has a memorial to our native indigenous peoples?
“On this slope lies buried the last Native Indians of Yarmouth.”
This cairn was built in 1881 by Daniel Wing Jr. on the southeastern slope of Long Pond in South Yarmouth to recognize last resting place of the Indigenous Peoples of Yarmouth. Over the years the cairn began to collapse and in 2017 a committee was formed to refurbish and restore it. Photos below show the restoration. A new sign was installed which is historically correct and will act as an educational tool for readers. You can view the sign here. The memorial is located on Indian Memorial Drive and is open to the public. Learn more about Yarmouth’s Indigenous peoples and their reservation in our blog post.
Detail from the sign shows this map of the former reservation area along Long Pond.
DYK many men from Yarmouth, including our Indigenous men, marched north to Canada with Gorham’s Rangers in the mid 1700s? Read about them and their leader, John Gorham, in this blog post.
The following linked documents are compiled and written by Yarmouth resident and historian Robert D. Kelley. He is also an HSOY member.
The History of the Reservation of the Indigenous Peoples of Yarmouth, 1713-1778
Excerpts of writings relating to the Indigenous Peoples of Bass River and their leader, Nauhaught
Sarah’s Swamp
The maps linked below illustrate reservation lands formerly belonging to Yarmouth’s Indigenous Peoples and their subsequent subdivision.
The Yarmouth Reservation between Long Pond & Bass River in 1713
Reservation Dissolution 1779
Old Indian Congregational Meetinghouse Grounds 1713
Overview of the Yarmouth Reservation and the Meetinghouse Land
Click here to see a large album of Wampanoag portraits from the Native North American Indian Facebook page.