This one-room schoolhouse built in 1869 – across from Cape Cod National Seashore’s Salt Pond Visitors Center – is the original and remaining of three school buildings consolidated there in 1906. It served Eastham until 1936 when the last pupils moved to a newer building.

Abandoned until 1963, the newly-formed Eastham Historical Society, looking for a place to house the town’s historical treasures, decided to purchase and restore it.

A large pair of whale jawbones formerly framed the gateway to the museum, but deterioration forced their removal a few years ago. With considerable difficulty, a replacement pair is being sought.

In 2008 a new museum addition was opened.

The museum displays objects from the various facets of the town’s history including farming, shipwrecks, the Life Saving Service, Native American artifacts, the school and daily life in town.

The schoolroom, now a children’s “hands on” museum complete with its original schoolmaster’s desk, is furnished to replicate how it looked in earlier days. Children of all ages are encouraged to sit at the desks, look at the books and play school.

The museum’s archives and genealogical help are also available by appointment; (You can reach archivist Bobbie Cornish at easthamarchives@gmail.com or contact by phone (508) 255-0558.

Meet your archivists and learn about Eastham’s history, church history and maybe your family history. See photos, documents, maps, books and more. A treasure trove of information.

Donations of genealogical or historical material/photos are welcomed by the society; when coming across such material, please consider donating it to the society’s archives to preserve it for future generations.

To learn more, click here.