Museum Directory

Where is Cape Cod’s Smallest Historic One-Room Schoolhouse? It is in Mashpee!

Mashpee’s historical gem sits in the heart of Mashpee Center across from Town Hall at the intersection of Route 130 and Great Neck Road North and is open to the public, free of charge, every Monday from 11:00am – 2:00pm from Memorial Day until Indigenous People Day in October.

It is the 1831 One-Room Schoolhouse. Come take a tour, learn about Mashpee history, see some of the early educational artifacts, take part in an 1850 classroom and write with your quill and ink pen and on your slate board. Originally located in South Mashpee, the historic dwelling served as a schoolhouse until 1901, as a chapel (Ockway Chapel), library and the location of important pieces of Wampanoag history with the preaching of Blind Joe Amos and William Apess.

It was also the site where the Mashpee Wampanoags signed what amounted to a Declaration of Independence. They wrote “all men are born free and equal” and declared that they would act against further encroachment by white settlers; 102 Wampanoag women and men, signed that Declaration of Independence in the school- house, which later led to some basic rights for the Wampanoags to govern themselves.

The schoolmaster or schoolmarm will welcome you each Monday throughout the summer to tour through this important piece of Mashpee history. So, come and visit and go back to school in early Mashpee; don’t be late, however, as for every five minutes you are late, you have to stay after school one hour.

Those unable to make the Monday openings can also schedule a tour on another day by contacting schoolmaster DeSorgher at Richard.desorgher@gmail.com or by calling 508-314-2605 to work out a time for a tour.