Our beach (Part 4)
Hi everyone!
From Ryder Beach to Knowles Heights, the crescent of sand along Cape Cod Bay (with Cranberry Hill at its center) has a vibrant history.
In previous installments of this blog post, we chronicled the rise of a working waterfront from Colonial times to roughly 1900, the 20th century demise of the agrarian and maritime economies as roads and bridges brought tourism to our shores, and the boom in postwar development, moderated by the foundation of the National Seashore. Today, the Outer Cape exists in a careful equilibrium, balancing conservation and economic opportunity.
I want to credit the Cobb Archive at the Truro Historical Society for posting many of the images used in this blog post. The introductory thumbnails are all by Edward Hopper, who captured as no other the essence of our beautiful surroundings.
Part 4: The Era of Conservation (1990-present)
With the march of development across the Outer Cape, public pressure built to preserve our remaining open space and place checks and balances on unfettered construction. The Massachusetts Conservation Commission Act of 1957 spurred the creation of conservation authorities across the Commonwealth. Today, our own Truro Conservation Commission acts on behalf of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to protect fragile resource areas in our community.
The original developers of Cranberry Hill did a great service for all of us by ensuring that the community would own its entire bayside beach in perpetuity — from partway up the coastal bank all the way out to mean low tide. We are the only HOA along the Truro coast that has this privilege.
The members of Cranberry Hill, Inc. collectively administer this precious legacy, working together with the beachfront owners and state and local conservation authorities to respect all relevant interests.
Cranberry Hill’s flag shaped lot, highlighting the parking lot and beachfront owned by the members. The cross hatched area represents a Truro Conservation Trust easement on the remaining unbuilt parcel along Fishermans Road.
In the early days of Cranberry Hill, there was some thought given to constructing common recreational facilities - tennis courts, even a swimming pool - along the portion of Fishermans Road that was formed from the Old Colony Railroad right of way. It would have been unheard of before the 1960s and 1970s to build permanent, year-round residential housing directly on the waterfront. Apart from fishing shacks, working class bungalows, and seasonal holiday cottages (like the ones on Corn Hill and Beach Point), the coastal bank along Cape Cod Bay were largely untouched.
Today, we see a diverse array of residential architectural styles up and down the Truro coastline, including along the last stretch of Fishermans Road.
In an earlier blog post, I addressed the topic of erosion along our shifting coastline. Much energy has been spent by our HOA over the years to properly balance our stewardship of the beach, the beachfront owners’ legitimate interests in managing erosion, and the Truro Conservation Commission’s mission to safeguard our fragile ecosystem. When homeowners wish to undertake erosion control measures that touch on the coastal bank, they enter into agreements with the HOA that clearly outline rights and responsibilities, and ensure that the ConsComm’s requirements are respected.
A successful example of this dialogue took place when the drift fence was constructed along the toe of the coastal bank in the early 2000s. The Truro Conservation Commission at the time viewed drift fences as appropriate erosion control measures, as they allow for natural flow of sand and accretion of beneficial vegetation. Because the fence is on CHI property, CHI is answerable to the Town of Truro for its maintenance. Because the beachfront owners requested the construction of the fence, they paid their pro rata share of the construction costs, and entered into easements requiring them to maintain it.
Our understanding of the purpose of the waterfront has changed utterly since the Coastal Ordinances of the 1640s. The economic imperative of the time demanded that it be developed for industrial use - transportation, fishing and the like. Today, we value it as nature unspoiled - for sensitive recreation and environmental preservation. In that light, does it make sense that private owners should be able to stop the public from hiking across their sand?
Some seem to think so: State Senator Julian Cyr, who represents the Outer Cape, has introduced a bill in the legislature to expand the public easement granted under the old Coastal Ordinances to include “recreation” as we think of it in modern terms. Read all about it this proposal in the recent article from the Provincetown Independent. If enacted, this law would greatly alter the balance of property rights passed down to Cranberry Hill, which date from Colonial times.
I hope you have enjoyed reading up a bit on the rich and varied history of our unique and wonderful beach, and the trends that got us to where we are today. Enjoy every minute of your time in our community, and have a wonderful summer!