Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
7.
Orleans
At Orleans the Cape's three main east-west arteries converge in a busy crossroads, making
for such bustle that you might think you were entering the most populous quarter. But in
fact the Lower Cape (as in lower arm, from the elbow to the fingertips) is, if anything, less
visited, less developed, and more remote than its upper half. Here, where the Cape meets
the turbulent Atlantic, the boundaries between sea and land blur, and one comes face to
face with the fragility of this unique peninsula.
Orleans may be the commercial hub of the Lower Cape, but once off the highway, vis-
itors will find that it possesses all the weathered charm of its neighboring towns. Go for a
stroll in nearby bustling Rock Harbor, the home port for a small commercial fishing fleet.
Then drive south on Rte. 28 until you reach Main Street, which leads east into Beach Road
on its way to Nauset Beach, where for 15 miles sand dunes soar above the pounding surf.
Thescenehasn'talwaysbeensoserene;Orleansenjoysthedubiousdistinctionofbeing
the only place in the continental United States to be targeted by enemy gunfire during
World War I. In 1918 a German U-boat off the coast fired on a group of barges, sinking
four of them. A lone shell, perhaps missing its target, is said to have fallen harmlessly on
land. Once back on Rte. 28, continue south to Chatham.
Did you know…
The Cape Cod Baseball League provides the opportunity to enjoy some of the
best collegiate talent in the country. Games are free and played daily, from June
to mid-August, in nearly every town on the Cape. Many Major League play-
ers—such as Evan Longoria, Jacoby Ellsbury, Carlos Pena, Buster Posey, Mark
Teixeira, Billy Wagner, Jason Varitek, Mike Lowell, and Kevin Youkilis—got
their start here. In fact, at last count about 250 Cape League alums were cur-
rently playing in the majors.
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