Recently I asked my son Joshua, our photographer, if he thought we should tell the Cape Cod LIFE readers what he has taken photos of, and if they could do the same. He had just visited Scargo Tower in Dennis. 

Scargo Tower is named after the American Indian Princess Scargo. The tower was first built of wood in 1874. This tower was destroyed by fierce winds in a storm. The tower was re-built, again out of wood but burned in 1900. Finally, the tower was built of cobblestone and opened to the public in 1901. The tower belongs to the town of Dennis and I would suggest checking with the town of Dennis about hours of operation.

The tower sits on top Scargo Hill, is 60 feet tall, and offers some of the best views on the Cape. Looking north from the tower, one can see over Cape Cod Bay to Plymouth on the left, and all the way across over the bay to Provincetown on the right. On a clear day, free of surrounding foliage, one can see the entire eastern coastline of Cape Cod Bay from Orleans up to Provincetown. By the way, since the plan is to replace the Sagamore and Bourne Bridges, I have an idea. Why not include a landing on the new bridges where photographers can photograph the canal and the ships passing through?

My Best,

Brian Shortsleeve

Publisher, Cape Cod Life Publications

gunk’holing is the art of getting a boat into any small shallow cove, forbidden to boats of deeper draft and out again, without running aground much over a dozen times.

— J. Benjamin