Local author and historian, Don Wilding, documents the ferocious storms of the Cape’s storied past.

Cape Cod, known for its picture-perfect beaches and mouthwatering lobster rolls, is widely recognized as a relaxing vacation destination. However, it also has a history of facing some of the most severe storms to ever hit the New England coast. Don Wilding, a Cape Cod author and historian, has dedicated his work to chronicling and writing about these events in Cape Cod’s history. His books, Historic Storms of Cape Cod and Cape Cod and the Portland Gale, explore some of the natural disasters that have shaped the Cape’s history. 

Wilding’s inspiration for writing the books came from his background in journalism saying, “It’s kind of in my nature to go digging for things. I’ve worked for newspapers for 36 years. So, it’s something I kind of naturally do anyway.” He began his journey in writing about storms after being inspired by the book The Outermost House by Henry Beston which led Wilding to write his own book A Brief History of Eastham: On the Outer Beach of Cape Cod. Since then, the research for one book inspires the next for a total of five books all about Cape Cod and it’s rich history. The reason why Wilding’s writing and research focuses solely on Cape Cod comes from his undying adoration for the peninsula saying, “I just love the place.” It also doesn’t hurt that Cape Cod boasts a fascinating history of storms that’s enough to keep...