Replica of the Marconi wireless towers at Cape Cod National Seashore
Historic wireless transmission site, Atlantic white cedar swamp, steep cliffs and an ocean beach with no human habitation in easy sight, make this part of the national park unique.
The Marconi wireless transmission site in the Cape Cod National Seashore
Guglielmo Marconi chose the cliffs here for his wireless transmission station because the top of the cliffs was a flat, barren area with no physical obstacles. Construction began in 1901 and two years later, on January 18,1903, that President Theodore Roosevelt sent a message to King Edward VII of England.
The king replied, making this the first two-way wireless communication and the first wireless telegram between the United States and Europe. Today there is a model of the original towers on the cliffs overlooking Marconi beach.
Cape Cod National Seashore’s Marconi beach offers quiet solitude
Although Marconi beach is part of the long stretch of coast known at the Great Beach, it is fortuitously positioned so that walkers or swimmers see only natural vistas. Swimming here is not for everyone as the Atlantic Ocean’s strong currents and waves can be challenging. But Marconi beach is a great walking beach, where it is often possible to see seals and whales offshore.
The national park’s Atlantic White Cedar Swamp Trail
The surprise in Cape Cod National Seashore’s Marconi Area is its wetlands. An award-winning trail (see the slideshow below) takes walkers on a 1.5 trip, some of it over boardwalks, through mixed species forests into the Atlantic white cedar swamp. While most people know of the miles of dunes and beaches in this national park, many are surprised to find wetlands as well.
On the boardwalks there are places to sit and relax, taking in the subtle beauty of the white cedars, mosses and wetland species. In warmer months insect repellent is necessary to prevent mosquitoes and other insects from disrupting the experience.
Plan on spending at least a day, if not several, in this unique part of the Cape Cod National Seashore. And be sure to check out the rest of this coastal national park when you are on the Cape.
Cape Cod National Seashore
99 Marconi Site Road (Headquarters)
Wellfleet, MA 02667
Phone: 508-771-2144
more about the rest of Cape Cod National Seashore:
Comments
Lovely photos. Cape Cod is a beautiful place for walks, especially after the crush of summer is over.
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