The Bournedale Iron Works grew too, as the primary supplier of iron fittings for the Keith cars. By the turn of the twentieth century, the Keith Car and Manufacturing Company had become one of the world’s largest manufacturers of railroad freight cars, extending two miles along the Scusset River. Keith and Ryder moved from South Sandwich to the area now known as Sagamore and began building railroad cars. This image, dated 1850, looks northwest across the lower pond from County Road. You can still see remnants of the water works that supplied this industrial center throughout the Four Ponds Conservation Area off Barlows Landing Road. The Pocasset Iron Company became the Tahanto Iron Company and expanded into a huge factory that dominated the local landscape. With the arrival of the railroad in 1847, the area’s industrial development turned serious. In 1825 the Boston and Sandwich Glass Company began making decorative glass products, and in 1826 the Keith and Ryder wagon company began building farm wagons and prairie schooners for sale to pioneering families that were moving west to open new frontiers. A year later the Pocasset Iron Company was established at the head of the Pocasset River on County Road. In 1821, however, the Bournedale Iron Works began business, marking the beginning of the area’s industrial revolution. The only industries of note were the Herring River Grist Mill, which opened in 1695 to process the grain grown by local farmers, and the salt works on Mashnee Island. For the next 200 years the area continued to be lightly populated by farmers, loggers, and fishermen. In 1627 they built a trading post at Aptucxet, a replica of which sits today on the original foundation.įor thousands of years before that time, the upper Cape area was the summer fishing and hunting grounds of the indigenous people now known as the Herring Pond Tribe of the Wampanoag Nation. Within a few years the Colony was trading goods with the Dutch settlers of New Amsterdam, meeting near what is now Bourne Village. The first European presence was felt in this area shortly after the Pilgrims established Plymouth Colony. By the time of the Civil War the area that was to become Bourne had grown into a major industrial center and its residents reportedly did not want to travel all the way to Sandwich to conduct town business. and Shirley Pagliarani bought the restaurant in 1963, making the local landmark famous for seafood platters, Italian pasta dishes and “Shirl’s Yankee Pot Roast.” In 2009, the restaurant was sold to locals, Michael and Suzanne Bilodeau, who continue the legacy of the restaurant today.Although Bourne is the youngest town on Cape Cod, having split from the Town of Sandwich and incorporated in 1884, it has a rich and fascinating history. Prior to WWII, the restaurant was owned by Bill Bianco, during which time GI’s trainees at Camp Edwards, would twirl their dates across the dance floor, which is now the main dining room. Seymour Clark, who renamed it the Sagamore Inn. Later in the late 30’s, the restaurant was sold to E. West was quickly released, erecting a sign reading: “Run By The Only Man Adjudged Sane On Cape Cod.” West committed to the state asylum in Taunton, but not for long, Mr. West bested him in court and then renamed the Inn the “Never Close Restaurant.” Mr. Keith tried to close him down but failed to do so. West’s political activity as a Democrat earned him a Republican enmity. This was known as the Inn’s “most colorful” ownership. The Inn was under new ownership run by Ren West and wife Mary Nye. Later in the 1930’s, the new Inn, constructed the same year, was built on the town line. The New Bedford Standard Times took the town to task for not having enough pumpers and hydrants to handle the blaze. The Sandwich Independent newspaper chronicled that the town’s efforts had failed to save the Inn. The original Sagamore Inn was built in 1900 along the old road to Provincetown, located further east on Route 6A next to Knowlton’s Auto Salvage.
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