The Peace of Old Cape Cod

As we mark 25 years since the attacks of September 11, 2001, we’re sharing something a little different from the Sandwich Historical Society collection.

Close to a century ago, this postcard described “The Peace of Old Cape Cod.” Its poem describes the Cape as a refuge from a troubled world—a place of ponds and sea, windswept fields, goldenrod and asters, where those worn down by life might find a measure of peace and healing.

The poem was apparently already in circulation by 1922, when it appeared in Nancy W. Paine Smith’s "The Provincetown Book," attributed simply to “Anonymous.” Around this time it was also reproduced on postcards like this one, pairing its words with comforting images of an old Cape Cod hearth and windmill.

Those sentiments seem especially meaningful this week. As our nation remembers September 11, we remember those who lost their lives, those who responded to help, and the countless families and communities whose lives were changed that day. We also remember the extraordinary ways people reached out to one another in the days that followed.

Our weekly 250th series usually looks back at objects that tell stories about the events, people, and changes that shaped American life. History is also about how people endure difficult times—where they find comfort, how communities care for one another, and what they hold onto when the world feels uncertain.

For generations, Cape Cod has been imagined as just such a place: a place apart, a place to find peace. This week, “The Peace of Old Cape Cod” feels like a story worth sharing.