The Glassworks LbNA #3082

The Glassworks Letterbox

(Sagamore, Massacusetts)

This one is in Sagamore near the baseball field and post office. Mary
Manatee and The Yachtsman.

THE GLASS WORKS LETTERBOX: Sagamore, MA (Barnstable County)

Placed on October 19, 2002 by The Yachtsman and Mary Manatee

This Letterbox was placed near the home of The Pairpoint Glassworks, a
small factory that produces a number of unique hand-blown crystal
glassware pieces along the Cape Cod Canal in Sagamore, MA. The
history of this company dates back to 1837 when the Mount Washington
Glass Works was founded in South Boston. The firm was moved to New
Bedford in 1870 by William L. Libbey. Later, Frederick S. Shirley led
the company to a time of excellence when it was awarded a certificate
of merit for an exhibit at the Centennial Exposition in Philadephia in
1876. In 1880, the Pairpoint Manufacturing Company was built on land
next to the Mount Wahington Glass Company. Its works were named for
its first superintendent, Thomas J. Pairpoint, who was considered one
of the greatest silver designers in England and America. In 1894, the
two companies merged were henceforth known as the Pairpoint
Corporation. From that time on, the combined company became a leader
in the glass industry. The current factor has been active on Cape Cod
since 1970. They make hand-blown crystal, including stemware,
decanters, perfume bottles, pitchers, and many other decorative items.
Since 1974 Pairpoint has also been making "cup plates" with new and
original designs, of which there are now more than 100 on the market!

The glassblowers at Pairpoint may be seen working Monday through
Friday, and there is a gift shop on site. The company provides
glassware for such illustrious clients as Tiffany's, The Metropolitan
Museum of Art, The Boston Museum of Fine Arts and others. Colored
glasses include various shades of blue, ruby, opal, amethys, amber and
Pairpoint cranberry. More information can be found on the Pairpoint
Glassworks website at www.pairpoint.com.

Directions: Cross over the Bourne Bridge, and go 3/4 of the way around
the rotary in Bourne to Route 6A east (towards Sagamore and Sandwich).
Go straight through the traffic light at the intersection with Route
6 east, passing under the Sagamore Bridge, and passing some white
apartment buildings on your right (south) side. Park in the parking
lot on the north side of Route 6A in Sagamore next to the baseball
field. (If that lot is full, you can also park in the Sagamore post
office lot when they are closed on Saturday afternoons and Sundays.
Regardless of where you park, take the path next to the post office
which takes you to the railroad tracks used by the Cape Cod Scenic
Railway. Cross the tracks (with care), and pass through the short
patch of brush on the other side to the Cape Cod Canal access path.

Turn to the east, and pass 4 relatively new houses on your right.
Soon you will see a large concrete buttress on the south side of the
tracks that is the remnant of the foundation for a drawbridge that was
one of two bridges that spanned the canal during its earliest years.
Just before drawing even with the concrete buttress, you will see a
white fence at a drainage ditch on the right side of the path. There
is a survey marker in front of the fence. If you stand with your back
to the marker, you will see a multi-trunked tree at 60 degrees. Your treasure lies under that tree, hidden by a rock and some sticks. (Note:This tree was damaged in a storm a year or so ago; the box was moved to a spot between the tree and the canal path under a large rock). Please hide it
again carefully after stamping in, as this area is heavily used by fishermen and other visitors.

Note: Today we visited this letterbox and gave it a brand new logbook and stamp. We hope it lasts many more years!

Originally Posted Wednesday, November 06, 2002