BROOKS FREE LIBRARY
Charles D. Cahoon Local History Room
The Charles D. Cahoon Local History Room is currently open to the public on a limited basis, primarily when volunteers are available to staff the room. We have recently lost funding for staffing of this room, and are currently looking for volunteers with a knowledge of local history. Please call the library at (508) 430-7562 for the current hours of operation for the Cahoon Room. It is best if you can arrange to visit in person to research your topic. If the room is not open, the Reference Librarian may be able to identify and bring some materials to the Reference Desk for you to use. Because of the rare nature of the materials, users will not be able to use the room when it's not open. Please send all requests for information in writing to Cahoon Room, Brooks Free Library, 739 Main St., Harwich, MA 02645, or email bfl_mail@clamsnet.org. Please include as much detail as possible. As time permits, the Reference Librarian and volunteers will attempt to research your question.  Please note: the Brooks Free Library is not able to provide genealogical research services. Please call the Reference Librarian at (508) 430-7562 for information on genealogical resources in our area.

cranberry Research Collections


cranberryCape Verdean Collection

The Cape Verdean Collection is composed of  newspaper clippings, a thesis The Cape Verdean Immigrant Experience in Harwich by Jean E. Barker (see full listing in the CLAMS catalog).  We also have a collection offiction and non-fiction books, which are shelved in the regular circulating collection..


cranberryPortuguese Collection

The Portuguese Collection is composed primarily of non-fiction and fiction books. Some of the topics covered include history, religious life, immigration, the fishing industry, cooking, plays and poetry. These books are shelved in the reglar circulating collection.


cranberryLocal Authors and Painters Collection

The Local Authors and Painters Collection is composed of original oil paintings, watercolors, prints and scrapbooks. Most of the artwork is by Charles D. Cahoon (1861-1951), the Cape's first master painter, who was born in Harwich. His works depict the landscape of Cape Cod and portray the lives and work of her people. The scrapbooks, compiled by the Paine Family of Harwich, are a chronological arrangement of newspaper clippings recording daily life in Harwich from around 1868-1949. The Paine Family were the authors of the HISTORY OF HARWICH, 1620-1800.

cranberryCape Cod Collection

The Cape Cod Collection is composed of unique and small press fiction and non-fiction books covering all aspects of Cape Cod and the Islands, local public records, an extensive newspaper clippings file, maps and slides. In particular, the Cahoon Room houses an extensive collection of works by Joseph Crosby Lincoln (1870-1944), a Cape Codder whose novels are populated by fictional Cape Cod characters and towns.

cranberryHarwichiana Collection

The Harwichiana Collection is composed of local newspapers, including microfilm copies of the Harwich Independent from May 1872 - April 1949 and the Central Cape Press from April 1949 - June1958, pamphlets, town records, an extensive newspaper clippings file, maps and photographs. Also includes the records of Brooks Free Library.

BROOKS FREE LIBRARY