We traversed with delight new reaches of the shore . . . one mile there was as good as two elsewhere.
—Henry David Thoreau describing Truro in Cape Cod
Like Thoreau, all who venture to Truro experience sheer delight at
their first glimpse of this fabled coast. The Outer Cape's hauntingly
beautiful beaches have been attracting tourists since their discovery.
Yet, as longtime resident Richard Whalen expertly chronicles in Truro: The Story of a Cape Cod Town, there is far more to Truro than its coastal fringe. The Pilgrims thought first of settling in Truro; the town almost had its own Boston Tea Party; and its tiny militia took 460 British prisoners after the wreck of their warship. Now, Truro enjoys status as a favorite summer destination—even as conservationists work to preserve the fragile shoreline. Read Truro to discover the compelling story of a town whose fortunes remain forever linked with the sea.
Author Richard Whalen, who has been summering in Truro since the 1960s and a full-time resident since 1989, is a graduate of both Fordham College and Yale University. The author of Shakespeare: Who Was He?, Whalen worked in various capacities in the journalism and communications industries, having served as an AP reporter and editor. Later he joined IBM, where he rose to become director of communications IBM Europe and group director of communications for the Americas & Far East. Now retired, Whalen also served as the editorial director on a commission that published a 128-page recommendation for improvements to New York City's government.