Historical Paintings of Woods Hole and Falmouth by F. L. Gifford

Home of Ward M. Parker, 1831

Home of Ward Parker
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This house (33) is shown as it appeared in 1831 when it was owned by Ephraim Manassah Swift. Later it became the property of Ward M. Parker who sold it in about 1850 to Joseph S. Fay, under whose ownership for some ninety years it was known as "The Homestead". Today it is owned by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and is known as "Challenger House". The smaller buildings, the shed and stable, grocery store, U. S. Post Office, and Ansel Green's cobbler shop, have been removed. The driver of the stagecoach shown at the left was William Hewins who was later Treasurer of the Town of Falmouth.

The text above is from Historical Paintings of Woods Hole, by Franklin Lewis Gifford (Woods Hole Public Library, 1962).