mums569 Oldham Camp Records Finding Aid Finding aid prepared by Dex Haven. Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Dubois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Amherst, Mass.
2008

© University of Massachusetts Amherst. All rights reserved.

 Finding aid encoded in MSWord2008-07-16 Finding aid written in English Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst Oldham Camp Records Finding Aid MS 569 bd Compiled by Dexter Haven July 2008

© 2008 University of Massachusetts Amherst. All rights reserved.

 Oldham Camp Oldham Camp Records 1876-1927 MS 569 bd 1 vol., 27p. (0.1 linear feet) Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst The abundant waterfowl at Oldham Pond, Plymouth County, Mass., has long been a lure for hunters. During the nineteenth century, both hunting and recreational shooting of geese and ducks grew in scope throughout the Commonwealth, with the development of at least two formal hunting camps at Oldham. The Oldham Camp records contains a detailed tally of waterfowl shot at Oldham Pond, along with an "Ancient history of Oldham Pond" by Otis Foster, 1906, chronicling changes in hunting practices and the advent of blinds and decoys. These records include annual summaries of geese taken at the camp (1876-1895) and summaries of both geese and ducks (1896-1919). More valuable are detailed records of "daily bags," 1905-1915, providing daily kill totals for each species (primarily ducks). An addendum by Edgar Jocelyn, 1927, provides additional historical detail on the hunting stands at Oldham Pond and changes in methods of attracting ducks. There are, as well, narrative annual summaries of the hunting seasons, 1905-1908 and 1912. Tipped into the front of the volume is a typed letter from the renowned Cope Cod decoy maker A. Elmer Crowell (1852-1951), July 2, 1926, reminiscing about hunting at Wenham Lake and promising to begin work on the decoys. English.

The abundant waterfowl at Oldham Pond, Plymouth County, Mass., has long been a lure for hunters. During the nineteenth century, both hunting and recreational shooting of geese and ducks grew in scope throughout the Commonwealth, with the development of at least two formal hunting camps at Oldham.

The Oldham Camp records contains a detailed tally of waterfowl shot at Oldham Pond, along with an "Ancient history of Oldham Pond" by Otis Foster, 1906, chronicling changes in hunting practices and the advent of blinds and decoys. These records include annual summaries of geese taken at the camp (1876-1895) and summaries of both geese and ducks (1896-1919). More valuable are detailed records of "daily bags," 1905-1915, providing daily kill totals for each species (primarily ducks). An addendum by Edgar Jocelyn, 1927, provides additional historical detail on the hunting stands at Oldham Pond and changes in methods of attracting ducks. There are, as well, narrative annual summaries of the hunting seasons, 1905-1908 and 1912.

Tipped into the front of the volume is a typed letter from the renowned Cope Cod decoy maker A. Elmer Crowell (1852-1951) to John C. Phillips, July 2, 1926, reminiscing about hunting at Wenham Lake and promising to start work on the decoys.

The collection is open for research.

Cite as: Oldham Pond Records (MS 569 bd). Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Acquired in July 2008.

Processed by Dexter Haven, July 2008.

 Crowell, A. Elmer. Foster, Otis. Jocelyn, Edgar. Decoys (Hunting)--Massachusetts. Hunting--Massachusetts. Ducks--Massachusetts. Geese--Massachusetts. Furnace Pond (Mass.) Oldham Pond (Mass.)