Nomination for Marconi Wireless Station Site

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

SNOILOA SN Form 10-306 (Oct. 1972) PH01Z1517 DATA SHEET UNI TED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR STATE: NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM FOR FEDERAL PROPERTIES (Type all entries - complete applicable sections) Massachusetts COUNTY: Barnstable FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY DATE MAY 2 NAME COMMON: Marconi Site No.

23-87 (Cape Cod NS) AND/OR HISTORIC: Marconi Wireless Station Site LOCA TION STREET AND NUMBER: CITY OR TOWN: South Wellfleet STATE: MP= Located one mile NE of Headquarters, Cape Cod National Seashore CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: Iwelth CODE 25 COUNTY: Barnstable Massachusetts CLASSIFICA TION CATEGORY (Check One) OWNERSHIP STATUS - District E] Site Building Structure Object * Public Private Both Public Acquisition: In Process Being Considered - Occupied X Unoccupied Preservation work in progress PRESENT USE (Check One or More as Appropriate) } Agricultural Commercial Educational Entertainment AGENCY - Government -] Industrial Military - Museum XPark Private Residence Religious - Scientific [] Transportation C] Other (Specity) Used for REGISTEN REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS: (If applicable) National Park Service CITY OR TOWN: Boston LOCA TION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION COURTHOUSE, REGISTRY OF DEEDS, ETC: Courthouse, Barnstable,Massachusetts STREET AND NUMBER: STREFT AND MUMBER: 750 causeway Street STATE: Massachusetts CITY OR TOWN: STATE: Barnstable Massachusetts REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE OF SURVEY: NPS survey--added to Cape Cod HABS inventory and assigned #23-87 DATE OF SURVEY: 1965 DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS: Office of Archeology and Historic Preservation STREET AND NUMBER: Interior Building CITY OR TOWN: STATE: Washington, .C.

1975 CODE 001 ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC Yes: - Restricted - Unrestricted * Comments Interpreta- tion. CODE 25 CODE 001 CODE 11 STATE: COUNTY: Barnstable ENTRY NUMSFR DATE FOR NPS USE ONLY DESCRIPTION CONDITION (Check One) - Deteriorated M Excellent - Good (Check One) - Fair - Altered X] Unaltered DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (if known) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

-Moved - Ruins - Unexposed (Check One) X Original Site Remains of the station include: (1) the concrete base of the frame transmitter house--this base measures 26 feet, 7 inches (W to E), 27 feet (N to S). There are also 22 inch concrete strips on each side for wall support: This floor, as were all the others, is approximately 13 inches thick. Present on this floor are the heavy iron lugs which anchored the rotorgap disc and its motor. (2) part of the concrete corridor, 30 feet in length, 4 feet 2 inches wide plus 22 inch wall supports on each side. Ocean end has broken off. This corridor connected the transmitter house with the powerhouse (the latter's base slipped into the sea years ago). (3) A few fragments of the powerhouse walls are 5 brick layers thick (about 21 inches).

(4) the northwest tower concrete base has been exposed and measures 24 feet square--it is at least four feet thick as is testified by measurement of an easternmost base which lies on the beach 100 feet below its original site. The SW tower base still lies buried in the sand. These bases are made of rubble., pebbles and rocks (some measuring 4x8 inches in size) cemented together. The probably scant remains of the pile-supported frame administration building and quarters, which lay a short distance west of the tower, are entirely buried under the dunes. Original structures of the site included four towers and several buildings. Significance: 1st Order Longitude and Latitude: See Section 10 Acreage: 1 acre; surrounding dunelands owned by Federal Government. Treatment Recommended: Preservation. Preliminary cost estimate for above: $150.00 annually Photograph enclosed.

RECEIVED APR1 1975 NATIONAL REGISTER 9 INSTRUCTIONS

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

SIGNIFICANCE PERIOD (Check One or More as Appropriate) - Pre-Columbian - 15th Century 16th Century 17th Century SPECIFIC DATE(S) (If Applicable and Known) AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE (Check One or More as Appropriate) Aboriginal Education - Prehistoric Engineering Historic X Industry Agriculture X Invention - Architecture Landscape Art Architecture X Commerce Literature & Communications X Military Conservation Music STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

Statement of significance

] 18th Century - 19th Century [x 20th Century Political Urban Planning Religion/Phi- [X Other (Specify) losophySite of Marconi's Ist [X Science translantic American ]Sculpture Wireless Station. Social/Human- itarian Theater Transportation The Marconi wireless station, from which emanated the first message from the U.S. to Europe (Jan. 18, 1903), is the only nationally signi- ficant historic site within the Cape Cod National Seashore. In November 1901, the original Marconi Wireless Station, South Well- fleet, was nearly complete. A storm in that month destroyed the original masts, a circular arrangement of 20 poles, 200 feet high. No trace of this antenna remains. The powerhouse, corridor and transmitter house were un- damaged, and four-210 foot high wooden latticed towers, 200 feet apart, replaced the original antenna poles in 1902.

Using two big kerosene engines, a Tesla transformer, an alternator, and a spark-gap transmitter, the station produced 30,000 watts of power. Operating primarily as a news source to ships at sea, Marconi station ran successfully until 1917, when three unrelated factors resulted in the dis- mantling of the equipment in 1922: (1) censorship imposed by World War I, (2) encroachment of the cliffs by the ocean, and (3) De Forest's invention (or development) of the vacuum tube, making spark-gap transmission obsolete. Marconi invented few things himself, but he greatly improved every- thing he borrowed. His taking of the wireless lab "toy" and making it practical was one of the greatest technical achievements of man. Were Marconi alive today, he would doubtless occupy the top world position in electronic communications.

No man better deserves the title "Father of modern electronic communications." Marconi station site came under control of the Federal Government with the inclusion of the site within the boundaries of Cape Cod National Seashore. The site was re-dedicated July 5, 1963, with Carl Taylor, Marconi's chief builder of stations, present. Taylor was very probably the actual operator on January 18, 1903, when the first message from the u.S. to England was transmitted. This old spark-gap transmitter was world famous, and operated longer than any other station of its type; such stations were replaced by tube transmitters after 1908.

The rest of the file

Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES 1. Marconi--The Man and his Wireless by Orrin E. Dunlap, Jr. New york The MacMillan Co. 1937 My Father, Marconi by DegnaMarconi. MoGraw Hill Book Co., Inc. New York, 1962. 3. The Saga of South Wellfleet by F.A. Parsons. Original Ms. owned by National Park Service, filed at Hq., South Wellfleet, Mass. CACO 4. A Technical History of Marconi Site, 1901-1922 by E.P. Lohr, NPS 10.

GEOGRAPHICAL DATA LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE COORDINATES DEFINING A RECTANGLE LOCATING THE PROPERTY R CORNER LATITUDE Degrees Minutes Seconds LONGITUDE Degrees Minutes Seconds NW NE LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE COORDINATES DEFINING THE CENTER POINT OF A PROPERTY OF LESS THAN TEN ACRES LATITUDE LONGITUDE Degrees Minutes Seconds Degrees Minutes Seconds " 41 54 50 69 58 20 APPROXIMATE ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY: 1 LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES COUNTY: CODE RECE STATE: CODE COUNTY: APR 1 CODE STATE: CODE COUNTY: STATE: CODE COUNTY: NATIONAL RESISTER CODE CODE 11.

FORM PREPARED BY NAME AND TITLE: Edison Pike Lohr, Park Historian BUSINESS ADDRESS: DATE: 7/16/73 Cape Cod STREET AND NUMBER: National Seashore PHONE: 349-3785 CITY OR TOWN: E2 cestHta NCW Or NOMi Anssachusetts State Liaison Officer recommendation: Yes STATE Massachusetts NA TIONAL REGISTER VERIFICATION CODE 35 I hereby certify that this property is included in the National Register. - None alkR. Amodm State Liaison Officer Signature ARmorteus In compliance with Executive Order 11593, I hereby Director, Office of Archeology and Historic Preservation nominate this property to the National Register, certify- ing that the State Liaison Officer has been allowed 90 days in which to present the nomination to the State Re- wiew Board and to evaluate its significance. The recom- Date 5145 /National ATTEST: lssist.

Title Charkedettening ,Keeper of The National Register Date 5:2.25 GPO 938-449 NO TM Ci EEINSTRUCTIONS Nomination 4.PP IST Order ROUTING AND REVIEW SLIP of signiticance THE ENCLOSED NOMINATIONS ARE ROUTED TO YOU FOR YOUR PROFESSIONAL REVIEW AND COMMENT ON THE COR- RECTNESS AND ADEQUACY OF THE STATEMENTS AND EVALUATIONS CONTAINED THEREIN, SUPPLYING ADDITIONAL OR CORRECTIVE INFORMATION AS APPROPRIATE. REVIEWER WILL SIGN HIS NAME HEREON FOR LATER REFERENCE IF NECESSARY. USE ADDITIONAL SHEET FOR COMMENT IF NEEDED AND ATTACH HERETO. NOMINATED PROPERTY: _ MARCONI SITE FROM AREA OF: Cape Cod N.S.

LPA CHIEF ARCHEOLOGIST: feel it qualifies on the barisof the fizst SIGNED: ackon OMoor.h 2 PD CHIEF HISTORIAN: PLEASE RETURN TO REGISTRAR, LCS BY PC SIGNED: CHIEF HISTORICAL ARCHITECT: No questien abonet this ene MAR 3 1 1975 SIGNED: PC REGISTRAR, LCS Hunry i fudd -PR KEEPER OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER: C. O. Meek Registrar, LCS RECOMMENDED FOR THE NATIONAL REGISTER ENTERED ON THE LCS Tel: 343-2532 MAR 1891975 INT: 4937-74 REGISTRAR LCS $3/27/75Losoc Ili Frot.Devoceas Ross Halland ve onmnendes )/atonal Sigripicane Property State Massachusetts TECHNICAL Photos Maps Marconi Wireless Station Site Working Number 4.1.75.558 Barastable CONTROL 4.

4 15 HISTORIAN ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN important site-note National significõnce AccEpT thyanl 1/4/25 ARCHEOLOGIST Acrepitmas 4Ape 75 OTHER HAER Inventory - Review REVIEW UNIT CHIEF AcCepT Cole 4-7-75 BRANCH CHIEF add "sile" to nane KEEPER Muntol 5.2.25 National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry 7-1-25 Send-back Re-submit Entered MAY 2 1975 INT:2106-74 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service WASO No. 7 Form No.

10-301a (7/72) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM (Type all entries - attach to or enclose with photograph) STATE coUssachusetts Barnstable FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NUMBER 2- 1975 NAME COMMON: Marconi Site .#23-57 AND/OR HISTORIC: Marconi Wireless Station LOCA TION StREET AND NUMBER: NE Of NS Headquarters CITY OR TOWN: South Wellfleet STATE: Massachusetts PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT: Tom Swan DATE OF PHOTO: 1/73 NEGATIVE FILED AT: Cape Cod NS IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC. Looking East CODE 25 COUNTY: Barnstable RECEIVED NATIONAL REGISTER INT: PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL #|3/ Form No. 10-301 Rev.

7-72 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY MAP FORM (Type all entries - attach to or enclose with map) STATE Massachusetts COUNTY Barnstable FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NUMBER THAY 2 1975 DATE - NAME COMMON: AND/OR HISTORIC: Marconi Site No. 23-87 Marconi Wireless Station LOCATION STREET AND NUM BER: Located 1 mile NE of Hq., Cape Cod National Seashore CITY OR TOWN: South Wellfleet STATE: Massachusetts MAP REFERENCE SOURCE: U.S.G.S., Wellfleet Quadrangle SCALE: 1: 24,000 DATE: 1958 REQUIREMENTS TO BE INCLUDED ON ALL MAPS 1. Property broundaries where required. 2. North arrow. 3. Latitude and longitude reference.

CODE 25 COUNTY: Barnstable 1P CODE 001 RECEIVED APR1 1975 HATIONAL REGISTER INT: 155-72 % ROL PILGRIM SPRING South Wellffeet Drummer Cove Pleasant LECOUN WIRELESS Marconi Site Blackfish South Wellfleet Cem Sand ROAD Neck lackfish- Field Pt Tidal Flat Lieutenant** Island BN 15 Old Wharf Loagy Bay LIEUTENANT, Tidal Flat ISLAND Silver ROAD Cranberry BOg Fresh Spring Drive-in /-Theater var- Hafches Sunken Meadow 416 70°00 (ORLEANS) HAR TFORD US MILITARY RESERVATION CAMP WELLFLEET KINGS Brook HIGHMA 465 4641 55 4640 4639 4638 4637000m.N Bk Creek -50-5 TONAL SIDZY -40 BOUNDARY RESERVATION EAsTHAM 3.4 ORLEANS /S T HA M 60 INTERIOR-GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. WASHINGTON. D. C.-1971 420000m.F 69°57'30" -41º52/30" Z - - Form No. 10-301 Rev.

7-72 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY MAP FORM (Type all entries - attach to or enclose with map) NAME COMMON: Marconi Site No. 23-87 AND/OR HISTORIC: Marconi Wireless Station LOCATION STREET AND NUM BER: Iocated one mile NE of Cape Cod NS Hq. CITY OR TOWN: South Wellfleet STATE: CODE 25 Mass. MAP REFERENCE SOURCE: U. S. G. S.Wellfleet Quadranglr, Mass. SCALE: I: 24,000 DATE: 1972 REQUIREMENTS TO BE INCLUDED ON ALL MAPS 1. Property broundaries where required. 2. North arrow. 3. Latitude and longitude reference. STATE COUNTY Massachusetts Barnstable FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NUMBER MAY 2 1975 COUNTY: Barnstable RECEIVED APR1 1075 NATIONAL REGISTER U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 876.

DATE CODE 001 Le Count ellfleet ummer Cove Pleasant Blackfish 30 WHARF GRADE LeCount Hollow Hollow *LE COUNTO HOL Beach WIRE Marconi Statior 30 ROAD South Wellflee! Cem Nauset Regionat. =, - Sth. -Water3 Tank *National Seashore/ Headquarters 36 4641 55' 4640 4639 4638 41'54' 50" 69° 58'20" 47R 12 456 KINGS Brook HIGHWAY 30 JEED WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA RECEIVED APR 1 1975 NATIONAL REGISTER Fresh 101 LAUDUBON SANCTUARY Silver -Spring Trailer Drive-in Theater (ORLEANS) 6967 | SE Marconi. Beach TRAIL 4637000m.N 83 418 -Seek -JE YORLEANS 6 MI. SXT H 50 74A A M 41°52'30" - INTERIOR-GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, WASHINGTON, D.C.- 1974 419 420000m E 69°57'30" ROAD CLASSIFICATION wellllut Primary highway, Light-duty road, hard or hard surface improved surface (ORLEANS) 6967 I SE thuadiongos Secondary highway, minicite Serès hard surface Unimproved road Interstate Route U. S. Route State Route MASS.

5/8/75 MMott/row PR ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE MASSACHUSETTS Date Entered WAY 2 1975 Name Location Marconi Wireless Station Site South Wellfleet Barnatable County Also Notified Hon. Edward M. Kennedy Hon. Edward W. Brooke Hos. Gerzy E. Studde ME. Douglas Wheeler Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wild1ife and Parka Mx. Hobert M. Utley ABBLataut Director, Park Historic Preservation Regional Director, North Atlantie Region State Iistorie Preservation Officer Mea.

Elisabeth R, Amadon Executive Director Massachusetts #istorical Connission 40 Beacon Street Bosten, Massachasette 02108 MAR 2 8 1975 U3APC Hesor sad Ia: Dirgetas, Office of Archeology and llisiaric Preserratlin dasional Part Servica Tarass: Pederal Reprerentativo to she Natinaai Rosietnr, Desartsent ai ihe lnterios From: Ieleral Rasreseutaiivo, Iatieaai Park Service Subjects Iraleacions to ths Iatlaral fegister of lllatocie Pinces The folioalas Hared rominatians froa Cape Cod Nacional Seasiae, Nattrani Park Serpiea, are suimitied for Incleston la tha latiooal Rezister of iliacorte Places in corllance vilà Ereescira Orcer No. 11593: 1. Lduard Penninta 9ag0 and dea 2. old Rartor Coast Gaard S0atL-an 3. Concaia Sseuol Rider Hasse 4. 11ph and foyce S. Jeiedich 1is3ios Hoase 5. Migaland foil Coarse 7. Aboxi-Biscins dsza 8. Preads Cabie Wst; 9. Marcont Site Robert N. Utley Raberk M.

Utley Ioslossren bee: PW - Itr. Nheeler Díreccor & Eesiing File (MR-lrs. Mitt PC-Hr. Keek PC PP FTP: CO Meck: 58 3 27 75 AASIC FILE RETAINED IN PC ICS Plles D'NR Data Sheet DATE: Reviewer ZAPABETH NR NAME AS IT APPEARS IN FEDERAL REGISTER: Marconi Wireless Station Site OTHER NANES: MA Marconi Site, - rec. LOCATION:I STREET & NUMBER one mtte NE of Headquarters, Cape Cod National Seashore CITY. TOWN SouthWellfleet CONGRESSIUNAL DISTRICT 12th VICINITY OF STATE Massachusetts COUNTY Barnstabigde 001 OWNER OF PROPERTY: (Circle) PRIVATE STATE LOCAL GOV"] FEDERAL (AGENCY NAME) ADMINISTRATOR(underiine) NPS REGION: (CIRCLE) N.ATLANTIC MID ATLANTIC SOUTHEAST MIDWEST SOUTHWEST ROCKY MOUNTAIN WEST PACIFIC NORTHWEST FEATURES: INTERIOR _ Substantially intact-1 - unknown - 4 - not applicable - 7 CONDITION - _EXCELLENT _GOOD -FAIR EXTERIOR ENVIRONS - Substantially intact-2 .

Substantially intact-3 _unknown.-5 - unknown -6 - not applicable - 8 - Not applicable-9 -Interioi, exterior, environs not intact-0 _DETERIORATED NOMAETERED AUINS KALTERED _UNEXPOSED -Reconstructed _ORIGINAL SITE _MOVED _Unkncwn _U'nexcavated _Excavated ACCESS - Yes-restricted Yes-unrestricted No access Unknown historic district? YES WITHIN NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT? IF YES, NAME: YES NO WITHIN NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK? IF YES, NAME: YES (NO ADAPTIVE USE: YES NO Saved ?

YES NO FUNCTION(S): (use vocabulary words) then- comunnication now- park 3/18/77 INITIALS: Q.N DOE May 2, 1975 SIGNIFICANCE: ARCHEULUGY-PREHISTORIC -ARCHEOLOGY.HISTORIC -AGRICULTURE ARCHITECTY LCOMMUNICATIONS - Claims -CONSERVATION _ECONOMICS _EDLCATION ENGINEERING-// SKRUGTATION NOUSTRY LINVENTION - 14 -LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE _RELIGION _LAW/Gov't/politics JOCENCE - 23 -LITERATURE AMILITARY - 18 -SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN _MUSIC _PHILOSOPHY __POLITICS/GOVERNMENT "first" YES NO "oldest'2 YES NO -TRANSPORTATION MOTHER (SPECIFY) Sde o tranland "only" --entertainment _health -recreation -settlement -socio/cultural - urban & commun Mareois 157 Ames.

unelen stakon ARCHITECTURAL STYLE: N.A, architect/m.builder: landscape/garden designer: interior decorator: ETHNIC GROUP: engineer: artist/artisan: 2 builder/eontractor: Carl Jayin- chul builderof Marcon: sitrs NAMES: (label role & appropriate date) per sonal Gualielmo "MARcon, - invento of wirkess events institutional DATES: DATE OF CONSTRUCTTON (Specifso date or 1/1 of century): 190/ DATE (S) OF "MAJOR" ALTERATIONS: HTSTORICALIY STONTE ICAN DATE(S) 1917,1922 Jau. 18,1903 - 15T WIRZUESS message from U.S. to Europe. SOURCE: (OF NOMINATION) PRIVATE STATE LOCAL GOV"T MUNICIPAL COUNTY OTHER FEDERAL 'AGENCY: ACREAGE: (to nearest tenth of an acre) COMMENTS: (include architectural information here) RUINS ICLUDINE CONCKETE SLAB FOUNDaTION aMD SOMe BRICK NaLt URORNe m MARCONI WIRE- LESS STATION FROM WHICH AtE FIRST MESSAGE FROM THE UIS, TO - EUROPE WAS TRANSMITTED, JAN. 18,1903.

BUILT PRIMARILY TO SEND NEWS TO SHIPS aT. Sea; STATION BECAME OBSOCETE WITH THE BAREN- TZON OF TAK VACUUM TUBE, 1908. SIGNIFICANCE:(maximum two sentences) O Gug licl moi) Marcone,