What
we're about ...
Henry Beston's 1928 book, The
Outermost House, is now considered a classic of American Literature and has a devoted following among its readers. Beston
(1888-1968) wrote the book after spending a solitary "year" in a 20x16 house on the dunes of
Eastham on Cape Cod, using the house as a base while studying and observing the wonders of the
elements in this glorious maritime setting.
The Outermost House is considered to be one of the seminal works of today's environmental movements and a motivating force behind the establishment of the Cape Cod National Seashore. The book was referred to time and time again in National Park Service reports when Cape Cod was being evaluated for park status. Rachel Carson said it was the only book that ever influenced her writing.
The Henry Beston Society's mission statement states that its goal "is to honor Henry Beston
by stimulating interest in and promoting education about his life, works and philosophy --
with emphasis on his time spent on Cape Cod in Massachusetts -- and his place in his world
and ours, by coordinating research on his life and writings, by acting as an archive for
material relevant to Henry Beston and by advocating for the preservation of the memory and
historical importance of The Outermost House."
Since 2002, the Beston Society has presented dozens of slide lectures, published books, collaborated with other non-profit organizations on exhibits and special programs, and commenced production on a documentary film. There is also an ongoing campaign to build a Beston/Outermost House museum and a replica of Henry Beston's iconic Cape Cod cottage.
Some background
The Henry Beston Society
evolved from a series of projects about Henry Beston and The Outermost House. The
first project was a web site, which grew into a 32-page publication, On its Solitary
Dune, for Eastham's 350th Anniversary celebration in 2001. In 2003, the smaller publication
grew into a 106-page book, Henry Beston's Cape Cod. During that period, it was
determined that the information and resources that had been gathered should be used for
further education about Beston and his famous beach cottage, leading to the establishment
of the non-profit organization.
Why the establishment of a
society? With the exception of two small displays on the
Outer
Cape,
there is little about Beston and The Outermost House for the public to view. Prior to the Beston Society's establishment, there wasn't much that could be found
online about him and the Fo'castle. Do an online search for Henry Beston these days, and the Beston Society
site and related sites are at or near the top of the results.
The Beston Society is not a
"get back to nature" organization. Beston realized that we lived in a modern and
ever-evolving civilization. It was man's relationship to the natural world that was
deteriorating -- as it was in 1928 and still is today. The story told in The Outermost
House: A Year of Life on the Outer Beach of Cape Cod, lays it all out for us -- why
that relationship is critical to our peace of mind and survival. The Beston Society takes
those philosophies and lessons and presents them in its various programs to the public.
While Beston's book is cherished
by many, there are countless others who have never heard of it. Yet, even in today's
world, Beston's words still ring true. Here was a man who, tired of his work as an editor,
still shaking from the horrors of World War I, and looking for his place in literary
society, found some peace in an otherwise mad world. Today, so many more yearn to do so.
In the words of Nan Waldron, "Beston's sensitive understanding of a man's need to
recapture his relationship with the total environment is a timeless message, something
which every human can seek no matter where he or she roams." It is along those lines
that,
The Henry Beston Society
will function.
P.O. Box
1343, South Dennis, MA 02660. Phone: (508)
246-7242. E-mail: henrybestonsociety@yahoo.com
BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Nita Wilding, Don Wilding,
Jon March, Kerrie March, Robby McQueeney, Bob Seay, Marc McHugh.
©® 2010
The Henry Beston Society, Inc., unless noted.
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