Henry Beston's Cape Cod : How 'The Outermost House' inspired a national seashore

Henry Beston’s book, “The Outermost House,” is considered to be one of the great nature books ever written. Don Wilding will explore how Beston’s trail to Cape Cod began at the Battle of Verdun in World War I, how he tapped into the healing power of nature on Cape Cod’s Outer Beach, how “The Outermost House” inspired legislators in Washington to establish the Cape Cod National Seashore, and the influence that Beston and “The Outermost House” had on Rachel Carson, other nature writers, and the American environmental movement.

An award-winning writer and editor for Massachusetts newspapers for 30 years, Don Wilding pens the popular “Shore Lore” history column for the Cape Codder newspaper of Orleans, and is the author of two books, “Henry Beston’s Cape Cod: How ‘The Outermost House’ Inspired a National Seashore,” and "A Brief History of Eastham: On the Outer Beach of Cape Cod." 

​Don is also an instructor of Cape Cod history courses for the Open University of Wellfleetand Nauset Community Education and co-founder of the Henry Beston Society.