Salty's Tale Traditional Cache

 

“Salty” the seahorse has been a Mattapoisett landmark to generations of South Coast visitors. He resides in a park known as Dunseith Gardens which is at the busiest intersection in town. Here you’ll find a children’s playground, picnic tables, a gazebo, flower gardens, and a nature walk built by the local Boy Scouts. The floral plantings are the work of the Garden Group of the Mattapoisett Women’s Club and other volunteers. 

 

This 3.5 acre site was willed to the Mattapoisett Land Trust in 1988. It was the site of Henry Dunseith’s home, adjacent gift shop, as well as Salty the Seahorse. Salty stands 38 feet tall and was built by Theodore Tetreault in the mid-1950s to bring tourists into the gift shop. Over time, the condition of the buildings had deteriorated to such a degree that rehabilitation was impossible. The home and gift shop were razed once it was realized the cost of rehabbing was far more than the trust could afford.

 

A rally of local children helped convince city leaders to keep the seahorse standing. Volunteers worked hard to restore the local landmark, and the seahorse was taken to a boatbuilding shop for repairs.  The electrical wiring that powered the seahorse’s single blue eye was removed and replaced with a solar energy device donated by NStar. Then the Mattapoisett Land Trust held a contest to give it a name and the seahorse became known as Salty.  When Salty was dedicated in 2000, Selectman Barry Denham noted that “Henry Dunseith loved this piece of property. He wanted it to stay as it was.” Selectman Denham said that Mr. Dunseith could not envision the site housing a McDonald’s or any other business, even though the location was superb. 

The cache is placed with knowledge and permission of the Mattapoisett Land Trust. Please support them in any way possible. 

The container is a camouflaged 6 inch lock-n-lock. We stocked it with kid-friendly items. There is a parking lot accessed from County Street (Route 6). First to Find can keep the Official Froggie FTF Coin. This is our first hide and is meant to honor our new town and to encourage more people to discover it. Good Luck!