Charlie Miller in one of his first boats, a 14-foot Amesbury skiff.
By Doreen Leggett
Thanksgiving is a fitting time to thank chroniclers, archivists, historians, those who capture places and times so they aren’t lost. Charlie Miller (profiled in this issue) is one of those people, more by chance than intent. He spent his life around Rock Harbor and he had a camera that captured more than 50 years of history. We are sharing some of his photos from the 1960s and 1970s, with the reminder to protect and preserve the places you love for those who come after.
H.L. Mallows shellfish company was the only game in town for Cape quahoggers during the 1960s.
Bob Lindsay, who lived in Brewster and owned the American Eagle, was nicknamed ‘Lazy’ Lindsay.
Charlie Miller worked on several quahoggers that fished out of Rock Harbor and Wellfleet Harbor.
Charlie Miller had a number of boats in Rock Harbor, here is one of the early ones – in the foreground.
One of the boats Charlie Miller worked on was the Three M’s, captained by Ed Milliken.
The Lillian C., owned by Warren Hopkins, was one of many quahoggers in the harbor.
Charlie Miller crewed on Old Glory, which has a history of her own. Before Miller hopped aboard with Captain Chet Higgins, George Morton, who later started Cap’t Cass restaurant in Rock Harbor, fished on the Old Glory.
The docks at Rock Harbor have seen a number of repairs over the years.
Ice in Rock Harbor was far more common 50 years ago than it is today. Note the intact landmark in the background — Young’s Fish Market which was damaged in recent work being done to the commercial docks at Rock Harbor.
Young’s Fish Market was damaged in a crane accident in November. Photo by Alan Pollock of the Cape Cod Chronicle.
Charlie Miller at his home in Eastham. A succession of charter boats, all named Miller Time, line the wall behind him.