Monomoy refuge visitor center to be demolished - before erosion tips it into the ocean

Eric Williams, Cape Cod Times
·2 min read

Erosion is always nibbling on Cape Cod, but it's been munching away with abandon at the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge in Chatham.

A series of breaks in a protective barrier beach over the years, combined with powerful currents, has left the refuge's base of operations open to the destructive force of the Atlantic Ocean.

Richard Nye, refuge manager, estimated that some areas near the public parking lot have lost about 30 feet per year to erosion over the past three years. The stairs that once took visitors down to the beach are gone, and in recent years a National Weather Service station, a refuge dormitory and a bathroom facility have been removed.

An erosion warning sign at the Monomoy National Wildlife Sanctuary in Chatham with the soon-to-be demolished visitor center in the background.
An erosion warning sign at the Monomoy National Wildlife Sanctuary in Chatham with the soon-to-be demolished visitor center in the background.

Now, it's last call for the refuge's visitor center. The building, which has been in place for approximately 50 years, is expected to be demolished in April.

An open house at the center, 30 Wikis Way in Chatham, will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on March 9. It's a final chance for folks to tour the building, check out displays, talk to staff and volunteers and share memories.

Nye said the visitor center is currently about 90 feet from the edge of a quickly crumbling bluff. But the center's septic tank is about 30 feet closer to the edge. Heavy equipment will be needed for the removal of the tank and visitor center, so advance planning was required to make an orderly retreat.

"We don't have a lot of time left and we can't risk waiting," said Nye. "We want to stay ahead of the rate of erosion."

The visitor center also houses staff offices. Nye said he is looking for a replacement facility in the Chatham area, to provide offices and a place for visitors to get information about the refuge. An information kiosk will remain in place near the current visitor center.

Changes are also planned for the refuge's parking lot. Nye said the pavement will be removed and replaced with crushed rock or other porous material.

"The parking lot is going to shrink," said Nye, adding that visitors will still be able to park along the causeway that connects the refuge's base of operations to the rest of Chatham.

Access to the refuge's popular Morris Island trail system will still be available. In recent years, erosion has forced the trail to be re-routed out to the beach via a right of way.

Eric Williams, when not solving Curious Cape Cod mysteries, writes about a variety of ways to enjoy the Cape, the weather, wildlife and other subjects. Contact him at ewilliams@capecodonline.com. Follow him on X: @capecast.

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Erosion on Cape Cod: Monomoy refuge visitor slated for demolition