Earlier this year, the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe’s Tribal Historic Preservation Office (THPO) continued the important work of the Garden of Memories project — a community-centered effort to preserve, protect, and share the histories of Tribal members and ancestors.
Today, the Garden of Memories archive can be explored through digital kiosks located in the foyer of the Tribe’s Community and Government Center and at the Old Indian Meeting House, allowing community members to engage with photographs, records, and stories that reflect the lives, families, and experiences of Mashpee Wampanoag people across generations.
Through Garden of Memories, Tribal citizens and families were invited to bring forward photographs, documents, and other personal materials that tell the stories of our people. These materials were carefully digitized and added to a growing Tribal database, ensuring that our history remains in our own hands and accessible to future generations.
The project builds on a long-standing understanding that our history does not live only in official records, but in the everyday belongings kept by families — letters, photographs, military records, school memories, church programs, and images from gatherings both joyful and solemn. By digitizing these materials, the Tribe is helping ensure that these stories are preserved with care, context, and respect.
David Weeden, Council Member and Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, emphasized the deeper meaning behind the work:
“Garden of Memories is about more than preserving documents — it’s about protecting who we are. Every photo, every name, and every story added to this archive strengthens our collective memory and ensures that our history is told by our people, in our own voices.”
The Garden of Memories project reflects the Tribe’s broader commitment to cultural preservation, education, and sovereignty. By housing and managing this archive within the Tribe, Mashpee Wampanoag history remains accessible to the community while being protected for generations yet to come.
A Continuing Invitation to the Community
The Garden of Memories project is ongoing, and the Tribe continues to welcome contributions from Tribal members and families. If you have materials you would like to share — photographs, documents, or stories connected to your family or ancestors — the THPO team can digitize these items and return copies to you.
Community members interested in contributing or learning more are encouraged to reach out to the Tribal Historic Preservation Office. Your participation helps ensure that every family’s story has a place in the archive and that our shared history continues to grow.
Together, through Garden of Memories, we are honoring our ancestors, strengthening our present, and preserving our stories for the generations who will come after us.
