Eleanor Agnes Hammond

Eleanor Hammond, 96, of Monument Beach died on February 2, 2021 at home. She was born in Long Beach, CA on July 25, 1924 to Walter Scott and Grace (Carpenter) Merriram. Her earliest years were spent in Glensdale, AZ and Brooklyn, NY. At age 7 Eleanor moved to Palisades Park, NJ and graduated from Leonia High School. Summers were spent in Monument Beach. Eleanor earned a BA in Latin from Wheaton College in Norton, MA. She obtained her master's degree at Mount Holyoke College in classical languages in one year of a two year program. Her career began with teaching Latin at Northfield, MA and Greenfield high schools. In 1952 Eleanor married John Hammond. Eleanor moved to Middleboro, then Bridgewater, MA. She taught Latin and history at Middleboro High School, and all subjects except science at the middle school level. Obtaining a second masters degree in Library Science, she became the school librarian. In 1976 Eleanor moved full-time to Monument Beach and retired in 1986. In 1989 she became the curator/site manager at Aptucxet Trading Post. For 23 years Eleanor researched and developed the story of trade by the Pilgrims, Dutch and the Wampanoags. She gave tours, promoted Aptucxet by attending conferences and joining organizations dedicated to promoting Cape Cod museums. She developed special events to attract new visitors. Eleanor was especially proud of Wampanoag Day. Believing the Wampanoag side of the Aptucxet story needed to be told and presented by the Wampanoag’s, she reached out to Ernestine Gray of Mashpee. In 2001 Eleanor and Ernestine together created the event that has continued and flourished under the direction of Ernestines’s daughters.

Eleanor was a member of the Wareham Business and Professional Woman’s Club, the Bourne Woman’s Club, Bourne Historical Society, Aptucxet Garden Club, and the Massachusetts Archeological Society.

Eleanor is survived by her two daughters Beth Hammond of Weymouth, MA and Laura Kulmala, son-in-law Stefan Kulmala and grandchildren Daniel and Alina Kulmala of Charleston WV.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Bourne Historical Society and the Bourne Conservation Trust.