[ 13 ] Lawrence R. Gardinier Square

At the Junction of Main Street
and Holbrook Avenue

Lawrence “Duffy” Gardinier was born in Waltham, Massachusetts on May 16, 1900, and lived all but the first three years of his life in Wellfleet. He served in the US Navy during World War I, and was a member of the Massachusetts State Guard during World War II. A man of numerous talents, he served the town in many capacities as a three term Selectman, Police Chief, Town Moderator, Deputy Sheriff, and Special Sheriff. One of his many projects was the design, installation, and maintenance of our unique town clock, which strikes the hours and half hours in ship’s bell time. He first proposed the idea to the Selectmen in early 1952, and the bells rang out on September 29,1952 from the steeple of the First Congregational Church. In 1953 Ripley’s Believe-It-Or-Not newspaper column described the new clock as “the only town clock in the world to strike on ship’s bells time”. “Duffy” passed away in 1973.

This square named in his honor was dedicated by the John R McKay Post 287, American Legion, on July 4, 1979 in tribute to “Duffy’s” long and devoted service to his town.