The first trans-Atlantic cable was completed on August 5, 1858 from Valencia, Ireland to Heart’s Content on Trinity Bay, Newfoundland. Due to the resistance of the wire, the signal was very week and attempts were made to increase the strength of the signal. After 400 messages were sent the cable burned out.
In 1879 a new French cable was run from Saint Pierre to Cape Cod. The first transatlantic messages on “Le Direct” were sent from the light-keepers home at Nauset Light, but eventually a more suitable building was chosen in Orleans, currently the French Cable Station Museum.
The station was in operation from 1890 to 1959. During World War I the German U-Boat U-156 sank a tug and four barges off of Nauset Bluffs. It is speculated that the intended target was “Le Direct” which was used for communiques to and from France. The cable was unharmed.
The museum has a collection of samples of the original undersea cable, telegraph equipment,instruments and assorted memorabilia.
