A popular and prolific painter on Cape Cod during the early 20th century, Charles Cahoon became known for carefully detailed, peaceful landscapes and seascapes of Cape-Cod views. It is thought that he painted nearly 3000 paintings, and many of them included fishing scenes and weather beaten houses with soft light and mellow tone. He also maintained a studio in Boston and was prosperous until the stock market crash of 1929. After that he continued painting but never recaptured his earlier success.

He was born in Harwich, Massachusetts to a father who was a sea captain and amateur artist, and as a youngster, Charles copied sketches of his fathers. He also spent time at sea and did sketching from those experiences.

In Boston, he ...