Brewster Old King's Highway Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Brewster Old King's Highway Historic District
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The Bramble Inn on Route 6A
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 Location in Cape Cod
Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Brewster, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 260 acres (110 ha) |
| Built | 1790 |
| Architect | Winslow, Walter T.; Peterson, Whittemore |
| Architectural style | Federal, Mid 19th Century Revival, Late Victorian |
| NRHP reference No. | 96000162 |
| Added to NRHP | February 23, 1996 |
The Brewster Old King's Highway Historic District is a special area in Brewster, Massachusetts. It includes a big part of Massachusetts Route 6A, which was once called the Old King's Highway long ago. This district is full of old buildings and places that show what life was like in the past.
The town of Brewster started growing around where the Old King's Highway met Harwich Road (now Massachusetts Route 124). The first church was built here in 1700, and a nearby cemetery opened in 1707. Many important town buildings and shops were built along the Old King's Highway from the 1800s to the early 1900s. This historic area stretches about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to the west and 1.2 miles (1.9 km) to the east from the main crossroads.
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Exploring Brewster's Historic Past
The Brewster Old King's Highway Historic District is like a living museum. It helps us understand how towns grew in the past. A "historic district" is a special area that has many old buildings or places that are important to history. These areas are protected so future generations can learn from them.
Important Buildings in the District
Many famous buildings are part of this historic district. Besides the old church, there are several other interesting places to see.
The Old Town Hall
The Old Town Hall was built in 1881. It has a fancy style called Queen Anne, which means it has lots of detailed decorations. You can find it where the highway meets Chatham Street (Massachusetts Route 137).
Brewster Ladies Library
The Brewster Ladies Library was built in 1868. It's a great example of the Stick style of architecture. This was the very first building on Cape Cod that was built just to be a library! It shows how important reading and learning were to the community.
Current Town Hall
The building that is now the Town Hall was built in 1925. It wasn't always a town hall, though. When it was first built, it was actually a school!
Old Schoolhouses
Two old school buildings from the 1800s are still standing in the district.
- The No. 2 Schoolhouse is an Italianate-style building with two rooms. It was first used as a high school and looks out over Schoolhouse Pond.
- The No. 3 Schoolhouse was built in 1850. It's a simpler building that has been changed into a barn. It's cool to see how old buildings can be used for new purposes!
Protecting History
The Brewster Old King's Highway Historic District was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. This means it's recognized as an important historical site that should be preserved.
