Craigville Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Craigville Historic District
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Lake Elizabeth Drive
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 Location in Cape Cod
Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Barnstable, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1872 |
| MPS | Barnstable MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 87000275 |
| Added to NRHP | November 10, 1987 |
The Craigville Historic District is a special place in Craigville, which is part of Barnstable, Massachusetts. It's a historic area where people used to gather for religious camp meetings. Imagine a place where families would come together for spiritual events and community fun!
This district is mainly found around where Lake Elizabeth Drive and Ocean Avenue meet, right next to Lake Elizabeth. It was started in 1871 by a group called the New England Convention of Christian Churches. They bought the land from the Perry family. Over the years, many unique "gingerbread-decorated" cottages were built here. The main church, called the tabernacle, was built in 1887. This whole area was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987 because of its important history.
Contents
Discovering Craigville's History
Craigville is located in the southern part of Barnstable. It sits between the villages of Centerville and Hyannisport. The historic district covers the very first part of this religious camp meeting area. Before it became Craigville, this spot was known as "Strawberry Hill." Later, it was called "Christian Hill."
How the Camp Meeting Began
The area was first named "Camp Christian" when it started in 1871. It grew very quickly! A store and a post office were built between 1872 and 1873. An inn, a type of hotel, was also built in 1874. In 1881, the camp was renamed Craigville. This was done to honor Dr. J. Austin Craig, who had recently passed away.
The main part of the camp was its tabernacle. This was like a big, open-air church. At first, it was a huge tent that could hold 600 people. In 1887, it became a more permanent building. The land around the tabernacle was divided into small plots. Campers would set up temporary shelters there. Later, they built more permanent homes. This way of developing a camp was common. Other similar camp meetings were found in places like Yarmouth and Martha's Vineyard.
Unique Buildings and Architecture
The buildings in the Craigville camp meeting district have a special style. Most of them are built in the Carpenter Gothic style. This was a very popular look for many camp meeting grounds. It often features decorative wooden trim that looks like gingerbread.
By the late 1870s, more than thirty cottages had been built and sold. This number kept growing until the 1930s. One example is the Alpha Cottage. It's a typical early building, about one and a half stories tall. It has a smooth front with carved wooden decorations. These include fancy trim around the roof and balconies. The post office and store, built in 1872-73, are simpler buildings. The Craigville Inn, built in 1874, also has a plain, practical design.
Exploring the District's Layout
The northern edge of the historic district is marked by the tabernacle property. This is just north of where Lake Elizabeth Drive and Ocean Avenue meet. Other public buildings are on the east side of Lake Elizabeth Drive. They are located just south of that main intersection. The charming cottages included in the district line Laurel, Valley, and Ocean Avenues. They stretch as far as Hotel Avenue.
