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National Register of Historic Places listings in Barnstable, Massachusetts facts for kids

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Barnstable, Massachusetts, is a town with many historic places.

Barnstable, Massachusetts, is a town with a rich history! It has more than 75 special places listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These are like a national "hall of fame" for buildings, sites, and objects that are important to American history.

If you want to see other historic places in Barnstable County, you can check out the listings for other towns.

Contents: Counties in Massachusetts
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What is the National Register of Historic Places?

The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the United States' historic places worth saving. It's like a special honor roll for buildings, sites, and objects that tell important stories about our country's past. When a place is on this list, it means it's recognized as important and efforts are made to protect it.

Barnstable has many places on this list because it's one of the oldest towns in Massachusetts. Many of its buildings and areas have been around for a long time and show how people lived and worked in the past.

Exploring Barnstable's Historic Sites

Barnstable is home to many different kinds of historic places. You can find old houses, important public buildings, and even entire neighborhoods that are protected because of their history.

Historic Homes and Estates

Many of the listings in Barnstable are old homes. These houses often belonged to important people from the past, like sea captains, farmers, or community leaders. They show us how homes were built and designed many years ago. Some examples include:

  • The Adams-Crocker-Fish House on Willow Street.
  • The Josiah A. Ames House on Bridge Street.
  • The Capt. Seth Baker Jr. House on Main Street.
  • The Capt. Allen H. Bearse House on Camp Street.
  • The Col. Charles Codman Estate on Bluff Point Drive, a large historic property.
  • The Kennedy Compound in Hyannis Port, which is famous for being the historic home of the Kennedy family. It's even a National Historic Landmark!

Public Buildings and Districts

Barnstable also has important public buildings and entire areas that are historic. These places often played a big role in the town's life.

  • The Barnstable County Courthouse on Main Street is an important building where legal matters have been handled for many years.
  • The Old Jail on U.S. Route 6A is a very old wooden jail, showing how justice was handled long ago.
  • The U.S. Customshouse on Cobbs Hill, MA 6A, was once a place where taxes were collected on goods coming into the country.
  • The Municipal Group Historic District includes several important town buildings around Main, Municipal Buildings, South, and Pearl Streets.
  • The Old King's Highway Historic District covers a long stretch of road, showing how towns developed along important routes.

Unique Historic Spots

Some listings are unique and tell different kinds of stories:

  • The Ancient Burying Ground on Phinney's Lane is an old cemetery where many early residents of Barnstable are buried. It's a quiet place that tells us about the town's first families.
  • The Marstons Mills Hearse House and Cemetery on MA 149 includes a special building that once held a hearse (a vehicle for funerals) and a historic cemetery.
  • The Sandy Neck Cultural Resources District covers the Sandy Neck Peninsula, a natural area with a long history of human use and natural beauty.
  • There are also several Town Boundary Markers that show the old borders between Barnstable and neighboring towns like Sandwich. These markers are simple stones or posts, but they are important historical reminders of how towns were defined.

Former Listings

Sometimes, a historic place might be removed from the National Register. This can happen if the building is changed too much, or if it is unfortunately damaged or torn down.

One example in Barnstable is the Barnstable Fair Hall, which used to be on Main Street. It was listed in 1979 but was later removed from the list in 1980 because it was demolished.

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National Register of Historic Places listings in Barnstable, Massachusetts Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.