Osterville, Massachusetts facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Osterville, Massachusetts
|
|
|---|---|
|
Village
|
|
View from Oyster Harbors
|
|
.svg)
Location of ZIP code 02655 Osterville within the Town of Barnstable, county, and state
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Barnstable |
| Town | Barnstable |
| Area | |
| • Total | 8.29 sq mi (21.47 km2) |
| • Land | 6.53 sq mi (16.91 km2) |
| • Water | 1.76 sq mi (4.56 km2) |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Total | 3,591 |
| • Density | 550/sq mi (212.4/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
Osterville is a charming village located in the town of Barnstable, Massachusetts, in the United States. It's one of seven villages in Barnstable. You can find Osterville on the south side of Barnstable, right on Nantucket Sound. It's a quiet community with lots of nature, including marshes, bays, ponds, a small lake, and beautiful beaches. There's also a small area with shops and businesses. Osterville is especially famous for the Crosby Yacht Yard, where the Crosby family, known for building wooden boats, has been working for a very long time!
Contents
History of Osterville
Osterville wasn't always called Osterville. Its first name was Cotacheset, which came from the Native American name for the area. Over time, the village became a major spot for "oystering," which means collecting wild oysters. Because of this, people started calling it Oysterville. Later, a map was made, and the name was accidentally spelled "Osterville." The new spelling stuck, and that's how the village got its current name!
Early Days of the Village
The land where Osterville is today was bought around 1648. A Native American named Paupinanack sold the land for a copper kettle and some fence work. The area known as "Cotacheset" stretched along East Bay and the Centerville River. Another spot, "Kocochoice," was located where Crosby's boat shop is now, along West Bay. The part of the David Estate near Marstons Mills was called Mystic. The Shawme Indians lived nearby and were neighbors to Roger Goodspeed, one of the first settlers in this area.
Osterville Historical Society
The Osterville Historical Society started when a small group of three people began sharing old stories from older generations. Soon, more people joined, and their interest grew in learning about the very first settlers who made their home on Cape Cod. The society helps preserve the history of Osterville for everyone who loves the village, both past and present.
About Osterville
Osterville has a small but lively business area. Here you can find a public library, gift shops, clothing stores, restaurants, a small market, banks, a pizza place, a post office, a hardware store, art galleries, and barber shops.
Seasonal Visitors
During the summer months, especially July and August, Osterville's population grows a lot! Many people have a second home here for the summer, but they live in the Greater Boston area for most of the year. The village is well-known for its large, fancy houses right on the ocean.
Local Landmarks
The main cemetery for Osterville is called Hillside Cemetery, located on Old Mill Road.
The Osterville Historical Museum, which opened in 1931, works to keep the village's history alive. The museum has the largest collection of wooden boats in all of Massachusetts! You can also see the Cammett House, which is the oldest house in Osterville, and the Captain Jonathan Parker House, which belonged to a ship captain from the 1820s. The museum campus also features several boat shops, including the original Herbert F. Crosby boat shop from 1850. If you visit between mid-June and mid-September, you can enjoy the Osterville Farmers' Market every Friday at the museum.
Armstrong-Kelley Park is another special place in Osterville. It's the oldest and largest privately owned park on Cape Cod.
Boating and Water Activities
The Crosby Yacht Yard is famous for building the Crosby catboat and the Wianno senior. The Wianno senior was a favorite boat of President John F. Kennedy, who lived nearby in Hyannis Port.
A steel drawbridge connects Osterville to Little Island and Grand Island. Grand Island is also known as Oyster Harbors, a private community with many luxury homes and a country club. The neighborhood of Wianno is right next to the East Bay part of Osterville.
There are two private country clubs in Osterville: the Wianno Club and the Oyster Harbors Club. Both clubs have their own 18-hole golf courses, tennis courts, and private beaches. The Wianno Yacht Club, a private club on West Bay, offers sailing lessons for children.
Dowses Beach is a public beach in Osterville, managed by the town of Barnstable. It has restrooms with showers and a beach house where you can change. Lifeguards are on duty only during the summer.
Education
Osterville is home to Cape Cod Academy, a private school that teaches students from kindergarten through 12th grade.
Notable People from Osterville
Many interesting people have connections to Osterville:
- Charles Bilezikian – A businessman who helped start the Christmas Tree Shops.
- Jack Birmingham – A former owner of a NASCAR Winston Cup Series team.
- James M. Gavin – A general during World War II and a U.S. ambassador to France.
- Andy Hallett – An actor and singer known for his role in the TV show Angel (1999 TV series).
- David Hartman – The first host of ABC's Good Morning America.
- Charles Evans Hughes – The 11th Chief Justice of the United States.
- Adam Oates – A retired National Hockey League player and former coach for the Washington Capitals.
- Gene Rayburn – The host of the popular 1970s game show The Match Game.
- Lee Remick – An actress.
- Richard B. Sellars – A former Chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson.
- John Thomas Underwood – The founder of the Underwood Typewriter Company, who lived in Wianno.
- Bob Vila – A former host of the TV show This Old House.
- Kurt Vonnegut – A famous American writer from the 20th century.
