United States Customshouse (Barnstable, Massachusetts) facts for kids
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U.S. Customshouse
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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US Customshouse in 2014
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 Location in Cape Cod
Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 3353 Main Street, Barnstable, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1855 |
| Architect | Ammi B. Young |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Part of | Old King's Highway Historic District (ID87000314) |
| NRHP reference No. | 75000239 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 12, 1975 |
| Designated CP | March 12, 1987 |
The U.S. Customshouse is a special old building in Barnstable, Massachusetts. It's now known as the Coast Guard Heritage Museum and the Donald G. Trayser Memorial Museum. This historic building was once a place where taxes were collected on goods coming into the country. It also served as a post office for many years.
The Customshouse was built in 1855. A famous architect named Ammi Young designed it. After being a custom house and post office, it became a museum in 1960. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.
Contents
What is a Customshouse?
A customshouse was a very important building in the past. It was where government officials worked. They collected taxes, called "customs duties," on goods brought into the country from other places. This helped the government earn money. It also helped control what items entered the country.
The Building's Design and Look
The old customshouse is a two-story brick building. It has a style called "late Italianate". This means it looks a bit like buildings from Italy. It has special details made of metal. The roof is flat on top, which is called a "truncated hip roof".
The building is almost square. It has three sections on each side. The front sections stick out a little. The doors and windows have rounded tops. These are highlighted with light-colored trim. There are also decorative brick patterns between the floors and at the roofline. A smaller building, a carriage house, stands behind it. It has a similar design.
A Busy Port in the Past
In the 1800s, the port of Barnstable was very busy. It was one of the most active ports in Massachusetts. Before this building was constructed, the person who collected customs taxes worked from their own home.
This building first held the post office on the first floor. The customs collector's offices were on the second floor. Both of these services operated here until 1913. After that, the upstairs offices were used by the Barnstable County Extension Service. The post office moved out in 1958.
From Government Building to Museum
In 1960, the United States government gave the building to the town of Barnstable. Since then, it has been a museum. Today, it is home to the Coast Guard Museum. This museum teaches visitors about the history of the United States Coast Guard.
There are other interesting things on the museum grounds too. The Old Jail, built in 1690, was moved here from another spot nearby. There is also a working blacksmith shop. You can often see demonstrations there.
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