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flag  History of Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA

Journey back in time to Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA

(Cotuit) (Centerville) (Hyannis)

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Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA - Barnstable Inn, 1898 Historic Towns of New England. (1898). United Kingdom: G. P. Putnams sons.

Barnstable, Barnstable, MA

(Cotuit, Centreville, Hyannis, Osterville, Marston's Mills, West Barnstable)

Barnstable takes its name from Barnstaple, Devon, England. The area was first explored by Bartholomew Gosnold in 1602. It was one of the first towns to be settled in Plymouth Colony, one year behind Sandwich, in 1638, and was incorporated in 1639. The early settlers were farmers, led by the Reverend Joseph Hull, the founder of Barnstable. kids.kiddle.co

Included in Barnstable are: Centerville, Cotuit, Craigville, Cummaquid, Hyannis, Hyannisport, Marston Mills, Newtown, Osterville, Oyster Harbors, Pimlico, Pondsville, Santuit, Wianno.
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Barnstable Nostalgia: Vintage Photos, Ads, and Postcards


Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA

Artwork
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Barnstable Inn, 1898
Historic Towns of New England. (1898). United Kingdom: G. P. Putnam's sons.

Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA

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Bishop and Clerk Light, Hyannis, 1898

Historic Towns of New England. (1898). United Kingdom: G. P. Putnam's sons.

Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA

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Centerville, Massachusetts

Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA

Postcard
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Camp Opechee, Wequaquet Lake, Centerville, Mass.

Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA

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Congregational Church, Centerville, Mass.

Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA

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Unitarian Church

Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA

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Post Office and Costom House

Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA

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Refrigerating Plant for Cranberry Canners, Inc. at Barnstable, Massachusetts

Visitors to Cape Cod will be interested in this Cranberry Refrigerating plant at Barnstable (with a duplicate at Chatham) where vine-ripped cranberries are quickly frozen by a special process capturing their flavor and food value at the perfection point. These berries are then canned as needed, assuring consumers "fresh pack" Cranberry Sauce every day in the year. Capacity of the two plants, 4,000,000 lbs. Ocean Spray is the growers' own brand, packed and backed with New England conscience and tradition.

Discover Barnstable: History, News, Travel, and Stories

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  • 1637 - Barnstable is settled

    Massachusetts City and Town Incorporation and Settlement Dates
  • 1638 - Barnstable is incorporated

    Massachusetts City and Town Incorporation and Settlement Dates
  • 1780 - THE DARK DAY OF 1780
    Immortalized by John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892), the poem entitled “Abraham Davenport,” vividly described this celebrated weather event that occurred over New England on May 19th. It was a day so dark that: “Birds ceased to sing, and all the barnyard fowls roosted; the cattle at the pasture bars lowed, and looked homeward. ” During colonial times, days when candles were required to perform noontime chores occurred in 1680, 1685, 1706, 1716, 1727, 1743, and 1762, but none brought such fear and reverence as that of the dark day of 1780. The mysterious obscuration was first reported at dawn over southwest Vermont, and it slowly traveled southeastward during the day. The place to last report this strange weather was Barnstable, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod, in the late afternoon. In Boston, the atmosphere darkened perceptibly after 9 a.m., until the reading of the newsprint became difficult outdoors. Many New Englanders believed that the Judgment Day was at hand. The cause was later... Read MORE...

  • 1839 - Barnstable
    Barnstable, Massachusetts
    This is the chief town of Barnstable county and a port of entry. It is 65 miles from Boston. Sandy Neck, on the N. side, forms a good harbor for vessels of 8 feet of water. Hyannis, on the S. side, 6 miles S.E. of Barnstable Court House, is now a good harbor; but by an expensive Breakwater, constructing at that place by the U.S. government, it will soon become perfectly safe from all winds, for all classes of vessels navigating the Sound, and passing round the Cape. The "Pilgrim Fathers" landed here, Nov. 11, 1620, and borrowed some corn of the Mattacheeset Indians. The celebrated patriot, James Otis, was born here, Feb. 5, 1725. He died at Andover, May 23, 1783. The manufacture of salt was commenced here as early as 1779. It then sold for $6 a bushel. There was made 25,125 bushels of salt in this town in 1837. Between 50 and 60 sail of fishing and coasting vessels belong to this place. This town has numerous ponds, a considerable water power, some fine... Read MORE...

  • 1845 - BARNSTABLE. [Pop. 4,301. Inc. 1639.]
    The Indian name was Mattacheeset, which nearly resembles the name of the State. Barnstable is the County Town.

    This town extends across the peninsula, being from five to nine miles wide, and it contains several ponds, of which the largest is called Great Pond.

    Sandy Neck, a strip of land extending from Sandwich in front of Barnstable, forms the harbor of Barnstable, which is capacious, but does not admit large vessels in conseqaence of a sand bank at its entrance.

    Besides the main village there is Hyannis, a good harbor at the south ; Osterville at the southeast; and Cotuit at the west.

    James Otis, a distinguished patriot just before the Revolution, was born here. He was killed by lightning when there was no appearance of a cloud in the sky.

    The inhabitants are engaged in commerce, the fisheries, and the manufacture of salt.

    Distance .from Boston, by land, 65 miles.
    Source: An Elementary Geography for Massachusetts Children by William Bentley Fowle and Asa Fitz, 1845
  • 1854 - Barnstable
    Barnstable, a port of entry, and seat of justice of Barnstable county, Massachusetts, on the south side of Barnstable Bay, which opens into Cape Cod Bay. The Old Colony railroad is intended to extend to this place, 65 miles S. E. from Boston, and 28 miles S. E. from Plymouth. The township reaches entirely across the cape, including several villages within its limits. At the mouth of the bay is a bar, having on it from 6 to 7 feet of water. The inhabitants are extensively engaged in the coast trade and the fisheries. One weekly newspaper is published in Barnstable. The aggregate burthen of the shipping, June 30th, 1852, was 8828 tons registered, and 67,668 tons enrolled and licensed: total, 76,894. During the year, 11 schooners, with an aggregate burden of 1085 tons, were admeasured. Packets and steamboats are constantly plying between this port and Boston. Population, 4901.
    A New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States: Giving a Full and Comprehensive Review of the Present Condition, Industry, and Resources of the American Confederacy ... Thomas Baldwin (of Philadelphia.) Joseph Thomas January 1, 1854 Philadelphia : Lippincott, Grambo & Company 1854.
  • News  1871 - A young man found a skunk in his cellar at Barnstable, Mass.,
    and carefully let down a piece of meat covered with arsenic to the floor, as he thought. It was afterwards found that the bait had been lowered into the pork barrel.
    St Joseph Herald
    Saint Joseph, Michigan
    December 2, 1871
  • Barnstable Massachusetts, 1890
    BARNSTABLE extends across the western portion of Cape Cod from shore to shore. It has Yarmouth on the east and Mashpee and Sandwich on the west, and contains about a dozen villages. It is 73 miles from Boston on the Old Colony Railroad, which has stations at West Barnstable, Barnstable and Hyannis. These are also post-offices, together with Hyannisport, Centreville, Marston's Mills, Cotuit, Osterville, Craigville and Wianno; other villages are East Barnstable, Newtown and Old Cotuit. The harbors are Barnstable, Hyannis Harbor, New Harbor and Cotuit Harbor.

    A narrow peninsula called Sandy Neck extends from the northwest corner of the town several miles easterly, forming Barnstable Harbor, which admits vessels drawing seven or eight feet of water. Bordering on this harbor are great salt marshes, from which many tons of hay are annually cut. Hyannis Harbor; on the southern side of the cape, is protected by a breakwater, and admits the largest coasting vessels. Cotuit Harbor is formed... Read MORE...

  • 1895 - Barnstable
    Barnstable, a port of entry, capital of Barnstable co.., Mass., on a bay of the same name, which is a part of Cape Cod Bay, and on the Old Colony Railroad, 73 miles S.S.E. of Boston. It is in Barnstable township, which contains villages named Cotuit, Centreville, Hyannis, Osterville, West Barnstable, and Marston's Mills, and is bounded on the S. by the Atlantic Ocean. Barnstable has a handsome court house, 3 churches, a high school, a town house, a newspaper office, a savings-bank, and a custom-house. The township has 11 churches, and numerous vessels engaged in the coast trade and fisheries. Pop. in 1880, 4242; in 1890, 4023.
    Lippincott's Gazetteer of the World: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World Containing Notices of Over One Hundred and Twenty-five Thousand Places ... Joseph Thomas January 1, 1895 J.B. Lippincott
  • 1916
    Barnstable, a port of entry, capital of Barnstable co., Mass., on a bay of the same name, which is a part of Cape Cod Bay, and on the New York, New Haven and Hartford K . 73 miles SSE. of Boston. Its banking point is Yarmouthport. It is in Barnstable township (town), which contains a number of other villages (West Barnstable, Osterville, Hyannis, etc.) and is bounded on the S. by the Atlantic Ocean. The town has numerous vessels engaged in the coast-trade and fisheries. Pop. of the town in 1890, 4023 : in 1900, 4364.

    Centerville, a post-village of Barnstable co., Mass., on the Atlantic Ocean, 4 miles W. of Hyannis.
    Lippincotts New Gazetteer: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World, Containing the Most Recent and Authentic Information Respecting the Countries, Cities, Towns, Resorts, Islands, Rivers, Mountains, Seas, Lakes, Etc., in Every Portion of the Globe, Part 1 Angelo Heilprin Louis Heilprin - January 1, 1916 J.B. Lippincott - Publisher


Discover Your Roots: Barnstable Ancestry

Ancestors Who Were Born or Died in Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA

We currently have information about ancestors who were born or died in Barnstable.

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photo of John LOTHROPJohn LOTHROP (20 December 1584, , England (United Kingdom) - 8 November 1653, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA (Cotuit) (Centerville) (Hyannis))
photo of John LATHROP (LOTHROP)John LATHROP (LOTHROP) (20 December 1584, , England (United Kingdom) - 8 November 1653, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA (Cotuit) (Centerville) (Hyannis))
male ancestorDelor DAVIS (1597, , England (United Kingdom) - 2 June 1673, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA (Cotuit) (Centerville) (Hyannis))
male ancestorAnthony ANNABLE (1599, Cambridge, England - 24 February 1672, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA (Cotuit) (Centerville) (Hyannis))
female ancestorElizabeth BAYLIES (1601, Bristol, England - , Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA (Cotuit) (Centerville) (Hyannis))
female ancestorMargery WILLARD (6 November 1602, Horsmonden Tunbridge Wells Borough Kent, England - 1656, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA (Cotuit) (Centerville) (Hyannis))
male ancestorRobert LEE (1602, London, England - 8 August 1663, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA (Cotuit) (Centerville) (Hyannis))
female ancestorMary ATWOOD (23 February 1603, London, England - 1 October 1681, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA (Cotuit) (Centerville) (Hyannis))
female ancestorSarah LEARNED (1607, , England (United Kingdom) - 1652, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA (Cotuit) (Centerville) (Hyannis))

Ancestors Who Were Married in Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA

We currently have information about ancestors who were married in Barnstable.

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male ancestorWilliam LUMPKIN (1600 - 29 January 1670) and female ancestorThomasine CONSTABLE (1605 - 22 February 1682) married 19 January 1625
male ancestorRobert BODFISH (1609 - 19 November 1651) and female ancestorBridget SUGG (1612 - 30 October 1662) married 1634
male ancestorThomas LATHROP (21 February 1612 - 1701) and female ancestorSarah LEARNED (1607 - 1652) married 11 December 1639
male ancestorAugustin (Augustine) BEARSE (24 April 1618 - 2 June 1686) and female ancestorMary UNKNOWN (1623 - 21 February 1677) married 1639
male ancestorJohn DUNHAM (1620 - 6 April 1682) and female ancestorDorothy DAY (1624 - 1666) married 14 March 1640
male ancestorJohn DUNHAM (1614 - 1692) and female ancestorDorothy DAY (1618 - 19 April 1715) married 14 March 1641
male ancestorSamuel LATHROP (3 March 1623 - 29 February 1700) and female ancestorElizabeth SCUDDER (1622 - 15 April 1690) married 28 November 1644
male ancestorAnthony ANNABLE (1599 - 24 February 1672) and female ancestorAnn CLARK (1610 - 1678) married 3 March 1644
male ancestorRobert DAVIS (DAVIES) (1620 - 1693) and female ancestorAnne UNKNOWN (1626 - 1701) married 1645
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Updated: 5/12/2023 12:48:44 PM

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