History of Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA

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...

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...

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.

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.

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.

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...