Photos
Click on these images to learn more about Barnstable history:
Built for Rev. John Lothrop in 1644, Sturgis Library is possibly the oldest remaining house in Barnstable, and it is the oldest library building in the United States. Captain William Sturgis, a shipmaster, bought the house in 1862, and when he died, he left it in trust as a public library. The library opened in August 1867 with 1300 books.
Built c.1754, this house has a colorful history. Situated on 6A (Old King's Highway), the main stagecoach route through Cape Cod, it was operating as a tavern since before the American Revolution. It is now a private house.
Built in 1829 by Matthias Hinckley, the great-great grandson of Governor (of Plymouth Colony) Thomas Hinckley, Packet Mail is one of the few houses along the Old King’s Highway that is still lived in by the direct descendants of its builder. The house is named after the “Mail,” a packet sloop built in 1837 that took passengers and freight between Barnstable to Boston before the railroad was built.
Built for Rev. John Lothrop in 1644, Sturgis Library is possibly the oldest remaining house in Barnstable, and it is the oldest library building in the United States. Captain William Sturgis, a shipmaster, bought the house in 1862, and when he died, he left it in trust as a public library. The library opened in August 1867 with 1300 books.