In Their Footsteps: Cape Cod History - The Blue Tavern of Barnstable

    Barnstable Village is one of the most beautiful areas on Cape Cod. Where Route 6A passes through it there is the atmosphere of a quaint Main Street. So much of what attracts people to the Cape is located in barely a half-mile stretch of road. There are shops, restaurants, libraries, churches with beautiful gardens, the District Court, and even a fire department.

    The fire department in Barnstable Village came into existence after a pair of devastating fires in the mid-1930’s. The first fire was the catalyst to get people talking about creating a village fire department. It was a tragic event that could have very easily been prevented. Five fire departments came in time, the only thing they lacked was the water to put the fire out. The victim of this fire was the popular and luxurious Blue Tavern. This is the story of the brief tenure of this long forgotten Cape Cod establishment.

    The idea for a luxurious hotel in Barnstable Village came from the mind of Harold Daggett and on the land owned by his father. It was late in 1925 when the reports of a new hotel possibly being constructed in the village popped up. The land was directly across Route 6A from what is today the Barnstable House.

    Construction was slow going at the beginning. An early frost and cold frozen ground on Cape Cod caused Daggett to delay the rock blasting to break ground on the hotel’s cellar. After waiting until it was more favorable weather-wise work began in late December 1925.

    Located up on a hill the progress on the Blue Tavern was rushed during the winter and spring of 1926 in the hopes of getting it opened by the summer. There was a main entrance leading into the property from Route 6A and the winding driveway led around and exited out onto Old Jail Lane. Despite rushing the construction the fabulous Blue Tavern was ready for its grand opening on June 1, 1926.

    The specs of the new hotel included three floors and twenty-eight guest rooms. A huge chimney rose from the ground on either end of the building which was naturally adorned with blue trimmings. All of the guest rooms had private baths and telephones, many of these rooms were named after Cape Cod towns. There was a basement tea room, a fully equipped pump house, and a twelve car garage. Blue Tavern sat on twenty-one acres of land surrounded by evergreens. It gave it the feeling of being secluded even though it was only a few hundred feet from the road. The total cost of the project was estimated at $125,000 ($1.93 million in 2021).

The Blue Tavern (Sturgis Library)

    The first season of the Blue Tavern was considered a success highlighted by Henry Ford staying for several nights in the ‘Chatham’ room. Being a luxury hotel attracted higher class clientele yet this was a double-edged sword. It turned out that running a hotel with opulent amenities along with running the Blue Lantern Tea Room across the street was an expensive undertaking. The Blue Tavern was said to have been one of the costliest properties on Cape Cod as far as upkeep went.

    Harold Daggett had been under the belief that a Cape Cod land boom was on the horizon as he debuted the Blue Tavern. This, however, did not end up occurring. The repercussions were immediate as Daggett was forced into bankruptcy shortly after closing the hotel for the season. The end result was the hotel being sold in January 1927 to Elmer Clapp of Boston for the sum of $94,280 ($1.48 million in 2021).

    Clapp installed Ernest Sharpe of Swampscott, Massachusetts as General Manager due to his previous successes running several hotels in Florida. The Blue Tavern opened for its second season in March 1927. The ride was smooth for the new ownership only for about a year. Sharpe resigned from his post as GM in May 1928 to go and run the Yarmouth Tavern. Elmer Clapp appointed his son Charles as the new GM shortly thereafter.

An ad for the Blue Tavern from Yarmouth Register July 2, 1927

    For the next several years the Blue Tavern earned a reputation as one of the premier hotels on Cape Cod. In addition to being frequented by travelers from all parts of the country the hotel was also a perfect location for other events. Important meetings, wedding receptions, intimate dining affairs, and more were held on the property. After some stops and starts it appeared that nothing could keep Blue Tavern from creating a lasting legacy in Cape Cod history.

    Sadly that was not to be the case. On June 25, 1934 a fire of unknown origin broke out just after dawn. Within a short period of time five different neighboring fire departments arrived at the Blue Tavern. Hyannis Fire Department Chief J. Lester Howland later admitted that the fire itself was fairly routine and could have easily been taken care of. However that did not end up happening. The reason? There was a lack of water for the firemen to use.

    Although it had been a bone of contention for many years Barnstable Village did not have its own water supply to be used to fight fires. The village depended on using water from local creeks and in a case of bad timing the tide was out that morning as the Blue Tavern burned.

    The fire was first noticed by hotel employee Eleanor Scott shortly after 8am. Luckily there were only nine guests at the hotel at the time. They were all alerted and safely got out of the hotel. In fact the fire burned so slowly that all of the guests had ample time to pack their belongings before exiting. When all was said and done the only thing left standing of the Blue Tavern was a wing on the east side.

    Though some furniture was saved management said almost immediately that the building was unlikely to be rebuilt. Cementing the likely end a note of appreciation was written by owner Elmer Clapp thanking the fire department and police for all of their attempts to save the Blue Tavern. It was a devastating loss not only for travelers to Cape Cod but for the staff as well. The Great Depression was crippling the job market in America and things did not bode well for the former employees who lost their jobs as well as surrounding businesses that benefited from the tourism.

    Despite the fire spelling the likely end of the Blue Tavern the remains of the property still stood for several years. There were rumors of the property being converted into a jail farm but those never materialized. The final curtain came in December 1940 when the last pieces of the Blue Tavern hotel were knocked down and removed. The property stayed unoccupied until 1970 when a family home was built there.

The Barnstable Village fire department. (Google Maps)

    Although the Blue Tavern is a long forgotten blip on the radar in history there was an event that resulted from its demise that is still around today. Barnstable got its own official fire department on July 14, 1935. It was approved by voters including money for a fire engine and land donated by Alfred Crocker in memory of his father. Upon this land the fire station was constructed. Located in the center of Barnstable Village it still stands to this day. It might have been too late to save the Blue Tavern but the loss of the luxury hotel led to the creation of a fire department that without question has saved lives and property in the decades since. In that vein the Blue Tavern was a rousing success.

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Previous Blog Posts:

In My Footsteps: Sundays At Nana's

In Their Footsteps: Cape Cod History - Kemp's of America Restaurant

Be sure to check out my website: Christopher Setterlund.com

Zazzle Store: Cape Cod Living

In Their Footsteps: Cape Cod History - Shootflying Hill, Hyannis

 

    In the 21^st century the geographical area known as Shootflying Hill is seen by thousands of people daily. At the same time it is passed by and given barely a moment’s thought. Standing 220-feet high it sits directly on the route of the Mid-Cape Highway. In between Exits 5 and 6, sorry Exits 65 and 68, vehicles traverse Shootflying Hill in heading through Barnstable. However for the better part of a century Shootflying Hill was a destination. From hiking and picnicking to scenic overlooks in the early days of the Mid-Cape Highway, this is the story of when Shootflying Hill was one of Cape Cod’s most popular attractions.

    In the 19^th century and the time preceding it Shootflying Hill in Barnstable was one of the top places to go for hunters. It was given its name due to the fact that hunters scaled the hill to shoot ducks and other birds. Despite its status as Cape Cod’s most popular hill for activities Shootflying Hill is not the Cape’s tallest. Ahead of it are Pine Hill in Pocasset at 306-feet, Telegraph Hill in Sandwich at 289-feet, and Town Line Hill on the Bourne/Sandwich line at 277-feet.

The Shootflying Hill observation tower c. 1918(Henry Isenberg) 

    Being perhaps the only spot on Cape Cod from which someone can see both Nantucket Sound 3 ¼ miles to the south and Cape Cod Bay 3 ½ miles to the north it was naturally a place that locals and visitors congregated to in the late-19th century. As the Cape grew as a summer vacation destination Shootflying Hill did as well. While picnics along the grassy slope were commonplace some wanted to go to the next level. An idea to put an observation tower atop the hill was brought forth by an unnamed woman from the village of Wianno.

    In 1890 this woman sold newspaper subscriptions to the Barnstable Patriot to help raise the necessary $200 to erect a 20-foot tall wooden observation tower on Shootflying Hill. It was completed that August and was an immediate sensation. The Lookout, as it was often called, drew hundreds of visitors annually wither on foot or via the dirt carriage road which was nearby. Despite the success of the tower little was done to maintain it.

    Things came to a head in August 1904 when various complaints about the tower and carriage road were aired. Some of the damage to the wooden tower was related to the harsh New England weather. Much of it though came from carelessness or intentional damaging including people carving their initials into the green stain of the tower. The structure was in need of repairs amounting to more than $300.

    The Lookout took on a second purpose in October 1911 when it was designated a fire tower. An upper story, enclosed and surrounded by windows was added shortly thereafter. The first appointed observer for the fire tower was Calvin Benson of West Barnstable. Benson reported more than 2,300 visitors to the tower in 1912, sometimes as many as 40 in a day.

    Adding the responsibility of watching for forest fires made it easier to have a new tower built in 1914. It didn’t hurt that the existing tower was in dangerous risk of collapse. At a town meeting a unanimous vote was given to raise the necessary $350 for a new tower on Shootflying Hill. The new structure was completed in October 1914. This tower was made of steel, stood 40-feet tall, and 18-feet wide at the base. It was said to have been easily spotted from miles around.

    This new tower stood tall atop Shootflying Hill for more than 30 years. It grew in popularity as time went on. This included 1923 where visitors came from 29 states and 6 foreign countries to see the observation and fire tower. Over time it was eventually decided that a new tower needed to be built. However this one would not be on Shootflying Hill.

    In August 1947 construction began on a new tower. This one was to be located on Clay Hill only ¾ mile west of Shootflying Hill. When finished the new tower stood 68-feet tall. It was opened for duty on March 1, 1948. Subsequently the Shootflying Hill tower was torn down. For the first time in nearly 60 years there was no tower atop the hill.

The Clay Hill Tower seen from the eastbound lane of the Mid-Cape Highway(Google Maps).

    Only a few years after the tower came down Shootflying Hill became linked with the new Mid-Cape Highway. In 1954 the new roadway finished at a rotary just past the hill, what would become Exit 6(68). In the following years the highway eventually extended all the way into Provincetown. This made Shootflying Hill a perfect midpoint and prime real estate for a rest area.

    In the immediate area around Shootflying Hill became home to a large water tank in the mid-1960’s. It also became home to a transmitter tower in 1970 for the new WQRC radio station. In the Fall of 1988 the Shootflying Hill rest area was closed by the state due to safety reasons. This brought the tenure of the titular hill as an attraction for visitors and locals.

    After the closing of the rest area the land between the two side of the Mid-Cape Highway was allowed to grow over. Naturally being located in the center of a busy roadway it is nearly impossible, and unwise, to try to journey to where so many people used to hike and picnic. That being said, if one dared to cross into the area it is possible to find remnants of the bases of the former fire tower on top of Shootflying Hill.

The former location of the tower and rest area.(Google Maps)

    Today it is a geographical feature passed by thousands daily yet the vast majority likely have no idea of the popular attraction it once was. An area for hunting, an area for picnicking and sightseeing, and the home of an observation and fire tower, Shootflying Hill in Barnstable can lay claim to all of these things.

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Previous Blog Posts:

In Their Footsteps: Cape Cod History - Fiddlebee's, Hyannis

In Their Footsteps: New England History - Henry & Elsie Baumann

Be sure to check out my website: Christopher Setterlund.com

Zazzle Store: Cape Cod Living

In My Footsteps: 4K Cape Cod - Sandy Neck Lighthouse and Colony

In Their Footsteps: Cape Cod History - Sandy Neck Colony and Lighthouse

     Sandy Neck Beach in West Barnstable is one of the largest on Cape Cod and also one of the most historic. Those who pull into the parking lot and stare out at the ocean or over at the majestic dunes are getting much of what makes Sandy Neck unique, but not what makes it historical. The beach itself is amazing, yet it’s along the Sandy Neck Trails where the true heart and soul of the area is found. A permit is required for taking a vehicle out on these trails which lead around the south side of Sandy Neck’s impressive dunes. There are a few off shoot trails which bring you out to much more secluded sections of the 4,700-acre beach area.

A wide view of the Sandy Neck Colony
(Christopher Setterlund)

     Centuries ago, prior to 1702, the entirety of Sandy Neck Beach was considered part of the ‘common lands’ of the Town of Barnstable. This meant the whole of Sandy Neck was public property. In 1703 the beach was purchased and divided into 60 private parcels except for a minuscule 330-foot section of the north facing beach which remained public. Lot 60, located at the very tip of Sandy Neck was allocated to Joseph Lothrop and Ebenezer Lewis. It would become home to a group of summer cottages in the latter part of the 19^th century.

     In the 18^th into the 19^th century whaling was a huge industry along the coast of New England. Along Sandy Neck the process of shore whaling took place. This included having the tryworks on shore, these were brick furnaces usually adorning whaling ships. A pair of cast iron try-pots would be placed on the bricks for the purpose of heating whale blubber to recover the oil. Sandy Neck became the first area of whaling on Cape Cod to open up its grounds to the public for whale watching as well.

     The whaling industry, along with the fact that Sandy Neck marked the entrance to Barnstable Harbor necessitated the construction of a lighthouse at its eastern end referred to as Beach Point. On October 1, 1826 Sandy Neck Lighthouse was illuminated for the first time. Erosion over the decades forced the construction of a second lighthouse in 1857. This is the current lighthouse. Made of brick it was susceptible to cracking and in 1887 a pair of iron hoops along with six staves were added around its center giving the lighthouse a unique look.

The current Sandy Neck Lighthouse prior to 1880
(Wikimedia Commons)

     Sandy Neck Lighthouse was decommissioned on October 1, 1932 due to Barnstable Harbor’s decreasing importance as well as the fact that the shifting sands of Sandy Neck moved the lighthouse further from the outer coast of the beach. There were attempts to dismantle and sell the entirety of the lighthouse but the oncoming Great Depression put that on hold. A skeleton tower was briefly erected closer to the water but it proved too costly and only was lit during the warmer months. In 1934 the lighthouse was sold to a private owner and the lantern was discarded. It remained ‘headless’ for more than seventy-five years until it was restored to its full working order with a new lantern in 2007.

     Sandy Neck is home to fifty-eight cottages. The first of which is a little more than a mile out on the sand. The cottages are mostly over a hundred years old; they are grandfathered into this historic district. New construction in the area was forbidden during the 1960’s. The main attraction is at the end of the trails is the Sandy Neck Colony. Located more than six miles out on the sandy trails is a cluster of more than two dozen cottages with the lighthouse supplying the border on the east.

     Many of the cottages dotting the spit of sand have interesting histories. There is the ‘The Barnacle’ cottage built by noted local historian Henry Crocker Kittredge out of an old garage in 1908. ‘The Hurricane’ cottage was a hunting camp originally built in 1898 by Jim Hinckley, Russell Hallett, and Arthur Coville. The ‘Parker/Poland’ cottage was originally built at the turn of the 20^th century with the help of George Jamieson who was keeper of Sandy Neck Light at the time.

One of the cottages on the way out to the Sandy Neck Colony
(Christopher Setterlund)

     One of the earliest cottages of the colony also doubled as a restaurant. The Barnstable Harbor House, owned in the 1880’s and 1890’s by Benjamin Lovell, could seat up to twenty-five in the dining room. It became more widely known as the Chowder House due to the superb chowder created by Lovell. A wharf was built to allow for boats to dock in front of the restaurant/cottage. Lovell also canned his chowder for sale to customers. The kitchen ell of the cottage was removed around 1910 and became the Buck Cottage at the west end of the colony.

     During Prohibition the rolling dunes and relative isolation of Sandy Neck became the perfect landing and hiding spot for rum runners. Liquor would be stored in one of the summer cottages as it was prepared to be shipped to the Cape’s mainland.

A close up of Sandy Neck Lighthouse from Bone Hill Beach
(Christopher Setterlund)

     Since 1978, Sandy Neck has been designated an “Area of Critical Environmental Concern” by the Mass. Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs because several endangered species including piping plovers and least terns make their habitat in the area. As of 2015 the lighthouse which had been originally built at the point stood more than 2,000 feet from the point due to accretion of sand.

The colony and Sandy Neck Lighthouse are private though and the trails will not take you there. Many of the cottages have been passed down for generations through the same families. It is a very close-knit community. The Sandy Neck Colony is best seen either from a boat in the harbor or across the water on the shore of Millway Beach or Bone Hill Beach in Barnstable. However the beach itself is public and remains one of the most popular and unique natural beauties on Cape Cod.                                                 -----------------------------------------

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View my previous blog posts: In Their Footsteps: Cape Cod History - Deacon John Doane

In Their Footsteps: Cape Cod History - The Man Behind the Long Point Cross                         

Photo Prints available here: Smug Mug.com

Be sure to check out my website: Christopher Setterlund.com

In My Footsteps: Long Pasture Wildlife Sanctuary

Here is a video featuring a tour of the beautiful Long Pasture Wildlife Sanctuary in Barnstable.  Owned by the Massachusetts Audubon Society it includes miles of walking trails, some beach areas, and views of the Sandy Neck Colony across Barnstable Harbor.





The three books of the In My Footsteps series are available at Amazon.com.


In My Footsteps: A Cape Cod Travel Guide

In My Footsteps: A Traveler's Guide to Martha's Vineyard

In My Footsteps: A Traveler's Guide to Nantucket

In My Footsteps: Trip 28: Centerville, Osterville, Cotuit, Mass.

In My Footsteps

Christopher Setterlund

Trip 28: Centerville, Osterville, Cotuit, Mass.

February 28, 2010

            Centerville, Osterville, and Cotuit are three small villages considered part of the larger town of Barnstable on the south side of Cape Cod that can easily be passed by on a trip from Falmouth to Hyannis.  Taking you on a trip through Cape history and passing some of the most amazing natural sites as well these three small villages must be seen and appreciated by any traveler to this area.

            Centerville was originally called Chequaquet by the Wampanoag Indians when it was purchased by Myles Standish in 1648.  The village has done a good job of hanging on to its history as Main Street still feels like a walk back through the 19^th Century.  The best example of this is the 1856 Country Store(left) located on Main Street.  It has been a general merchandise store since 1856 and still to this day sells homemade jams and jellies as well as classic penny candies that will bring you back to childhood days.  The store now sells its catalog online as it has kept up with technology, but nothing beats taking a walk down Main Street and stopping into the 1856 Country Store.

            For those not looking for trips through history there is the very popular and well known Craigville Beach to visit.   Craigville Beach lies on the similarly named Craigville Beach Road and is bordered on the east by the smaller Covell’s Beach.  It is also bordered on the north by a river flowing in from East Bay; there are many beautiful private homes along the river.  The Kennedy Compound is able to be seen after a long walk on the beach, Craigville Beach is a popular starting and finishing point for many road races and marathons on the Cape and Eastern Massachusetts. 

            Continuing west leads you into Osterville.  There are numerous summer residences here along the beautiful oceanfront and especially in the private Oyster Harbors section of Osterville.  There is a drawbridge connecting Oyster Harbors(below) to the mainland but it is a gated community and thus cannot be accessed by visitors unless they are residents.

            A great place that can be visited by anyone is the Osterville Historic Society Museum located on West Bay Road.  On the grounds sits the Herbert Crosby Boat Shop, it still contains many of the same boat building tools originally used by Mr. Crosby and his family in the mid 19^th Century.  The Crosby name is most synonymously associated with the Crosby Catboat which became a hit with sailors not too long after being developed in the latter half of the 19^th Century.  The Crosby’s themselves built over 3,000 Catboats from 1850 to 1970.  The Captain Parker House stands closest to the road and was built in 1824.  It belonged to the afore mentioned Captain Parker who like many 19^th Century Cape residents made his living on the seas as a fisherman.

There is also an authentic ‘jelly house’ on the grounds.  These were used along road sides mostly prior to World War II to sell all sorts of delicious jams and jellies to travelers.  Once gift shops began selling the same products the houses became obsolete and were sold to individuals.  It is a very unique look into Olde Cape Cod when you stand before this tiny shack that now contains a play set for children.  The grounds can be walked at anytime but the museum itself is open daily from mid-June to mid-September.

The third village of Barnstable to be visited was Cotuit.  As with Centerville and Osterville, a trip down through the Historic District of Main Street will give you a great vision of the town’s past.  Located in the same parking area along Main Street is the Freedom Hall, built in 1860.  There is a marker near the road which is dedicated to the memory of those who first settled the Cotuit area in 1648.  Next door is the Old Meeting House, built in 1846.  It now houses the Masons.

On the opposite side of Main Street sits the Cotuit Library, built in 1874 which sits next to the Cotuit Memorial Park.  There are benches giving a great view of one of the least densely populated areas of the Cape.  Along the roadside sits a stone with a plaque naming all of those Cotuit residents that served in World War I and the two who died during that horrible conflict. 

Directly across from the library and park is Oyster Place.  This short road takes you to the town landing where the dock gives you a tremendous view of Cotuit Bay.  Across the bay, almost straight south is the Col. Charles Codman Estate.  Built in 1870 by John Sturgis, it is part of the National Historic Register.   Col. Codman served in both World Wars and was an aide to Gen. George Patton during World War II.

The last spot to visit ended up being the most spectacular for me.  A little further down Main Street is Oceanview Avenue and Loop Beach.  The road itself is a one-way loop, thus the beach name.  The beach itself is nice but it is the walk back up the hill that is Oceanview Ave. that gives some of the most amazing views on the Cape.  Though mostly dotted with private homes there are still several open patches of landscape allowing for a view of Cotuit Bay, Oyster Harbors, and the Sampson’s Island Sanctuary(left).  It is easy to see why these people chose to live on such a spot.  It capped off a great ride through the western sections of Barnstable.

Barnstable has many small villages; each one has its own share of natural beauty and historical significance.  When the bustle of Rt. 28 and Rt. 132 have overloaded your senses, take a turn down Craigville Beach Road and start your journey through a simpler, quieter section of the Cape.  It is worth the trip.  Have fun and happy traveling!

 Directions:  Craigville Beach: From Rt. 28 heading east, turn right onto Old Stage Road.  Old Stage Rd. becomes Main Street, 1856 Country Store is on the left.  Continue on as Main Street becomes Craigville Beach Rd.  The beach is on the right.

Osterville Historical Museum: From Rt. 28 heading east, turn right onto Old East Osterville Rd.  Follow it to the end and turn right onto Bumps River Rd. bear left onto Pond St.  Follow Pond St. to Main Street.  Turn right at Yachtsman Circle, continue onto Parker Rd.  Turn right at West Bay Rd., Historical Museum is on the left.

Cotuit Memorial Park/Loop Beach: From Rt. 28 heading east, turn right onto Main Street just after end of Rt. 130.  Follow Main Street a mile and a half, Cotuit Library and Memorial Park are on the right.  Continue on about 1,000 feet, Oceanview Avenue is on the left, follow it to Loop Beach.

References:  1856 Country Store

            Osterville Historical Museum

            Mass Audubon - Sampsons Island

            Cotuit Cape Cod.com  

Centerville on Dwellable

Cotuit on Dwellable

In My Footsteps: Trip 10 - Barnstable, Mass.

In My Footsteps

Christopher Setterlund

Trip 10: Barnstable, Mass.

January 24, 2010

           

            Is it possible for one town to have two names?  In the case of Barnstable, yes it is.  People call the town Barnstable and Hyannis and they are both correct.  Barnstable is usually the name associated with the historic district along Route 6A while Hyannis is seen as the area with all of the stores and restaurants along Routes 28 & 132.

            The town of Barnstable, founded in 1639, got its name from the town of Barnstaple, England.  As you enter the town from the highway there is a sign along Willow Street noting this fact.  Heading south on Willow Street will lead you into Hyannis while heading north leads you into the historic district of Barnstable.  On this trip I went north toward Rt. 6A.

            A left turn onto Rt. 6A will eventually lead you to a set of traffic lights.  Heading right takes you down Millway along Barnstable Harbor.  The road ends at the small Millway Beach parking lot which has a tremendous view of the Sandy Neck Trails and the cottages and lighthouse that adorn the point(left).  I covered the trails here: Sandy Neck Trails.  There are extensive mudflats which become exposed at low tide and are popular for shell fishing.    

            Along historic Rt. 6A after exiting Millway you will find the Barnstable County Courthouse(below) standing stoically over the other buildings.  Built in 1831 this is not even the oldest courthouse in the village.  That honor belongs to the appropriately named Olde Colonial Courthouse.  Located just up the road from the current courthouse near Rendezvous Lane this building, which currently houses the Tales of Cape Cod historical society, was built in 1772 and served as the county’s courthouse until 1838. 

Located on the front lawn of the Barnstable County Courthouse are statues depicting Colonial lawyer James Otis who some argue actually sewed the seeds of the American Revolution through a speech in 1761 as well as his sister Mercy Otis Warren.  She is widely considered the ‘Conscience of the American Revolution.’

            About a half a mile up on the left is the narrow opening of Old Jail Lane.  This road once housed the oldest wooden jail in the United States.  Built in 1690, the ‘Old Jail’ was moved from its former location on Old Jail Lane in 1971 to its current location on Cobb’s Hill behind the Coast Guard Heritage Museum only a few minutes drive away. 

Old Jail Lane can be a very spooky ride at dusk and there is a great set of trails which are accessible from here, the Cape Cod Community College parking lot, or at another entrance located diagonally from the Lamb and Lion Inn on Rt. 6A.  The trails are easy to follow thanks to color coded arrows and detailed maps located throughout the trail area.

            Entering the trails from the West Barnstable parking lot on Rt. 6A leads you up a steep hill that gives way to an unexpected and spectacular view.  The wide open rolling hills that stretch out give you a feeling of being on the shores of Ireland rather than Cape Cod(right).  This entrance is highly recommended specifically for the amazing views.  There aren’t any water views but the sights and sounds of Cape Cod’s natural beauty will be enough to keep you interested.      

            Another great recreation area is Hathaways Pond located on Phinney’s Lane(left).  It is hidden a bit from the busy road and has a swimming area and swings for children.  The half-mile loop trail leading around the circumference of the pond is packed with views of the pond from all heights and angles.  It is perfect for the warmer months.    

            Barnstable Village is filled with beautiful scenery and amazing historical relics as are most places along Rt. 6A.  If you are lucky enough to find a parking spot during the warmer months most of the places visited here can be seen in one walk.  Whether you walk or drive to all of these places make sure to take time out to see them all.  It is definitely worth the trip.  Have fun and happy traveling!

Directions: Millway Beach: Take Rt. 6A to the set of lights at the intersection with Hyannis Road.  Turn down Millway and follow it.  Barnstable Harbor comes up on the left and the small parking lot for Millway Beach is at the end of the road.  

Old Jail: Heading east on 6A take you last left before the lights at the intersection with Millway, this is the Coast Guard Heritage Museum, the Old Jail is located in the house directly behind it.  Old Jail Lane is ½ mile from the Courthouse on the left.  The road’s entrance is very narrow and could be mistaken for a driveway, go slow to find the turn.

Barnstable County Courthouse: On Rt. 6A heading east go through set of lights for Millway Beach.  Courthouse in on the hill just past the fire department.

Olde Colonial Courthouse: Keep on Rt. 6A past the center of Barnstable Village, the building that was the courthouse and is now a museum is located on the right near Rendezvous Lane and across from St. Mary’s Church.

Hathaway’s Pond: Heading east on 6A turn left at lights onto Hyannis Road.  Stay right, Hyannis Road becomes Phinney’s Lane.  Follow Phinney’s Lane for nearly a mile.  Entrance for Hathaway’s Pond is on the right and designated by a blue and white oval sign.

References: The Old Jail

            Barnstable Historical Society

            Tales of Cape Cod

Barnstable on Dwellable