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BARNSTABLE COUNTY, Massachusetts

*First created, in 1685, of Plymouth Colony.
*County seat: Barnstable.
Barnstable County is located on the southeastern Cape Cod hook of Massachusetts, with the Cape Cod Bay to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the Nantucket Sound to the south, and south across the sound are the Massachusetts counties of Dukes and Nantucket.  The Massachusetts county of Plymouth is at its western boundary.
*Cities, Towns & Communities include: Barnstable, Bourne, Brewster, Centerville, Chatham, East Falmouth, East Sandwich, Eastham, Falmouth, Forestdale, Harwich, Hyannis,  Marstons Mills, Mashpee, North Eastham, North Falmouth, Orleans, Osterville, Provincetown, Sandwich, South Dennis, South Yarmouth, Teaticket, Truro,  Wellfleet, West Barnstable, West Dennis, West Yarmouth and Yarmouth.

Please note:  Though the information on this web page is believed to be correct, the possibility of error remains.  Please notify the webmaster should an error be found.


Zoom and navigate through a Map of Barnstable County, Massachusetts
 

Surrounding Counties 
(North = Top)

Cape Cod Bay

Plymouth County, MA

Barnstable County, MA

Atlantic Ocean

Bristol County, MA

Nantucket Sound

Dukes County, MA

Nantucket County, MA

·         Barnstable County, Massachusetts

·         Barnstable County Genealogy, by Ray Sears.

o    Barnstable County History

·         A Gazetteer of the State of Massachusetts with Numerous Illustrations, by Rev. Elias Nason, M.A.; revised and enlarged by George J. Varney. Boston : B.B. Russell. 1890, 724 pages

·         17th & 18th Century Cape Cod Gravestones, by Robert Carlson

·         The Wicked Local for Cape Cod News

·         Plymouth Colony Archive Project - Notes, Bibliography and Glossary - includes useful Colonial terms such as FREEMAN; Old Style Dates, Money, etc.  by James F. Deetz and Patricia Scott Deetz.

·         Virtual Cape Cod - Online directory, map and information.

o    Cape Cod Towns Maps & Directory

·         Virtual Cape Cod for Nantucket

·         Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum - Provincetown.

·         The Mayflower Compact.

o    Mayflower Genealogy

·         Cape Cod Times - Online Daily News from Hyannis Port.

·         Cape Cod & Islands Visitor Information Services

·         Cape Cod Tourism - information and links.

·         Sturgis Library - reported to be "America's Oldest Library", the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.    3090 Main Street/ Route 6A - Barnstable, MA 02630-0606  Phone:  (508) 362-6636

·         New Bedford Whaling Museum - helpful for Barnstable county researchers.    27 Everett Street - Sharon, MA  02067

o    Visit 50 States to learn how: "... America’s highly diversified whaling industry even influenced landlocked states far from the sea..."

·         The World's Lighthouses, Lightships & Lifesaving Stations

·         Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute - Woods Hole, MA  02543  Phone: (508) 457-2000.

·         Barnstable County Probate Court Clerk    Main Street - Barnstable, MA 02630.

·         Barnstable County Register of Deeds
   Main Street, Barnstable, MA 02630  Phone: (508) 362-7733

·         Court Records Archivist (for MA Archives requests involving court records)     Supreme Judicial Court Archives - 1300 New Court House - Boston, MA 02108.

Barnstable County Communities

·         Historical Sketches of Towns in Plymouth and Barnstable Counties, Massachusetts, Boston : D. Dudley & Co., 1873.

·         Cape Cod Travel & History

BARNSTABLE

·         DHCD: Barnstable Community Profile - Founded in 1638

·         Town of Barnstable, MA

·         History of Barnstable County, Massachusetts, 1620-1637-1686-1890, by Simeon L. Deyo, New York : Blake, 1890.  Online at Internet Archive.

·         Barnstable History

·         Barnstable Town Libraries.

·         Whelden Memorial Library - West Barnstable     2401 Meetinghouse Way - P.O. Box 147 - West Barnstable, MA 02668;  Phone:  (508) 362-2262 


BOURNE

·         DHCD: Bourne Community Profile - Incorporated 2 April 1884

·         Town of Bourne - official home page.

o    Jonathan Bourne Library   19 Sandwich Road - Bourne, MA 02532.


BREWSTER

·         DHCD: Brewster Community Profile - Incorporated 19 February 1803

·         Brewster, MA

·         Town of Brewster, Massachusetts

·         Brewster Town Clerk    2198 Main Street - Brewster, MA 02631; Phone (508) 896-4506

·         The Brewster Ladies' Library - Library's History: What's In A Name?    1822 Main Street - Brewster, MA 02631; Phone: (508) 896-3913
East Brewster
West Brewster


CHATHAM

·         DHCD: Chatham Community Profile - Founded 11 June 1712

·         The Town of Chatham, Massachusetts

·         Old Atwood House and the Chatham Historical Society :  347 Stage Harbor Road - Chatham, MA; Phone: (508) 945-2493

o    Tour the Museum online

o    Tour a 1752 House online

·         Eldredge Public Library -  564 Main Street - Chatham, MA 02633-2296; Phone: (508) 945-5171

o    Genealogy Department  

·         South Chatham Public Library - Main Street - P. O. Box 218 - South Chatham, MA 02659-0218; Phone: (508) 430-7989

·         Chatham Town Clerk - Phone: (508) 945-5101


DENNIS

·         DHCD: Dennis Community Profile - Incorporated in 1793;
Villages: East Dennis, South Dennis, West Dennis, Dennis Port

·         Town of Dennis, Massachusetts

·         Dennis Town Clerk

·         Dennis, MA Libraries

·         Dennis Public Library -
   673 Main Street (Route 28) - Dennisport, MA 02639    Phone: (508) 760-6219

·         Jacob Sears Memorial Library -   23 Center Street - Box 782 - East Dennis, MA 02641-0782     Phone: (508) 385-8151

·         South Dennis Public Library -    389 Main Street - P.O. Box 304 - South Dennis, MA 02660-0304
   Phone: (508) 394-8954    E-mail:  southdennis@bpl.org

·         West Dennis Free Public Library -   272 Main Street - P. O. Box 158 - West Dennis, MA 02670-0158
    Phone:  (508) 398-2050      E-mail: westdennis@bpl.org


EASTHAM

·         DHCD: Eastham Community Profile - Incorporated in 1651

·         Town of Eastham, Massachusetts

o    History of Eastham, Massachusetts

·         Eastham Historical Society    P.O. Box 8 - Eastham MA 02642

·         Eastham Public Library-  190 Samoset Road - Eastham, MA 02642-3109     Phone: (508) 240-5950


FALMOUTH

·         DHCD: Falmouth Community Profile - Incorporated in 1686

·         Falmouth Historical Society (Falmouth, MA)

·         The Town of Falmouth, MA

·         Falmouth Public Library:    123 Katharine Lee Bates Rd., Falmouth, MA  Phone: (508) 457-2555.

·         Falmouth, MA Town Clerk

o    Vital Records

·         Teaticket
East Falmouth
North Falmouth
West Falmouth
Falmouth Heights


HARWICH

·         DHCD: Harwich Community Profile - Settled ca. 1665; Incorporated 14 September 1694

·         Town of Harwich, Massachusetts

o    About Harwich

o    Town Clerk

·         Village of Harwich

·         Brooks Free Library: 739 Main Street - Harwich, MA 02645    Phone: (508) 430-7562

·         Harwich Historical Society - The Town of Harwich was established in 1694.


East Harwich, North Harwich, South Harwich, West Harwich, Harwich Port


MASHPEE

·         DHCD: Mashpee Community Profile - Formed in 1763; Incorporated 28 May 1870

·         City of Mashpee, Massachusetts

o    How To Obtain Vital Records

·         Mashpee Public Library - Hours & Information   100 Nathan Ellis Hwy. - P.O. Box 657 - Mashpee, MA 02649-0657; Phone: (508) 539-1435


ORLEANS

·         DHCD: Orleans Community Profile - Incorporated 3 March 1797; Formed from Eastham

·         Town of Orleans, Massachusetts

o    About Orleans: Photo Album and Brief History

·         Orleans Town Clerk

·         Snow Library - Hours & Information   67 Main Street - P.O. Box 246 - Orleans, MA 02653-0246; Phone:  (508) 240-3761


PROVINCETOWN

·         DHCD: Provincetown Community Profile - Precinct of Cape Cod in 1714; Provincetown incorporated in 1727

·         Town of Provinctown, Massachusetts - A Cape Cod Town.

·         Historic Provincetown, Massachusetts

o    Timeline of Provincetown

·         Provincetown Public Library -    330 Commercial St. - Provincetown, Ma. - 02657  Phone: (508) 487-7094.


SANDWICH

·         DHCD: Sandwich Community Profile - Founded in 1639

·         Virtual Cape Cod for Sandwich, MA

·          The Town of Sandwich, Massachusetts (Official)
East Sandwich


TRURO

·         DHCD: Truro Community Profile - Founded in 1709

·         Town of Truro, Massachusetts

·         Truro Public Library -  5 Library Lane - P.O. Box 357 - North Truro, MA  02652-0357   Phone: (508) 487-1125


WELLFLEET

·         DHCD: Wellfleet Community Profile - Incorporated in 1763

·         Town of Wellfleet, Massachusetts

·         Cape Cod Towns: Wellfleet, Massachusetts

·         Wellfleet Cape Cod Guide - with a brief Wellfleet History

·         Wellfleet Chamber of Commerce

·         Wellfleet Public Library
    55 West Main Street - Wellfleet, MA 02667-7300  Phone: (508) 349-0310

·         Wellfleet Historical Society & Museum      Main Street - Wellfleet, MA   Phone: (508) 349-9157


YARMOUTH

·         DHCD: Yarmouth Community Profile - Incorporated in 1639

·         Yarmouth Area Chamber of Commerce

o    About Yarmouth: A Brief History

·         Town of Yarmouth, Massachusetts:  1346 Route 28 - South Yarmouth, MA 02664; Phone: (508) 398-2231
   Yarmouth Town Clerk

·         Yarmouth Libraries

·         Yarmouth Town Library - 312 Old Main Street - South Yarmouth, MA 02664-4820; Phone: (508) 760-4822

·         West Yarmouth Library - Route 28 - West Yarmouth, MA  02673

·         Yarmouthport Library - Route 6A - Yarmouthport, MA 02675


Additional Research Resources:

·         Official Commonwealth of Massachusetts web site.

o    Massachusetts City and Town Clerk Directory.

·         NARA: National Archives and Records Administration

o    The Genealogy Page.

o    About Census Records

o    1790-1890 Federal Population Censuses Catalog of NARA Microfilm

o    1930 Census Microfilm Locator

o    The Soundex Indexing System

o    Clues in Census Records, 1790-1840

o    Clues in Census Records, 1850-1930

o    Indian Census Rolls

o    Nonpopulation Census Records

o    Prologue, Spring 1996, Vol. 28, No. 1, "First in the Path of the Firemen" The Fate of the 1890 Population Census, by Kellee Blake.

o    Native American Records

o    Immigration Records and Naturalization Records

o    "Any woman who is now or hereafter may be married... Women and Naturalization, ca. 1802-1940", by Marian L. Smith (Prologue, Summer 1998)

o    By Way of Canada: U.S. Records of Immigration Across the U.S.-Canadian Border, 1895-1954, By Marian L. Smith (St. Albans Lists) (Fall 2000) — A guide to using immigration records of the U.S.-Canada border.

o    Military Records available from the National Archives

o    Military Service and Pension Records: Requesting Pre-WWI

o    Civil War Records: An Introduction and Invitation, By Michael P. Musick  (Prologue, Summer 1995)

o    Women Soldiers of the Civil War, by DeAnne Blanton (Prologue, Spring 1993)

o    Sailors, Soldiers, and Marines of the Spanish-American War: The Legacy of USS Maine, By Rebecca Livingston (Prologue, Spring 1998).

o    They Answered the Call: Military Service in the United States Army during World War I, 1917-1919  (Prologue, Fall 1998). -- A guide to looking for information about World War I army veterans - By Mitchell Yockelson.

o    State-level Lists of Casualties from the Korean Conflict (1951-1957) and the Vietnam Conflict , By Theodore J. Hull, (Prologue, Spring 2000).

o    Indian Bounty Land Applications, By Mary Frances Morrow (Prologue,

o    American Indians A Select Catalog of NARA Microfilm Publications Snakes & Scribes: The Dawes Commission and the Enrollment of the Creeks, By Kent Carter, in "Prologue" (Prologue, Spring 1997)

o    Genealogical Fallout from the War of 1812, By Ruth Priest Dixon (Prologue, Spring 1992) - "...The impressment of American seamen by the British was one of the causes of the War of 1812. The practice also resulted in the creation of extensive records about merchant seamen that are of great value to genealogists and historians..."

o    Genealogical Records of the War of 1812, By Stuart L. Butler (Prologue, Winter 1991) - "...National Archives records created during and after the War of 1812 offer the genealogist a diverse and fertile ground in which to obtain invaluable family information..."

o    Preserving the Legacy of the United States Colored Troops, by Budge Weidman (Prologue, Summer 1997)

o    A Guiding Light: Black History: A Guide to Civilian Records in the National Archives, By Debra Newman Ham (Prologue, Special Issue, Summer 1997).

o    From Slave Women to Free Women: The National Archives and Black Women's History in the Civil War Era, By Noralee Frankel (Prologue, Summer 1997)

o    Riding the Rails Up Paper Mountain: Researching Railroad Records in the National Archives, By David A. Pfeiffer (Spring 1997).

o    Prologue Magazine

·         Obtaining EDs for the 1930 Census in One Step (Large Cities), by Stephen P. Morse, PhD, Joel D. Weintraub, PhD and David R. Kehs, PhD

·         familysearch.org - 1880 Census Index

 

Professional  Research
Ann McRoden Mensch, Professional Historical Genealogist
Researching on-site, and with the vast resources of The Allen County Public Library, holding one of the largest genealogical collections in North America.  Search the Library's on-line catalogue to see some of the printed resources available for a location or topic.

Printed resources for this page include:

·         School and Library Atlas of the World.  Fred W. Foster, Ph.D. (Editor).  Sycamore, Illinois:  School and Library Publishing Company.  1982.

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Copyright 1998, 1999-2009 by Ann Mensch.  All Rights Reserved.