Barnstable ( ) is a

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

in the U.S. state of

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

of Barnstable County. Barnstable is the largest community, both in land area and population, on

Cape Cod Cape Cod is a peninsula extending into the Atlantic Ocean from the southeastern corner of Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States. Its historic, maritime character and ample beaches attract heavy tourism during the summer months. The ...

, and is one of thirteen Massachusetts municipalities that have been granted city forms of government by the

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

but wish to retain "the town of" in their official names. At the 2020 census it had a population of 48,916. The town contains several villages (one of which is also named Barnstable) within its boundaries. Its largest village, Hyannis, is the

central business district A central business district (CBD) is the Commerce, commercial and business center of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides wit ...

of the county and home to

Barnstable Municipal Airport Cape Cod Gateway Airport , also known as Boardman/Polando Field and formerly known as Barnstable Municipal Airport, is a public airport located on Cape Cod, north of the central business district of Hyannis, in Barnstable County, Massachu ...

, the

airline hub An airline hub or hub airport is an airport used by one or more airlines to concentrate passenger traffic and flight operations. Hubs serve as transfer (or stop-over) points to help get passengers to their final destination. It is part of the s ...

of Cape Cod and the islands of

Martha's Vineyard Martha's Vineyard, often simply called the Vineyard, is an island in the U.S. state of Massachusetts, lying just south of Cape Cod. It is known for being a popular, affluent summer colony, and includes the smaller peninsula Chappaquiddick Isla ...

and

Nantucket Nantucket () is an island in the state of Massachusetts in the United States, about south of the Cape Cod peninsula. Together with the small islands of Tuckernuck Island, Tuckernuck and Muskeget Island, Muskeget, it constitutes the Town and Co ...

. Additionally, Barnstable is a 2007 winner of the

All-America City Award The All-America City Award is a community recognition program in the United States given by the National Civic League. The award recognizes the work of communities in using inclusive civic engagement to address critical issues and create stron ...

History

West Parish Congregational Church Barnstable

Barnstable takes its name from the English town of

Barnstaple Barnstaple ( or ) is a river-port town and civil parish in the North Devon district of Devon, England. The town lies at the River Taw's lowest crossing point before the Bristol Channel. From the 14th century, it was licensed to export wool from ...

, in the county of

Devon Devon ( ; historically also known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel to the north, Somerset and Dorset to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Cornwall to the west ...

. The first European to explore the area was

Bartholomew Gosnold Bartholomew Gosnold ( – ) was an English barrister, explorer and privateer who was instrumental in founding the Virginia Company in London and Jamestown in colonial America. He led the first recorded European expedition to Cape Cod. He is co ...

in 1602. It was settled in 1638, as one of the first towns in the

Plymouth Colony Plymouth Colony (sometimes spelled Plimouth) was the first permanent English colony in New England from 1620 and the third permanent English colony in America, after Newfoundland and the Jamestown Colony. It was settled by the passengers on t ...

, one year behind

Sandwich A sandwich is a Dish (food), dish typically consisting variously of meat, cheese, sauces, and vegetables used as a filling between slices of bread, or placed atop a slice of bread; or, more generally, any dish in which bread serves as a ''co ...

further south in Massachusetts on Cape Cod. It was incorporated on September 4, 1639, the same day as the towns of Sandwich, and Yarmouth. On the first Tuesday of December, the same year, its deputies took their seats in the general court. The early settlers were farmers, led by the Reverend

Joseph Hull Rev. Joseph Hull (1596–1665) led a congregation of 104 from England to Massachusetts in 1635. He founded the Cape Cod town of Barnstable in 1639 and served as one of Maine’s earliest ministers. Hull's willingness to preach without approval from ...

, the founder of Barnstable. A memorial tablet was dedicated there in 1939 (the 300th anniversary of the town's founding) marking the site of his home, and the rock from which he preached still stands along the highway there. Soon after the town's founding, agriculture, fishing and salt works became its major industries. By the end of the 19th century, there were some 804 ships harbored in the town. But the role of sailing ships declined with the rise of ocean-going steamships and the railroad, which had arrived in 1854. By the late 19th century, Barnstable was becoming world-renowned as the tourist destination it still is to this day. Many prominent Bostonians spent their summers on the Cape shores, as did presidents

Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was the 18th president of the United States, serving from 1869 to 1877. In 1865, as Commanding General of the United States Army, commanding general, Grant led the Uni ...

and

Grover Cleveland Stephen Grover Cleveland (March 18, 1837June 24, 1908) was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States, serving from 1885 to 1889 and from 1893 to 1897. He was the first U.S. president to serve nonconsecutive terms and the first Hist ...

. The most well-known family of the 20th century to summer in the town was, and remains, the

Kennedy family The Kennedy family () is an American political family that has long been prominent in American politics, public service, entertainment, and business. In 1884, 35 years after the family's arrival from County Wexford, Ireland, Patrick Joseph "P ...

. They still inhabit the Kennedy Compound in Hyannis Port. This was the summer home of President

John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), also known as JFK, was the 35th president of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. He was the first Roman Catholic and youngest person elected p ...

during his administration, and it was likewise the home of Senator

Ted Kennedy Edward Moore Kennedy (February 22, 1932 – August 25, 2009) was an American lawyer and politician from Massachusetts who served as a member of the United States Senate from 1962 to his death in 2009. A member of the Democratic Party and ...

until his death. Today, tourists come in droves to the town during the summer months. Hyannis has numerous shops. Other attractions include the John F. Kennedy Museum and several other museums. Significant sites and renowned historic houses listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

include the

Ancient Burying Ground The Ancient Burying Ground (or Phinney's Lane Cemetery) is a historical cemetery at Phinney's Lane in Barnstable, Massachusetts. It is the oldest cemetery in the village of Centerville, and the only surviving civic element of its colonial ori ...

and

Gideon Hawley House The Gideon Hawley House is a historic house along Massachusetts Route 28 near the Cotuit village of Barnstable, Massachusetts. Description and history The Georgian style house was built c. 1758 by missionary Gideon Hawley, who ministered t ...

, representing the town's colonial history. The town's many beaches are popular tourist destinations as well.

Geography

Barnstable is located at (41.659158, –70.353059), about halfway along the "biceps" of the

"arm". According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 21.66%, is water. It is bordered by

Cape Cod Bay Cape Cod Bay is a large bay of the Atlantic Ocean adjacent to the U.S. state of Massachusetts. Measuring below a line drawn from Brant Rock in Marshfield to Race Point in Provincetown, Massachusetts, it is enclosed by Cape Cod to the south ...

on the north,

Nantucket Sound Nantucket Sound_(geography), Sound is a roughly triangular area of the Atlantic Ocean offshore from the U.S. state of Massachusetts. It is long and wide, and is enclosed by Cape Cod on the north, Nantucket on the south, and Martha's Vineyar ...

on the south,

and Mashpee on the west and Yarmouth on the east. Barnstable is approximately southeast of

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

Villages

The ''Town of Barnstable'' contains several villages, which are not legally defined entities. Between seven and eleven are commonly enumerated, listed below with ZIP codes: * The village of Barnstable (02630), including Cummaquid (02637) * Centerville (02632) *

Cotuit Cotuit ( ) is one of the villages of the Town of Barnstable, Massachusetts, Barnstable on Cape Cod in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. Located on a peninsula on the south side of Barnstable about ...

(02635) * Hyannis (02601), including

Hyannis Port Hyannis Port (or Hyannisport) is a small residential village located in the town of Barnstable, Massachusetts, United States. It is a summer community on Hyannis Harbor, 1.4 miles (2.3 km) to the south-southwest of Hyannis. Community It ...

(02647) and West Hyannisport (02672) * Marstons Mills (02648) *

Osterville Osterville is one of seven villages within the town of Barnstable, Massachusetts, United States. The village of Osterville is located on the south side of Barnstable on Nantucket Sound. Osterville is a residential community that includes marshes, ...

(02655) * West Barnstable (02668) To the north of Barnstable lie the dunes of Sandy Neck along

Barnstable Harbor Barnstable Harbor is a natural harbor located in Barnstable, Massachusetts Barnstable ( ) is a List of municipalities in Massachusetts, town in the U.S. state of Massachusetts and the county seat of Barnstable County, Massachusetts, Barnstable ...

, tipped by the Sandy Neck Light. The central part of the town is dominated by the pines and oaks around Wequaquet Lake. The south is where the bulk of the population lives, many along the beaches of Centerville and Hyannis Harbors. Hyannis is the biggest village in Barnstable by size and population.

Climate

According to the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

system, Barnstable has a

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers, and cold ...

(''Dfb''). Dfb climates are characterized by at least one month having an average mean temperature ≤ 32.0 °F (≤ 0.0 °C), at least four months with an average mean temperature ≥ 50.0 °F (≥ 10.0 °C), all months with an average mean temperature ≤ 71.6 °F (≤ 22.0 °C), and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. The average seasonal (Nov-Apr) snowfall total is approximately 30 inches (76 cm). The average snowiest month is February, which corresponds with the annual peak in

nor'easter A nor'easter (also northeaster; see below) is a large-scale extratropical cyclone in the western North Atlantic Ocean. The name derives from the direction of the winds that blow from the northeast. Typically, such storms originate as a low ...

activity. According to the

United States Department of Agriculture The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an executive department of the United States federal government that aims to meet the needs of commercial farming and livestock food production, promotes agricultural trade and producti ...

, the

plant hardiness zone A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most widely ...

is 7a, with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of 0.3 °F (-17.6 °C).

Ecology

According to the

A. W. Kuchler August William Kuchler (born ''August Wilhelm Küchler''; 26 July 1907 – 17 June 1999) was a German-born American geographer and naturalist who is noted for developing a plant association system that has become widely used in the United Sta ...

U.S.

Potential natural vegetation In ecology, potential natural vegetation (PNV), also known as Kuchler potential vegetation, is the vegetation that would be expected given environmental constraints (climate, geomorphology, geology) without human intervention or a hazard event ...

Types, Barnstable, Massachusetts would primarily contain a Northeastern

Oak An oak is a hardwood tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' of the beech family. They have spirally arranged leaves, often with lobed edges, and a nut called an acorn, borne within a cup. The genus is widely distributed in the Northern Hemisp ...

Pine A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. ''World Flora Online'' accepts 134 species-rank taxa (119 species and 15 nothospecies) of pines as cu ...

(''110'') vegetation type with a Southern

Mixed Forest Temperate broadleaf and mixed forest is a temperate climate terrestrial habitat type defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature, with broadleaf tree ecoregions, and with conifer and broadleaf tree mixed coniferous forest ecoregions. These ...

(''26'') vegetation form.

Demographics

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2000, there were 47,821 people, 19,626 households, and 13,012 families residing in the town. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 25,018 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 91.85%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 2.74%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.59%

Native American Native Americans or Native American usually refers to Native Americans in the United States. Related terms and peoples include: Ethnic groups * Indigenous peoples of the Americas, the pre-Columbian peoples of North, South, and Central America ...

, 0.81% Asian, 0.04%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 1.67% from other races, and 2.30% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 1.70% of the population. 24.2% were of Irish, 13.3% English, 9.3%

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...

and 5.5% American ancestry according to Census 2000. 92.1% spoke English, 3.4%

Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...

, 1.6% Spanish and 1.0%

French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

as their first language. There were 19,626 households, out of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.4% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.7% were non-families. 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.88. In the town the population was spread out, with 22.0% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 20.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.9 males. The median income for a household in the town was $46,811, and the median income for a family was $54,026. Males had a median income of $41,494 versus $30,442 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the town was $25,554. About 6.3% of families and 8.8% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 11.7% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Barnstable has a

council–manager government The council–manager government is a form of local government commonly used for municipalities and counties in the United States and Ireland, in New Zealand regional councils, and in Canadian municipalities. In the council-manager government, ...

. It was created in 1989, when the Town rewrote its charter and changed from a selectmen-town meeting form of government to adopt a council-manager system. The council hires the town manager. Barnstable is one of thirteen Massachusetts municipalities that have applied for, and been granted, city forms of government but wish to retain "the town of" in their official names. The first

town manager A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city in the council–manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are referred to as the chief executive officer (CEO) or chief administ ...

, Warren Rutherford, held office from 1990 to 1997. His successor, James Tinsley, served from 1997 to 1999. He was succeeded by former state representative John C. Klimm. Klimm had his contract bought out in 2011 due to internal disputes among a majority of the Barnstable City Council. He was succeeded by the executive director of the Barnstable Housing Authority,

Thomas K. Lynch Thomas K. Lynch is an American municipal administrator and politician who served as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and as Town Manager of Barnstable, Massachusetts. Early life Lynch was born on April 30, 1946, in Attlebo ...

. Mark Ells has served as the Town Manager since 2016. The town hall is located in the village of Hyannis, and the police station is located on Route 132, closer to the geographic center of the town. There are eight fire stations, seven libraries, and ten post offices located throughout the town. The largest, or central branches, are usually located in the downtown Hyannis area. Hyannis also is the site of the Cape Cod Hospital, which serves the central Cape region. As the county seat of Barnstable County, the town is the site of the county courthouse and juvenile lockup at the old House of Corrections, as well as the Offices of the Cape and Islands

District Attorney In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, county prosecutor, state attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or solicitor is the chief prosecutor or chief law enforcement officer represen ...

. Barnstable is represented in the

Massachusetts House of Representatives The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the State legislature (United States), state legislature of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from 14 counties each divided into ...

as a part of the Second, Third and Fifth Barnstable districts. The town is represented in the

Massachusetts Senate The Massachusetts Senate is the upper house of the Massachusetts General Court, the bicameral state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Senate comprises 40 elected members from 40 single-member senatorial districts in the st ...

as a part of the Cape and Islands district, which encompasses most of Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. The town is patrolled by the Second (Yarmouth) Barracks of Troop D of the

Massachusetts State Police The Massachusetts State Police (MSP) is an agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, responsible for law enforcement and vehicle regulation across the state. As of 2024, it has 2,500 sworn troop ...

.Station D-2, SP Yarmouth
/ref> On the national level, Barnstable is a part of

Massachusetts's 9th congressional district Massachusetts's 9th congressional district is located in eastern Massachusetts. It is represented by Democrat Bill Keating. With a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of D+6, it is the least Democratic district in Massachusetts, a state with an al ...

, and is currently represented by

William R. Keating William Richard Keating (born September 6, 1952) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Massachusetts's 9th congressional district since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, he first entered Congress in ...

. The state's senior (Class II) member of the

United States Senate The United States Senate is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and ...

, is

Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth Ann Warren (née Herring; born June 22, 1949) is an American politician and former law professor who is the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States senator from the state of Massachusetts, serving since 2013. A mem ...

. The junior senator from Massachusetts is

Ed Markey Edward John Markey (born July 11, 1946) is an American politician serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, junior United States Senate, United States senator from the state of Massachusetts, a seat he has held since 2013. A member of ...

, elected in 2013.

Education

Barnstable has the largest public school enrollment of any town on Cape Cod, with over 5,000 students. In 2010, the public school system underwent major changes due to budgetary constraints. The presently operational schools include: the Enoch Cobb Early Learning Center for pre-school students and five elementary schools serving various grades, including: Centerville Elementary School (K–3), Barnstable Community Horace Mann Public Charter School (formerly Hyannis East Elementary School) (K–3), West Villages Elementary School (formerly Marstons Mills East Elementary School) (K–3), Hyannis West Elementary School (K–3), and Barnstable-West Barnstable Elementary School (K–3). The

Barnstable United Elementary School The Barnstable Public School District oversees the operation all public schools in Barnstable, Massachusetts Barnstable ( ) is a List of municipalities in Massachusetts, town in the U.S. state of Massachusetts and the county seat of Barnsta ...

(formerly Barnstable

Horace Mann Horace Mann (May 4, 1796August 2, 1859) was an American educational reformer, slavery abolitionist and Whig Party (United States), Whig politician known for his commitment to promoting public education, he is thus also known as ''The Father of A ...

Charter School A charter school is a school that receives government funding but operates independently of the established state school system in which it is located. It is independent in the sense that it operates according to the basic principle of autono ...

) serves the Town's fourth and fifth grade students. The

Barnstable Intermediate School The Barnstable Public School District oversees the operation all public schools in Barnstable, Massachusetts Barnstable ( ) is a List of municipalities in Massachusetts, town in the U.S. state of Massachusetts and the county seat of Barnsta ...

(formerly Barnstable Middle School) serves grades six and seven.

Barnstable High School Barnstable High School is a public high school (grades 8–12) in the village of Hyannis, Massachusetts, United States, Town of Barnstable. The school is part of the Barnstable Public School District. Barnstable High School was founded in the ...

serves grades eight through twelve. Barnstable's athletic teams are nicknamed the Red Hawks, and their colors are red and white. Their teams are highly successful because of the large student body from which to choose players. Notable town rivals of the Red Hawks are Dennis/Yarmouth and Falmouth. Barnstable has played Falmouth in football on Thanksgiving Day nearly every year since 1895, making the annual game one of the longest-standing high school football rivalries in history. In addition to its public schools, there are also several private schools in Barnstable. There are five Christian schools, three of which are not Catholic: Bayberry Christian Academy (K–3), Faith Christian School (Pre-K–12), and Trinity Christian Academy (Pre-K–12). There are two Catholic schools, Saint Francis Xavier Prep (5–8) and Pope John Paul II High School, which opened in 2007. Barnstable is also home to the Academy of Early Learning (Pre-K–6), Veritas Academy (K–8), and the

Cape Cod Academy Cape Cod Academy (CCA) is an independent coed college preparatory school for grades Kindergarten through 12 located in Osterville, Massachusetts. Statistics The Academy was incorporated in 1976 and functions on a school preparatory curriculu ...

, a private K–12 school. There are also two special education schools (Southeast Alternative & Beacon Point), as well as the

Sturgis Charter School The Sturgis Charter Public School is a dual-campus charter school located in the village of Hyannis, Massachusetts Hyannis is the largest of the seven villages in the town of Barnstable, Massachusetts, United States. It is the commercial and ...

, which serves high school-aged students. Additionally, high school students have the option of attending Cape Cod Regional Technical High School in Harwich free of charge. Barnstable is the home of

Cape Cod Community College Cape Cod Community College, known locally as "4Cs", is a public community college in West Barnstable, Massachusetts. It was established in 1961, the second institution to open as part of what is now a 15 community college system in Massachusett ...

, a two-year junior college affiliated with

Suffolk University Suffolk University is a private university, private research university in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. With 7,560 students on all campuses, it is the List of colleges and universities in metropolitan Boston, tenth-largest university ...

in Boston.

Transportation

Both

U.S. Route 6 U.S. Route 6 (US 6) or U.S. Highway 6 (US 6), also called the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, honoring the American Civil War veterans association, is a main route of the United States Numbered Highway System. While it ...

and

Massachusetts Route 28 Route 28 is a nominally south–north state highway in the U.S. state of Massachusetts, running from the town of Eastham, Massachusetts, Eastham via Boston, Massachusetts, Boston to the New Hampshire state line in Methuen, Massachusetts, M ...

pass through the town from west to east, with Route 6 being a four-lane freeway through the town. Routes 6A,

132 132 may refer to: * 132 (number), the natural number following 131 and preceding 133 *AD 132, a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar * 132 BC, a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar * 132 (MBTA bus), a Massachusetts Bay Transportati ...

149 149 may refer to: *149 (number), a natural number *AD 149, a year in the 2nd century AD *149 BC, a year in the 2nd century BC *British Airways Flight 149, a flight from LHR to Kuwait City International Airport; the aircraft flying this flight was d ...

and a brief, 1/10 mile portion of

130 130 may refer to: *130 (number), the natural number following 129 and preceding 131 *AD 130, a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar *130 BC, a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar *Kin Sang stop, MTR digital station code *130 Ele ...

are also located in town. Route 6A follows an east–west route to the north of Route 6, on its route between the

Sagamore Bridge The Sagamore Bridge in Sagamore, Massachusetts carries U.S. Route 6 in Massachusetts, Route 6 and the Claire Saltonstall Bikeway across the Cape Cod Canal, connecting Cape Cod with the mainland of Massachusetts. It is the more northeastern of t ...

and the Orleans Rotary. Routes 132 and 149 are both entirely located within the town, and both begin at 6A and end at Route 28. Since 2013, the CapeFlyer passenger rail service has run on weekends between Memorial Day and Labor Day. The nearest

MBTA Commuter Rail The MBTA Commuter Rail system serves as the commuter rail arm of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's (MBTA's) transportation coverage of Greater Boston in the United States. Trains run over of track on 12 lines to 142 stations. It ...

stations with year-round service are and . The nearest inter-city (

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak (; ), is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates intercity rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...

) passenger rail stations are Boston's

South Station South Station, officially The Governor Michael S. Dukakis Transportation Center at South Station, is the largest railroad station and intercity bus terminal in Greater Boston and New England's second-largest transportation center after Logan I ...

and

Providence Providence often refers to: * Providentia, the divine personification of foresight in ancient Roman religion * Divine providence, divinely ordained events and outcomes in some religions * Providence, Rhode Island, the capital of Rhode Island in the ...

. Freight rail service is provided by the

Massachusetts Coastal Railroad The Massachusetts Coastal Railroad is a Class III railroad serving south-eastern Massachusetts. The railroad maintains track from Hyannis to Framingham, operating over 135 miles of track between Hyannis and Fall River/New Bedford. The railroa ...

. The

Cape Cod Central Railroad The Cape Cod Central Railroad is a heritage railroad located on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. It operates on a rail line known as the Cape Main Line, which is owned by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. The line was previously owne ...

operates seasonal tourist excursions from Hyannis to

and Sagamore, with some scheduled weekend stops at the West Barnstable depot on Route 149 near Route 6A. The town is the site of two airports. Cape Cod Airfield is a smaller airfield, used primarily for private travel, and

at Polando Field is used for regional flights, especially between the Cape and the islands. Regional airline

Cape Air Hyannis Air Service Inc., operating as Cape Air, is an airline headquartered at Cape Cod Gateway Airport in Hyannis, Massachusetts, United States. It operates scheduled passenger services in the Northeast, the Caribbean and Eastern Montana. ...

is headquartered in Barnstable. The nearest national and international air service can be reached at

Logan International Airport General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport — also known as Boston Logan International Airport — is an international airport located mostly in East Boston and partially in Winthrop, Massachusetts, United States. Covering , it has ...

in Boston. Hyannis is also the site of the main ferry lines to

and

Notable people

* Demetrius Atsalis, state representative *

Orrin Bacon Orrin Bacon (October 4, 1820 – November 17, 1893) was an American miller and politician. Born in Barnstable, Massachusetts, Bacon moved to Wisconsin in 1848. He first settled in Janesville, Wisconsin and then in 1855 moved to Green County, ...

, Wisconsin state legislator *

Austin Bearse Austin Bearse (1808-1881) was a sea captain from Cape Cod who provided transportation for fugitive slaves in the years leading up to the American Civil War. Early life Bearse was born in Barnstable, Massachusetts, on April 3, 1808, the son of E ...

, abolitionist, merchant mariner *

Gary Brito Gary M. Brito (born 1963 or 1964) is a United States Army general who serves as Commanding General, United States Army Training and Doctrine Command since September 8, 2022. He served as Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1 of the United States Army from ...

, LTG U.S. Army *

Joe Cronin Joseph Edward Cronin (October 12, 1906 – September 7, 1984) was an American professional baseball player, Manager (baseball), manager and executive. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a shortstop, most notably as a member of the Bost ...

, professional baseball player, manager, and

Hall of Famer A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actual halls or muse ...

Gary DiSarcina Gary Thomas DiSarcina (born November 19, 1967) is an American former professional baseball shortstop and coach. He played his entire Major League Baseball (MLB) career for the California / Anaheim Angels. Shortstop for Angels (1992–98) A fo ...

MLB Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

player and coach *

Isaac Dunbar Isaac Dunbar (born March 17, 2003) is an American singer-songwriter. He signed with RCA Records in 2019. Early life Isaac Dunbar was born on March 17, 2003 in Rhode Island. He is of Italian and Liberian descent. Dunbar's sexuality is unlabeled ...

, singer-songwriter * Nancy Frangione, actor *

Raymond Goulding Raymond Walter Goulding (March 20, 1922 – March 24, 1990) was an American comedian, who, together with Bob Elliott formed the comedy duo of Bob and Ray. Early life Goulding was born in Lowell, Massachusetts; he was the fourth of five child ...

, comedian, actor, writer *

Andy Hallett Andrew Alcott Hallett (August 4, 1975 – March 29, 2009) was an American actor and singer who became known from playing the part of Lorne in the television series ''Angel'' (2000–2004). He used his singing talents often on the show, and ...

, actor and singer * Tom Hamilton, bassist for the rock band

Aerosmith Aerosmith is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of lead vocalist Steven Tyler, bassist Tom Hamilton (musician), Tom Hamilton, drummer Joey Kramer, and guitarists Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry and B ...

John Havlicek John Joseph Havlicek (often nicknamed Hondo) ( ; April 8, 1940 – April 25, 2019) was an American professional basketball player who spent his entire career with the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A swingman, Hav ...

, basketball player for the

Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), ...

Thomas Hinckley Thomas Hinckley (bapt. March 19, 1618 – April 25, 1706) was the last governor of the Plymouth Colony. Born in England, he arrived in New England as a teenager, and was a leading settler of what is now Barnstable, Massachusetts. He served in ...

, governor of

* Rev. Joseph Hull, minister who moved to Massachusetts and founded the Hull Colony *

Amy Jo Johnson Amy Jo Johnson (born October 6, 1970) is an American and Canadian actress, musician, and filmmaker. As an actress, Johnson is best known for her roles as Kimberly Hart on ''Mighty Morphin Power Rangers'' (1993–1995), Julie Emrick on '' Feli ...

, original Pink Power Ranger *

Herbert Kalmus Herbert Thomas Kalmus (November 9, 1881 – July 11, 1963) was an American scientist and engineer who played a significant role in developing color motion picture film. Kalmus was the co-founder and president of the Technicolor Motion Picture Co ...

, co-founder and president of the

Technicolor Corporation Technicolor is a family of color motion picture processes. The first version, Process 1, was introduced in 1916, and improved versions followed over several decades. Definitive Technicolor movies using three black-and-white films running throu ...

* Edward M. Kennedy,

U.S. senator The United States Senate is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and House have the authority under Article One of the ...

from Massachusetts, 1962–2009 *

, 35th

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...

Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. Joseph Patrick Kennedy Sr. (September 6, 1888 – November 18, 1969) was an American businessman, investor, philanthropist, and politician. He is known for his own political prominence as well as that of his children and was the ambitious patri ...

, 44th

United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom The United States ambassador to the United Kingdom, formally the ambassador of the United States of America to the Court of St James's is the official representative of the president of the United States and the Federal government of the United ...

, 1938–1940 * Joseph P. Kennedy II, served in the

U.S. House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

from Massachusetts * Patrick J. Kennedy, Rhode Island

congressman A member of congress (MOC), also known as a congressman or congresswoman, is a person who has been appointed or elected and inducted into an official body called a congress, typically to represent a particular constituency in a legislature. The t ...

and youngest child of Ted Kennedy *

Robert F. Kennedy Robert Francis Kennedy (November 20, 1925 – June 6, 1968), also known as RFK, was an American politician and lawyer. He served as the 64th United States attorney general from January 1961 to September 1964, and as a U.S. senator from New Yo ...

United States Attorney General The United States attorney general is the head of the United States Department of Justice and serves as the chief law enforcement officer of the Federal government of the United States, federal government. The attorney general acts as the princi ...

, 1961–1964, and U.S. senator from New York, 1965–1968 *

Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald Kennedy (July 22, 1890 – January 22, 1995) was an American philanthropist, socialite, and matriarch of the Kennedy family. She was deeply embedded in the "Lace curtain and shanty Irish, lace curtain" Irish-American c ...

, matriarch of the

Jack Kerouac Jean-Louis Lebris de Kérouac (; March 12, 1922 – October 21, 1969), known as Jack Kerouac, was an American novelist and poet who, alongside William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg, was a pioneer of the Beat Generation. Of French-Canadian ...

, novelist, poet, artist * Paul G. Kirk, U.S. senator from Massachusetts, 2009–2010 *

Dan LaCouture Daniel Scott LaCouture (born April 18, 1977) is an American former professional ice hockey left winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). LaCouture is a graduate of South Hadley High School, in South Hadley, Massachusetts. Playing c ...

NHL The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...

hockey

wingman A wingman (or wingmate) is the pilot of a secondary aircraft providing support or protection to a primary aircraft in a potentially dangerous situation, traditionally flying in formation to the side and slightly behind the primary craft. The t ...

* Reverend John Lothropp, founder of Town of Barnstable *

Siobhan Magnus Siobhan Evelyn Magnus (born March 15, 1990) is an American singer-songwriter who was the sixth place finalist on the ninth season of ''American Idol''. Biography Early life Siobhan Magnus was born on March 15, 1990, to parents Alan and Collee ...

, former ''American Idol'' contestant *

Neal McDonough Neal McDonough (born February 13, 1966) is an American actor. He is known for his portrayal of Lieutenant Lynn Compton, Lynn "Buck" Compton in the HBO miniseries ''Band of Brothers (miniseries), Band of Brothers'' (2001), Deputy District Attorney ...

, film and television actor *

Eric Nickulas Eric Nickulas (born March 25, 1975) is an American former professional ice hockey right winger. He played in the National Hockey League for the Boston Bruins, St. Louis Blues, and Chicago Blackhawks between 1999 and 2006. Biography Nickulas was ...

, NHL hockey player for the

Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The t ...

John T. Olson John T. Olson (April 7, 1929 – February 26, 2011) was a brigadier general in the United States Air Force. Biography Early life Olson was born on April 7, 1929, in Iowa City, Iowa. He graduated from Cedar Falls High School and then attended t ...

, brigadier general in the

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...

* James Otis, lawyer and

American patriot Patriots (also known as Revolutionaries, Continentals, Rebels, or Whigs) were colonists in the Thirteen Colonies who opposed the Kingdom of Great Britain's control and governance during the colonial era and supported and helped launch the Ame ...

Paul Pena Paul Pena (; January 26, 1950 – October 1, 2005) was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. Pena's music from the first half of his career touched on Delta blues, jazz, morna, flamenco, folk, and rock and roll. Pena is probably best ...

, blues singer, guitarist *

John Percival John Percival (3 April 1779 – 7 September 1862), known as Mad Jack Percival, was a celebrated officer in the United States Navy during the Quasi-War with France, the War of 1812, the campaign against West Indies pirates, and the Mexican–Ame ...

, captain of the USS ''Constitution'' *

Jane Maria Read Jane Maria Read (October 4, 1853 – ?) was an American poet and teacher. Early life and education Jane Maria Read was born in Barnstable, Massachusetts, October 4, 1853. She was the daughter of William and Susan Maritta (Austin) Read. Her father ...

(born 1853), poet, artist, teacher * Robert Richardson,

Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...

-winning

cinematographer The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the recording of a film, television production, music video or other live-action piece. The cinematographer is the chief of the camera ...

* Eliza Scudder, hymnwriter *

Marnie Schulenburg Marnie Schulenburg (May 21, 1984 – May 17, 2022) was an American actress who was known for her role as Alison Stewart on the CBS soap opera ''As the World Turns'' (2007–2010). Early life Marnie Schulenburg was born in Cape Cod, Massachusetts ...

, actor *

Lemuel Shaw Lemuel Shaw (January 9, 1781 – March 30, 1861) was an American jurist who served as chief justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (1830–1860). Prior to his appointment he also served for several years in the Massachusetts House ...

state representative A state legislature is a legislative branch or body of a political subdivision in a federal system. Two federations literally use the term "state legislature": * The legislative branches of each of the fifty state governments of the United St ...

state senator A state senator is a member of a State legislature (United States), state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature. History There are typically fewer state senators than there ...

, 1821–1822; Massachusetts Chief Justice, 1830–1860 *

Casey Sherman Casey Sherman is an American author, journalist and screenwriter most famous for his 2009 book ''The Finest Hours'', which was adapted into the Disney Studios 2016 film of the same name, and ''Boston Strong'', which was adapted into the 2016 fil ...

, bestselling author of ''A Rose for Mary'', ''Black Irish'' & ''The Finest Hours'' *

Eunice Kennedy Shriver Eunice Mary Kennedy Shriver (née Kennedy, July 10, 1921 – August 11, 2009) was an American philanthropist. Shriver was a member of the Kennedy family by birth, and a member of the Shriver family through her marriage to Sargent Shriver, wh ...

, founder of the

Special Olympics Special Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing year-round training and activities to 5 million participants and Unified Sports partners in 172 countries. Special Ol ...

Robert Sargent Shriver Jr. Robert Sargent Shriver Jr. (November 9, 1915 – January 18, 2011) was an American diplomat, politician, and activist. He was a member of the Shriver family by birth, and a member of the Kennedy family through his marriage to Eunice Kennedy. Sh ...

, 21st

United States Ambassador to France The United States ambassador to France is the official representative of the president of the United States to the president of France. The United States has maintained diplomatic relations with France since the American Revolution. Relations w ...

, founder of the

Peace Corps The Peace Corps is an Independent agency of the U.S. government, independent agency and program of the United States government that trains and deploys volunteers to communities in partner countries around the world. It was established in Marc ...

* William F. Sturgis, a Boston merchant and politician in 1800s * Paul Stewart, professional ice hockey player and NHL referee *

Michael Tonello Michael Tonello (born July 19, ?) is an author best known for being an expert on Birkin bags, a luxury brand of tote bag. Tonello was a reseller of luxury goods, finding his niche buying Hermès items at retail and reselling them on eBay. In 2 ...

, bestselling author *

Kathleen Kennedy Townsend Kathleen Hartington Kennedy Townsend (born July 4, 1951) is an American attorney who served as the sixth lieutenant governor of Maryland from 1995 to 2003. She was the first woman to serve in that role. A member of the Democratic Party, she ran ...

lieutenant governor of Maryland The lieutenant governor of Maryland is the second highest-ranking official in the executive branch of the Government of Maryland, state government of Maryland in the United States. The officeholder is elected on the same ticket as the governor of ...

, 1995–2003 *

Kurt Vonnegut Kurt Vonnegut ( ; November 11, 1922 – April 11, 2007) was an American author known for his Satire, satirical and darkly humorous novels. His published work includes fourteen novels, three short-story collections, five plays, and five nonfict ...

, author, political icon, entertainer *

Mercy Otis Warren Mercy Otis Warren (September 25, 1728 – October 19, 1814) was an American activist poet, playwright, and pamphleteer during the American Revolution. During the years before the Revolution, she had published poems and plays that attacked royal ...

, author, poet, playwright, and American patriot *

Eden White Eden White (born 1970) is a New York City singer-songwriter. She is the daughter of Janice White and Dr. Allen White, both from Massachusetts. After graduating from Barnstable High School, she attended Tufts University near her home in Boston, ...

, singer *

Max Willman Maxwell Willman (born February 13, 1995) is an American professional ice hockey forward who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He most recently played for the Utica Comets of the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the New ...

, hockey player for the

Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team play ...

References

External links

* {{Authority control 1637 establishments in Plymouth Colony Cities in Barnstable County, Massachusetts County seats in Massachusetts Populated coastal places in Massachusetts Populated places established in 1637