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Old Jail
Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · tap to enlarge
National Register of Historic Places

Old Jail

Barnstable Town’s first place on the National RegisterListed Jul 2, 1971; only 104 of Massachusetts’s 4,457 listings are older
ColonialListed 1971Barnstable Town
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About

About Old Jail

Old Jail, at Route 6A, was added to the National Register of Historic Places on Jul 2, 1971: the first place in Barnstable Town to be listed. Only 104 of Massachusetts’s 4,457 listings are older. The Register lists it for its politics and architecture, at the state level. It describes its style as Colonial, as it does for 160 other Massachusetts listings. Three more Register listings are within a quarter mile.

What it isListed on the NRHP in Massachusetts. From Wikidata (CC0). Read about it on Wikipedia ↗

PDFRead the original nominationThe form that put it on the Register, with its history, photos and a map · 43 MB · National Archives↗
Through the years

1690 to today

  1. 1690Built
  2. 1971Added to the National Register of Historic Places
  3. 2026On the Register for 55 years
Visit

Make it a walk: 5 landmarks in about 15 minutes

Route 6A, Barnstable Town · about 0.5 miles on foot, as the crow flies

DirectionsWalk the tour in Google Maps
  1. 1Old JailStart here
  2. 2U.S. CustomshouseItalianate · Built 1855 · next door
  3. 3Hyannis Road Historic DistrictFederal · 0.1 mi on
  4. 4Nathaniel Baker HouseGeorgian · Built 1721 · 0.2 mi on
  5. 5Benjamin Baker Jr. HouseFederal · Built 1828 · next door
Around it

2 more Register listings within 2 miles

★ National Historic Landmark · D district · B building · S site. Each opens its own page.

DMill Way Historic DistrictGeorgian0.2 miBBarnstable County CourthouseGreek Revival · Built 18310.3 mi
More like it

Colonial style, nearby

Other National Register listings within 25 miles described as Colonial.

S. Alexander Hinckley HouseBuilt 1710 · 3.7 mi away
John Jenkins Homestead3.7 mi away
Thomas Bray Farm4.7 mi away
Benjamin Nye HomesteadBuilt 1680 · 7.1 mi away

Memories of Old Jail

The record says what it is. Neighbors know what it means.

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Questions about Old Jail

Is Old Jail on the National Register of Historic Places?

Yes. It was added on Jul 2, 1971 (Register number 71000078).

Is Old Jail a National Historic Landmark?

No. It is on the National Register; Massachusetts has 189 National Historic Landmarks. The nearest is Kennedy Compound, 4.9 miles away.

Can you visit Old Jail?

Yes: it is open to visitors. Check opening times before you go.

Where can I read the history of Old Jail?

In its National Register nomination, the form that put it on the Register: a 43 MB PDF at the National Archives, linked on this page.

Sources: National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places (05/22/2026) · National Archives catalog record 63794069 · Wikidata. Map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors.