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B+History
History · Dennis

Dennis dates to 1639, and 11% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 73% of U.S. towns · #247 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it

5 places in town are on the National Register. Below: 12 old photos and papers, maps from 1887 on, and the census since 1850.

1639founded
5on the National Register
11%homes built before 1940
12old photos & papers
3famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Dennis’ archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Dennis began

When was Dennis founded?

1639

Dennis dates its founding to 1639 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1850.

First census: 3,257 in 18502020 census: 14,674387 years

How historic is Dennis?

B+

More historic than 73% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1798.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Dennis’ History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Dennis is more historic than 73% of U.S. towns, #247 of 283 in Massachusetts. Its age holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.

B+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Dennis’ overall grade.
Founding era1639, from Wikidata: founded before 1776, an older era than 96% of U.S. townsA+Homes built before 194011.2% of homes (±2.1) · typical MA town 21.1% · U.S. 8.4%B−National Register5 listings, 3.4 per 10,000 residents · typical MA town 46.0 · U.S. 2.4C+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 73%
NewerOlder
Massachusetts towns of 2,500+ (283)Ahead of 13%

Massachusetts towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Massachusetts town has 46.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Dennis’ 3.4 sits below most of its state (19% of Massachusetts towns have fewer) while its 5 listings outnumber those of 70% of U.S. towns.

NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1639.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B− to A−. The pre-1940 share (±2.1 points) is firm at this size.

Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Dennis’ past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

Older than the countryEstablished in 1639, 137 years before the Declaration of Independence.On the map since 18875 editions of the USGS map, 1887 to 1974. Watch Dennis change.Shrank, then grewLost half of its people between 1860 and 1920, then grew 9-fold.Lost villages6 hamlets and corners are still on the map.
★ What stands out · Timeline

Dennis, 1639 to 2000

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 17th century
  2. 1639
    FoundingDennis is established
  3. 18th century
  4. 1728BuiltDennis Village Cemetery is built
  5. 1736BuiltJosiah Dennis House is built
  6. 1741Born hereNathaniel Freeman is born here
  7. 1770BuiltWest Schoolhouse is built
  8. 1798Post officeThe Dennis post office opens
  9. 19th century
  10. 1822Post officeThe South Dennis post office opens
  11. 1828Post officeThe East Dennis post office opens
  12. 1830Born hereJohn Eliot Sanford is born here
  13. 1867BuiltWest Dennis Graded School is built
  14. 1887On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  15. 20th century
  16. 1907In the archiveSouth Dennis station 1907 postcard
  17. 1930In the archiveCape Cinema, Dennis, Cape Cod, Mass (66068)
  18. 1940In the archiveLand Utilization Town of Dennis - DPLA - 2ebebbf15a765efb4c539d525e3978a1
  19. 1989Born hereSamantha Johnson is born here
  20. 21st century
  21. 2000CensusPopulation peaks at 15,973
On the map

Dennis on the map, 1887 to 1974

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Dennis. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Dennis on the 1887 USGS mapDennis on the 1893 USGS mapDennis on the 1949 USGS mapDennis on the 1961 USGS mapDennis on the 1974 USGS map1887Yarmouth sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Dennis.

People over time

Dennis, census by census

02,0004,0006,0008,00010,00012,00014,00016,00018501900195020003,662 in 1860Low: 1,536

Lost half of its people between 1860 and 1920, then grew 9-fold.

18 censuses, 1850–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Dennis’ Wikipedia page.

The story

How Dennis came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Dennis.

Read it all →

Indigenous peoples have been living in the Cape Cod region for at least 9,000 years. The historic Algonquian-speaking Wampanoag are one of 69 tribes of the original Wampanoag Nation.

After being settled by English colonists of the New Plymouth Colony in 1639 as part of the town of Yarmouth, Dennis became known as the East Precinct. The northern sections of the town were called Nobscussett, Sesuit and Quivet by the original inhabitants.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

From the old history books

What they wrote about Dennis, 1860–1890

Passages that mention Dennis, cut from the printed page as they were published.

Cemeteries. — In a town as old in its settlement as the territory of Dennis, these resting places for the dead are necessarily numerous. In the north part are the Worden, Sears, Howes, Hall and Paddock burying places, being private family grounds; also a general burial ground at East Dennis, and an…
History of Barnstable County, Massachusetts, 1620-1637-1686-18901890 · page 520Read the page →
Read the text

Cemeteries. — In a town as old in its settlement as the territory of Dennis, these resting places for the dead are necessarily numerous. In the north part are the Worden, Sears, Howes, Hall and Paddock burying places, being private family grounds; also a general burial ground at East Dennis, and another at Dennis. At South Dennis we find one old one, and one at the Congregational church ; at Dennis Port, one; and another at West Dennis. Two ancient grounds exist — the Indian, on the shore of Scargo lake, and that of the Friends at

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
In 1730, after a period of neglect, the school affairs had become better settled, improvements were made, and two teachers were employed^ still traveling from division to division. In 1770 school houses had been erected at Nobscusset and Quivet Neck, and the town of Dennis, when erected, had as man…
History of Barnstable County, Massachusetts, 1620-1637-1686-18901890 · page 521Read the page →
Read the text

In 1730, after a period of neglect, the school affairs had become better settled, improvements were made, and two teachers were employed^ still traveling from division to division. In 1770 school houses had been erected at Nobscusset and Quivet Neck, and the town of Dennis, when erected, had as many districtsor divisions as the entire territory of both towns the century before. The original East Dennis school house was built in 1769 near the present site of Worden Hall. It was warmed by the old fire place, and not until its successor was erected

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
from his pastoral relations to this town, after a ministry of twenty years. Mr. G. removed from town.1 A church organization was now effected in the Eastern Precinct, and Rev. Joslah Dennis was ordained June 22. The chief details of the progress of this church and parish will find their appropriate…
The history of Cape Cod1860 · page 214Read the page →
Read the text

from his pastoral relations to this town, after a ministry of twenty years. Mr. G. removed from town.1 A church organization was now effected in the Eastern Precinct, and Rev. Joslah Dennis was ordained June 22. The chief details of the progress of this church and parish will find their appropriate place in the introductory part of the annals of the town of Dennis.

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Dennis, set off as a distinct Parish in 1721, — being from that time known as the East Precinct, — was until the year 1794 a constituent part of Yarmouth. It was incorporated as a Town, June 19, 1793. The principal Indian names were Nobscusset, Sursidt, and Qirivet.1 Situation, Boundaries, etc. — I…
The history of Cape Cod1860 · page 689Read the page →
Read the text

Dennis, set off as a distinct Parish in 1721, — being from that time known as the East Precinct, — was until the year 1794 a constituent part of Yarmouth. It was incorporated as a Town, June 19, 1793. The principal Indian names were Nobscusset, Sursidt, and Qirivet.1 Situation, Boundaries, etc. — It is situated iu lat.41° 45' N.

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.

Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

By decade

Dennis, decade by decade

3 decades in the archive, from the 1900s to the 1940s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1900s–1930s11 items
South Dennis station 1907 postcardc. 1907South Dennis station 1907 postcardPostcardCape Cinema, Dennis, Cape Cod, Mass (66068)c. 1930Cape Cinema, Dennis, Cape Cod, Mass (66068)PostcardCape Playhouse, Dennis, Cape Cod, Mass (66066)c. 1930Cape Playhouse, Dennis, Cape Cod, Mass (66066)PostcardDennisport Beach, Cape Cod, Mass (77264)c. 1930Dennisport Beach, Cape Cod, Mass (77264)PostcardEzra Baker School, Dennis, Cape Cod, Mass (86613)c. 1930Ezra Baker School, Dennis, Cape Cod, Mass (86613)PostcardGreetings from Dennisport, Cape Cod, Mass (86615)c. 1930Greetings from Dennisport, Cape Cod, Mass (86615)PostcardMain Street, Dennisport, Cape Cod, Mass (73190)c. 1930Main Street, Dennisport, Cape Cod, Mass (73190)PostcardMerchants of Dennis, Dennisport, Cape Cod, Mass (86614)c. 1930Merchants of Dennis, Dennisport, Cape Cod, Mass (8661…PostcardPost office, Dennisport, Cape Cod, Mass (76221)c. 1930Post office, Dennisport, Cape Cod, Mass (76221)PostcardScargo Hill and tower, looking across Scargo Lake, Dennis, Cape Cod, Mass (76169)c. 1930Scargo Hill and tower, looking across Scargo Lake, De…PostcardShiverick Shipyard, Dennis, Cape Cod, Mass (76170)c. 1930Shiverick Shipyard, Dennis, Cape Cod, Mass (76170)Postcard
1940s1 item
Land Utilization Town of Dennis - DPLA - 2ebebbf15a765efb4c539d525e3978a11940Land Utilization Town of Dennis - DPLA - 2ebebbf15a76…
1950s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
Today13 recent
Dennis Massachusetts town center2014Dennis Massachusetts town centerDennis, Upper County Road Bridge Reopens, May 14, 20132013Dennis, Upper County Road Bridge Reopens, May 14, 2013Massachusetts State Route 6A 050706 7802012Massachusetts State Route 6A 050706 780Massachusetts State Route 6A 050706 7792012Massachusetts State Route 6A 050706 779Cdbg-announcement-in-dennis 5540468497 o2012Cdbg-announcement-in-dennis 5540468497 oHokum Rock2009Hokum RockHalloween New England 32009Halloween New England 3Dennis- Route 6, $1.4 million ARRA Project December 20092009Dennis- Route 6, $1.4 million ARRA Project December 2…Dennis, Massachusetts2007Dennis, MassachusettsDennis Sign2007Dennis SignBass River Massachusetts2007Bass River MassachusettsMassachusetts State Route 6A 050706 5812006Massachusetts State Route 6A 050706 581Massachusetts State Route 6A 050706 5802006Massachusetts State Route 6A 050706 580
Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

South Dennis station 1907 postcard
Retake this viewSouth Dennis station 1907 postcard, c. 1907

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Dennis’ page.

Retake this view · +15
On the National Register

5 historic places in Dennis

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

places listed
5
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
5
each building in a district counts
first listed
1974
Josiah Dennis House
Josiah Dennis House, built 1736West Schoolhouse, built 1770West Dennis Graded School, built 1867Dennis Village Cemetery, built 1728Sears, Jacob, Memorial Library, built 1895
BuildingsSites

Architectural styles listings

Mid-19th Century1
Greek Revival1
Italianate1
Victorian1
Shingle style1
Josiah Dennis HouseBuilt 1736
West SchoolhouseBuilt 1770
West Dennis Graded SchoolMid-19th Century · Built 1867
Dennis Village CemeteryItalianate · Built 1728
Sears, Jacob, Memorial LibraryVictorian · Built 1895

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

Famous people

3 famous people were born in Dennis

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Samantha JohnsonAmerican singer and former ring announcer · b. 1989
Nathaniel FreemanAmerican physician and jurist · b. 1741
John Eliot SanfordAmerican politician · b. 1830
Places that used to be

Old corners and burying grounds

Dennis’s post office has been open since 1798.

Dennis
1798–today
South Dennis
1822–today
East Dennis
1828–today
West Dennis
1833–today
Dennisport
1862–today
17901910today
Hamlets and corners on the map
Dennis PortEast DennisNew BostonNorth DennisSouth DennisWest Dennis
11cemeteries and burying grounds inside Dennis
Dennis VillageHallHowes FamilyNobscusset IndianOak RidgeOuivettPaddockSouth Dennis Congregational ChurchSwan Lake AnnexWest DennisWorden

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Help out

Finish Dennis’s story

Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
3 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewSouth Dennis station 1907 postcard: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

East Dennis1 historic placenot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townYarmouth6 historic placesABrewster5 historic placesA−Yarmouth Port2 historic placesnot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townDennis PortIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townSouth Yarmouth1 historic placenot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townWest Dennis1 historic placenot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townSouth DennisIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townNorthwest Harwich2 historic placesnot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townHarwich5 historic placesA−

Questions about Dennis’ history

What year was Dennis founded?

In 1639, according to Wikidata. Dennis’ post office opened in 1798, and the census of 1850 counted 3,257 people here.

How does Dennis rank for history?

Dennis is more historic than 73% of U.S. towns, #247 of 283 in Massachusetts. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

What is on the National Register in Dennis?

5 listings: 4 buildings, among them the Josiah Dennis House (listed 1974, the first), and 1 site.

How old are the homes in Dennis?

11% of Dennis’ homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.1 points), against a typical 21% for a Massachusetts town; the median home was built in 1970.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (25), Wikidata (5), the National Register of Historic Places (5), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.