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First Congregational Church, Harwich Center MAPhoto: John Phelan · CC BY 3.0
–Not graded
History · Harwich Center

1 of Harwich Center’s places is on the National Register

Most of Harwich Center was built recently: 9% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1975. Below: maps from 1887 on.

1on the National Register
9%homes built before 1940
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: John Phelan · CC BY 3.0

What stands out about Harwich Center’s past

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

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Harwich Center are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 18875 editions of the USGS map, 1887 to 1974. Watch Harwich Center change.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Harwich Center’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Harwich Center’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the map

Harwich Center on the map, 1887 to 1974

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

Harwich Center on the 1887 USGS mapHarwich Center on the 1893 USGS mapHarwich Center on the 1949 USGS mapHarwich Center on the 1961 USGS mapHarwich Center 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 Harwich Center.

The story so far

Harwich Center, in brief

Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Harwich Center yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.

Harwich Center is a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Harwich in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2020 census, Harwich Center had a population of 1,995.

Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew from 1,798 to 1,995 (+11%).

Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.

By decade

No old photos in the archives yet

Weddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.

Be the first to add onePhotograph a print flat, in daylight, no flash.
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On the National Register

1 listing protects 47 historic buildings

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

place listed
1
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
47
each building in a district counts

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

Famous people

Famous people close to Harwich Center

Nobody well known was born in Harwich Center itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.

See all →
Mercy Otis WarrenAmerican writer · b. 1728
James OtisLawyer in colonial Massachusetts · b. 1725
Todd EldredgeAmerican figure skater · b. 1971
F
Frank StubbsAmerican ice hockey player · b. 1909
George ThatcherAmerican judge and congressman · b. 1754
A. B. RogersAmerican engineer · b. 1829
Stories next door

History across the town line

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

East Harwich1 historic placenot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townNorthwest Harwich2 historic placesnot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townHarwich PortIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Harwich Center’s history

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). How TownRatings grades history →

From U.S. Geological Survey historical maps. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.