West Yarmouth’s post office opened in 1829, and 1 of its places is on the National Register
Most of West Yarmouth was built recently: 7% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1971. Below: 6 old photos and papers, maps from 1942 on, and old-book passages.
Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of West Yarmouth yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
West Yarmouth is a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Yarmouth in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2020 census, West Yarmouth had a population of 6,278.
Its first post office opened in 1829. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew from 6,012 to 6,278 (+4%).
Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.
From the old history books
What they wrote about West Yarmouth in 1890
Passages that mention West Yarmouth, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Barnstable County, Massachusetts, 1620-1637-1686-18901890 · page 473Read the page →
Read the text
The Second Congregational Society originated in 1794, when the West Yarmouth, or "South Sea" portion of the old parish, insisted upon having preaching there a part of the time. A meeting house was built and dedicated. Reverends Messrs. Alden, of Yarmouth, and Waterman, of Barnstable, preaching forenoon and afternoon. The sermons were both printed. Mr. Alden agreed to preach at South Sea the-proper proportion of the time, and always seemed to enjoy his connection with that portion of his distant parishioners. In 1815, Mr.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Barnstable County, Massachusetts, 1620-1637-1686-18901890 · page 488Read the page →
Read the text
West Yarmouth, in the southwest part of the town, assumes the title of a village. There is a beauty to its long Main street of cozy residences, and its avenues extending to the sound. Salt was manufactured as early as 1829 on the shore of Lewis bay and along the sound, by Gorham Crowell, Ezekiel Crowell and others. Prince Gage erected works about that time or prior. One church, two stores and a post office form the principal centers of to-day. Of the old stores, Elisha Taylor continued one many years after its establishment by
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
West Yarmouth, decade by decade
2 decades in the archive, from the 1930s to the 1980s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
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.
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.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of West Yarmouth. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1942Hyannis sheet · 1:31,680
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of West Yarmouth.
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.
Retake this viewCommunity Church and town building, West Yarmouth, Mass (76180), c. 1930
Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on West Yarmouth’s page.
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 Wikimedia Commons (6), Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps 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.
c. 1930
1984
1984
1987
