Baker, Benjamin, Jr., House
Why it's listed
Built around 1828 on Hyannis Road in Barnstable, this one-and-a-half story house is a well-preserved Federal period cottage of the half-cape type. It has three bays, shingle siding, simple cornerboards, a gable roof with an offset stove chimney, and an offset entry framed by pilasters and topped by a transom. Windows hold six-over-six sash. The interior has been modernized, but the exterior retains its original character. Benjamin Baker, Jr., a caulker, bought the land in 1826 and 1827 from John Baker, a housewright. The Baker family were among the first settlers along this road, once called Baker's Lane, which linked Barnstable Village with the seaport of Hyannis. Baker died in 1840 as an insolvent debtor, and the property passed through a partnership and then to Simeon Doane, Jr., a mariner, who lived there until 1880. The house is valued as an example of a simple Federal cottage and as a record of its working-class occupants' changing fortunes.
Significance in brief: The form argues the house is a well-preserved example of a simple three-bay Federal cottage (Criterion C). It is also significant for reflecting the changing economic status of its known laborer and mariner occupants, and for its association with the Baker family, early settlers along the road between Barnstable Village and Hyannis (Criterion A).
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 87000352, listed November 10, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1579 Hyannis Rd., Barnstable |
|---|---|
| County | Barnstable County |
| Listed | November 10, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87000352 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Federal (half cape) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is a private residence; condition is good, with interior modernization. The garage and greenhouse are 20th century non-contributing buildings. |
| Acreage | 1.3 |
| Coordinates | 41.69501, -70.30283 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 87000352.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4888236
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.