Baker, Nathaniel, House
Why it's listed
Standing at 1606 Hyannis Road near the center of Barnstable Village, this Georgian house dates to about 1721 and is believed to have been built by Nathaniel Baker IV on land left by his father. It is a full five-bay, two-story, shingle-clad building under a hip roof, with a center chimney behind the ridge, 6/6 windows and a two-story hipped ell at the rear. Original paneling and fireplaces survive inside. The Baker family held so much land nearby that Hyannis Road was once called Baker's Way. In 1778 Nathaniel Baker deeded half the dwelling to his daughters, dividing it through the front door, and the house served as a two-family residence until 1926. Deeds and the 1794 estate inventory, which showed creditors could not be paid in full, document the family's declining fortunes. The house is valued for these family associations and as a vernacular early Georgian dwelling.
Significance in brief: The house is tied to the early Barnstable Baker family, whose land holdings gave Hyannis Road the name Baker's Way. It also records the family's declining economic status through deeds and probate records. It is a vernacular example of an early Georgian dwelling later converted to two-family use.
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 87000229, listed March 13, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1606 Hyannis Rd., Barnstable |
|---|---|
| County | Barnstable County |
| Listed | March 13, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87000229 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Built c. 1721 by Nathaniel Baker IV (believed); architect unknown |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National, State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use residential; condition good; alterations confined to the interior; outbuildings include a garage and a two-room cottage. |
| Acreage | 1.6 |
| Coordinates | 41.69583, -70.30177 (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 87000229.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6969493
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.