Baxter, Capt. Sylvester, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1855 at 156 Main Street in Hyannis, this square-plan Italianate house rises two and a half stories to a gable roof broken by a facade gable and a central belvedere. Its stucco-like mastic surface was meant to look like stone, and brackets in the gables and stilted segmental arches over the windows provide trim. It is regarded as the most fully developed Italianate example in Barnstable, a town known for many such buildings. The facade has lost its front porch, flanking oriel windows and a second-story oriel above the central entry, but the house remains a handsome example of the style. It was the home of Captain Sylvester Baxter (1800-1861), a deep water captain and younger brother of Captain Alexander Baxter, sometimes called the father of Hyannis. Sylvester served as first Worshipful Master of the Fraternal Lodge of Masons after its 1851 reorganization, was elected state senator in 1854, and later became Deputy Inspector and Collector of the Port of Hyannis. The house now operates as an inn.
Significance in brief: The house is considered the most fully developed example of the Italianate style in Barnstable, a town with many good examples. It was also the home of Captain Sylvester Baxter, a sea captain who served as state senator and port official. It meets criteria B and C.
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 87000313, listed March 13, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 156 Main St., Barnstable |
|---|---|
| County | Barnstable County |
| Listed | March 13, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87000313 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Italian Villa / Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is an inn; condition is described as fair to good. Original porch, flanking oriels and a second-story central oriel have been lost. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 41.65540, -70.27706 (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 87000313.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5036475
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.