Bearse, Capt. Allen H., House
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Built in 1857 at 48 Camp Street in Hyannis, this clapboard house is regarded as one of the finest and best preserved Italianate dwellings in a village known for its sea captains' homes. It rises two and a half stories under a gable roof, with a one-and-a-half-story rear ell added in the late 19th century. A three-bay gable end faces the street, and the design includes a bracketed cornice, wide corner pilasters and a bracketed porch. The entry sits on the side toward the front, a pattern typical of local examples. The vertical profile of the brackets and the simple window treatment point to a relatively early date for the style. A generous landscaped lot adds to its character. The house was the home of Captain Allen H. Bearse, a deep-water captain from a seafaring family who also held mercantile interests on Hyannis Wharf. Its association with him and its largely unaltered Italianate design support its listing.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant as the home of a prominent local citizen, Captain Allen H. Bearse, and as an exceptional, unaltered example of the Italianate style. It is described as one of the finest and best preserved Italianate houses in Hyannis, a village noted for its captains' residences. 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 87000264, listed March 13, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 48 Camp St., Barnstable |
|---|---|
| County | Barnstable County |
| Listed | March 13, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87000264 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Maritime History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is listed as excellent; present use is residential. The property has not been moved. |
| Acreage | 1.1 |
| Coordinates | 41.65713, -70.27529 (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 87000264.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5036408
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.