Gleason, Dr. Edward Francis, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1790, this clapboard house at 88 Lewis Bay Road in Hyannis is a two-story Federal style dwelling on an L-plan, covered by intersecting hip roofs with interior chimneys. The centered entry on the five-bay facade has three-quarter sidelights, an elliptical fan and a one-story Tuscan porch, while corner quoins and a dentilated cornice add detail. The windows hold replacement two-over-one sash dating from about 1900. The first known owner was Captain Timothy Baker, a master of coastal vessels, who appears on maps and atlases from 1835 to 1858; his heirs held it in 1880, and by 1907 it was listed as the J. Hallett Estate. Its most notable owner was Dr. Edward Francis Gleason (1868-1944), the founding physician of Cape Cod Hospital next door. The house was listed for its architecture and its connection to Barnstable's nineteenth-century maritime history. It now houses medical offices in a mixed commercial and residential setting.
Significance in brief: The house is significant as a fine example of Federal period domestic architecture and for its link to Barnstable's 19th century maritime history through early owner Captain Timothy Baker. It is also tied to Dr. Edward Francis Gleason, founding physician of nearby Cape Cod Hospital. The final review accepted it under criteria A 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 87000262, listed September 18, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 88 Lewis Bay Rd., Barnstable |
|---|---|
| County | Barnstable County |
| Listed | September 18, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87000262 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Maritime History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition good; present use is medical offices; originally a dwelling. Not moved; sash replaced c1900. |
| Acreage | 1.5 |
| Coordinates | 41.65282, -70.27460 (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 87000262.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5304070
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.