Hawley, Gideon, House
Why it's listed
Built about 1758, this shingled, 2 1/2 story house at 4766 Falmouth Road in Cotuit-Santuit was the home of the Rev. Gideon Hawley (1727-1807), a Yale graduate sent by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel to minister to Native Americans in Stockbridge and New York before serving the Marshpee Indians. The house has an asymmetrical four-bay facade, a gable roof, 6/6 sash windows and an offset entry framed by pilasters, with the original capitals hidden by an early 20th century pergola porch. It may have begun as a half house, and a rear kitchen ell was probably added in the 19th century. It was moved back from the road in 1920 during road widening. Its listing rests on its link to the 18th century effort to Christianize Native Americans and to Hawley, who the Marshpee petitioned to receive land. The interior was gutted in 1986.
Significance in brief: The house is significant for its association with the 18th century movement to Christianize Native Americans and with its builder, Rev. Gideon Hawley, who was pastor to the Marshpee Indians. Architecturally it is described as the least imposing of the full two-story Georgian and Federal houses in Santuit.
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 87000312, listed March 13, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 4766 Falmouth Rd., Barnstable |
|---|---|
| County | Barnstable County |
| Listed | March 13, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87000312 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Built by Rev. Gideon Hawley; architect unknown |
| Architectural style | Late Georgian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition fair-good; present use is a dwelling. The interior was gutted in 1986. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 41.63636, -70.45389 (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 87000312.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5559596
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.