Hinckley, S. Alexander, House
Why it's listed
This Cape Cod cottage at 151 Pine Street in Hyannis dates to about 1710 and was moved from Main Street at an unknown date. It is a full 1½-story house sheathed in wood shingles, with a gable roof and central chimney. A one-story rear ell, also gabled with its own chimney, extends behind it. The five-bay facade has a center entry framed by simple pilasters, flanked by two windows on each side. Those windows hold 1/1 replacement sash installed in the mid-20th century. The gable ends have two windows on each floor, with small square windows at the sides of the upper story. Well-preserved 18th-century houses are rare in Hyannis, and this one keeps the intact character of its Georgian-period architecture. Late in the 19th century it belonged to S. Alexander Hinckley and his wife Ora. After his death in 1908, she became librarian of the newly relocated Hyannis Library and stayed closely tied to it until she died in 1943. The house was listed for its architecture.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a rare, well-preserved 18th-century house in Hyannis with intact Georgian-period architecture. The final review accepted it under Criterion C as a rare surviving Hyannis Cape Cod cottage of about 1710. An earlier draft also cited its link to Ora Hinckley, village librarian for 35 years.
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 87000279, listed September 18, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 151 Pine St., Barnstable |
|---|---|
| County | Barnstable County |
| Listed | September 18, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87000279 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Colonial (Cape Cod cottage, Georgian period) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residential, condition is excellent, and the house has no outbuildings. The sash was replaced in the mid-20th century. |
| Acreage | 0.4 |
| Coordinates | 41.64665, -70.28637 (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 87000279.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7387357
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.