Northside Historic District
Also known as: Yarmouth; Yarmouthport
Why it's listed
Strung along about two miles of Route 6A on the Cape Cod Bay side of Yarmouth, this 50-acre district joins the villages of Yarmouth and Yarmouthport. It preserves a linear village whose houses mostly date from the 1780s to the 1860s. Two house types dominate: low Cape Cod houses from the colonial and Federal periods, and gable-front houses with restrained Greek Revival detail from the second and third quarters of the nineteenth century. Larger Georgian, Federal, Gothic Revival, Italianate and Queen Anne houses appear in smaller numbers. Taverns, inns and stores, including the Old Yarmouth Inn of about 1690, reflect the road's role as a trade and travel corridor. Churches, a library, a trade school and a lyceum hall mark its civic life. Of 298 buildings, 211 contribute to the district's character. It was listed for its architecture and for its role as the early settlement and civic center of the town, with a period of significance from 1700 to 1900.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the district is a well-preserved linear village that was the earliest settlement core and civic center of Yarmouth, and later a commercial focus on an important transportation corridor. It contains a significant cluster of Federal and Greek Revival buildings in regionally important house types, notably Cape Cod and gable-front houses. It is listed locally 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 87001777, listed November 24, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | US 6A between Barnstable-Yarmouth town line & White Brock, Yarmouth |
|---|---|
| County | Barnstable County |
| Listed | November 24, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87001777 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1700-1900 |
| Architect / builder | various |
| Architectural style | Georgian, Federal, Greek Revival; Cape Cod houses and gable front houses |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Commerce, Architecture, Maritime History, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The form states that all buildings are well maintained and that the district retains integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association. |
| Acreage | 50 |
| Coordinates | 41.70395, -70.24989 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 87001777.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7059744
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.