Barnstable, County, Massachusetts

Massachusetts AHGP Information
Barnstable County

Barnstable, County, Massachusetts, includes the whole of Cape Cod, in the east part of the state. The cape is 65 miles long, and has a medium breadth of 5 miles. A greater portion of the cape is sandy and dry, and incapable of furnishing the necessary subsistence to the inhabitants, who depend chiefly upon the cod, mackerel, and other fisheries. Salt is extensively made from sea water, evaporated by the heat of the sun. Most of the male inhabitants are sailors; and the dangers of the sea are evinced by the great number of widows found in the population. There are 13 towns in the county. Capital, Barnstable. There were in 1840, neat cattle 6,797, sheep 6,207, swine 4,153; wheat 3,107 bush, produced, rye 13,256, Indian corn 59,55 3, oats 10,281, potatoes 75,759, domestic salt 311,326; 186 stores, capital $303,925; capital in fisheries $739,455; 3 fulling m. 1 woolen fac, 9 tanneries, 1 glass factory 1 pottery, 1 rope walk, 61 grist mill, 1 saw mill, 2 printing offices, 2 weekly newspapers. Capital in manufacturing $441,220. 11 academies 557 students, 167 scholars 10,359 scholars. Population 1830 - 28,525; 1840 - 32,513.

Barnstable, postal town, seaport, and capital of Barnstable County, Massachusetts, 74 south east Boston, 475 W. The town extends across the cape, and the village is on the south side of Barnstable Bay, which opens into Cape Cod Bay. The mouth of the bay has a bar, with 6 or 7 feet water. Between 50 and 60 fishing and coasting vessels belong to the place. The tonnage of the port in 1840, was 56,556. The land of the town is much better than that of most parts of Cape Cod. It has 29 stores, capitol $41,750; capitol in fisheries $57,000; salt produced, $22,585 bushels; 1 fulling mill, 1 tannery, 1 pottery, 9 grist mill, 1 printing office, 1 weekly newspaper. Capitol in manufacturing $30,500. 2 academies 87 students, 22 schools 1,193 scholars. Population 4,301.

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