About Us

“To preserve, promote and present the history of Yarmouth, Massachusetts.”

Our History The Historical Society of Old Yarmouth was founded in 1953 to preserve, and develop community interest in, the history of Yarmouth. Led by Caroline Siebens and Ann Maxtone-Graham, the Historical Society soon grew to more than 500 members who set about collecting the objects and documents that could convey Yarmouth’s past, and promoting the preservation of historical sites in the town.		Learn More: Welcome Collections Research Links and Tools Join Us Volunteering Bookstore
IIn 1958 Guido Perera, a descendant of original Yarmouth settler Anthony Thacher, gave to the Society an historic house on Yarmouth Port’s Common, as well as 50 acres of adjoining woodlands. This generous gift is now the Captain Bangs Hallet House Museum and the Historical Society Nature Trails. The Museum is open to the public June 8th through October 15th Thursday through Sunday with tours at 1, 2 and 3pm. Admission - $3 adults 50 cents children. Yarmouth residents free. Today HSOY today continues to carry out the mission and vision of its founders by collecting Yarmouth’s past, and working to share that past with the local community, as well as visitors from all over the world. The Society, led by a Board of Trustees, has two part time staff members and dozens of active and enthusiastic volunteers. The operations of the Society include the Captain Bangs Hallet House Museum, the 18th Century Kitchen, the Gorham Cobbler Shop, the Historical Society Nature Trails, and The Kelley Chapel. The most important achievement in the last year was the opening of our new administrative headquarters at the relocated and reconstructed Gorham Cobbler Shop (behind the Post Office on 6A). The HSOY Library and Archival Collections are now located there in a brand new climatically controlled archival storage facility specifically designed for this purpose. Our office is open to the public on Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:30 am – 3:00 pm.
	Each year HSOY sponsors lectures, school programs, exhibitions, walking tours, concerts, holiday events, and various other social and educational opportunities for the community. The Society also has an active publishing program designed to encourage historical scholarship about Yarmouth and make it available to the public. Future Over the past five years, HSOY has undertaken a long range planning process to understand how we can best fulfill our mission and serve the community.
Future plans for the Society include developing new space for permanent and changing exhibitions and expanding our presence in the villages of South and West Yarmouth. The Society is now working to better present and market the Captain Bangs Hallet House and its surrounding historic sites, as well as the beautiful grounds and Nature Trails that contain so many outstanding botanical specimens. Another achievement in the last year was the moving of the Gorham Cobbler Shop to its new location behind the post office on 6A. This is the new administrative office for the HSOY and houses a climatically controlled archival storage area much needed for the Society’s important documents and collections.
DIRECTIONS Located on the Strawberry Lane Common, just off Route 6A in Yarmouth Port. From Route 6 take exit 7. Right on Willow street to Route 6A. Right on 6A about a mile, past the Yarmouth Port Post Office. Turn right onto Strawberry Lane (the Common). The Bangs Hallet House is the second house on the right.