Collections

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The Historical Society of Old Yarmouth collects objects and items of all types that pertain to Yarmouth’s history. The Society maintains three separate collections: museum collection, library and archives, and photographs. Access to the collection is provided to scholars and researchers by appointment. The Society is always anxious to learn about items pertaining to Yarmouth’s history and gratefully accepts donations of Yarmouth materials. If you have information regarding a Yarmouth object or would like more information on donating items to the Historical Society, please contact us at 508.362.3021 or email hsoy@comcast.net. s
Museum Collection The Museum Collection consists of objects, domestic furnishings, artwork, costumes, textiles, maritime-related artifacts, and other items. Highlights of the collection are kitchen-related items from the 18th and 19th centuries; 19th century clothing; 19th century children’s toys; Native American stone artifacts from Cape Cod; and maritime artifacts and artwork. A portion of the museum’s collection is on display within the context of the Captain Bangs Hallet House Museum, while the remainder is stored and utilized as needed for special exhibitions and displays. Each year, HSOY sponsors a special theme tour and exhibition within the Captain Bangs Hallet House drawing from our own collections, as well as the collections of private individuals and neighboring institutions.
	Photograph Collection HSOY maintains a collection of historical and current photographs. The historical photograph collection includes nearly 3000 images of Yarmouth Port, South Yarmouth and West Yarmouth. Among these images are those from the outstanding Matthews C. Hallet Collection and several photographs taken by the noted photographer Edwin Hale Lincoln. All of the Society’s images are individually stored and cataloged and an extensive index is available for locating particular subjects, people and places. The collection also includes hundreds of current photographs of Yarmouth’s historical buildings and homes, outbuildings, scenic vistas, markers and monuments. These current photographs have all been taken within the last five years and help not only in the identification of old photographs, but also document Yarmouth around the year 2000 for the use of future historians. For more on using or obtaining copies from the HSOY Photograph Collection, please see the Photograph Use Policy.
Library and Archives The Library and Archives Collection of the Historical Society of Old Yarmouth is constantly growing. The library features books relating to Yarmouth’s history and the history of Cape Cod and the Plymouth Colony, maritime history, general reference books on history and antiques, and a genealogy section that includes more than 1,000 completed family group sheets on Yarmouth families. The library also contains a vertical file and a pamphlet file. A recent addition to our library is the “Yarmouth Houses” file, which has files on most of the older homes in the town of Yarmouth including information compiled for the National Register. Additionally, the Society has copies of historical maps from 1795, 1830, 1858 and 1880 and a Map Book containing copies of maps for each village from the oldest maps up to the present day.
Our climate controlled archival storage at the Gorham Cobbler Shop contains correspondence, business records, marine logs and ledgers, family papers and various other manuscripts. Document collections include: Berry Family Collection; Cyrus Sears Collection, 1861-1882; Lucy Davis Collection, 1853-1904; Bray Family Collection, 1713-1961; Caroline R. Siebens Collection; Thacher Family Collection; Thacher-Perera Collection; Bangs Hallet Collection; Annette Kelley Collection; E. Lawrence Jenkins Collection; Matthews Family Collection; Dorothy Howes Anderson Collection; 350th Anniversary Collection; Brevet Major General Joseph Eldridge Hamblin Collection; Elkanah and Sturgis Crowell Collection; Daniel Wing Collection; Rufus White Collection; Kenneth Baxter Crowell Collection; and the Calvin Tilden Collection. Other significant collections include the maritime documents of the shipping firm of Howes and Crowell, as well as numerous ship logs, ledgers, charts, and other shipping documents. Various copies of the Yarmouth Register and Barnstable Patriot are available from the 1830s to the 1880s. Also, certain Yarmouth Town Records prior to 1860 are available on microfilm. For more on using the HSOY Library and Archives, please see the Research section.