Arts Barnstable

The Old Selectmen’s Building Gallery is seeking applications from artists of all levels and genres who are interested in renting the Gallery on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.

Located in the heart of West Barnstable, the Old Selectmen’s Building has a storied history. Built in 1889 for $1000 as offices for Barnstable’s three Selectmen, it is considered Barnstable’s first town hall. It is architecturally significant as a rare example of the Stick-style architecture. The three designers were Charles Crocker, lumberman and co-founder the Barnstable Brick Company, Eben Bacon and Abel Makepeace, “the Cranberry King.” The Selectmen occupied the Old Selectmen’s Building for thirty-six years before moving in 1926 to a new Town Hall located on Main Street, Hyannis, currently the home of the JFK Museum.

In 1988, a group of citizens working with the West Barnstable Historical Society, organized a community effort to raise funds to restore the building to its original appearance. This was accomplished in 1989 in time for the building’s Centennial celebration and the 350th anniversary of the Town.

Since the restoration, the Old Selectmen’s Building has been transformed into an art gallery, made available for rental as a community art space.

The information about the history of the Old Selectmen’s Building was obtained from West Barnstable Remembered, A Cape Cod Village compiled and published by the West Barnstable Historical Society. (2014).