Best Web Design in Barnstable, MA (2026)

Web Design for Barnstable, Massachusetts

Barnstable is the county seat and largest community on Cape Cod, a sprawling town of seven distinct villages wrapped around the busy harbor village of Hyannis. Settled in 1638 and named for Barnstaple in Devon, England, it blends colonial history, a summer-tourism economy, and the enduring Kennedy legacy at Hyannis Port. Its coastline, ferries, and collegiate summer baseball make it the practical and cultural hub of the Cape.

AppWT works with Barnstable, MA businesses from Livonia, Michigan, mostly online and travelling as needed.

About Barnstable

Also known as. The Hub of Cape Cod. Cape Cod's Largest Town.

History. Settled on June 4, 1638 as one of the earliest towns of the Plymouth Colony and incorporated September 3, 1639, led by the Reverend Joseph Hull. Named after the English town of Barnstaple in Devon; explorer Bartholomew Gosnold had charted the area in 1602. Early industries were agriculture, fishing, and salt works; by the late 19th century some 804 ships were harbored in the town at the peak of its maritime era. The railroad reached Barnstable in 1854, opening the Cape to tourism. The Kennedy family compound at Hyannis Port became President John F. Kennedy's summer White House during his administration. Won an All-America City Award in 2007.

Local economy. Tourism is the primary modern industry, centered on Hyannis as the Cape's main business district and ferry gateway to Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard. Regional airline Cape Air is headquartered in the town and flies from Barnstable Municipal Airport. Cape Cod Hospital serves as a major regional employer and healthcare center. Cape Cod Community College is based in the town. Presidents Ulysses S. Grant and Grover Cleveland summered in the area, part of a long resort tradition.

Culture and community. The Cape Cod Baseball League, a premier collegiate wood-bat summer league, fields the Hyannis Harbor Hawks (McKeon Park) and the nearby Cotuit Kettleers (Lowell Park). The Barnstable-Falmouth Thanksgiving Day high school football game has been played nearly every year since 1895, one of the nation's longest-running rivalries. Barnstable High's teams are the Red Hawks, in red and white. Fresh Cape seafood, shellfish, and the classic clambake anchor local food traditions. The seasonal CapeFlyer weekend passenger train has run between Boston and Hyannis from Memorial Day to Labor Day since 2013.

What makes Barnstable distinct. A single town contains seven separate villages, each with its own ZIP code and identity, plus eight fire stations, seven libraries, and ten post offices. Two U.S. presidents summered in Barnstable long before the Kennedys made Hyannis Port famous. At its maritime peak roughly 804 ships called the town's harbors home.

Barnstable Landmarks and Local Life

• The John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum and the nearby Kennedy compound at Hyannis Port
• Barnstable County Courthouse
• West Parish Congregational Church
• The Ancient Burying Ground and the Gideon Hawley House - both on the National Register of Historic Places
• Barnstable Municipal Airport - a regional aviation hub
• The seven villages: Barnstable Village - Centerville, Cotuit, Hyannis, Marstons Mills, Osterville, and West Barnstable