Fort Hill Rural Historic District
National Register of Historic Places

Fort Hill Rural Historic District

Eastham, Barnstable County, Massachusetts
Listed
April 4, 2001
Type
District
Period
Colonial
Ref No.
00001656

About this property

The Fort Hill Rural Historic District is a historic district encompassing two farmsteads with more than 200 years of history in Eastham, Massachusetts. The district is a 100-acre (40 ha) area of forest, fields, and salt marshes that was owned by the Knowles and Penninman families from 1742 to 1941. It has been part of the Cape Cod National Seashore since 1961. The area is dominated by the rise called "Fort Hill", which provides extensive views of the area and has its own rich history. The district includes the Edward Penniman House and Barn, previously listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the Nauset Archeological District, a National Historic Landmark. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.

Location

Eastham, Barnstable County, Massachusetts
41.81807, -69.96183

Categories

AGRICULTUREARCHITECTURECOMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Fort Hill Rural Historic District

This page lists Fort Hill Rural Historic District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Penniman, Edward, House and Barn
Industrial
0.2 mi
Cove Burying Ground
Listed
0.7 mi
Bridge Road Cemetery
Listed
1.1 mi
Eastham Center Historic District
Listed
1.1 mi
Old Town Center Historic District
Civil War
1.4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Fort Hill Rural Historic District listed on the National Register?

Fort Hill Rural Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 4, 2001.

What type of historic resource is Fort Hill Rural Historic District?

Fort Hill Rural Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Fort Hill Rural Historic District?

The period of significance for Fort Hill Rural Historic District is recorded as the colonial era, specifically around 1742.

Can I research the history near Fort Hill Rural Historic District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Fort Hill Rural Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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