National Register of Historic Places

Smith, Samuel, Tavern Site

Wellfleet, Barnstable County, Massachusetts
Listed
November 11, 1977
Type
Site
Period
Early Republic
Ref No.
77000108

About this property

The Samuel Smith Tavern Site is a historic archeological site in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, United States. It encompasses the remains of a late 17th-century tavern operated by Samuel Smith, owner of Great Island, which shelters Wellfleet Harbor. The tavern site is located within the Cape Cod National Seashore, and is accessible via the Great Island Trail. The site was excavated in 1969–70, recovering thousands of artifacts, including clay pipes, drinking artifacts, a harpoon, and a chopping block fashioned from whale vertebrae. The tavern site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

Location

Wellfleet, Barnstable County, Massachusetts

Categories

INDUSTRYCOMMERCEHISTORIC - NON-ABORIGINALARCHITECTURE
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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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
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Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
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Questions about this property

When was Smith, Samuel, Tavern Site listed on the National Register?

Smith, Samuel, Tavern Site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 11, 1977.

What type of historic resource is Smith, Samuel, Tavern Site?

Smith, Samuel, Tavern Site is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Smith, Samuel, Tavern Site?

The period of significance for Smith, Samuel, Tavern Site is recorded as the early_republic era.

Can I research the history near Smith, Samuel, Tavern Site?

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 Smith, Samuel, Tavern Site will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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