About Dennis Historical Society

Mission Statement

To preserve, protect and promote the history of Dennis, Massachusetts.

Objectives of the Society

The Dennis Historical Society, Inc. is a non-profit,  501 (c)(3), educational organization established to stimulate an interest in local history, promote scholarly effort, foster the continued collection and preservation of historical data and material, and to cooperate with individuals and other organizations having similar interest.

About the Society

The Dennis Historical Society was formed in 1963 to accept gifts of Dennis-related artifacts for use in the Captain Theophilus Baker House and Barn Museum at the 1801 Jericho Historical Center. Built for sea Captain Theophilus Baker, the property was gifted to the Town of Dennis in 1962. The DHS scope increased in 1967 when the town purchased the 1736 Josiah Dennis Manse, home of the first settled minister of the town. It is for the Reverend Josiah Dennis that the Town of Dennis is named. The West School House was acquired by the Town and moved to the Manse property in 1973.

The scope further increased in 2002 with the town's completion of the restoration of its 1867 West Dennis Graded School. The second floor was set aside for the Dennis Maritime Museum, the newly added Nobscussett Indian room and a replica of a graded school room. This room is established as a late 1800s school room and is available for use by today's teachers for educational children’s programs by contacting the Town of Dennis.

The 1736 Josiah Dennis Manse, the West School House, the Jericho Historical Center and the 1867 West Dennis Graded School have preservation restriction agreements between the Town of Dennis and the Massachusetts Historical Commission to ensure both the architectural and historic integrity of these buildings.

The buildings and land are owned and maintained by the Town of Dennis. The Dennis Historical Society owns the artifacts inside, and promotes these museums. Each museum is operated by a town appointed committee, whose chairperson, or the committee's representative, is on the DHS Board of Directors, thus ensuring scheduling and activity coordination among the museums.

DHS maintains the Pauline Wixon Derick Library, home of the Dennis Historical Society Archives at the West Dennis Public Library. Please see the DHS Library under the Museums tab for hours and contact information.

DHS also operates a web-accessible Digital Archive. Additions to the Digital Archives are on temporary hold. No login is required.

During the year, the Dennis Historical Society sponsors programs of historical interest for its members and for the general public. It interacts with other Cape Cod historical organizations through membership in the Cape and Islands Historical Association and various programs and interchanges. The DHS programs appear on the Events tab of this website.