Quick History Stops: Cotuit, MA

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A black, white, and dark blue striped header image with the text Quick History Stops: Cotuit, MA

In August 2024, I went on a five-day trip to Cape Cod, MA where I visited many museums and cultural organizations, along with quick history stops and trails. Between major stops in Cotuit like Cotuit Historical Society and Cahoon Museum of American Art, I made several quick history stops. I visited Cotuit Library and nearby Cotuit Memorial Park, Cotuit Federated Church, Mariners Lodge, and Freedom Hall.

A single-story, Greek Revival style, shingle-sided building with large windows and banners in front A wooden blue sign with gold letters A white painted wooden sign with black letters affixed to a shingle-sided wall
A plaque engraved with names of soldiers affixed to a rock beside two little American flags A plaque engraved with names of soldiers affixed to a rock beside one little American flag A long, cobbled together, shingle-sided building

The building now housing Cotuit Library began in 1830 as a Schoolhouse Number 11. When the library was founded by Cotuit Lycean Society forty-four years later in 1874 under the leadership of Lucy Gibbins Morse, it had no permanent building. Books were kept in a local store and later in Freedom Hall. Not until 1894 did the library move into the former schoolhouse. Several expansions followed in 1901, 1963, and 1977, turning the little building into an impressive library complex. Next to the library was Cotuit Memorial Park, managed by Cotuit Santuit Civic Association. The park contained a pair of plaques honoring soldiers killed in action and veterans from the World Wars.

A shingle-sided church with a bell tower at the center Classic church sign with replaceable letters and a golden welcoming pineapple on top Little Free Library Shaped Like a Shingle-Sided Church

Down the street was Cotuit Federated Church, started in 1846 by local sea captains. The name “federated” indicated that the church belongs to two different denominations, in this case both the United Methodist Church and the United Church of Christ, a type of congregationalist church. While the two congregations “broke up” from 1879 to 1923, they got back together and remain so to this day. During the break up in 1901, Methodists built the original section of the current church building.

An antique sign reading Cotuit Town of Barnstable Incorporated 1639 A shingle-sided church building with green-painted shutters and a tall, pointed steeple over the entrance A whitewashed, two-story, Greek Revival style building with green shutters A worn, blue-painted wooden sign with the Masons logo and the text "Mariners Lodge Ancient Free & Accepted Masons Chartered December 3, 1871, Meetings Fourth Tuesday of Each Month"

Mariners Lodge in Cotuit looks like a Cape Cod church building but was actually home to a Masonic lodge specializing in sailors. The chapter was chartered in 1870 though Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, which had been chartered in 1733 through United Grand Lodge of England, which began in 1717. The Cotuit chapter appeared to be defunct, but the building is in good condition. Next door was Freedom Hall, a Greek Revival style building constructed in 1860 as a meeting place and named in part for the abolitionist movement. The hall has been maintained by the Cotuit Fire District since 1935 and continues to host community clubs and events throughout the year.

Location: Cotuit, Barnstable, MA 02635, USA