Welcome to the Barnstable County Registry of Deeds. Barnstable County was founded in 1685 and encompasses the land and the 15 towns that make up what is popularly known as Cape Cod. The Barnstable County Registry of Deeds contains the over three centuries of real property ownership history for Cape Cod. In Massachusetts, Registries of Deeds deal only with title to real property.
The Mayflower Compact was signed aboard ship on November 11, 1620 by most adult men (but not by most crew and adult male servants). The Pilgrims used the Julian Calendar, also known as Old Style dates, which, at that time, was ten days behind the Gregorian Calendar.
The Mayflower Compact was the first agreement for self-government to be created and enforced in America. On September 16, 1620 the Mayflower, a British ship, with 102 passengers, who called themselves Pilgrims, aboard sailed from Plymouth, England. They were bound for the New World. The voyage took 66 days. On November 21, 1620 the Mayflower reached the Cape Cod coast of America.