Local History Museum

Dennis Historical Society Maritime Museum

The Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s recipient inventory locates the Medal of Honor of Coxswain Benjamin F. Baker at the Dennis Historical Society Maritime Museum. Baker served aboard USS Nashville during the Spanish-American War cable-cutting action at Cienfuegos in 1898.

MOH-MUS-000087Evidence reviewed 2026-10-12Seasonal access

Trackpads Medal of Honor ArchiveShared archive placeholder until museum-specific photography is cleared

Historical context

About this institution

The Dennis Historical Society maintains a maritime museum on the upper floor of the restored 1867 West Dennis Graded School. Its interpretation centers on Cape Cod’s fishing, merchant-maritime, and naval connections, with town-owned historic buildings and society-owned collections brought together in a visitor site.

Why it matters to Medal of Honor research

This collection provides a local historical counterpart to the Cienfuegos cable action, tying a named Navy recipient to a specific Cape Cod museum.

Collection guide

What to look for

The following highlights summarize the strongest verified reasons to include this institution in the archive. They are a planning guide, not a promise that every object is on view at all times.

Original medal attributed to naval Coxswain Benjamin F. Baker

Maritime displays at the restored 1867 graded school

Dennis town maritime and educational heritage

Verified connections

Medal of Honor relationships

1 total1 original medal

Original Medal of Honor

Benjamin F. Baker

The recipient database identifies the Dennis Historical Society Maritime Museum as the location of Baker’s Medal of Honor. The museum is seasonal; the database entry alone does not confirm the decoration is on display during every opening.

Record: Benjamin F. Baker medal, location reported by Congressional Medal of Honor Society

Verified 2026-10-10 · Current, display status not specified

Evidence sources and scope

Benjamin F. Baker recipient and recorded location of medal ↗Congressional Medal of Honor Society
West Dennis Graded School and Maritime Museum, 2026 visitor information ↗Dennis Historical Society

Specific institution or recipient primary source. Custody and current public display are distinct claims.

Collection focus

Historical specialties

Cape Cod maritime heritageSpanish-American War and naval historyBenjamin F. Baker Medal of Honor

Service connections

U.S. Navy

Conflict connections

Spanish-American War

Visitor planning

This is a seasonal local maritime museum, not a year-round visitor center. Consult the society for the next opening season or arrange a group visit.

67 School Street
West Dennis, Massachusetts, 02670
United States

Open location in OpenStreetMap ↗Official website ↗Current visitor information ↗Collection or exhibit information ↗

2026 published museum season was July 10 through August 28, with limited Wednesday and Friday hours; it is outside that normal season in October.
CMOHS records medal location; contact the museum to determine current exhibition status.
Coordinates are published by the historical society on its museum visitor page.

Admission prices, opening schedules, installation rules, and object availability are left to the institution because they can change.

Access status

Seasonal access

Map point: 41.6621103, -70.171642 · Verified Official Institution Coordinates

Institution sources

West Dennis Graded School and Maritime Museum, 2026 visitor information ↗Dennis Historical Society · Priority 1
Benjamin F. Baker recipient and recorded location of medal ↗Congressional Medal of Honor Society · Priority 2

Archive standard

“Original Medal of Honor” relationships require direct source evidence. A location record is not described as a current public display unless the institution confirms display status.