House for Sale: An 1890 Martha’s Vineyard Cottage Overflowing With Historic Charm
This three-season Martha’s Vineyard cottage is the perfect blend of simplicity and antique charm.
By Aimee Tucker|Aug 02 2023|
This 1890 Martha’s Vineyard home is for sale after more than fifty years with one family.
Photo Credit: David Welch, Courtesy of Seacoast PropertiesDreamscrolling the New England real estate market is one of my favorite internet pastimes, and I know I’m not alone. As a home history nerd, my primary filter is “Year Built,” which lets me hunt for my dream center-chimney Colonial in Massachusetts, turreted two-tone Victorian in Vermont, or untouched midcentury ranch in Maine. But sometimes, a property stands out for a truly magical combination of style, setting, and original details.
On my most recent dream-dive (which, like all dreams, is not concerned with the reality of a staggering mortgage or leaking roof), I found myself zeroing in on a three-season 1890 cottage on Martha’s Vineyard. As I scrolled, I imagined sipping coffee in a front porch rocker, crocheting in the sunroom, steaming lobster and clams in the kitchen, and waking up to the smell of salty sea air. Have a look and see if it doesn’t have the same effect on you.
Photo Credit : David Welch, Courtesy of Seacoast Properties
Photo Credit : David Welch, Courtesy of Seacoast Properties
Photo Credit : David Welch, Courtesy of Seacoast Properties
Photo Credit : David Welch, Courtesy of Seacoast Properties
Photo Credit : David Welch, Courtesy of Seacoast Properties
Photo Credit : David Welch, Courtesy of Seacoast Properties
Photo Credit : David Welch, Courtesy of Seacoast Properties
Photo Credit : David Welch, Courtesy of Seacoast Properties
Photo Credit : David Welch, Courtesy of Seacoast Properties
Photo Credit : David Welch, Courtesy of Seacoast Properties
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Home Details
Price: $2,693,000 • Square Feet: 1,752 • Acres: 0.36 • Bedrooms: 4 • Bathrooms: 1 full, 1 quarter
(Janna O’Loughlin, Seacoast Properties, 508-272-4819, janna@mvseacoast.com)
One bath? And what is a quarter mean just to sync how much space is there in that area? Is there a closet nearby for instance? Last question, how accessable is the house to town beaches? How much land does it sit on? I would not want it to be subdividable, but perhaps allow a guest house combined with a garage. Thank you for your time.
Hi Lynne. The contact information for the listing agent is at the bottom of the post. I am sure she would be more than happy to answer your questions if you call or email her! Thanks.
I get the fact that it’s on Martha’s Vineyard and that means limited availability and higher prices but let’s be real here. $2.7M for this creaky, little, under-powered, non-insulated house for which simple updating and maintenance were clearly never a priority? I think not. I also get that everyone thinks their property is worth more than it is. Perspective-wise, if you convert this asking price into 1890 dollars, that would mean this house and land cost over $78,000 back then. Which never would’ve happened. This is the “OMG it has a big porch” concept. Which allegedly makes it “overflowing with historic charm”. The design itself isn’t even innovative or interesting for the period. Everything about this house screams “it’s going to cost you money to fix it!” Just not worth it.
Hi there. I hear where you’re coming from, but this post is a totally celebration of “dreamscrolling” – meaning I was intentionally not concerned with the price or the cost of repairs. It’s purely about what’s on the surface, and I personally appreciate the look of beach home that hasn’t been renovated and still has its historic charm. Especially on Martha’s Vineyard! Have a great day!
Ah, you and my wife. The practical versus the dream. On property listings my default position is to go to Google Maps to see what the realtor left out of the listing. She recently found one home online that was just “adorable”. When I mapped it, it was next to an ambulance company, a storage facility and an industrial manufacturer. All of which were missing from the realtor’s photos. In the case of this “beach home”, it’s a twenty minute walk (5 minutes by car) to the beach. So it goes. Just personally trying to avoid (once again) spending my time making my own dreamer wife happy with our historic home when she realizes all that needs updating and repair. Thanks for the motivation.