Large antique home, secluded grounds, 5-min walk to the Bay
North Eastham Vacation Rental - ID 34834

This historic, antique home has rustic charm as well as roomy accommodations and spacious (private) outdoor spaces. Known as the Higgins Homestead and built in the mid-1750s, it is the oldest house still standing in North Eastham. Recently it has been deeply cleaned and refreshed with cedar shakes outside and fresh paint inside. Marvel at pine floorboards measuring up to two feet wide. On the ground floor is the kitchen, a keeping (common) room (central dining room) with a fireplace (and dutch oven). Connected to the keeping room, on either side of the south-facing front door are two living rooms (the piano room and the TV room, both with fireplaces).

There are also small rooms on either side of the keeping room—historically known as the buttery (pantry) and the borning room. Both have full beds and could serve as bedrooms. Also, to the north of the kitchen is the “summer kitchen,” the “tailor shop,” and the attached garage.

Local lore is that the home served as an inn and tavern for much of the 19th century. Underneath the central staircase is a hidden room (behind the central chimney)--could it have been a stop on the Underground Railway? There is also a small, round potato cellar off the kitchen. Upstairs is a spacious master bedroom and bathroom--and another fireplace. Across the hall is a room with twin beds, and down the hall are three bedrooms (two full and one twin) and another one and a half baths (another bathroom is just inside the back door off the kitchen). There are back stairs off the upstairs hallway, and an outdoor shower.

Peace and privacy are hallmarks of the grounds, and birders will appreciate at cocktail hour the activity at the bird feeders and bird baths in the shade of an old willow tree. A lovely perennial garden is also flowering beneath that willow. The house has the feel of an old farmhouse, which it was when turnipfields surrounded it until the early 20th century. Over an acre of quite private space on the side and back secluded lawns provide room for badminton or volleyball. It is a 5-minute walk through the woods to Cape Cod Bay (a private association beach between Campground and Cooks Brook). In the other direction, it is a 5-minute walk to a local convenience store on Campground Road—''The Landing” (beer and wine available). Local delis (Sam’s Deli and Basco’s Grill), restaurants (The Fairway, Royal Thai Cuisine, Stewart’s Seafood, and the Friendly Fisherman), and Ben and Jerry’s are all excellent and within a few minutes drive from the house.

Nauset Light and its ocean beach are merely several minutes longer. The Wellfleet Drive-in (five minutes drive north) has fun family fare all summer, and its weekly Wednesday flea market is not to be missed.

This is the first year the home has been offered to guests. read more show less

Nearest beach: 5-minute walk Campground Beach and 0.25 mi to private Bay beach & 0.4 mi to Campgroun