![]() ![]() Penniman made a considerable sum from whaling and left it all to his son who was a profligate and blew it all through a lifestyle of debauchery in one generation. Eighth, if a house is described in part by the stories of its former occupants, it is truly lacking in this area. Seventh, the path leading up to the house led to the back door, not the front for some unknown reason. Sixth, only the first and second floors were open. No facets, pipes, sinks, bathtub, toilet, only bare walls with a hole in the floorboards for the toilet pipe I guess. Fifth, all the fixtures were missing from the washroom. As for the other rooms, no carpeting, no pictures (except for a poster displaying Penniman's whaling expeditions), no chairs, no curtains. Fourth, the house is unfurnished except for one room which has simple furnishings. The house is made of all wood and it seems that a significant amount of renovations and money is needed for repair. Peeling, dirty white paint covers the outside. Third, the exterior of the house is in dismal shape. Second, the house was built in the style of a French mansion which while appearing to be large from a distance is deceptively tiny when standing beside it. A tacky entrance gate of sorts, made of 2 long whale bones greets you to the grounds. First, the idea of going to see a house which was built from the profits of whales massacred all over the world makes you a bit uneasy. This was an odd sort of house in so many ways. We went on one of the conducted tours of this house as a family. There is no charge, though donations are welcome. We hear they are currently renovating the barn and that it, too, will soon be open for touring. The stairs of the home are quite steep and accessibility would be challenging for those with mobility concerns or in wheelchairs. The rooms also have some nice pictures of the family with descriptions that you can read, but it is not an overwhelming amount of detail. The house is grand and statuesque but the background information is very helpful in understanding and putting it into historical context. I am not sure if this is always the case, but two very friendly, knowledgable US Park Service rangers guided us through the house and filled in missing information and details, particularly highlighting the ways in which this house was unique for its time period and reflected the immense wealth of this former whaling captain and his family. We coupled our visit with a drive out to the water and marsh for some photo opportunities and a picnic lunch up the street at the Three Sisters Lighthouses. Our family toured the Captain Penniman House in Eastham, MA on the 4th of July, as a beach day alternative, with our mother and two teenage children.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |