Collins Cottages Historic District
Why it's listed
Collins Cottages is a small seaside cottage colony on Town Cove in Eastham, Massachusetts, just north of the Orleans rotary. Seven one-story, shingle-clad cottages line a shell-and-stone driveway. Six were built in 1928-29 and one in 1946. Most have screened verandas facing the water, low roofs with exposed rafter ends, and stone fireplaces, and some interior wood and framing came from the former Chatham Naval Air Station. A shucking house from 1940 and a mortared fieldstone seawall from 1936 recall the family's shellfishing work, which began in the basement of the first cottage. The district matters because it shows how automobile travel and the paving of Route 6 fed the summer resort trade on the Lower Cape. Few cottage colonies of this kind survive there, and this one keeps its simple buildings, native landscaping and long-standing family ownership, with repeat visitors across generations.
Significance in brief: The district is argued to be a remarkably intact early 20th-century Cape Cod cottage colony, one of few well-preserved examples of the type. It reflects the growth of automobile tourism and summer resorts on the Lower Cape. It also has maritime ties through the family's shellfishing operation on Town Cove.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 99000528, listed May 20, 1999. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 150 MA 6, Eastham |
|---|---|
| County | Barnstable County |
| Listed | May 20, 1999 |
| Reference number | 99000528 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1928-1949 |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and early 20th century: Craftsman; No Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Entertainment/Recreation, Maritime History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The cottages remain in domestic and recreational use, and the form notes the family that built the colony still owns it. |
| Acreage | 2.7 |
| Coordinates | 41.79963, -69.98153 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 99000528.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5147365
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.