Penniman, Edward, House and Barn
Why it's listed
Built in 1867 on the south side of Fort Hill Road in Eastham, this Second Empire house was the retirement home of whaling captain Edward Penniman. Born in 1831, Penniman went to sea at eleven and sailed seven whaling voyages from New Bedford, to both southern and Arctic waters, and never lost a vessel under his command. The two-and-a-half-story frame house has clapboard walls, a mansard roof with richly detailed dormers, an octagonal cupola, and a front porch with Corinthian columns. It was painted yellow with white trim and a striped red roof. A matching three-floor barn stands to the southeast, built about 1800 and later altered to echo the house. The house is notable for its unusual design, said to be based on plans Penniman brought from France, and as the only whaling captain's house in Eastham and within the Seashore. Exterior restoration has been carried out, and the interior, including the captain's den, awaits further work.
Significance in brief: The house is described as a sumptuous whaling captain's home, historically called the finest house in Eastham. Its significance rests on its unusual appearance, with plans said to have been brought back from France by Penniman, and on being the only whaling captain's house in Eastham and the only one inside the Seashore boundaries.
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 76000155, listed May 28, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | S of Eastham at Fort Hill and Governor Prence Rds., Eastham |
|---|---|
| County | Barnstable County |
| Listed | May 28, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76000155 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture, Maritime History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as fair and altered; preservation work in progress, with exterior restoration under way and interior restoration dependent on funding. Intended use is as a house exhibit. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Within district | Fort Hill Rural Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.81858, -69.96569 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 76000155.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5344822
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.