Wianno Club
Also known as: Cotocheset Hotel
Why it's listed
Facing Nantucket Sound on Seaview Avenue in Osterville, this large shingled building began as the Cotocheset Hotel, completed in the late 1880s after an earlier hotel on the site burned in 1886. The first hotel dated to 1873 and was part of the Osterville Land Company's plan for a resort community. The 1887 building has a three-story main block, a mansard roof with gambrel cross gables, and two polygonal towers on the street side. The Wianno Club bought it in 1916 and added a one-story wing and a Colonial Revival porch around 1916-1920. The large living hall still holds original wainscoting, a spindle-balustrade stairway and a fireplace. The nomination considers it one of the few surviving large Shingle Style hotels from the early years of Cape Cod's growth as a summer resort. Horace Frazier, an architect of several nearby houses, is believed to have designed it.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it one of the few surviving large Shingle Style hotels from the early period of Cape Cod's development as a summer resort area. Its fine architectural design adds to its significance. It is also described as an important reminder of the origins of Cape Cod's tourism industry.
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 79000325, listed March 2, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Seaview Ave., Osterville |
|---|---|
| County | Barnstable County |
| Listed | March 2, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79000325 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1887, c. 1916-1920 |
| Architect / builder | Believed to be Horace Frazier (also spelled Fraser/Frazer in the text) |
| Architectural style | Shingle Style, with Colonial Revival elements |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Entertainment/Recreation, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and used as a private club; the form states the Club has made no serious alterations while adding Colonial Revival elements. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Wianno Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.61613, -70.37074 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 79000325.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7998033
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.