Coffin, Jethro, House
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Why it's listed
Sitting on a rise called Sunset Hill, northwest of Nantucket's town center and surrounded by open fields, this one-and-a-half story frame house was built around 1686, reportedly as a wedding present for Jethro and Mary (Gardner) Coffin. Its materials came from Exeter, New Hampshire, where Jethro's father owned timberland and a sawmill. The house is built around a central chimney, covered in cedar shakes and lit by small diamond-paned casements, with a long rear slope over a lean-to. The chimney's projecting brick figure has been read as a horseshoe, a witch-prevention charm, a wishbone or Jacobean ornament. The Paddock family owned the house from 1708 to 1840, and the Nantucket Historical Association bought it in 1923 and reconstructed it in 1927 under architect Alfred E. Shurrocks. Though little original material remains, it serves as a textbook saltbox and is one of the few Nantucket buildings still on its original site.
Significance in brief: It is generally cited as one of the finest surviving New England examples of a seventeenth-century 'Cape Cod' or saltbox house. It is also unusual on Nantucket for remaining on its original site. Its central brick chimney carries an unusual ornament interpreted as an anti-witch charm, a wishbone or a Jacobean decoration.
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 68000019, listed November 24, 1968. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Sunset Hill, Nantucket |
|---|---|
| County | Nantucket County |
| Listed | November 24, 1968 |
| Reference number | 68000019 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 17th Century (c. 1686) |
| Architect / builder | Alfred E. Shurrocks (architect for the 1927 reconstruction) |
| Architectural style | Seventeenth-century 'Cape Cod' house / saltbox |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated November 24, 1968 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Good condition; operated as a house museum by the Nantucket Historical Association. |
| Acreage | 0.8 |
| Within district | Nantucket Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.28791, -70.10632 (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 68000019.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6189014
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.