On Wednesday, August 7, the Oak Bluffs cottage where President Ulysses S. Grant stayed is one of six that will be open as part of the 24th Annual Gingerbread Cottage Tour. The tour runs from 10 am to 3 pm and begins at the historic Tabernacle in Oak Bluffs.
President Ulysses S. Grant visited Martha’s Vineyard 150 years ago in August 1874, and was hosted by Bishop Gilbert Haven in a cottage on the Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meeting Association (MVCMA) grounds. According to a press release by the MVCMA, Bishop Haven was extraordinarily progressive, speaking out for both racial integration and equality of the sexes. The Bishop Gilbert Haven cottage is at 10 Clinton Ave., and features original photos from Grant’s visit.
The Vecchione cottage, 12 Clinton Ave., was built in 1868 and retains many of its original features, the release says. The covered balcony with balusters sits above the double Romanesque entry doors with the original mercury door knobs. One of the unique features of this home is the partially open staircase visible from both the dining room and the kitchen.
The O’Sullivan cottage, 13 Clinton Ave., was built in 1870. The upstairs balcony is covered and decorated with ornate woodwork, which is also found on the lower porch. The doors and windows are Gothic. All of the stained-glass windows are original, as are the indoor shutters.
The home at 14 Clinton Ave. has been owned by the same family for more than 100 years. The cottage, built in 1870, has many original features both inside and out. The gothic windows have crosses painted on the interior side of the inserts. One of the former residents of this cottage was Micah Talbot, president of the MVCMA at the time of President Grant’s visit in 1874.
The Goff cottage, 25 Clinton Ave., was built in 1867 and is fronted by a garden containing a collection of glass plate art. In 1896 the cottage on this lot was moved and from 1896 to 1916, the lot was empty. The current cottage was originally located a few lots down and moved to this location in 1917.
The Waugh cottage, 38 Clinton Ave., owned by two sisters, was built in 1870 and is the only winterized cottage on the 2024 tour. The Romanesque front doors and windows are original and there are pierced board balusters on both the front porch and the balcony. The cottage is painted red and white, the colors of Delta Sigma Theta, the owners’ college sorority.
Tickets for the tour are available for $35 in advance or $40 at the door. Children ages 10 and older are welcome on the tour. Tickets include tea sandwiches and desserts as well as a visit to the Cottage Museum. Proceeds benefit the Tabernacle Restoration Fund. For additional information, visit MVCMA.org or call 508-693-0525.
