The Carnegie Heritage Center at 58 North Water St. in Edgartown is celebrating its 50th anniversary. The Vineyard Preservation Trust (VPT) invites the public to a special, one-day opportunity to explore some of Edgartown’s most iconic private homes in support of the Vineyard Trust during its Edgartown Historic Home Tour on Monday, August 18, from 10 am to 2 pm.
The self-guided walking tour features six remarkable homes and architectural landmarks, each reflecting a unique chapter in Edgartown’s architectural and cultural legacy — from 17th century craftsmanship to bold contemporary design.
“Our first-ever private home tour is a love letter to Edgartown,” says Nevette Previd, executive director of the trust. “Each home reveals a layer of the Island’s story — from its colonial roots to contemporary reinvention. It’s a beautiful reminder of how we preserve, inhabit, and honor the past — while living fully in the present.”
The tour includes:
- The Charlotte Inn –– A sanctuary of Edwardian refinement, this Relais & Châteaux property opens its lush gardens and front parlors to guests for a rare peek inside one of the Island’s most meticulously curated destinations. Hosted by the Inn’s owners, Gerry and Paula Connover.
- The Conway House –– A harbor-view family home brimming with maritime artwork, Island-sourced interiors, and a history that includes hauntings and holiday gatherings, this much-loved home sparkles above Edgartown Harbor, as do two generations of Conways.
- The O’Hare House –– Visit a newly rebuilt home that marries traditional Edgartown elegance and curb appeal with breezy, open-plan interiors and a poolside setting made for relaxed entertaining.
- The Maloof House –– Dating back to the 1680s, this just-completed post-and-beam structure was revived from near-collapse, with a central hearth and original beams still anchoring the home’s remarkable restoration.
- The Tharp House –– The former home of Island preservationist Bailey Norton –– and Edgartown’s earliest Customs House –– is now transformed by celebrated designer Twanette Tharp into a serene, sea-inspired, stately home featuring hand-carved star motifs and exposed post-and-beam construction.
- The Zolo House (Pineapple House) –– Built by blacksmith John Coffin in 1682, this gracious residence features panoramic harbor views, a 200-year-old linden tree, a basement forge reinvented as an intimate bar –– and more than 30 years of family memories.
- The Jubin House (Davis Academy House) –– Once a 19th century private school, this is now a bold contemporary home filled with color, gallery-style interiors, and a unique canary-yellow spiral staircase at its heart.
Docents will be stationed at each home to offer historical context and restoration insights. Guests will receive a commemorative booklet, walking map, and access to gardens and grounds throughout Edgartown.
There will also be a pop-up art show at the Daniel Fisher House, featuring new landscape paintings by artist Larry Horowitz. Rosé and light bits will be served all day, along with the exhibition, presented by the Eisenhauer Gallery. The title of the show is “A Contemporary Vision of Cape Cod and the Vineyard;” Horowitz’s art captures quiet corners and wide-open vistas of Island life, from a harbor boathouse to a summer sunset rendered in Horowitz’s signature contemporary plein air style.
$150 per person. Limited availability. Purchase tickets at vineyardtrust.org.