Continuing our October 2021 trip to Cape Cod National Seashore, we visited the grounds of the Penniman House in the Fort Hill area of Eastham, Massachusetts. The house wasn't actually on our list of places to visit, but we had to drive by it to reach the trailhead for the Fort Hill and Red Maple Swamp loop trails and decided to explore a bit.
From 1852 to 1884, Edward Penniman was a whaler. During successive voyages, he worked his way up to become captain. During his 32-year career, he was on seven voyages totaling 22 years.
The gaudily colored house was built in 1868 for Captain Penniman and his wife, Betsey, in the French Second Empire Period style. One relatively unique feature of the house was that the basement was built at ground level and then the yard was filled in to a depth of eight feet. This also explains the need for a retaining wall along the road. The house was closed during our visit, so we did not see the interior.
Paved parking is provided 250 feet down the road on the left side. The paved parking lot has 14 spots for standard-sized vehicles and one handicap-accessible spot. There is no RV or bus parking. The parking lot also serves as a trailhead for the Fort Hill Trail.
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| View from the driveway |
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| West facing portico and north side of the house |
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| East and north sides from the lawn |
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| East side of the house |
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| Barn built in 1882 |
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| South side |
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| West and south sides |
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| Architectural details of the portico |
Cape Cod National Seashore beach entrance fees are collected daily from late June through Labor Day, and on weekends and holidays from Memorial Day to the middle of September at select beaches. The six national seashore beaches where fees are collected are Coast Guard and Nauset Light in Eastham, Marconi in Wellfleet, Head of the Meadow in Truro, and Race Point and Herring Cove in Provincetown.
When an entry fee is collected, a fee of $25 per vehicle, $20 per motorcycle, or $15 per person is valid for the same day at Cape Cod National Seashore. Other fee payment options include the America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands passes including the Annual Pass ($80), Senior Pass ($80 for a lifetime), Access Pass (free with a documented disability), and Military Annual Pass (free for active-duty personnel). Also available is a Cape Cod National Seashore Annual Pass for $60.
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