The Houses That Jack Built

Still a two room summer cottage, one of the last

a wee, slapped together Victorian of sorts

So there’s this thing, this fad, for tiny homes lately. I’ve touched on this before.

It’s an awesome direction and not just for zen-like philosophical and planet thoughtfulness reasons. Loads of space to stretch out in is tremendous but it’s wickedly expensive to heat and/or cool. I could totes rock 2,000 square feet of studio space but I def don’t want to receive that National Grid bill.

When my sister Celeste first visited us here on the Neck, she was surprised to see so many very small, miniature even, homes. Given the area’s history it makes buckets of sense.

From the City of Quincy website:

Houghs Neck ...was maintained as farmland until the late 1800s, when it became a popular summer spot for fisherman and tourists from around the region. As local fish stocks were depleted and area waters fouled, the summer cottages and year-round residences replaced hotels.
....Known as "God's Country" to the locals, or 'Neckers' as they are referred to, Houghs Neck is known for being a close-knit neighborhood with many families and extended families living on the peninsula.

LOVE this with the Seussian poodle bushes out front

A lot of the beach cottages have been added onto and, most often it seems, in a funny, kludged together kind of a way. Why? We’re not a wealthy community where folks can just hire an architect, tear down the old and build some site specific wonder. Much of the work was done by family and friends. The joints may not rival Falling Water but they work and they’re home.

Porches have been enclosed, a room's been added and then added onto again and twice more, maybe an attic crawl space has been expanded into a second floor of sorts and, in some cases, entire boxy structures have been tacked on.

Over the last ten years, more and more folk have discovered the Neck. The monied set are moving in. The houses that Jack built and the tiny homes are being replaced by thin, four story things. You can build up but not out since the lots around here are small (due to post-farm development as summer cottage place).

This one, above, is my favorite and I've actually been inside. The ceilings soar, the floor plan's open and all those windows, looking out on the bay, just thrill me endlessly. Yeah, for this rehab, there must have been a serious architect.

I find the no longer so small, stylistically mish mashed homes magical and intriguing. They speak to me of a different time. There’s a story to each odd addition. I want to explore and hear those stories.