I've never been to Wingaersheek Beach before. Well, it's an expensive beach during the season. We tend to go Plum Island instead. Finally I checked out the place during the off season. Well it's a good beach; it's shallow for a good distance from the shore, the sand is powder fine, and the water is clear. The waves are gentle and so quiet!
And there is a nice Spanish colonial, possibly Mission Style, red tile roof mansion on the shore.
the mansion of the right
The Mission Style architecture was in vogue during 1890 and 1920. Like the railroad millionaire Benjamin P. Cheney Jr. built a summer home on Calf Island in 1902, there must have been a summer home boom in the early 20th century in North Shore and some Boston islands.
Annisquam Light
From the beach you can see Annisquam Light. The current lighthouse was built in 1897. A guidebook I have says I can walk to the lighthouse from the beach at a low tide. Well, it wasn't possible when I visited.
I decided to get as close as to the mansion. Leaving Brian at the beach entrance, I walked through tide pools and rocks, thinking what is the current purpose of the building. Private residence, country club, hotel, etc. Either way, it must be belonging to the exclusive class.
After (relatively) close examination, my initial guess was a yacht club. It's off season and all the yachts was covered with fabric like Christo's installation art. Is anybody in the house?
The windows are partially boarded. Even such a gentle beach, the winter wind and wave aren't a polite thing. When the season comes, they'll be removed, right? But why aren't some rooms boarded? I guess some rooms are used by the seasonal maintenance personnel...Oh, this reminds me of the somewhat frozen, literally genius Jack Torrance.
I headed back to the entrance. I could see a long figure staring at me in a bored manner, shivering with cold.
"Hi, I'm back", I said.
"I was guessing you would come to me with 77 steps."
"......"
"But it was 80."
"......"
Locate Wingaersheek Beach @ Google Map
Enjoyed this blog.
ReplyDeleteWe were just up at Wingaersheek, cert. one of our fave (Boston) beaches, at least on the North Shore. Also- the trip always provides an opp for "shack [sea]food" at Farnham's, or one of the other spots in Essex.
And - as always - found ourselves speculating about the un(?)-inhabited "Mission-style" mansion, across the Annisquam R.
Have you learned anything more about it since Feb?
p.s. Over many trips to WB, we've never been able to walk all the way to the lighthouse. Are you sure that this is possible?
Hi Anon,
ReplyDeleteNope, the mansion is still in a biiig mystery.
Are you telling me the mansion looks "un(?)-inhabited" even during the height of the season?! That's double plus curious!
What was the guide book... the DK one said I could walk to the lighthouse.