MLS #43413
Vineyard Haven Real Estate

A rare opportunity -- a Vineyard harbor front property with a Victorian gambrel cottage restored to its original grandeur of a century ago, an expansive front yard, 180 degree commanding views of the active harbor, private sandy beach, and unmatched serenity. As you enter Vineyard Haven Harbor on the ferry, passing the West Chop Light House, you have the opportunity to own one of the finest estates gracing the harbor front -- so admired by all visitors to the Vineyard. The property is located in the historic Hatch Road neighborhood a short distance to downtown Vineyard Haven and the West Chop Club. From Hatch Road, enter a private way between two stone pillars and experience the bygone era of old Martha’s Vineyard. The home, built in 1900, was the summer residence of Leland and Carol Powers who named their estate “The Mooring.” Leland Powers was a prominent public reader, interpreter of Dickens, once known as the highest paid man in the Lyceum field, and founder of the Leland Powers School of the Spoken Word in Boston. In 1920 the estate was sold to the family of General George Washington Goethals, best known as the Chief Engineer of the Panama Canal. The Goethals family sold to the current owners in 2005 who lovingly restored the elegance of the home over a three-year period. The Goethals family retained the former guesthouse of the estate, with the proviso that the successor owners of the Mooring have a right of first refusal to purchase the guest house property. Enjoy the magnificent views and sounds from the wrap-around porch: spectacular sunrise over East Chop; tell time by the passing ferries; see youngsters learn the art of sailing from the Yacht Club; see the Black Dog tall ships raise their sails in front of you; watch family members and guests enjoy lawn games, and swimming and sunning on the beach; listen to the waves lapping the shore; marvel at the moon light shimmering on the harbor; view firework displays from Oak Bluffs and Edgartown from the comfort of home. Let this home become "The Mooring” for your family.