HISTORIC NEW ENGLAND- PART TWO

Beauport, the Sleeper-McCann House.... perched on a rock ledge overlooking Gloucester Harbor in Massachusetts stands the majestic Beauport. Built in 1907, Beauport was the summer home to Henry Davis Sleeper, one of America's first professional interior designers. Mr. Sleeper, however, had no formal training. When Sleeper, along with his mother moved into Beauport it held twenty-six rooms.

Right from the "get go" you realize Beauport is no ordinary home. This home is filled with mystery as well as whimsy, nooks and crannies are filled from top to bottom with his diverse collections. Beauport is home to "ten thousand" objects, each room is designed as a stage set and every inch of space has a purpose. Sleeper was a pioneer in recycling....especially wooden doors, glass, and pine paneling which has been re purposed in this home. Doorways are filled with blown and pressed amber glass lit from behind by sunlight dancing off mirrors. There are secret passage ways....built to delight as well as frighten guests, Mr. Sleeper enjoyed keeping his guests on their toes...This man was a Thomas Jefferson, certainly a man ahead of his time...This home tour is like any other....a one hour tour is just not sufficient enough to absorb all that Beauport has to offer....I hope to return for the "nooks and crannies" behind the scene tour later in the summer....I highly recommend visiting this home....it is filled with primitives, hooked rugs, depression and sandwich glass, books, paintings, wooden ware, red ware, textiles, if you can think of it you will discover it here.

a dove cote built into the cedar roof....

love it.... windows made with a lead design which matched and highlighted interior wallpaper....

English influence found everywhere...

exterior carvings found under the eaves throughout the exterior of the home... among the ferns....

hollyhocks....

and phlox....

front side of the home facing the Atlantic ocean....

garden whimsy everywhere....

Mr Sleeper neglected nothing....upon completion Beauport was home to forty-eight rooms....if you find yourself in this area....along the picturesque coast of Gloucester....stop and have a "look see" and then grab yourself a lobster roll, you'll be glad you did.....