That Cotuit Ghost

The Barnstable Patriot began production in June of 1830.  The first 100 years are archived and available online at the Sturgis Library's website.  To celebrate Hallowe'en, feast upon this article, printed in the Barnstable Patriot, December 30, 1884 that describes some strange happenings in Cotuit.

We clip the following ''Ghost Story " from the Boston Daily Globe. On inquiry at Cotuit we learn that the stories reported in the Globe were in circulation in that village about a month ago, and when investigated were found to have no foundation—except in the lively imagination of some few people.— There is no doubt but some evil minded person did throw a stone at the carriage and horse of Mr. Levi P. Nickerson, and it is hoped the scamp may be detected: 

Cotuit's Mystery.—"Spirit of Health, or Goblin Damned/'—An Apparition With a Fondness for Late Hours and Forest Glades.—Throwing Stones a Pound in Weight at a Passing Pedlar.

 Cotuit, December 23.—"Yessir, I've seen it once; an' my husband's seen it _sev'ral times. Others has seen it, too." 

So said Mrs. George Childs of Cotuit, Mass., in reference to a mysterious something which has for some time been agitating the little village. The latter—in reality a part of the town of Barnstable—is picturesquely situated on an arm of Vineyard Sound and has a population of about 600. The principal occupations of its inhabitants are blue-fishing and coasting—in its nautical sense—and there is but little danger of error in addressing any one of its older male inhabitants as "captain." It is the summer home of about a dozen Boston families, its distance from the railroad—seven miles—making it a particularly secluded resort. North ol the village, between it and West Barnstable, is a dense forest, in or near which, and always in the night time, the strange something has appeared. One of the times my husband saw it continued Mrs. Childs, "he was kinder sittin' down—just a lightin' his pipe when it came along, an' nearly passed over him. He said it 'peared like a tall woman,dressed all in black with a black veil over her head, reachin' down to her shoulders. He said 'Hey there,' kinder sharp, but it didn't make no answer; an' was out of sight in a minute. The same thing passed right close to him another night, an' he said, 'Good evenin'' but there wasn't no answer." "When did you see it yourself?" "It was the night the band played here. I was walkin' along the road with mother, an' she said suddenly: 'Did you see that?' I turned an' set; what looked jest like a woman dressed all in black, her head covered with a black veil jest as my husband said. She was standin' by a tree when I see her an ' the next minute she was gone. It had brushed right by mother. If it's a, ghost, it's a black one that's sure, it was just about 9 o'clock when we see it." 

Mr. Childs' house is situated in a lonely spot about half a mile from the centre of the village, and it was within a short distance of his house that the apparition, if apparition it be, was seen. 

Mr. Millard Adams of Cotuit was next interrogated: "I saw it, " he said, "at about the same place as the others. It looked to me like a tallish woman. I couldn't say how it was dressed. I stopped when I see it, and the next minute it brushed right past me an' disappeared. It was just about 11 o'clock when I see it. I did not say anything to it at all." 

"When I saw it," said Mr. Eugene Crowell, "it was about 8 o'clock. It was starlight, but there wasn't any moon an' I was coming along the road with Ezra Hobson. When we see it was right up to us, an' it looked like a tall woman dressed in black her head and face covered with a black veil. It rushed right by me and was gone, like a flash. Neither of us said a word to it." 

"I will tell you my experience, " said Mr. Levi P. Nickerson. "Let me see, it was the 4th of this month. I was driving in from Osterville—I'm a peddler—an' was sitltin' on the right-hand side of the seat kinder leanin' up against the side of the cart, havin' a smoke. The night wasn't very clear, it was kinder misty, an' it was about 6 o 'clock. I'd just come to the woods between Marston's Mills an' here, on the stage road, when, wish! came a large stone out of the bushes, striking my horse oh his right side. I looked in that direction and saw a movement in the bushes like a man's arm and the next instant another stone whizzed by my head made a hole in the wagon cover and dropped in the team. My horse is afraid of the whip and when the stone struck him he set off on the run. I pulled him in as soon as I could, within maybe twenty yards and got out of the team and walked back a way, but I was empty-handed and didn't go far. The only thing I saw at all besides the stones was the slight movement in the bushes, like a man's arm and a dim outline of something or other; I could not say what. It looked to me as if it might be a tall man, with a long coat.— The stone which dropped in the wagon weighed all of a pound, and appeared to be a piece of a grindstone. It was different from any kind of stone you would expect to find in those woods." 

"Yes, " said Mrs. Nickerson "there is mystery even about the stone, and I've been frightened ever since." 

All the parties quoted are well-known residents of Cotuit and their varacity is beyond question. One other incident of a mysterious nature has taken place since those above related. Willie A. Sturgis of the schooner John Stroupe, now in Boston harbor, and Captain Willis T. Nickerson of the schooner Nellie C. Paine were driving into Cotuit the other evening and when near the scene of Mr. Nickerson's adventure, suddenly beheld what appeared to be a tall man standing in the road in front of them. Their horse was going rapidly at the time, and when they yelled at the apparition it appeared-to step to one side and they passed by it so near that it seemed as if they touched it. 

The testimony of these gentlemen, as that of the others quoted, is beyond question. Furthermore, the town is strictly temperate, nothing whatever of an alcoholic nature being sold in it.— 

The bushes through which the phantom arm was seen by Mr. Nickerson were visited to-day and in their cheerless winter garb seemed a fitting abode for a- restless inhabitant of the other world. With the exception of the stone throwing it has shown no disposition to molest any one, the only fault to be found with it otherwise being its fondness for late hours and forest glades. All attempts to unravel the mystery have thus far, proved unsuccessful.

Cape-Wide Annual Historic Preservation Workshop

The Cape Wide Annual Historic Preservation Workshop, hosted by the Cape Cod Commission, took place on Monday, April 9th at the Harwich Community Center.  Preservation minded folks flocked to the community center to hear this year's presenters, Virginia H. Adams, David Ottinger Ian Ellison, and Jess Phelps.


Virgina Adams's presentation, Comprehensive Town-Wide Inventories and Mid-20th Century Modernism spoke to the need for each town to survey its historic properties.  Properties that are 50 years old or older can be considered for inclusion in the state and national register of historic places.  Even towns who have completed surveys in the past will have additional properties that can be surveyed.

When researching your home, in addition to viewing survey's that may have been completed in your town, you may also refer to the list which is held by the Massachusetts Historical Commission, MACRIS.  The town of West Tisbury has put together a wonderful video on youtube that explains how to mine this collection.

Marcel Breuer

If your vision of a National Register listed house is one of center chimney's and 6 over 6 windows, Adams reminds us that the cape is home to many mid century modern homes that are historically significant as well.  Architects and designers such as Serge Chermayeff, Marcel Breuer, Olav Hammerstrom and Charles Zendher, embracing the modern aesthetic of the international style, were drawn to the shores of the outer cape.  For more information about the Cape's surviving examples of modern architecture, visit the Cape Cod Modern House Trust's website.

The next speaker, David Ottinger of Antique Buildings and Materials, gave a presentation entitled "Suggestions for Preserving Historic Cape Cod Buildings".  With more than 30 years of experience working on historic buildings, David has in depth knowledge of historic construction methods.  The Cape Cod Commission has posted David's presentation at their website.  He explains that in the 18th century, the term "workmanlike" had particular meaning and was understood by all.  When confronted with todays building regulations, historic building systems must sometimes be altered or enhanced.  However, this can be done in a way that is sympathetic to the original structure.  It is vitally important when restoring your historic home to consult with someone knowledgeable about the construction methods employed by the original framers.  What may seem like a complete loss to the untrained eye, may in fact only require a simple fix.

Dragon tail joint - photo from
 Ellison Timber Frames website

Echoing this sentiment, the next speaker, Ian Eliison of Timberframes, presents "Preserving our Historic Timber Framed Structures".  In slide after slide, Ellison shows images of timber framed structures that look too rotted to be saved.  However, save them he does!  When faced with a beam that is rotted at the end, Ellison shows how a new end can be joined onto the good section, saving the historic members.  You may view the presentation at the Cape Cod commission's website.

The last speaker, Jess Phelps, presented "Non-Regulatory Preservation-Exploring the Available Alternatives".   Though Phelps is not advocating non-regulatory preservation over regulatory (like local historic districts or demolition delays) he explains that where there are no protections or where the protections are inadequate to protect resources, non regulatory methods can help.  Sometimes historic resources lay outside of an existing historic district.  Or the resource may be on the interior, like a Rufus Porter mural, where existing regulations do not have jurisdiction.

One tool that Phelps outlines is establishing a preservation easement, like the 83 easements that Historic New England holds.  The protection is attached to the deed in perpetuity to provide protection long after the current owner has gone.  And, a preservation easement can be attached to interior resources that would not be protected by a historic district.

The workshop left me energized and hopeful that through a multi faceted approach and sharing of knowledge, the Cape's historic treasures will grace the landscape for a long time to come.

Older homes that need TLC and 203k loans

203k loans can help you purchase a home and do needed
repairs under the same mortgage.

Let's say, you have just spotted a charming antique cape cod cottage along a quiet tree lined street.  The sales price is loooooow, and if you squint, the house looks really good.  But, it needs a new roof and updated electrical.  You may be thinking, just move on by.  The price of the home, coupled with a second mortgage for the repairs, is out of your budget.

This is just the type of scenario where a 203k loan can come to the rescue.  There are two types of 203k loans, the streamlined 203k and the full blown 203k.  Both are designed for primary owner occupied dwellings and package the repairs and the cost of the house in the same fixed rate mortgage.  The appraisal on the house factors in the value after the repairs are done.  I recently sat down with Tom Murphy of Poli Mortgage group in Plymouth, MA who was kind enough to explain how this type of mortgage works.

Streamlined 203k loan:


The streamlined 203k is designed for repairs that do not exceed $35,000.  In fact, $30,000 may be a safer number to keep in mind since repairs sometimes run over budget.  The type of repairs that the streamlined 203k would cover includes kitchens, baths, electrical, heating, lead paint abatement, windows & doors, roofs, siding, and flooring.  These are repairs and updates to the existing structure and do not include structural repairs or newly framed additions.  The property can be a multi family as long as one unit is owner occupied.  Unlike the full blown 203k, the streamlined version does not require a FHA counselor.  The timing in order to close is not much longer than a conventional loan, about 60 days.

Full blown 203k loan:


Now we're looking at some major work.  The full blown 203k allows for more types of repairs including new additions, structural work, foundations, plus the types of improvements that a streamlined 203k would cover.  An FHA consultant is required to look over the plans and provide a  specification of repairs/work right up.  Basically, the consultant decides whether the work is feasible and whether the estimates are in line with the work to be done.  Sounds expensive, right?  Well, its not free.  The borrower pays for the consultant at a predetermined rate set by FHA depending on the estimated cost of repairs.  You may be looking at a charge in the $700 range.

Benefits:


The benefits to both 203k mortgages is that you can bundle the cost of repairs in with your mortgage allowing for the purchase and immediate repair of older homes.

This encourages the restoration of historic homes which is a benefit to the environment (in keeping with the motto: the greenest building is the one already built).

The rates are as low, or sometimes lower than other loans.  At the time of this post, the rate is under 4% and is 1/4% lower than conventional loans.

You can refinance with a 203k loan and include your improvements as well.

The timing (for a Streamlined 203k) is about the same as a conventional loan

Drawbacks:

With 203k loans, as with all FHA loans, you are required to pay PMI for 5 years.  After that time, if you have enough equity, you can petition the bank to allow you to drop the PMI.

With the full blown 203k, you will have the additional expense of the FHA consultant.

With the 203k, the timing will be a bit longer than a conventional loan.

Other Considerations:


Work must be completed within 6 months.

There is a maximum amount that may be borrowed.  This is determined not only by the projected finished value of your property, but also by the maximum loan amount which is determined by the county that you live in.  For Barnstable county it is $462,500 for a single family.  For Plymouth county it is $523,750 for a single family.  Multi families have higher maximum amounts.

For more information, visit HUD's 203k informational page or Streamlined 203K page.

Tom Murphy from Poli Mortgage group (MLO# 12318) is experienced with this type of mortgage and would be happy to answer questions: 508-274-2102.