Luxurious Captain's Mansion - Waterfront, Town, & Beaches - 5 stars
- House8000 sq. ft.
- Sleeps: 25
- Bedrooms: 12
- Bathrooms: 7
- Min Stay: 2–7 nights
12 Bedrooms and 7 full baths - 25 rooms total
Bedrooms
Owner
Platt Johnson
- Languages:
- english, french, portuguese, I can communicate via email and Google Translate
About Platt Johnson
I grew up in the home you are viewing. I grew up on Martha's Vineyard and spent my summers there until I graduated from college. Now I come back every spring and fall to work on the properties and connect with old friends and new. Our main rental property is the Captain Morse House (VRBO# 212151) in Edgartown. This property has been in our family since 1955 when my father purchased it. It was used exclusively by our family until 2008. It has been a successful vacation rental since then. In 2017 we bought Indian Hill Road (VRBO# 1853268) as a flip and then promptly made a classic mistake. We over improved the property. Because of this it will be hard to sell so we have decided to rent it out. The island has a shortage of good quality rentals and we think that this will rent well. Indian Hill Road was a brand new project for us. It is quite a home and we are proud to be able to share it with you. We had one very successful (5 star review!) rental for the main house in 2019. The cottage we rented out for the first time long term (18 months) to a young couple. They are moving out June 1st. Those successful rentals have encouraged us to put the house on the rental market for this coming season. Both of our properties have 5 star reviews and it is our intention to keep them at that level. My Background: I grew up in the Captain Morse House in Edgartown and spent my summers there until I graduated from Tufts University. I owned and ran Island Sports, the countries oldest and largest Windsurfing and Board Sports store, most of my adult life from 1974 until 2007. I have built several homes and done numerous renovations. I enjoy the challenge of creating wonderful living spaces. I am now a Realtor in Southern Florida but really spend most of my time working on these rental properties. If you are interested in purchasing either of these properties or in Real Estate Management or representation please send me an inquiry Due to my on island experience
Platt Johnson purchased this House in 1955
Why Platt Johnson chose Edgartown
In 1955 my parents purchased the Captain Morse House and I then spent every summer there until I moved to Newport Rhode Island in 1979. I continued to visit my parents each summer until 2007. I now spend as much time as I can on island attending to the house and maintaining it. When it was built in 1840 it was perhaps the best home in Edgartown. Now movie stars and celebrities have built larger homes but non with the style and class of the Captain Morse House. Our guests aren't clients so much as they are friends assisting us in maintaining the property and keeping it in our family for future generations.
What makes this House unique
There are lots of modern and redone houses around but there are very few of these homes. Built in 1840 and filled with charm and character you will be enthralled by the beauty and simplicity of the home and it's surroundings. Our guests say this is the perfect location. You are close to town and right up from the harbor. Park the car for the week or leave it on the mainland. Our location allows for freedom from car pooling and shuttles. Everything is literally a walk away. We love walking down Morse Street to the boatyard to see what's happening on the waterfront and to talk to the boaters and fisherman. The large open home offers privacy and retreat no matter how many people fill the house. The large backyard can serve as a base for quiet afternoons as well as an evening party. The restaurants and shops are all an easy walk away but it is the waterfront that is the best part of living at the Captain Morse House. After all - it is a whaling Captain's home
Amenities
Featured
- Washer & Dryer
- Satellite or cable
- TV
- Internet
- Heater
- Air Conditioning
- Parking
- Pets Welcome
- Fireplace
- Accessible
- Swimming pool
Bathrooms
- Bathrooms: 7
Safety features
- Carbon-monoxide detector
- Smoke detectorAt each corner of the house and at each doorway
- First-aid kitFront Hall Closet on Shelf.
- Fire extinguisher
- Exterior lighting
Location Type
- ResortLocated on the resort island of Martha's Vineyard
- TownSome people call Edgartown a town.
- VillageMost people refer to downtown Edgartown as the village
- WaterfrontThe house is 200 feet from Edgartown Harbor. You can walk down Morse Street to the waters edge.
- Beach ViewYou can see several beaches from the property
- Water ViewThe house looks over Edgartown Harbor
General
- Telephoneyes
- Air ConditioningYes - 3 systems controlled by 4 central thermostats
- HeatingYes - 3 Gas central furnaces controlled with 4 thermostats
- Linens ProvidedYes
- Washing MachineYes - three
- Clothes DryerYes - three
- Fireplace7 but none are operable
- ParkingNarrow driveway that can hold 4 cars. We recommend bringing as few cars as possible to Martha's Vineyard Island. We provide bikes and there are excellent cabs, rental vans, Uber and Lyft service
- InternetMESH Netgear with 100 mbps download
- Towels ProvidedYes
- Fitness Room / EquipmentYoga mats provided - no specific room for equipment
- Iron & Board
- Hair Dryer
- Elevator
- Living RoomThree
Kitchen
- DishwasherTwo - one in the front kitchen and one in back kitchen
- RefrigeratorTwo - one LG in the front kitchen and oneMaytag in back kitchen
- StoveTwo stoves - GE Monogram in the front kitchen and GE in back kitchen
- OvenTwo ovens - GE Monogram in the front kitchen and GE in back kitchen
- MicrowaveTwo - Convection microwave in the front kitchen and in back kitchen
- Coffee MakerTwo - one in the front kitchen and one in back kitchen
- ToasterTwo - one in the front kitchen and one in back kitchen
- Ice Maker
- Pantry ItemsTwo complete sets - one in the front kitchen and one smaller set in back kitchen
- Dishes & UtensilsTwo complete sets - one in the front kitchen and one in back kitchen
- KitchenWe have two kitchens. They are both full kitchens. Kitchen #1 is larger and features a GE Monogram 36" stove. Both are fully equipped.
Dining
- Dining Room
Entertainment
- TelevisionTwo - flat screen
- Satellite / CableTwo cable boxes with DVR - one in front media room and one in the back living room
- StereoWhole 1st floor of house in front media room with 4 speaker zones
- DVD PlayerTwo - one in front media room and one in the back living room
- Books
- Game RoomChess and Checkers
- GamesTons of card games, board games and puzzles
- Music LibrarySirius and Pandora and Spotify
- Video GamesNo - bring your own (but then why are you coming to Martha's Vineyard
Outside
- Lawn / GardenLarge law suitable for events and games
- BalconyTwo huge front porches
- BicyclesQty not guaranteed - currently there are 11
- BoatLots of charters available
- Deck / PatioTwo huge market umbrellas - great tree shade as well
- Water Sports GearOn Request
- TennisCommunity courts are available
Suitability
- wheelchair accessibleWheelchair use requires some preparation on our part. Please inquire. The interior has a bedroom on the first floor with a zero curb shower. The entrance to the bathroom is a normal width which will not fit super wide wheel chairs.
Pool / Spa
- Communal PoolYEs - it is called the beach - salt water
Onsite Services
- Car Available
- Private Chef
- Concierge
House Rules
Children allowed
Pets allowed
Parties/events allowed - With written permission from us.With written permission from us.
No smoking
Max guests: 25
Minimum age of primary renter: 25
Cancellation Policy
100% refund if canceled at least 60 days before arrival date. 50% refund if canceled at least 30 days before arrival date.
Damage and incidentals
You will be responsible for any damage to the rental property caused by you or your party during your stay.
48 Reviews
Fantastic experience!
The Captain Morse House is a beautiful, historic home that couldn’t be more conveniently located to downtown Edgartown and the Lighthouse beach. The house has tons of character and lots of rooms to accommodate a large group. Beautiful yard with room for kids to play. Can’t wait to return!
The Bunns were excellent guests and took great care of the house. We would love to have them back again.
Best Family Vacation Ever!
We stayed at the Captain Morse House for a large family celebration (10 adults and 3 kiddos) and had the most lovely stay! The house is situated perfectly between cute shops in downtown Edgartown and the idyllic lighthouse. We loved taking strolls for a morning pastry, followed by lunch at the house and a meander to the beach to frolic in the ocean. The house also has bicycles, which we took out to explore other parts of the island.
The Captain’s house was a perfect place to stay -- we got to hang out all under one roof, eat meals together, watch the Warriors together etc. All while having enough space for everyone to feel comfortable and enough rooms to nestle in by one’s self if needed.
There are two kitchens (fully equipped with all sorts of cooking utensils, platters, dishes, anything you could want ) -- our family used the smaller kitchen for breakfast preparation and the large kitchen for epic dinner preparations. As for the sleeping quarters, the bedrooms are cozy and flooded with light. Two of the upstairs bedrooms connect to a gorgeous porch which is great for a nice view and people watching. There is also a downstairs porch that was perfect for cocktails and many games of chess. The backyard outdoor space was beautiful -- the tables outside were great for a delightful outdoor lunch while the kids ran around on the lawn nearby.
The owners are also incredibly kind and generous and made our stay at Capt. Morse’s house very special, smooth and sublime! We cannot wait to visit again.
June 10, 2019
These guests were really interesting and gracious. They were truly a fun group and we enjoyed meeting them. Their review states perfectly one of the best uses of the Captain Morse House. It is a great place to bring a far flung family back together again. They made good use of the bikes and left the house in great condition. We would love to have them back again, especially their delightful children.
Have you seen Martha?
Beautiful, unique and spacious! One of the most interesting houses, I’ve ever had the pleasure to stay in. Charming and old with lots of character, but modernized in the places that needed to be. Trip of a lifetime with some amazing women, and this house just made it that more special and fun!
It was great having you at the house. We would love to have you come back.
Beautiful!
I went here with a great group of women last week, and had a wonderful time! I had never been to the area, and couldn’t have asked for a more central spot. There was so much in walking distance, and such a quaint town! The house was beautiful, and so full of character and history. It was extremely well-appointed and comfortable too. I would definitely recommend it!!
It was great having you at the house. We would love to have you come back.
Great experience
The Captain Morse House was an excellent experience for our group. There was plenty of space, it had everything we needed and it was close to downtown Edgartown. I would highly recommend this property.
It was great having you at the house. We would love to have you come back.
Map
The Captain Morse House is located at the corner of Morse Street and North Water Street in the Village of Edgartown. The home is one of the grandest whaling captain's homes that line this amazing street. At the foot of the eponymous Morse Street is the Edgartown North Wharf where the harbor launch, Harbor Master and a small marina are located. You have full access to this dock including fishing in the evening. To the left and up the street is the Edgartown Lighthouse and the Harbor View Hotel which was recently renovated to the tune of 30+ million. To the right and down North Water Street is the Chappy Ferry, Carnegie Museum and then the heart of Edgartown village with galleries, shopping and dining. There is really too much to describe about the town. You are within walking distance of it all.
There are also three beaches that you are within walking distance of the house; Lighthouse, Fuller and Chappy.
Edgartown is one of New England’s most elegant communities, Edgartown was Martha’s Vineyard’s first colonial settlement and it has been the county seat since 1642. The stately white Greek Revival houses, including this house, were built by the whaling captains and have been carefully maintained. They make Edgartown a museum-piece community, a seaport village preserved from the early 19th century.
Main Street is a picture book setting with its harbor and waterfront. The tall square-rigged ships that sailed all the world’s oceans are gone now but the heritage of those vessels and their captains has continued. Yachts and pleasure craft have replaced the whalers and now Edgartown is one of the world’s best yachting centers.
Being on an island there are, of course, excellent public beaches in the township of Edgartown. Norton’s Point, known as South Beach or Katama, is a barrier beach providing surf, ocean bathing and the opportunity to explore Katama Bay on the other side of the dunes. Wasque and Cape Poge on Chappaquiddick are both unspoiled areas owned and main