80 N Water St

The Captain Morse House is located in Edgartown on Martha's Vineyard. It is one of New England's premier vacation rental homes. It was built by the island's most successful whaling Captain in 1840. The 1840 Captain Morse House has a superb location on the waterfront and a walk to Edgartown's shopping and beaches. At the bottom of Morse Street lies the North Wharf where Captain Morse used to keep his whaling ships. The home features 26 rooms with 12 bedrooms, 7 baths, two full kitchens, two dining rooms, and two living rooms. The home can be rented in its entirety or just as the East or West Wing with flexible floor plans starting with 5 Outside on the iconic North Water Street, there are two spacious porches with views of Edgartown Harbor. The porches are framed by 10 Doric columns and face the harbor. They create an ideal place to spend the day. The large backyard and garden offer a private oasis from the bustle of a Vineyard summer. The yard is graced by three towering and magnificent Linden trees. Edgartown's North Wharf lies below the house at the end of Morse Street. It is a great place to go and enjoy the waterfront or perhaps some fishing. Our backyard is one of the most spacious and safe in town and features a bricked patio with seating for 20 with a very nice barbecue. The tool shed holds complimentary bicycles, beach chairs, and lawn games. On the side of the property is a single-file driveway with off-street parking for four cars. There is free parking on the street during the day for up to two hours in the season and all day off-season. No parking overnight from 2:00 am to 7:00 am. There are other parking locations around town but none within walking distance to the house during the summer. About the Interior The home is spread out over three floors and offers a variety of public rooms and private bedrooms. The front of the first floor has a large formal living room with dual access portals to the front porch. Next to it is the front entranceway that features a lovely spiral staircase built by local shipwrights. Next comes the media room that doubles as a spare bedroom and then a formal dining room and gourmet kitchen. As you walk by the front kitchen you enter the back of the house with a large living and dining area, a private ensuite bedroom, and a full galley style kitchen. This is a great informal space for more casual gatherings. The second floor again starts with a magnificent front porch that can be accessed from either the master bedroom or the second large bedroom. From here to the back of the house are another 5 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. These are all laid out in a way that you will not see in other houses built more recently. It is part of the charm of the house. On the third floor, there are an additional four bedrooms. This is the simplest part of the house and was where the servants used to live. Back in the 1800s, it took a small army to run the house. Not all of them could actually live at the house. Some lived on Chappaquiddick Island and took the ferry operated by Captain Morse's father Uriah. As you might be able to guess we specialize in large families, family reunions, weddings, anniversaries, and any event where people want to enjoy each other's company without the distraction of others. Large groups regularly book our home for its charm, comfort, and unique character and grace. With that said our repeat tenants tend to be smaller families of 6 or so. They then invite friends to come and visit. In my youth, I lived in the house with my family. It seems unusual now but back then we just took it for granted and helped our father with the maintenance and lawn work. Events: Parties and events are not allowed on the Airbnb Booking platform due to their global ban on events over 16 people. Events are allowed only with the express written consent of the Host. Please request more information. The Surrounding Area: The Captain Morse House is located at the corner of Morse and North Water Streets. The town of Edgartown is defined principally by its Main Street. To the south is South Water Street which winds by the giant pagoda tree and towards the road to Katama and South Beach. North Water Street runs the opposite way and the Captain Morse House is located about halfway between Main Street and the Harbor View Hotel which looks over the Edgartown Lighthouse and the entrance to the harbor. Summary We are committed to doing whatever we can to make your stay in our family home on Martha's Vineyard a special one. We think that our house is the best in town and offers our guests a truly unique experience. You can see more detailed information on The Captain Morse House at our website. Just search for captainmorsehouse. Rates: All pricing, availability, and terms are subject to change without notice. A booking is confirmed when we receive a payment and a signed lease. We reserve the right to cancel any booking where we feel the rates are inaccurate. IMPORTANT The stairs in this 1840 home are steep and not built to modern standards. People with mobility issues should stay on the 1st floor or use the elevator. All rentals are subject to our lease, manual, and house rules whether you have expressly signed a lease or not. Late or Early check-ins are subject to a late check-out fee of $100 per quarter hour Interested in renting a little less space at a lower cost? We have the answer Rent either the East Wing or the West Wing The West Wing is less formal open plan - best for kids - sleeps 12 - three couples Accommodations: 9 rooms, 6 bedrooms plus a sleeping loft, 4 bathrooms, sleeps up to 12. The West 1st-floor consists of an open-plan living room, and dining area, a fully equipped kitchen, a private bar, a Queen bedroom, and an en-suite bath. The west door exits right onto the large patio and lawn. At the top of the 2nd-floor staircase, there is a loft with a bunk bed and a twin bed for 3 people plus a shared bath. Next door the hall, there is a single bedroom, a large king bedroom, and an en-suite bath. The 3rd-floor has a double bedroom for two, two single bedrooms, and a full bathroom. The stairs in this 1840s house are steep from 1st floor to 3rd floor. People with mobility issues should stay on the 1st floor. The East Wing is more formal traditional design - largest wing - sleeps 14 - six couples Accommodations: 10 rooms, 6 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, sleeps up to 14 people. The East Wing 1st Floor of the house is the larger and more luxurious of the two. There is a large front living room with access to the large front porch facing North Water Street with water views of Edgartown Harbor. Just off the living room, there is an en-suite bedroom with a sleeper sofa equipped with an "air-dream" mattress. Quite comfortable. The large dining room can seat 12 and there is a large gourmet kitchen with top-of-the-line appliances. The 2nd floor features the primary king bedroom, a secondary king bedroom that can be made en-suite, a Queen Bedroom, a large double twin bedroom, and two baths that have been redone in 2024. The 3rd floor includes a small sitting area and a large front bedroom with a Queen bed and two twin beds. The stairs in this 1840 home are steep from the 2nd floor to the 3rd floor. People with mobility issues should stay on the 1st and 2nd floor Shared Amenities When you rent a Wing of the house you share the large backyard, patio, and driveway. On the patio, there are two large 8 person teak tables each with a large market umbrella. There is either one or two large BBQ grills. On the lawn are 6 chaise lounges. On the side of the property is a driveway with off-street parking for one car for each wing. The tool shed has shared bikes and there is a toy box with beach chairs and umbrellas. We have developed a system to allow for a guest to have a patio party during one evening of their stay. Please see the EVENTS section below. We have a 12-passenger Ford Transit van and 16' Boston Whaler available as a separate rental. Please inquire. EXPECTATIONS This is where, in the interest of transparency, we divulge all of the things that you ought to know about the house PARKING The fewer cars you bring to the island the better. That said.... We have space for up to 4 cars in our single-lane driveway. We also have rented guaranteed available additional parking one block away for another two cars and possibly more. When the Wings are both rented the East Wing gets the driveway and the West Wing gets the two spots down the street. This way no one gets blocked in. There is free parking on the street during the day for up to two hours in the season and all day off-season. There is no parking overnight from 2:00 am to 7:00 am. There are two town parking lots with overnight parking at the foot of Main Street and at nearby Mayhew Lane. There is another lot up at the Triangle called the Dark Woods Lot. WATER You are 200 feet from Edgartown Harbor. Walk out of the house and down Morse Street to Edgartown's North Wharf. This is a public wharf and also houses the harbormaster and a marine store. We have a Boston Whaler that is docked here and available as a separate rental. We mention this because some may consider that a hazard. STAIRS & RAILING This house was built in 1840 before modern building standards. There are steep stairs from the West Wing of the 1st floor to the 3rd floor and from the East Wing's 2nd floor to the 3rd floor. There are also low railings on the porches and at the West Wing 2nd-floor landing. Small children will need supervision. People with mobility issues should stay on the 1st floor or use the elevator in the East Wing. CAMERAS Two exterior cameras and three doorbell cameras cover entrances and patio. The interior camera can be turned towards the wall when you come in. These are for your protection only. NOISE You are three blocks away from Main Street. This is an "in-town" location with all the advantages of walking to pretty much anything you want. The disadvantage is that traffic will be sometimes heard at the corner of Morse Street and North Water Street. The other Wings Guests can sometimes be heard. TERMS AND RATES: All pricing, availability, and terms are subject to change without notice. We use a dynamic pricing strategy that adjusts to market demand and other factors. A booking is confirmed when we receive a payment and a signed lease. We reserve the right to cancel any booking where we feel the rates are inaccurate. All rentals are subject to our lease, manual, and house rules whether you have expressly signed a lease or not. Late or Early check-ins seriously disrupt our associates schedules and other guests and subject to a fee of $100 per quarter hour REV: 202401