Hidden Away on Pine Street

The house at 4 Pine Street, known as the Captain James Coffin House, is tucked away on a quiet and ample lot, just steps from the cobbles of Main Street and minutes from shops and restaurants. It is bordered to the rear of the property, by Ray's Court, which is a wonderful, hidden, shell lane connecting Fair Street and Main Street. Here, mature trees create a lush canopy in the summer, filtering the dappled sunlight, and hushing the sounds of the surrounding downtown landscape. This property is an island within an island. A hideaway. A haven, close to the middle of the bustling downtown.

Built around the turn of the century (the 19th century, that is) 4 Pine Street has obviously seen its share of use. Many of the original details of the home, such as the flooring, still exist. The previous owners joyfully reclaimed many of the original floors after pulling up linoleum and shag carpet. One can see, in spots, places where long-since-gone carpenters patched these floors with carefully shaped pieces of ancient pine. Another detail that remains: many of the interior doors still feature four-light transoms. The glass panes in these perfect little fourpanel museum pieces show a hint of waviness, telling the trained eye that they were glazed more than two centuries ago, at great expense in that era.

As one enters the front door of the home, it's clear that the current owners have a deep love of flora. There are flowering vines and perennials all around the entrance, and some of them almost seem to reach out to greet you as you cross the threshold. Stepping onto the foyer, one can see that this is a very old home in need of a historically sensitive renovation in several rooms, although there is much to save and cherish here. The parlor just inside the front door features a stately, Federal-style fireplace and a painted, raised-panel wall. A central hallway runs from the front door through a central dining room to the kitchen in the rear with a second sitting room on the right as you make your way toward the back. (This first floor layout is repeated in countless historic homes, and in many newer reproductions on the island. It has, one could say, stood the test of time) The dining room features the original candle adorned chandelier - not an electrified reproduction. And the central sitting room is quiet and inviting. Another fireplace here makes it all the more cozy.

The kitchen is amply large and offers rows of open shelves for plates and cups. Arecently added (in the past 50 years) family room is adjacent to the kitchen. From here, one can exit the home to a shady back deck and the wonderful gardens beyond. There are both shade gardens and colorful sunny spots, interrupted only by a white arbor gate leading to shell-lined Ray's Court and the entrance to the property's private garage.

On the second floor, there are three large bedrooms and a central sitting room/library with built-in shelves and cabinets. Two bedrooms share a bath. The master bedroom, in the youngest - relatively speaking - part of the house, has its own large full bath. From the master bedroom, one can descend the winding service stairway (something that is not build-able today according to modern codes) to the kitchen, or climb the slightly creaky steps higher to the magical attic - a fantastic space which could be renovated to provide additional bedrooms. (There is already a full bath here.) There is also a full, unfinished basement.

This hidden historic gem of a three bedroom, three-and-one-half bath home, on a quiet, in-town, oversized lot, with wonderful, storybook gardens and a myriad of possibilities is

offered at $2,550,000. I