LIVING HISTORY
The Maury People Craig Hawkins $5,785,000
An historic home on Nantucket is like

a living, breathing thing. It grows and it changes over the years, but the core of it - what makes it unique and gives it its own personality - remains the same. The house at 12 Orange Street is a wonderful example. Built in 1788 as a stately home of a Nantucket merchant, at some point a two story bay window was added to the front, providing views of the comings and goings on Orange Street. More recently it has been an art gallery, but today it is being renovated and carefully restored to become a residence once more.

It's a treat to view a home of this pedigree in the process of being restored by expert builders - even if one has to be careful of wet paint - because it gives the viewer an opportunity to see the craftsman- ship that has gone into the home over the years. In fact, much of this work is so beautiful that many of the rough, thick, chunky, hand-hewn timbers that act as the building's skeleton are to be left exposed so that, every day, future generations can see history all around them.

The kitchen is a case in point. Here, of course, are all of the modern amenities one would expect in a luxury home: top-of-the-line appliances; expertly crafted cabinets,; modern lighting; a central prep island that seems to span the entire block. But facing the modern kitchen, at one end of the large dining area, is the home's first kitchen - a cooking hearth that is so big, one can literally walk into it. This amazing relic of a fireplace once was used to prepare all of the meals within the home. Its ancient bricks have held up well considering the activity they have seen in over 200 years. The large open mouth of the fireplace is made possible by a central 12" x 12" timber spanning the top. This single piece of ancient wood would take three or four strong men to move; now it is not going anywhere.

As is the case in most homes of this era, the kitchen is to the rear of the first floor. In the front there are large living room and library, each with its own fire place as well. The room to the left of the front door features the bay window and lots of light. The room on the right is slightly narrower and is cordoned off from the kitchen to the rear by a newly constructed staircase. (Those who recall this structure as a gallery will note that the new placement of the stairway is a more convenient and elegant solution than the previous one.)

On the second floor there are three huge bedrooms, each with its marble bath. Two of the rooms face the street, one of which features the bay window which provides views up to the crest of Orange Street to your left and all the way down to Main Street on your right. The master suite takes up the entire rear half of the home and it benefits greatly from ample windows and French doors leading to a second story deck and wonderful water views. The views continue in the master bath. It features a very large marble shower with a full glass wall allowing the user to experience the water in the harbor and the water in the shower simultaneously. In the master suite, the beams of the house, once hidden behind lath and horse hair and plaster, are fully exposed, irregular and full of character. The third floor features an office/sitting area/TV room and two large bedrooms sharing a full bath. Both bedrooms have cathedral ceilings and exposed ceiling joists that are original to the structure. The views of the harbor from these two rooms is spectacular. But the best view is from the widow's walk which is accessible via a ship's ladder. From up here, it seems that all of Nantucket is laid out at your feet.

At the rear is a large covered porch overlooking the pleasant and private back yard. In addition, there is off-street parking for two to three cars - an essential feature of any in-town home.

This impressive and historic, downtown, fivebedroom, 4-1/2 bath home, which is currently being completely and respectfully renovated, is offered at

$5,785,000. I