Cogswell's Grant, 1728
60 Spring Street
Essex, Mass. 01929
(978) 768-3632
CogswellsGrant@HistoricNewEngland.org
Directions
Open: June 1 through October 15
Wednesday through Sunday
Tours at 11 a.m., noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Admission: $10, Historic New England members and Essex residents free
Take a virtual tour of Cogswell's Grant
Cogswell's Grant was the summer home of Bertram K. and Nina Fletcher Little,
preeminent collectors of American decorative arts in the mid 20th century. Through her
research and innumerable publications, Mrs. Little charted new areas of American folk art
(which she preferred to call "country arts"), such as decorative painting, floor coverings,
boxes, and New England pottery.
In
1937, the Littles purchased this 18th-century farmhouse overlooking the Essex River as a
family retreat and place to entertain. They restored it carefully, trying to preserve
original 18th-century finishes and carefully documenting their work. In more than 50 years
of collecting, they sought works of strong, even quirky character, and in particular
favored objects with their original finishes and New England histories.
They decorated the house for visual delight rather than historic accuracy.
The result is rich in atmosphere and crowded with collections of things -- primitive
paintings, redware, painted furniture, stacked Shaker boxes, weather vanes and decoys --
that have since come to define the country look.
Directions: From I-95/Route 128, take Exit 15. Turn left onto School
Street, and proceed to Route 133. Turn left onto Main Street. Pass the intersection of
Route 22, then turn right onto Spring Street and proceed to the end.
New in 2008: visit any of our Essex partners for a special discount.
Just show your Historic New England member card and save!
Discounts are available at the following Essex partners:
White Elephant Shop (antiques, collectibles, etc.)
32 Main Street, Essex, Mass. 01929
Tel: (978) 768-6901
10% discount in the shop and the White Elephant Outlet on Rt. 133
Essex River Cruises and Charters
35 Dodge Street, Essex, Mass. 01929
Tel: (800) 748-3706
$2.00 off the regular ticket price
Woodman's of Essex
121 Main Street, Essex, Mass. 01929
Tel: (978) 768-6057
15% discount
Andrew Spindler Antiques
163 Main Street, Essex, Mass. 01929
Tel: (978) 768-6045
10% discount
The George Fuller House (Bed and Breakfast)
148 Main Street, Essex, Mass. 01929
Tel: (978) 768-7766
10% discount, two night stay minimum, subject to availability
For full details on membership discounts, please visit our 2008 North Shore member discount page.
For archival quality fine art reproductions from Cogswell's Grant,
visit www.lookclickprint.com
Discover more about Cogswell's Grant in the Historic New England
magazine archives:
