Beauport is a Designer's Dream House, with 40 Rooms

Beauport, the Sleeper-McCann House

75 Eastern Point Boulevard

Gloucester, MA 01930

https://www.historicnewengland.org/property/beauport-sleeper-mccann-house/

I recently took a tour of this mansion, overlooking Gloucester Harbor, Massachusetts and saw 25 of the 40 rooms! Henry David Sleeper, a son of a wealthy Bostonian family, built it between 1907-1934, constantly adding on rooms until he ran out of land. He became one of America's first professional interior designers. Isabella Stewart Gardner was a friend and visited Beauport. This mansion, was used as a summer cottage, is filled with all kinds of collections, antiques, colorful hooked rugs, colored glass, beautiful furniture, new and old. Each room had a theme, no two rooms were the same, and each bedroom had a mirror and a bathroom. There were 19 objects depicting George Washington, 10 skylights, and from historic homes around New England, purchases were made to buy windows and frames, doors as well as wood paneling.

We were in a full tour group of 12, so I was limited to what I could take as photos. Often I tried to be the last or first into a room, so I could take pictures without anybody in them. I did manage to take portions of 5 dining rooms and 5 bedrooms, all unique.

Shortly after Mr. Sleeper's death, the McCann family purchased the mansion, and made very few changes to the Sleeper furnishings and holdings. Mrs. McCann was the eldest daughter of F. W. Woolworth!                                                                       

150 pieces of Amber glass in the central hall.

Five Dining Rooms are shown below.

Octagon table in the Octagon Dining room. (above and  two below)

The Golden Step Dining Room. (above and below)

My favorite room, had white walls, furniture pained sea-foam green, and gold spoons in the cabinet. The color is quite off, due to the sun, I believe.

1930's Kitchen.

Same Dining room, opposite views.

Five bedrooms are below.

My favorite bed room, with floral print curtains and wallpaper.

Mr. Sleeper's bedroom, called the "Strawberry Hill" room, was inspired by a fantasy house near London by the same name.

The wallpaper is the same design that is in the Paul Revere's house.

Views of the harbor are in many rooms.

Circular Library.

This room above and below was called the Chinese Trade Room. The walls were papered with hand-painted Chinese wallpaper made in 1780. We stood behind a rope and were unable to see everything in the room, but were able to see the lovely Waterford crystal chandelier hung above us.

From the New York Times, August 16, 1981 is an interesting article, The Pleasures of Beauport, Authentic and Eccentric. Melissa D. Berry knew about this article and shared it with me.

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