Cottages at the Middle Head section of Peddocks Island, Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area
The central section of Peddocks Island known as Middle Head is home to a private community populated by ramshackle cottages that are mainly used for summer and weekend getaways. There is no electricity (some cottages have solar panels), and running water has been cut off since 1990, so there are very few, if any, full-time residents.
The Middle Head community originated as a home for Portuguese fishing families who were evicted from Long Island in 1887 so the city of Boston could build a chronic disease hospital and housing for the poor. The owner of Peddocks Island allowed everyone to live on the property as tenants-at-will, meaning that while they paid rent, they could be evicted at any time. They owned only their home, not the land.
Cottages at the Middle Head section of Peddocks Island, Boston Harbor Island National Recreation Area
As summer getaways became more popular in the late 1800s, more people began building cottages on Peddocks Island. In 1898, the Federal Government purchased East Head to build Fort Andrews, and all cottages on that side of the island had to be moved to Middle Head. By the early 1900s there were approximately thirty private homes on the island.
Cottages at the Middle Head section of Peddocks Island, Boston Harbor Island National Recreation Area
Fort Andrews closed after World War II, and in 1957 the Federal Government put East Head up for auction; it sold to a private individual. Other sections of the island remained privately owned as well. In 1970 Peddocks Island was purchased for inclusion in Boston Harbor Islands State Park by the Massachusetts Metropolitan District Commission (now the Department of Conservation and Recreation) after evoking eminent domain. Cottage owners were allowed to stay, and they now paid rent to the state.
In 1993 Massachusetts decided to extend the land lease only to the current cottage owners—when they die the lease ends. For those who want to leave early, they can sell their cottage to the State. Buildings can also be moved to the mainland by family members, but most likely they will be left to be torn down by the government. Because of this, residents don’t put much money into upkeep. While it’s nice to call the homes cottages—and some are—the correct term for many of them is shack.
One of the dilapidated cottages the Middle Head section of Peddocks Island, Boston Harbor Island National Recreation Area
Because the community residents don’t own the land, anyone can walk down to Middle Head. It’s basically a big party, and there’s nothing to keep you from joining in other than the fact that you’d be a jerk. I passed through Middle Head while hiking along a trail that runs all the way to the shore on the western end of Peddocks Island. There are only nine or so cottages along the trail, but there are many more towards the center of the island that I did not see. While I was free to walk anywhere I wanted, I just wasn’t that comfortable wandering around what felt like somebody’s front yard.
Partying at the cottages on Peddocks Island, Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area
With a few exceptions, use of any photograph on the National Park Planner website requires a paid Royalty Free Editorial Use License or Commercial Use License. See the Photo Usage page for details.
Last updated on January 13, 2024
