I always take photographs of the front of the Captain Penniman House at Fort Hill in Eastham, but the back is just as pretty.

“The Penniman House was built at the end of the Victorian Age and styled after the French Second Empire Period (1855-1870). The house was designed by an unknown architect, built by local artisans using the finest available materials, and sited on land purchased from Captain Penniman’s father.

Completed in 1868 for the family’s use while the Captain continued his whaling career, the house included every known comfort and many innovative ideas. The foundation was laid on the existing ground, the basement walls built up, and fill brought in to raise the surrounding land by eight feet. This provided excellent drainage, ensuring a dry basement, and raised the windows of the cupola high enough for the Captain to observe the ships passing in both Cape Cod Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.”

This photograph is the side facing the Atlantic Ocean. So beautiful and interesting, don’t you think?

The Captain Penniman House sits on top of a hill at Fort Hill where we love to hike. I did a little research and learned that “Captain Penniman became one of the most successful whaling captains in New England. After his fourth voyage, he returned home to Eastham to build a home for his family on 12 acres purchased from his father.

Sitting atop Fort Hill in Eastham is the Second Empire style home of Captain Edward Penniman. Built in 1868 the two-and-one-half story house features a central hall plan with two rooms on each side. Rising from the center of the roof is an octagonal cupola with arched windows on all sides. The house holds the Penniman family’s written records and artifact collection, both of which provide a glimpse of the places visited on the family’s whaling voyages.

It has recently been repainted so that it now depicts the residence’s authentic, original colors.

It’s all part of a Centennial Challenge Fund commemorating the National Park Services’ 100th anniversary in 2016.

The park service awarded $85,000 to match $100,000 pledged by the Friends of the Cape Cod National Seashore (Friends), the seashore’s nonprofit partner, and $15,000 of funds that were donated by Eastern National, the seashore’s cooperating association.”

Such a treasure to have nearby. Have you ever seen the Captain Penniman House?