Jethro Coffin, who built the Oldest House on Sunset Hill in 1686, had this house built for his son Josiah in 1724. It is probably the oldest house in Nantucket town that is still standing on its original foundation. The house stayed in the Coffin family, their descendants and relatives, until 1925, when it was purchased by the family of the present owners. It has been maintained in close to the original condition for the past 280 years, although plumbing, electricity and a kitchen wing were added in the 19th century and a small bedroom wing in the 20th. The house is widely illustrated in books about Nantucket, such as Early Nantucket and its Whale Houses, by Henry Chandlee Foreman, where it is pictured on the front cover, and Robert Gambee’s 2001 Nantucket Impressions, as well his earlier books on Nantucket.

Interior description: A centerpiece of the house is the huge central chimney with five working fireplaces, including one which may be the largest on the island. The living room centers around this "sit in" fireplace. The large dining room has a table that can seat 12 plus a large working fireplace. Behind the living room is the winter kitchen with fireplace, now used as a sitting room with a small study adjoining it.

Above the living and dining rooms there are two large master bedrooms. Each has a double bed, a single bed, and a working fireplace. One of these has a private bath, while the other shares a bath with a third bedroom (with single bed) overlooking the garden. The third floor has a small bath and two more simple bedrooms, one with two single beds, one with one single bed.

The kitchen wing has a large kitchen (connected to the dining room by a pantry well-stocked with dishes), plus a bathroom with shower, and a ground- floor bedroom with a double bed. On the second floor of this wing are two more bedrooms, one with two single beds, the other with a single bed. Also in the kitchen wing is a large utility room that contains a washer/dryer, a second refrigerator, and ample storage shelves. The kitchen wing makes an ideal place for children to live separate from their parents, or for staff.

Aside from the television, this antique house does not provide some of the amenities of our winter homes. Rather, people staying there have a sense of stepping back in time and living at a slower pace.

Vital statistics: This house has eight bedrooms and four baths, and can sleep 12 - 13

Grounds and surroundings. The Josiah Coffin house sits on a large lawn, with plenty of room for picnics, croquet or badminton games. There is an outdoor hot and cold shower, and off street parking. A shaded garden at the back of the house is perfect for tea parties or a quiet place to read the paper. The house is a 5 minute walk from Steps beach on Nantucket sound, a 15 minute walk from Nantucket's Main Street shops, and there is a Nantucket Rapid Transit Authority shuttle bus stop on the corner.