The return of The Fo'castle

We here at the Henry Beston Society are often asked a series of questions about Henry Beston's Outermost House, or as he called it, "the Fo'castle."

It usually begins with "where is the house?" The answer: "It's gone."

These are then followed by:

* "What happened to it?" Answer: "It washed out to sea in the great storm of February 1978."

* "Where is the site?" Answer: "That's under water now, too."

* "Are they ever going to build another one?"

  For the last 32 years, the answer to that last question has been "no." But now, the Henry Beston Society is looking to change that. The Beston Society is now forging ahead with its plans to open a museum with Beston and Outermost House artifacts and exhibits, which will eventually include a replica of Henry Beston's famous "Fo'castle," the 20x16 house that he built on the beach in Eastham and used as a base to write the Cape Cod literary classic The Outermost House.

The plan to rebuild Beston's famous house has been met with great enthusiasm during recent Beston Society presentations. Much in the same way that Thoreau's cabin at Walden, the Mayflower, the Boston Tea Party Ship and Lincoln's birthplace cabin have been replicated, the Beston Society plans to take the utmost care in reconstructing Beston's Fo'castle. We'll be working out every last detail, down to the last nail.

Cape Associates Inc. of North Eastham and Barnstable, builders on Cape Cod for 37 years, were the proud sponsors of the sixth annual Windmill Weekend Charity Raffle in 2006. Cape Associates built the 6x8 wood "playhouse," guided by building plans provided to the Beston Society by the late Nan Turner Waldron, author of the book Journey to Outermost House.. Cape Associates donated the funds raised by tickets sales, which totaled $2,275, for the Henry Beston Society's efforts to reconstruct Beston's "Outermost House."

Your tax-deductible donation can help us to fund the establishment of the museum, or to sponsor a shingle, the chimney, the fireplace, or other part of the new Fo'castle.

We're also looking for more people to help us out in fund-raising efforts; several have already come forward, but more help is needed. Those interested in seeing this becoming a reality are also urged to contact the Beston Society -- ideas and input are always welcome.

The Beston Society also produces media projects, publishes literature, and presents slide lectures about Henry Beston and his philosophies.

To contribute online, click the Donate button below ...

Rebuild The Outermost House, c/o The Henry Beston Society,
P.O. Box 1343, South Dennis, MA 02660;

For more information, please feel free to call us at
(508) 246-7242;

OR

E-mail us at henrybestonsociety@yahoo.com

P.O. Box 1343, South Dennis, MA 02660. Phone: (508) 246-7242. E-mail: henrybestonsociety@yahoo.com

BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Nita Wilding, Don Wilding,
Jon March, Kerrie March, Robby McQueeney, Bob Seay, Marc McHugh.

©® 2010
The Henry Beston Society, Inc., unless noted.