Vineyarders Celebrate Reopening of Cottager’s Corner

Cottager’s Corner officially reopened on Wednesday, marking a new chapter in the Black women homeowner organization’s long history of community engagement and preservation.

“I’m so moved walking into this building,” said Gov. Maura Healey, who attended the event. “I think about the stories and I think about your families. I don’t know your stories. I want to know your stories, but I find this incredibly moving, what you’ve been about, what you’ve restored and renovated and brought to life for the benefit of generations to come.”

Cottager’s Corner, located at 57 Pequot avenue in Oak Bluffs, has lived many lives. Over the past century, the building has served as the town’s fire department, the town hall, the courthouse and the jail. But in 1968, when Thelma Darling Smith and a group of dedicated philanthropists decided to purchase the property, the building became part of a movement.

“It has been a home for celebrations, conversations, planning, learning, fellowship and service,” said Patricia Bush, president of the Cottagers, Inc. “Within these walls memories have been created, lives have been impacted and community funds have grown stronger over the decades.”

Since its creation in 1956, The Cottagers, Inc. has engaged in philanthropic endeavors across the Island. Comprised of more than 100 African American female homeowners on Martha’s Vineyard, the Cottagers, Inc. was established as an all volunteer organization dedicated to promoting charitable, educational and community service projects that improve the quality of life on the Island.

“Visionary women came together with a shared condition for service, sisterhood and community through decades of change,” said Charlena Seymour, a Cottager and co-chair of the grand reopening committee. “The Cottagers Incorporated has remained steadfast in that mission, creating opportunities, preserving traditions, and investing in future generations.”

In 2019, a routine maintenance inspection found that the building was in need of restoration. Seeing this as an opportunity to preserve the building’s legacy, the Cottagers assembled and worked diligently to procure funding for the project.

With support from both public and private donors, the Cottagers were able to restore the building and prepare it for the future.

“That bold vision that created an organization has touched countless lives,” said Governor Healey. “That has strengthened this Island, that has strengthened our state and that is something to celebrate, this amazing repository collection of stories.”

The building, and its picturesque green and white facade, is an example of the Queen Anne style, which was popular in the early 19th and 20th centuries. 

“The goal was to preserve the spirit and historical character of the building, while thoughtfully preparing it for future generations,” said Ms. Bush.

To ensure that the building could serve for years to come, special attention was given to the building’s interior. It was important that the project preserved its traditional style while ensuring that it had the capability to host a variety of events. In addition to technological upgrades, improvements were made to each room and a full service kitchen was installed.

“Every decision was shaped by the desire to honor what Cottager’s Corner had meant in the past and to create a new space that could continue serving a diverse community of women with dignity, warmth and purpose,” said Ms. Bush.

As part of its 70th anniversary summer, the group will host its annual house tour on July 17, a benefit concert featuring Jeffrey Osborne at the Strand Theatre on July 30, and a family dance party at the Tabernacle on Aug 6 from 5 to 7 p.m.

This article appears in June 26, 2026.