A grand 19th-century oceanfront home at 374 Nahant Road in Nahant, Massachusetts—on the market for $6,250,000—comes with a direct view of Egg Rock. The island’s lighthouse history, eventual destruction, and transformation into a bird sanctuary now frame the pi
On Egg Rock, the lighthouse is gone—but the story still holds steady from 374 Nahant Road.
The property, set at 374 Nahant Road, Nahant, MA 01908, is on the market for $6,250,000. From the house’s oceanfront setting on the water, residents and would-be buyers get a clear look at Egg Rock, an island described as having geological strata of history and sitting about 3 acres in size.
Egg Rock lies less than a mile northeast of the town of Nahant. and it has long been said to look like a gray whale. A lighthouse was constructed on the rock in 1856 and later rebuilt in 1897 after a fire destroyed it. During World War I. Coast Guard documents say the light was dimmed due to fears of enemy submarines passing through the waters.
But for anyone hoping to visit the lighthouse itself, there’s no guarantee. The light was discontinued in 1922, and the tower was destroyed in 1927. Coast Guard documents also describe how the keeper’s house was separated from the tower and moved down the side of Egg Rock before the cable snapped—“It slipped into the ocean. ” as listing agent Annie Wachtel of Coldwell Banker Realty put it.
Today, Egg Rock is a bird sanctuary, a quiet end to a structure built for warning ships—and a backdrop that helps define why this particular estate is drawing attention.
The house at 374 Nahant Road is more than just a view lot. Built in 1865, the 9,234-square-foot home sits on 3 acres of oceanfront. In Nahant’s telling, these big estates began appearing in the 1800s when “Nahant was rivaling Newport,” and Wachtel called the area “extremely commercial” in that era.
Local history runs through the property itself. An 1890 photo from the Nahant Historical Society shows the house with a wrap-around porch that no longer exists. A 1989 file from the Massachusetts Historical Commission says the house was built for the daughter of a wealthy man named George P. Upham.
“The home at 374 Nahant remained in the Upham family until at least 1936,” Julie Tarmy, Executive Director at the Nahant Historical Society, said.
Wachtel said the house still retains many of its original elements, even beyond the missing wrap-around porch. Inside. it’s configured as a 10-bedroom. 11-bathroom home—four full and seven half—with features including wainscoting. arches. a butler’s pantry. a billiards room. a mural room. and a central staircase that Wachtel said can rival Newport’s Gilded Age look.
For buyers drawn to preservation, the pitch is also practical. Wachtel said that in Nahant there are no historical restrictions, so owners can preserve what’s there without being constrained by rules.
The estate’s amenities extend beyond the main residence. The property includes beach access and ocean views. plus a heated pool and a pool house that Wachtel said could be converted into a guest house. She described the pool house as having two showers and two half baths. along with a kitchenette and “spectacular views itself.”.
The heated pool also carries its own local lore. When Wachtel shared the listing on Facebook, locals recalled learning to swim there. “There aren’t that many pools in Nahant. and it has this spectacular slide. and everybody remembers it. ” she said. adding that she knows people who learned to swim there in their youth and are now around 60. Wachtel estimated the slide to be 15 feet high, saying it has been there for at least 30 years.
That pool experience is part of what makes Nahant’s waterfront living feel distinct—especially when set against environmental risk nearby.
Nahant has other listings with Egg Rock in view. Another property. located less than a mile away and also facing Egg Rock. has been on the market at a similar price point for over a year. Wachtel said the main difference between the two homes is location: the property at 66 Ocean St. built in 1890. sits much closer to the water. She pointed to erosion and coastal flooding on that side of the island. calling it “much more of a precarious position.”.
In contrast, Wachtel said 374 Nahant Road’s seawall and the fact that it sits above the flood line put it in a better position.
What pulls buyers toward the town itself, Wachtel said, isn’t only the shoreline. Nahant, she described, keeps its character residential and functions as a commuter town to Boston. She said it’s closer than some other North Shore towns and that the commute is easier.
Connected by a causeway to the mainland. Wachtel said people talk about crossing over and feeling like they’ve left everyday life behind—“They’ve left the errands; they’ve left the busyness. etc. and they’re coming to this town that has an awful lot of green space and is really dedicated to its beaches and nature. and so it’s a very relaxed town.”.
Nahant Egg Rock 374 Nahant Road $6 250 000 listing oceanfront estate lighthouse history Coast Guard documents bird sanctuary Coldwell Banker Realty