Sag Harbor cottage where John Steinbeck wrote his final novel asks $18M
All photos by Gavin Zeigler for Sotheby’s International Realty
John Steinbeck’s waterfront cottage in Sag Harbor where he penned his final novel, The Winter of Discontent, is on the market for $17.9 million. The Pulitzer Prize-winning author bought the Hamptons home, tucked away on a bluff between two coves, in 1955, as the New York Times first reported. The property sits on nearly two acres and contains a two-bedroom main residence, a gazebo-like structure that Steinbeck used as a writing space, a guest cottage, and a 60-foot private dock.
According to the Times, Steinbeck described his home as “my little fishing place” in his book Travels with Charley: In Search of America, in which he traveled 10,000 miles around the country with his dog, departing from Sag Harbor. The property is being sold through a trust set up by Steinbeck’s wife Elaine Steinbeck prior to her 2003 death, as the newspaper noted.
At 1,200 square feet, the main home is a quaint two-bedroom, two-bath with a gorgeous beamed cathedral ceiling, huge windows, unique built-in bookshelves, and French doors that lead to the terrace. A large fieldstone fireplace centers the living area, which currently has a painting of Charley the poodle hanging above it, according to the listing.
The kitchen, equipped with modern appliances and a large center island, is connected to an airy and sun-drenched sitting room with a ceiling fan. A spiral staircase leads to the “Library Loft,” a bookcase-lined space overlooking the living room which Steinbeck created as a play space for children.
The main bedroom features an en-suite bathroom and sliding doors that lead to the outdoors. The second bedroom is found off the living area.
Also on the property, a 120-square-foot guest cottage with a bathroom, outdoor shower, and enough room to sleep two, and the “Writing House,” a charming enclosed hexagon-shaped structure that faces the waterfront. There’s a swimming pool, dubbed the “cement pond” by family, a 60-foot pier, nearly 590 feet of water frontage, and a two-car garage.
[Listing details: John Steinbeck’s Sag Harbor Waterfront Sanctuary by Doreen Atkins for Sotheby’s International Realty-Bridgehampton Brokerage]
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All photos by Gavin Zeigler for Sotheby’s International Realty
