Rockport, Massachusetts: A View From the Harbor
01/30/26
A summer morning in Rockport, Massachusetts brings cool air, harbor views, historic homes, and a reminder of how strongly place and memory can shape the way we experience a home.

The view is from Rockport, Massachusetts, a small fishing village of about 6,000 people roughly 40 miles north of Boston.
This morning I woke up early and the sun was already pushing through the window shades. I went outside and found this.
Rockport was originally settled in 1690 as part of Gloucester and incorporated as its own town in 1840. The little fisherman's house we are renting sits right on the harbor and, I suspect, dates back to around that same era.
Bright white walls and trim, wide pine floors that slope in every direction, slipcovered chairs, scattered rugs, a few antiques, and a bit of IKEA. Unfussy and completely charming.
I am having coffee at the dining room table, and my view runs through the kitchen and out to the Atlantic Ocean.
I grew up in Connecticut. My parents used to load all four kids into the station wagon and bring us up here for little stretches in the summer. As a kid, it was fun, but I did not fully appreciate it then.
Last night we had lobster and clam chowder. At this point in life, I get it.
We are grateful to be able to spend part of August here. Normally, we live in St. Petersburg, Florida, where August means days in the 90s. There is something to be said for cool mornings, salt air, and a harbor view that feels almost unchanged in 200 years.
We have two weeks here, so there will be more from Rockport next Saturday.
For now, this is the view from here.
Jon Kelly
The Tenpenny Collection | St. Petersburg, FL
Real Estate Sales Associate | Exclusive Buyer Representation