Gingerbread Houses

In the center of a small town on the Vineyard called Oak Bluffs is the cutest neighborhood I have ever seen. There are these adorable, tiny houses that look like they are made for elves or something.They are appropriately called Gingerbread Houses and are considered historical landmarks {which means you’re about to get a little history lesson-history buff here remember} In the 1800’s Methodists from all over would gather on the island in late august for camp meetings. They would pitch these heavy duty tents around the “tabernacle” and live there for the duration of the meeting, then when the meetings were over they would pack up and go home leaving the wooden tent frame behind for next year. They began to stay for longer and longer periods of time and pretty soon the tents became home. Because they were strict in their religion the people did not drink, smoke, dance, party or any of that fun stuff so to entertain themselves they began sprucing up their tents. Eventually families decided they needed a more permanent residence and began converting their tent frames into frames for an actual house (which explains the small size of the houses). Now there are 315 houses is this neighborhood, most of which are summer homes {only 30 have been winterized} and have been passed through the generations. They require alot of upkeep and certain regulations must be followed because of their landmark status. One of them was sold to the town and is now a museum that you can go inside and tour. It gives you an idea of what most of the houses look like on the inside. Ohh, and the residence get to give them cool little names like, “Respite”, “Lazy Dayz”, “Seas the Day”, “Yellow Brick Road” {decorated with Wizard of Oz memorabilia} and my favorite house “The Purple Lady” {surprise surprise}-which is pictured below. I definitely wouldn’t mind spending my summers in a little house like these someday {I’m a little person I fell like they were designed for people like me}. Just saying, there are 10 currently for sale…who knows it could happen {and I think Mom would even approve of the location ;) }.