Paomet Hollow takes its name from the Paomet, the people whose valley this was. In November 1620 a Pilgrim scouting party marched up this river in the snow, meaning to reach its head — where the house now stands — and turned back. Around 1800, Richard Rich, a Truro farmer who had been a militia lieutenant in 1776, and his wife, Lois Collins, built a farmhouse here on land that came to her from her father. It was a Yankee farm for some eighty years, an Azorean family's farm for nearly fifty more, and for most of a century a summer place for families from Pennsylvania and New York. The National Park Service photographed it in 1962; the pictures are in the Library of Congress. Now it's ours to care for, and yours to live in for a while.
You'll feel its age. The attic's timber frame still carries the builders' marriage marks. The 1831 survey of Truro covers a wall of the great room, with a pin marking You Are Here. The wallpapers are recreated from century-old papers uncovered in the old rooms: the blue toile of the George Washington Room, a yellow floral, red tulips in the dining room. A binder in the house follows this ground deed by deed, from the Paomet to today, beside a growing shelf of books on the true history of the land.
A summer here
In mid-July the organic blueberries ripen along the whole side of the yard, by the brook, and the pears and apples in the back yard follow. In late summer watercress comes up in the brook. Every September I cook a big pot of soup from it for neighbors and friends, and you're welcome to the cress (cook it — wild cress belongs in the pot, not the salad bowl). Days go to Ballston Beach's surf and Great Pond's still water, and evenings to the long table. Because the Seashore keeps the valley dark, nights go to the stars: two skylights over Bedroom 2, one over the attic, and the whole sky over the yard.
Built for three generations
Grandparents get the step-free first-floor suite. The adventurous climb the original stairs to the attic, and a couple can have the cottage to themselves. Everyone meets at a dining table for 14, fed from a 48-inch Thermador dual-fuel range.
The six suites
Every room has its own full bath, blackout shades, a desk,a smart TV, and heated mattress pads on all beds for off-season. Four of the California kings split into twins.
1 · First floor, easy access — step-free to the living room, kitchen, dining room and back deck, with its own private deck and chairs. California king (splits). There are two steps at the front door; tell us and we'll install ramps before you arrive.
2 · Second floor, the star room — California king, a private deck with the best views in the house, and two skylights.
3 · First floor, its own door — California king (splits), a private exterior entrance, a decorative fireplace.
4 · The guest cottage — just off the dining room. It began as the horse-and-buggy shed and was already a guest house by 1962. California king (splits), dorm-size fridge, Keurig and a tea table.
5 · First floor, morning light — California king, just off the dining room.
6 · The attic suite — the whole attic of the original house, second in size only to Bedroom 1. It has the exposed post-and-beam frame with the builders' marriage marks (the Roman numerals they cut to pair each joint), a skylight, a decorative fireplace and a California king (splits). It's reached by the original, very steep teal stairs — see the photos.
What's here
A kitchen stocked for real cooking · 400-thread-count bed linens and bath towels · beach towels and beach chairs · outdoor shower · two washer-dryer sets, detergent included · whole-house water purification · covered bike storage · parking for up to 8 cars (4–5 by the house, 2–3 across the road beside the barn).
Beach, pond and village
Ballston Beach and Great Pond, a glacial kettle pond, are equally close: 4 minutes by car, 6 by bike, 25 on foot. Ballston needs a Truro beach sticker only from Memorial Day to Labor Day, 9 AM to 4 PM; outside those dates and hours, parking is free. The sticker is sold online; the link is in your digital home guide, with maps and bike routes. Great Pond has free parking from 6 AM to midnight. Truro Center is a ten-minute walk down South Pamet Road, with the village store, yoga, the weekly farmers market and the shuttle to Provincetown.
Fair prices, guaranteed
Our rates are set by Beyond Pricing, which reads demand across comparable Outer Cape homes for your exact dates. And our Value Guarantee: compare our home and location with others in Truro. If you find an equal, comparable home for less, tell us and we'll adjust our price.
Rich family, welcome home
Descendants of Richard Rich, the mariner who settled at Eastham in the 1600s — the family that built this house — stay at 10% off, always. Message us before you book with your line of descent (a family tree from FamilySearch or Ancestry, Rich Family Association membership, or a published genealogy), and we'll send you the family rate.
Booking
Peak season (June 20 – Sept 5): Saturday to Saturday only. All other dates: arrive any day, 2-night minimum.
Dogs welcome
The back yard has a large fenced dog park. No fence suits every breed, so please walk the fence line and check the gates when you arrive; keeping your dog inside them is your responsibility. Beyond the fence, dogs stay leashed. This is National Seashore land, and the Seashore and the town both have firm leash and beach rules, all in your guide.
A note from Eric
I've hosted for thirty-five years, and my language of love is service. Long ago I ran a kitchen and bath renovation company, and I still notice the one drop of paint on the floor, so the house is kept the way I'd want to find it. My mother and I uncovered those old wallpapers together. The mismatched rugs in every room are a family habit: my great-grandfather came from Armenia and built an Oriental rug business in Worcester, and a new rug still comes home from every trip I take. My company carries my immigrant forebears' names — Popek and Kazarian — and the promise I make every guest: honoring heritage, elevating experience. Come for the beach; stay for the brook, the blueberries and the stars. The stars not only guide — they soothe.
House rules
This is a quiet house in a year-round neighborhood inside the National Seashore, and we keep it that way. We're strict, willing advocates of the Truro town code, the Seashore's rules, our neighborhood association and the local environmental bylaws.
• 12 guests maximum (children under 5 not counted), for overnight stays and for evening dinners and gatherings alike. Extra guests can't be accommodated for any amount of money.
• No parties, events or amplified outdoor sound, at any time.
• Violations carry a minimum $1,500 fee and may end the stay, with police assistance if needed. If a neighbor has to call the police about noise even once, the stay ends for the entire group.
If you're planning a party or need room for more than 12, we respectfully ask you to choose a home better suited to it. If you're looking for a peaceful, historic place to gather the people you love, we can't wait to welcome you.
