The Nathan Bowen house was built by William Waters in 1695 and is one of fifteen homes in Marblehead built before 1700.  The house located on 1 Mugford Street has also been tied to H.P. Lovecraft and is believed to be the home mentioned in his short story ‘The Festival’.

I had noted that the house featured a beautiful flowering tree but had never managed to capture it in full bloom.  On the morning of May 6 (and during the last of my three attempts to capture the scene of Abbot Hall and a flowering tree on Washington Street), I found myself in front of this beautiful scene.

I decided on a slightly wider vantage point to include the neighboring house reflecting the morning light.

I found this reference to Marblehead by H.P. Lovecraft in researching the Bowen House and found it incredibly accurate even so many years after it was written:

‘Marblehead is a garland of unending delights – one could live there rapturously for ever, discovering new wonders each day…’