Satterlee Teahouse

This area used to be the site of the Satterlee Tea House. The remnants can be seen on trail today.

NPS Photo

In the fall of 1915, construction was completed of a unique entertaining space for Satterlee family’s guests. A circular stone and cement teahouse structure was modeled after round defensive fortresses called Martello towers built by the English Empire in the 1700s-1900s. This tea house was a place the Satterlees could go exploring with their guests through the rocky coastline and coastal forest of the estate and then break for tea and snacks at the teahouse.

When the teahouse structure was completed, it stood 15 feet tall with a diameter of 18 feet. Within the tower was a space for entertaining guests. The observation deck at the top of the tower, accessible by an interior ladder, boasted panoramic views of the Frenchman’s Bay, the dramatic coastline, and surrounding mountains on a clear day.

The teahouse structure did survive the Fire of ’47, as discussed in an upcoming stop, but was eventually torn down by the National Park Service in the 1960s due to safety concerns.