Louis Brandeis House facts for kids
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Louis Brandeis House
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Louis Brandeis House in 1972
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 Location in Cape Cod
Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Neck Lane, off Cedar St., 8 mi. SW of Stage Harbor Rd. intersection, Chatham, Massachusetts |
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| NRHP reference No. | 72000148 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 28, 1972 |
| Designated NHL | November 28, 1972 |
The Louis Brandeis House is a special old home in Chatham, Massachusetts. It's known as a National Historic Landmark, which means it's a very important place in American history. This house was the summer home of Louis Brandeis, who was a judge on the highest court in the United States, the U.S. Supreme Court. He spent his summers here from 1922 until he passed away in 1941.
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The Louis Brandeis House: A Summer Retreat
The Louis Brandeis House is located on a piece of land near the Oyster Pond River. It became a National Historic Landmark in 1972. This honor means the house is protected because of its connection to an important person or event in American history.
What the House Looks Like
The main part of the house is made of wood and has one and a half stories. It was likely built in the early 1800s. It shows a common style of architecture found in Cape Cod. The front of the house has five window and door openings. It also has a steeply sloped roof with a chimney in the middle.
House Additions and Changes
Both sides of the roof have flat-topped dormers that run almost the whole length of the house. These were probably added in the 1900s before the Brandeis family bought the home. Two sections extend from the back of the house. One is a two-story wing for the kitchen and sleeping areas. The other is a single-story wing with rooms for guests, a laundry area, and a garage.
There is also a small, rustic cottage near the main house. It offered extra sleeping space. The house used to get its water from a windmill. However, a hurricane destroyed the windmill in 1944. A porch once wrapped around the front and side of the house. It was later removed and replaced with a brick patio.
Inside the Brandeis Home
The inside of the house has been changed several times. Some changes happened when Brandeis lived there, and others afterward. When you enter, there's a staircase between the front door and the chimney. It leads to simple bedrooms upstairs.
To the right of the entrance is the main bedroom. To the left is the living room. Both of these rooms have doors that lead to a narrow dining area at the back of the house. Louis Brandeis had a special study. It was a glassed-in room located off the main bedroom, near where the porch used to be.
Who Was Louis Brandeis?
Louis Brandeis was a very important judge. President Woodrow Wilson chose him to join the Supreme Court in 1916. His appointment was a big deal. He was the first person of Jewish faith to become a Supreme Court Justice. He also had new ideas about society that some people disagreed with at the time.
Brandeis's Summers in Chatham
While serving on the Supreme Court, the Brandeis family lived in Washington, D.C.. They visited Cape Cod in 1922 and fell in love with the Chatham area. They bought this house and returned every summer.
During his summers in Chatham, Brandeis would work on legal cases. He also spent time with his family and entertained guests. He retired from the Supreme Court in 1939. He passed away in Washington in 1941. When the house became a National Historic Landmark in 1972, it was still owned by his family.
