The Edward Gorey House, also known as the Elephant House, is the home on
Cape Cod
Cape Cod is a peninsula extending into the Atlantic Ocean from the southeastern corner of mainland Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States. Its historic, maritime character and ample beaches attract heavy tourism during the summer mont ...
in which
Edward Gorey
Edward St. John Gorey (February 22, 1925 – April 15, 2000) was an American writer, Tony Award-winning costume designer, and artist, noted for his own illustrated books as well as cover art and illustration for books by other writers. Hi ...
—author, illustrator, puppeteer, and playwright—lived and worked from 1986 until his death in 2000. The house currently serves as a museum celebrating Gorey's life and work.
Gorey had a respect and passion for animals,
cat
The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members of ...
s in particular. The activities of the house, from art education to interactive exhibits, reflect Gorey's support of
animal welfare.
Description
Gorey collected all sorts of objects; some of them discarded objects found at the side of the road. He arranged and displayed such items on his porch and in the rooms of the house. He also had a large collection of books and an overflowing library.
[ – a ]photo essay A photographic essay or photo-essay for short is a form of visual storytelling, a way to present a narrative through a series of images. A photo essay delivers a story using a series of photographs and brings the viewer along a narrative journey.
E ...
on the house and Gorey's collections and life there
Elephant House is also notable for the presence of a large
southern magnolia tree in its yard, a species not usually found so far north.
Gallery
The Museum has a display of the Edward Gorey binding project.
File:Elephant House Cape Cod.jpg
Preservation
A 2002 grant from the Highland Street Foundation allowed the house to be purchased and the museum to be established.
References
External links
*
Information from The Historical Society of Old YarmouthEdward Gorey Documentary, 2022
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Biographical museums in Massachusetts
Edward Gorey
Historic house museums in Massachusetts
Houses in Barnstable County, Massachusetts
Gorey, Edward
Museums in Barnstable County, Massachusetts
Yarmouth, Massachusetts
Gorey, Edward House