A Day in the Life at 78 Milk Street: One of Nantucket's Most Memorable Homes

In more than twenty years of Nantucket real estate, certain homes leave a lasting impression, not for their size or their price, but for the character inside them. 78 Milk Street, tucked into the quiet Hummock Pond neighborhood on the island's southwestern side, is one of those homes. Very unassuming from the road, it opens into a six-bedroom retreat built entirely around entertaining, including a game room that has to be seen to be believed. Bernadette Meyer shares the story of a home that has stayed with her, and a day in the life of staying there.

The Home at a Glance

• 78 Milk Street sits in Hummock Pond, a quiet, pond-side neighborhood on Nantucket's southwestern side, within easy reach of Cisco Beach, Miacomet, and downtown.
• The home's six bedrooms are each individually decorated, and the property centers on an exceptional game room built for entertaining.
• The game room holds one of the more remarkable private sports memorabilia collections Bernadette has encountered on Nantucket, including signed pieces from Muhammad Ali, Dale Earnhardt Sr., and Jack Nicklaus.
• The home remains available to rent, and Bernadette can help connect interested guests with the owner directly.

A neighborhood built for quiet and access

Hummock Pond takes its name from the pond that runs more than a mile through the area, giving the neighborhood a rare blend of seclusion and natural beauty. Scenic bike paths, pond views, and nearby conservation land define the setting, while Hummock Pond Road connects easily to Cisco and Miacomet. It is the kind of location that offers a genuine retreat while remaining only minutes from the heart of the island, close to Bartlett's Farm for fresh provisions, the raw bar at 167 Raw, and the walkable energy of downtown.

Inside 78 Milk Street

The home offers roughly 4,100 square feet on a half-acre lot, and what it lacks in curb-side drama it makes up for entirely once inside. A chef's kitchen anchors the main living space, with a six-burner range, an oversized griddle, and a marble-topped island built for gathering as much as cooking. French doors lead from the dining area out to the deck, and each of the home's six bedrooms is individually decorated, so no two rooms feel alike. The primary suite, with its own loft and en-suite bath, offers a quiet retreat of its own, while a lower-level guest suite with its own kitchen and living area adds flexibility for extended family or guests.

Outside, a heated pool, fire pit, dining pavilion, and cabana complete the picture, the kind of outdoor living that captures what Nantucket summers are for.

The game room: a story in itself

The centerpiece of the home, and the part of the story most worth telling, is the game room. With a cathedral ceiling, a pool table, and a full wet bar with its own beer on tap, it is built for hosting. But what makes it genuinely memorable is the collection inside it: signed gloves, gown, and shorts from Muhammad Ali, a signed racing suit from Dale Earnhardt, and a sweater from Jack Nicklaus, among other pieces, a private trove of sports history that few homes anywhere can match. It is, without exaggeration, one of the more extraordinary rooms Bernadette has encountered in over twenty years of showing Nantucket properties, and it is easy to see why guests return to experience it again.

A day in the life at 78 Milk Street

Mornings here tend to start slowly: coffee on the deck, a set of kayaks waiting out front for anyone who wants to paddle out onto Hummock Pond, or a bike ride along the nearby paths. The kitchen draws everyone in by mid-morning, whether for a family pancake breakfast or simply gathering around the island to talk. Afternoons might mean a short ride to Cisco Beach or an exploration of downtown, just a couple of miles away, before returning to the pool for a lazy afternoon in the sun.

As evening settles in, the fire pit becomes the gathering point, and after dark, the game room comes alive: a round of pool, a ballgame on, and a house full of sports history as the backdrop to the evening. It is the kind of home built for exactly that rhythm, adventure during the day, connection in the evening.

Why homes like this matter

A property like 78 Milk Street is a reminder of what makes Nantucket's luxury market distinctive: not just well-built homes, but homes with genuine character and story, set within neighborhoods that offer their own quiet sense of place. For sellers, it is a useful illustration of how a home's personality, as much as its square footage, can define what makes it memorable. For those exploring what Nantucket luxury can look like, more on the island's design character can be found in the guide to luxury home design on Nantucket.

For those interested in experiencing 78 Milk Street directly, Bernadette can help facilitate an introduction; reach out to Bernadette to inquire about availability. For a broader look at vacation homes Bernadette represents directly, her exclusive rental portfolio is a good place to start.