The iconic “Pink House” along the Plum Island Turnpike in Newbury will be removed from its current site. But the iconic structure may live on in another spot.
While the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said it was left with no choice but to move the house, the classic building will be listed at public auction for relocation or salvage, a change from a previous plan that did not include the option. The service said it has spent years searching for a suitable property to move the house to, but ultimately came up empty.
Built in 1925, the two-story, three-bedroom house is surrounded by salt marsh and tidal creek, with the turnpike to the north, and has been subject to increased flooding in recent years. The structure has already flooded twice in 2024, and sea level rise means it likely will again if the house remains where it is, according to the service.
“To maintain the house in perpetuity would strain the refuge’s limited resources at the expense of wildlife conservation and other visitor needs,” the service said in a statement. “It contains materials harmful to human health, including asbestos, and requires frequent maintenance to prevent catastrophic damage.”
For decades, the home was owned by The Cutter Family, a prominent Newburyport family that owned a cafe and had ties to the Fern Shoe Company, according to research conducted by Support The Pink House, a nonprofit organization. The Cutters eventually sold the home in 1947, and its ownership bounced around before it was sold to Milton and Juliette Stott in 1960. The Stotts were the last occupants of the home, which was bought by the service in 2011.
Once the house is removed, the service intends to transform the site by restoring it to a wildlife habitat and opening part of the property to the public. Earlier plans called for the construction of an observation platform on the site but after hearing community feedback, the service will instead install benches and educational panels for public use.
The service intends to list the house for auction in late spring or early summer, and the property will be on the block for one or two months.
Despite its nearly century-old history and iconic look, the Massachusetts Historical Commission twice determined that The Pink House did not meet the criteria for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.
