Captain John Wilson House, ca. 1810

The Wilson House is currently closed for reinterpretation.

The 1810 Wilson House interweaves the story of the Wilson family and the development of Cohasset Village. For over two centuries, the house at 4 Elm Street, built by David Nichols, a housewright, has stood in the center of town.

Captain John Wilson, the first owner, commanded a number of ships, including the schooners "Almira,” "Bounty," and "Eolus," on numerous trading voyages. When he was not at sea, he lived with his wife Hepzibah and their nine children on the second floor and tiny attic, reputedly using the first floor as a store. On the 1858 Walling map of Cohasset, the Wilson House on Ship Cove Lane (now Elm Street) is clearly labeled "J. Wilson."

Like most village residences, the Wilson House was eventually adapted for commercial use. After William McGaw purchased it in 1912 from the Wilson family, he rented the house for use as a tearoom, followed by a candy store, photographer's studio, and tailor shop.

In 1936, McGaw donated the building to the Society for its first museum and headquarters. Initially, members had been meeting in each other's homes since the Society’s founding in 1928.