For the full Cape Cod experience, a rental property is the way to go

From a meeting house to an art studio, Worden Hall in Dennis has always been a place for people to gather, enjoying each other’s company in animated discussion or artistic silence. Today, it stands proudly along Route 6A, historically known as the Old King’s Highway, as a newly renovated rental property and the ideal place for families to convene and marvel at the magnetism of the Cape.

“I was always fascinated by the building. Always,” says owner Lou Carrier. When Worden Hall came up for sale, he and his brother John jumped at the chance to transform this home he so admired. For him, the goal of the remodel was to “reclaim the glory of Worden Hall and maybe bring it to a glory it’s never seen before.”

“In its original form as a meeting hall or as a dance place or an art gallery, there were always people gathering there. There was always activity and fun. So, part of making it into the home that it is today meant that all of those key elements it was born with needed to remain intact,” says Carrier.

To achieve a remodel that maintained the integrity of the property and structure while giving it a well-deserved push into the modern age, Carrier assembled a dedicated team. “Fortunately, we ended up with a dozen craftsmen who have spent their lives working on Cape Cod homes and who have a passion for maintaining Cape Cod history,” he says.

The finished home features six bedrooms, five and a half baths, and comfortable recreational spaces and gathering areas. “I’m a hotel guy,” explains Carrier with a laugh. All of the rooms have their own private bath and flat screen televisions–“all the creature comforts,” as he puts it. At the same time, Carrier has preserved, in fact celebrated, the rich history of the home and the surrounding two and a half acres.

While renovating the property, Carrier and his team found numerous artifacts—from arrowheads in the yard to bottles from the 1800s under the floorboards—and visitors can now see these artifacts displayed throughout the home. Old vestments of priests from the 1960s, when the home was used as a Catholic church, hang in the living area, and a beloved binocular collection from the 1800s adorns the halls. “These things were just sort of forgotten,” says Carrier, who made it his mission to give the artifacts a new life the same way he had their home.

Outside, vacationers can enjoy a beautiful yard complete with a patio and fireplace as well as the “outhouse bar,” which was creatively converted from a sizable outhouse that had been on the property since 1902. Inside, the motif is Cape Cod nautical, celebrating the strong history of sea captains on the Cape. Each room features original artwork from Donn and Nan Devita—the artist couple who last owned the property—including paintings of clipper ships that once dotted Cape Cod’s shorelines.

“I believe there’s a tremendous amount of positive energy in that building,” says Carrier, whose rental listing can be found online with VRBO. There’s a ton to discover in Dennis and right on the property—including the Worden family graveyard, standing in reverence of the grandiose legacy and home the family left behind. “It’s a great place to socialize, reconnect, have fun and take advantage of the best of what the Cape has to offer,” says Carrier.

“The goal when I invested in it remains the same,” he concludes. “We expect that this is going to be a home that we will keep in our family for generations. Being able to share what we love so much with people from other areas is terrific. As many people who can experience the charm of the Cape and Worden Hall, the better.”

For more information about this property, visit vrbo.com