This cream-colored house that represents a modern take on a colonial home is at 56 Compo Mill Cove, in the Compo Beach neighborhood. It used to be just a shell of its former self until Edyie and Eddie Denkins bought it three decades ago.
Aside from running water and electricity, this house featured not much else. It could only provide temporary accommodation as a beachside cottage, which essentially had been its original purpose back in 1908. It was not until about ten years ago that the sewer system was installed.
However, Edyie had always had a dream about living near the water. This house was the perfect choice thanks to magnificent, clear views of Compo Mill Pond and Long Island Sound it provides.
Edyie and Eddie’s son, Billy Denkins, is amazed by the entire scenery, as the house literally has beautiful views both ways. From the front door, one can enjoy the view of Long Island Sound, whereas the pond can be seen from the opposite side of the property.
Eddie stated that privacy had been one of the main reasons they had decided to buy that exact house.
The fact that a couple that used to be in their mid-50s when they were looking for a house to buy ultimately decided to live on Compo Mill Cove may strike one as a little bit curious. Since the road is a causeway, motor vehicles can have access only a few times per year or under special circumstances — only if it has been previously arranged. Additionally, whenever they are allowed to pass through the area, they can enter only through a gate in Sherwood Island State Park, which implies a fee.
People who reside in the about 20 houses scattered around the causeway have to park their own vehicles in the parking lot located off Hillspoint Road or in a garage bay in the vicinity of the lot. The bays are assigned to residents of Compo Mill Cove exclusively. Once they leave their car, they have to walk all the way home crossing two wooden bridges on the way and often pulling carriages or wagons to bring groceries.
According to some people, the situation would be awfully inconvenient, but Denkins perceived it as incredibly charming.
Eddie recalled a conversation his wife Edyie was having with a friend who asked her whether it was difficult to bring all the groceries back to the house. Edyie simply responded that it was not a problem for her, as it was her husband who did it. Eddie said he occasionally rode a bicycle back and forth after walking all the way home from his parked car. He would store the bicycle in the garage bay, that provided a special deed for it.
When the family moved into the house in 1989, the majority of the houses in the neighborhood, including the one they bought, were used only during summer. Nowadays, almost all of them have permanent residents.
Eddie, a native of New Canaan, who had been working as a podiatrist before he retired, said they had winterized the area. Following damages Superstorm Sandy left on the Fairfield County coastline, they elevated the house to make it meet the requirements set by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Edyie got to enjoy the waterfront and views of magnificent sunrises and sunsets, whereas the whole family got to choose from a wide range of recreational activities.
Eddie said they had often gone out to collect clams and mussels off the rocks.
Billy continued by saying they used to go clamming 30 feet off their residence during low tide and enjoyed dining on boats. People went fishing, whether it was off the rocks or in the water from boats. As claimed by Billy, he once caught a striped bass that weighed 15 pounds, whereas Eddie said he had gone kayaking and canoeing on the pond.
The family also used to go for a swim in the Long Island Sound from their private beach that is located in front of the house, marveling the natural life that surrounded them, as well as the aquatic animals of the area: seagulls, herons, egrets, ospreys, and cormorants. There are Elvira’s Market, Longshore Club Park, and Compo Beach within hailing distance.
The house has six rooms, three of which are bedrooms; a living space of 1,632 feet; and an open layout on the first floor. The spacious kitchen features a bar in the center and a fireplace in the sitting area. Three sets of French doors lead out to the deck that surrounds the entire house and represents the perfect place for outdoor activities. Additionally, there are a powder room and study.
The master suite on the second floor has a cathedral ceiling with panels made of whitewashed pine, a bathroom with a sauna, and a private deck behind a set of French doors. The price has been recently adjusted to $149,000, which is under the assessed value of the town.
According to Billy, the house is not suitable for people who are looking for the newly built, 5,000 square feet of space, and a garage designed for three vehicles. However, he added that those who wished for a secluded place that offered complete privacy, peace, and a spectacular view, along with the possibility of kayaking, fishing, and clamming, should have definitely considered it. Billy concluded by calling the house a real sanctuary.
