The Creator of ‘Arthur’ Lists His Martha’s Vineyard Mansion for $6.9M

If you grew up watching the animated sitcom Arthur or reading the beloved books, get ready to experience a little nostalgia in real estate form. The longtime Martha’s Vineyard home of Arthur creator Marc Brown and his wife, artist and author Laurene Krasny Brown, is up for grabs for the first time in 37 years. Asking price? $6.9 million.

Tucked inside Pilot Hill Farm—a tightly held enclave known for its privacy, farm access, and walkable beach—the nearly eight-acre compound feels like something out of a picture book. Fitting, given who lived here.

The heart of the property is a historic farmhouse that was built in 1730 but has been lovingly restored over the years. It showcases a myriad of delightful original features, such as hand-painted Siberian elm floors, cozy fireplaces, gunstock posts, and a classic Dutch door. There’s no shortage of modern touches, either: A sprawling great room, a screened-in porch overlooking a saltwater pool, and a bright, updated kitchen make the home as functional as it is charming.

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Spread out across the grounds are a handful of equally enchanting outbuildings: an artist’s studio, a three-car carriage house with a second studio upstairs, and a guesthouse with two more bedrooms and a soaring double-height living room.

As both author and illustrator, Brown has long drawn inspiration from the world around him. The aardvark’s bedroom in Arthur was loosely based on his own son’s childhood room in Hingham, Massachusetts, The Wall Street Journal reported. And in his most recent animated series Hop on HBO Max, a moss-covered stone bridge on this very Vineyard property sparked the idea for a hidden troll’s home, tucked away in the woods. Outside, it’s all wildflower meadows, stone walls, and shady trees—plus a pond, a babbling brook, and gardens that feel more like a private arboretum than a backyard. Like much of Brown’s storytelling, the landscape here lives somewhere between reality and imagination.

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“This is a natural haven in a magical setting,” notes the listing, which is represented by Alexis Holden and Elle Lash of Tea Lane Associates/Forbes Global Properties. For fans of Arthur—or anyone craving an island retreat with history, heart, and serious creative pedigree—this storybook sanctuary might just be the perfect next chapter.

That said, it arrives amid a wave of high-profile activity on the Vineyard. In May, the Obamas’ former summer rental—now owned by famed architect Norman Foster—returned to the market with a $39 million price tag. Set on 30 acres in Chilmark, the estate blends presidential history with contemporary design, having undergone an extensive renovation after Foster purchased it in 2011. And last year, Diane Sawyer’s waterfront compound in nearby Tisbury sold for $23.9 million after just two months on the market. Best get in quick if you want Brown’s pad.

Click here to see more photos of Marc Brown’s Martha’s Vineyard home.