Driftwood Farm was the home of J. Raymond Smith, a man well known in Rockport for the lumber yard and hardware store he operated, and his wife, Edna L. Smith. Driftwood Farm was also operated as a guest house, managed by Mrs. Smith. It was located off of South Street, overlooking Whale Cove, between Whale Cove Lane and Driftwood Road.

Mr. Smith died in 1947, just two days after Christmas, at the too-young age of 59. According to his obituary, which described him as “one of Cape Ann’s leading businessmen,” he died suddenly at his Driftwood Farm home.

Mrs. Smith lived to be 86. According to her 1983 obituary, she operated Driftwood Farm as a guest house from 1937 until her husband’s death in 1947. After Mr. Smith’s death, Mrs. Smith took over operation of the lumber and hardware business. Before marrying Mr. Smith in 1933, she owned the Driftwood Tea Room, which she opened in 1929.

The Smith family continues to operate Smith Hardware & Lumber, adjacent to the railroad station.

This postcard is what is a called a “real photo postcard,” meaning it was a photograph someone took and had developed onto special photographic paper with a postcard backing. The markings on the reverse side of this card reveal that it was processed by a company named Azo sometime during the period 1924-1949. My estimate of the card as from around 1937-1940 is a pure guess, based on that time period and on the years the house was operated as a guest house.

As always, if anyone has any additional information to share about this picture, please add it in the comments below or send me an email.