Diane Sawyer Asks $24M for Her 20-Acre Martha's Vineyard Compound

Diane Sawyer Asks $24M for Her 20-Acre Martha’s Vineyard Compound

1/22

Photograph: Bob Gothard/ Wallace and Co. Sotheby's International Realty
2/22

Photograph: Bob Gothard/ Wallace and Co. Sotheby's International Realty
3/22

Photograph: Bob Gothard/ Wallace and Co. Sotheby's International Realty
4/22

Photograph: Bob Gothard/ Wallace and Co. Sotheby's International Realty
5/22

Photograph: Bob Gothard/ Wallace and Co. Sotheby's International Realty
6/22

Photograph: Bob Gothard/ Wallace and Co. Sotheby's International Realty
7/22

Photograph: Bob Gothard/ Wallace and Co. Sotheby's International Realty
8/22

Photograph: Bob Gothard/ Wallace and Co. Sotheby's International Realty
9/22

Photograph: Bob Gothard/ Wallace and Co. Sotheby's International Realty
10/22

Photograph: Bob Gothard/ Wallace and Co. Sotheby's International Realty
11/22

Photograph: Bob Gothard/ Wallace and Co. Sotheby's International Realty
12/22

Photograph: Bob Gothard/ Wallace and Co. Sotheby's International Realty
13/22

Photograph: Bob Gothard/ Wallace and Co. Sotheby's International Realty
14/22

Photograph: Bob Gothard/ Wallace and Co. Sotheby's International Realty
15/22

Photograph: Bob Gothard/ Wallace and Co. Sotheby's International Realty
16/22

Photograph: Bob Gothard/ Wallace and Co. Sotheby's International Realty
17/22

Photograph: Bob Gothard/ Wallace and Co. Sotheby's International Realty
18/22

Photograph: Bob Gothard/ Wallace and Co. Sotheby's International Realty
19/22

Photograph: Bob Gothard/ Wallace and Co. Sotheby's International Realty
20/22

Photograph: Bob Gothard/ Wallace and Co. Sotheby's International Realty
21/22

Photograph: Bob Gothard/ Wallace and Co. Sotheby's International Realty
22/22

Photograph: Bob Gothard/ Wallace and Co. Sotheby's International Realty

Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket are arguably the most prestigious places to have a New England retreat. Buying a second home on either Massachusetts island is a sign of status and wealth, but deciding between them usually comes down to long-standing loyalties or personal preference.

If you’re wondering where the most high-profile homeowners buy, however, that’s Martha’s Vineyard. Past and present, MV has been home to the Obamas, Michael J. Fox, Jackie Kennedy, David Letterman, and Diane Sawyer. And, the last name on this brief list is now looking to sell her longtime getaway spanning 20 acres. That’s right, someone with deep pockets can pick up Diane Sawyer’s beachfront compound for $24 million.

Dubbed Chip Chop, the fabled property is well-known on the Vineyard. In the 1940s, a home was built there for iconic stage actress Katherine Cornell where she entertained figures like Noel Coward, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Laurence Olivier. Fast forward to 1995 and Diane Sawyer and her late husband Mike Nichols nabbed the beachy spread. Comprised of two lots–one 17.4 acres and the other 2.84 acres–and no less than four structures, it was an idyllic place for them to steal away and do some hosting of their own. As they intended, friends and family often visited them here as well as notable political and cultural figures.

In total, Chip Chop welcomes guests with 10 bedrooms and generous living spaces, plus 2,000 feet of sandy beach on Vineyard Sound and 1,600 feet of beach on Lake Tashmoo. Sawyer and Nichols were excellent stewards of the esteemed residence. The couple restored the three-bedroom main house, designed by neoclassicist architect Eric Gugler, to preserve its laidback sophistication. Outside, country club-like amenities such as a Har-Tru tennis court and a sleek waterfront pool await.