About a quarter of Maine’s homes were built before 1939, something that is often referenced when discussing a housing stock that is the eighth oldest in the U.S.
But there are plenty of historic homes around the state that have been lovingly preserved or restored, including a number of properties built even before the American Revolution ended.
We rounded up four examples of these homes on the Maine market at a range of price points.
A hospital turned home in coastal Maine
142 Castine Rd., Castine. $1,595,000
Built in 1780, this stately 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom home in Castine has a colorful history. Its barn was used by British troops as a hospital during the War of 1812, listing agent Story Litchfield, the principal broker at LandVest Inc.’s Northeast Harbor office, said. In the last century, it was owned by the captain of a Castine schooner called “Victory Chimes.”
His name is actually branded into the wide plank floors of the dining room, which the owners restored by removing 16 layers of paint. Other original features that have been preserved include two ‘walk-in’ fireplaces, detailed wood mantelpieces and its central chimney.
Though the home has retained much of its original character, it’s up to date with a new heating system and wiring, she added. Another attraction is its 19-acre lot, which overlooks Hatch Cove. But it’s the long history that has fascinated locals most.
“[The owners] said that people stop all the time to see if they’d let them run a metal detector, because they’re looking for old coins and stuff,” Litchfield said.
This southern Maine farm home
107 Whaleback Rd., Limington. $1,125,000
For the first time in its 245-year history, this historic York County home is changing hands. The 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom homestead known as Stonewalls Farm was built in 1778 by the seller’s third great grandfather, according to listing agent Dan McDonnell, an agent with Keller Williams Realty. It sits on a 101-acre lot, made up mostly of forest, McDonnell said.
The original cape house is largely intact, and an addition to it was tacked on by the family in 2008, McDonnell said. Most of the home’s original woodwork, its mantles and its stone fireplaces are still there, he said, and the original paneling is in “amazing shape.”
“This is a really, really old home,” McDonnell said. “We don’t see too many. They’ve done a really nice job of keeping the character of the house, but also making it efficient.”
A recently restored riverfront home
3 Decary Rd., Biddeford. $995,000.
The core of this Cape Cod-style home in Biddeford is believed to have been constructed in 1737, listing agent Teddy Piper of RE/MAX By The Bay, said. Though a new dormer, kitchen and barn have been added to the property over the centuries, the 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom home has retained much of its character, he said.
The owner prior to Piper’s clients, the sellers, was a carpenter who took it upon himself to restore the property 20 years ago. He took off the siding and brought the walls down to the studs, packed it full of insulation and put up new drywall and siding, Piper said. He made sure to preserve much of the original woodwork, its exposed beams, pine floors and original fixtures.
“For someone who’s looking for all the charm and the authenticity of an older home with modern conveniences, it definitely captures that, and it doesn’t feel like it’s been corrupted in any way,” Piper said, adding that he doesn’t run into many homes built before 1800.
Another perk of the place is its desirable location minutes from Biddeford’s town center, and its 360 feet of river frontage along the Saco River.
This period cape in Machias
34 Court St., Machias. $382,500
This neat 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom home in Machias was built in 1775, the same year as the Battle of Machias, an early naval battle in the revolution fought in the town’s port.
The 1,500-square-foot house looks fairly modern from the exterior, with a large, private deck out back overlooking the Machias River. The inside pays homage to its storied history. Its original fireplaces and central chimney have been preserved, and antique portraits and furnishings lend the space some character.
