Housing
This section of the BDN aims to help readers understand Maine’s housing crisis, the volatile real estate market and the public policy behind them. Read more Housing coverage here.
This four-bedroom, four-bathroom home in Cumberland that was a mill for roughly a century is on the market for about $2 million.
Perched on the edge of the Piscataqua River, the property was built in the 1860s and was a grist, stave, then saw mill until the mid-1950s. It was known as Wilson’s Mill, as Lorenzo Wilson bought it around 1875, according to the Maine Historical Society.
The grinding wheel is still on the property, but serves as the base of the flagpole in the front yard, according to Heather Shields of Legacy Properties Sotheby’s International Realty, the listing agent for the property.
“It’s a piece of history that has been masterfully redone,” Shields said. “You walk inside and your jaw drops.”
The home on Skilling Road hit the market on Wednesday with an asking price of $1,995,000.
The sellers bought the building in 2021 and renovated it to become a year-round, single-family home. Before that, it primarily served as an event space, meaning the sellers were the first people to live in the home full-time, Shields said.
The renovations included installing better insulation, windows, heat pumps and high-quality finishes alongside creative touches, such as colorful tiling on the kitchen backsplashes and herringbone-patterned flooring.
The sellers also ensured historical elements remained in place. For example, the mill’s original floors were salvaged and reused in the updated home, according to Shields.
With more than 4,700 square feet of living space, the house offers soaring cathedral ceilings with exposed wooden beams and an open floor plan. The primary suite sits in a loft space overlooking the main living area.
The home sits on nearly 2.5 acres, which gives it ample outdoor space, including a wide, covered front porch, riverside upper and lower patios and a small footbridge that crosses the Piscataqua River.
The home’s wooded surroundings and proximity to the river makes it feel remote and peaceful, but is a 25-minute drive from downtown Portland.
“You will fall asleep to the sound of rushing water every night,” Shields said. “It’s like something out of a movie.”
There’s also an “exceptionally private” accessory dwelling unit on the lower floor with two bedrooms, a full kitchen and a separate entrance, among other necessities. This opens the opportunity to offer rental housing to generate additional income, or have additional space ready for guests, Shields said.
“There’s so much space, it’s like two houses in one,” Shields said. “It’s one of the most unique properties I’ve ever listed and I’ve been doing this for more than 20 years.”