Mid-Coast Region

 87 Chestnut St, Camden 

Built ca. 1800, Federal

The Samuel Jacobs House is a grand two-story Federal style house built by Samuel Jacobs. Jacobs, a shipwright by trade, arrived in Camden in 1772 and purchased a 143-acre tract of land upon which he built this house. The farm was the site of lime manufacturing which produced the locally famous "Jacobs Lime."

The street facade is of five symmetrical bays centered by a door surround with an elliptical fanlight and side light all with leaded muntins. The house originally carried a delicate balustrade around the shallow hipped roof. The addition of a connected rear ell is an early addition as it merges with the two room deep structure imperceptibly.

The property was sold in 1854 to Col. N. C. Fletcher, a preacher and later a druggist. Boston native, and distinguished attorney, Charles Gallagher bought the house and added two attached porches at the north and south ends of the house (There is one porch presently). Gallagher used the house as a summer place, calling it "The Homestead." 

It is a contributing structure to the Chestnut Street Historic District.  View the district's National Register listing .

 64 Chestnut St, Camden 

Built ca. 1795 with alterations in 1988, Federal

The Barrett-Thorndike House began life as a two-room, wood frame cape with a center chimney that was later enlarged into the present end-gabled Federal style house. Ephraim Barrett is reputed to have built this house on his land for his daughter's wedding to Hr. Thorndike and the Thorndikes enlarged the house to its current form. The house has received an extensive renovation (1988), including the addition of a side ell and studio as well as alterations to the rear facade all of which are compatible.

It is a contributing structure to the Chestnut Street Historic District.  View the district's National Register listing .

 59 Chestnut St, Camden 

Built ca. 1800, Federal Cape with Italianate detailing

The Ephraim Barrett House is a one-and-a-half-story, Federal style cape house has been subsequently obscured by the addition of aluminum siding. A hood and transom light of Italianate design obscure the original Federal pilaster capitols which are visible beneath. The addition of storm windows as well as the addition of several interior brick chimneys would appear to be a later addition too. The present facade is a modem alteration housing a true Federal facade beneath.

Ephraim Barrett was one of a small group of men who left Massachusetts to settle in Maine in 1796. He was born in Concord, Mass., August 22, 1772, the sixth son of Col. Nathan and Meriam (Hunt) Barrett. His ancestors occupied interesting and prominent places in Revolutionary history; his grandfather, Col. James Barrett, having commanded the Provincial troops in the Concord battle, and his father, holding a captain's commission from George III, also participated in that battle.

Upon coming to Maine, Barrett took possession of one of the original four tracts of land In Camden and had land in Hope. He settled in Camden and established a tannery in town and later pivoted to lime manufacture, building and operating two kilns with his son, and served as the lime inspector in the area.

It is a contributing structure to the Chestnut Street Historic District.  View the district's National Register listing .

 9 Wood St, Camden 

Built ca. 1794, Vernacular

This former school house originally occupied a lot at the comer of Elm street and Wood Street. The structure was moved and also expanded into its present form. The end gabled two story wood frame structure has an asymmetrical first story street facade of four bays, the front entry being placed off center and flanked by two-over-one double-hung sash. The exterior is covered with wood shingles.

A story in the Bangor Daily News relates that "in 1804, teacher Cynthia Everett, a Massachusetts spinster, saw strange lights in the sky and wrote it in her diary. The teacher was so rattled that she eventually married a man with six children."

It is a contributing structure to the Chestnut Street Historic District.  View the district's National Register listing .

 2 Pleasant St, Camden 

Built ca. 1800, Federal

The William Parkman House is a one-room-deep, hipped roof Federal house of two stories built by William Parkman who settled in this area of Camden in 1800 (he formerly was situated in Lincolnville). A ship joiner by trade, Parkman was also an agent for the Twenty Associates, the agency which held most of the land in the Camden area. This lucrative real estate speculation enabled Parkman to build this substantial dwelling.

It is a contributing structure to the Chestnut Street Historic District.  View the district's National Register listing .

 6 Wood St, Camden 

Built ca. 1810, Federal

The Oaks Perry House is a wood frame, end-gabled, two-and-a-half-story Federal style house sited at the head of Pleasant Street. The symmetrical five-bay facade contains an entrance vestibule of Colonial Revival design. An elliptical fan light and sidelights as well as Bull's eye windows ornament the vestibule.

Oaks Perry came to Camden from Hanover, Massachusetts in 1810 and died in 1829. The house was later occupied by Ephraim Wood, a clothier, and later, by Captain Jesse Hosmer; both men having previously occupied a neighboring houses. Camden's first library was located in Hosmer's wife's kitchen

It is a contributing structure to the Chestnut Street Historic District.  View the district's National Register listing .

 31 Chestnut St, Camden 

Built ca. 1799, Federal with Greek Revival detailing

The John Hathaway House is a two-story, Federal style house typical of this period in Camden. The street facade is of five symmetrical bays punctuated by a recessed Greek Revival door surround with Ionic columns set in antis.

The house was built by Camden's first lawyer, John Hathaway, who arrived in Camden in 1796, following friends who had settled in the area. Hathaway was a graduate of Brown College. He also served as postmaster for a period of time. While the house was being built, Hathaway was taken ill with typhus fever, and died in 1799 at the age of 26. He had one son, who was lost at sea when 23 years old.

After Hathaway, the house was occupied by Edward Cushing, another member of the merchant class and a steamboat captain. It was later inherited by Edna St. Vincent Millay but never occupied by the author.

It is a contributing structure to the Chestnut Street Historic District.  View the district's National Register listing .

 33 Chestnut St, Camden 

Built ca. 1810 with alterations in 1923, Federal with Colonial Revival detailing

This two-story, Federal style house was built by Benjamin Cushing, an early leader of the community. In 1923 the house was remodeled with the addition of Colonial Revival elements such as wood quoins and a dentil molding as well as the single bay entry vestibule topped by a copper roof and supported by free standing columns.

In 1800, Benjamin Cushing and Noah Brooks took over the first shipyard in Camden from Captain William McGlathry, who had built it in 1792. The shipyard stretched from Chestnut Street all the way to the harbor. Notably, the shipyard built and repaired vessels during the War of 1812.

It is a contributing structure to the Chestnut Street Historic District.  View the district's National Register listing .