Greater Portland and Casco Bay Region
Visiting Yarmouth, Pownal, Durham, New Gloucester, and Falmouth Bicentennial Homes and Places
Tour Highlights
This tour shares pre-statehood homes and a few other structures of the northern part of Greater Portland, circling counter-clockwise around the region starting in Yarmouth and ending in Falmouth.
Getting Started
This tour starts at 189 Greely Road in Yarmouth. The tour route is approximately 65 miles and will take roughly 2 to 3 hours.
- Each tour stop on the map's address is linked to Google Maps so you can swiftly navigate from location-to-location if you choose Google for mapping. You can also use the address in your car's navigation system.
Be safe and aware of your surroundings whilst driving.
- Many properties on the tour are private places; be respectful of private property and remain on the public way at all times.
Except as otherwise noted in the tour, the source for information about the properties has been gathered from each one’s National Register of Historic Places nomination.
01 / 12
1
Cushing and Hannah Prince House
Built ca. 1785 with alterations in 1830, Federal
The Cushing and Hannah Prince House is a Federal period farmhouse with Greek Revival features that were added during an extensive 1830s remodel. The two-and-a-half story wood frame structure with a gable roof includes fine interior woodwork with an impressive fireplace mantel in the parlor.
In its overall form and exterior detailing, the house is representative of late eighteenth and very early nineteenth century rural farmhouses in Maine. It is located in a neighborhood of historic farmsteads along Greely Road whose contiguous agricultural landscape has, unfortunately, been altered by modern residential development.
Cushing Prince purchased 122 acres of land from his father here and built this house shortly thereafter. The family had a total of 8 children. The house passed through family members until 1912, when it was sold out of the family.
2
North Yarmouth and Freeport Baptist Meeting House
Built ca. 1796 with alterations in 1825 and 1837, Federal with Greek Revival and Gothic detailing
The exterior of the North Yarmouth and Freeport Baptist Meetinghouse (1796), also known as the Old Baptist Meeting House, underwent extensive alterations in both 1825 and 1837, providing the combination of Federal and Gothic style features seen today. The alterations were likely done by Samuel Melcher of Brunswick, a master builder, and architect. Some elements of the church, such as the porch and spire, were said to resemble other churches in Maine.
The most unique aspect of the Baptist Meetinghouse is the spire, which is conical and flush boarded, rather unusual. The church is believed to be the oldest surviving church built for a Baptist congregation in Maine. During World War II, the belfry was used as an airplane spotting tower in the Civil Defense System.
The building is now owned by the Yarmouth Village Improvement Society and it is available for weddings, concerts, and other rentals. Learn more about the Meetinghouse .
3
Mitchell House
Built ca. 1800, Federal
The Ammi R. Mitchell House, a large Federal style building with a steeply pitched hip-roof and rear ell, is a perfect and well-preserved example of Maine's early Federal architecture.
The house was built for the prominent Yarmouth citizen, Ammi Mitchell. Mitchell was a practicing physician who also served in the state legislature (Mass. 1808), and he was the largest founding donor of the North Yarmouth Academy, as well as one of its first trustees.
A later owner, Dr. Eleazer Burbank, also a physician, served as a moderator of annual town meetings and also served in the Maine Senate (1857-58) and was a Deacon of the local Congregational church for 16 years.
4
Pownal Cattle Pound
Built ca. 1818
The Pownal Cattle Pound, located at the foot of Bradbury Mountain, was built out of dry, laid stone by local resident, John Tylor. Town pounds became common in agricultural Maine as the need arose to manage wayward farm animals that had wandered off property. Captured animals were kept at these pounds pending pick up by owners in return for a fee for their retention. The continued existence of the Pownal Cattle pound is important in understanding the role these public structures played in keeping order in agricultural communities.
5
Nathaniel Osgood House
Built ca. 1785, Georgian
The Nathanial Osgood House is one of the best-preserved examples of an 18th century dwelling in rural Maine. It is a large, three story wood frame structure, with a hip roof and central chimney. The interior retains high quality Georgian period workmanship.
Before moving to Maine, Nathaniel Osgood had served in a regiment of Colonel Bagley during the American Revolutionary war. At that time, Bagley was the proprietor of Royalsborough (now Durham) and sold plots of land to men who had served under him; it's believed that Osgood purchased the land in 1779.
6
Bagley-Bliss House
Built ca. 1770 with alterations pre-1850, Greek Revival
The Bagley- Bliss House, also known as the Royalsborough Inn, is reputed to be the oldest house in Durham. It's is a large two-story, five-bay Greek Revival Style house -the styling suggests most of the structure was altered before 1850 - with a one-story ell.
The National Register nomination indicates that the 1770 structure may have been thoroughly remodeled in the 18th century based on its traditional styling and the massive vaulted brickwork in the basement that indicates the former presence of a central chimney, but the remodel would have been an "extraordinary undertaking {...]in this rural setting." The ell does not appear to be pre-Revolutionary either but does contain so very early features, hearth and two water basins (the ell was remodeled in 1982).
The house was constructed for O. Israel Bagley and his wife, who were among the earliest settlers in Durham (formerly known as Royalsborough). Bagley's businesses included the first local store, shoemaking, a potash manufactory, and a wind-powered grist mill. The first village school was held in the house and it was also a public inn.
In 1836 Charles Bliss acquired the property and operated it as a large dairy farm. The house was in the Bliss family until the 1960s and then stood empty for an extended before it was purchased and rehabilitated in 1982. Most recently the property has been run as an inn.
7
Intervale Farm
Built ca. 1811, Federal
Intervale Farm is one of only two Federal style, brick houses in New Gloucester built before 1824, and it is considered the best example of the two.
A two-story, hipped roof structure, the main house includes several additions which ultimately connect it to a large barn - this is one of area's early examples of a connected farmstead. As advocated by progressive newspapers and agricultural societies, the connected farm complex enabled multipurpose agricultural operations to be centralized around the home. Both indoor and out door work spaces were formed, the most important of these being the south facing dooryard, as is present at the Intervale Farm.
Research suggests that while the house lacks clear provenance, the builder may well have been Jabez Cushman, an early owner of the land who was quite wealthy and a prominent figure in the area; he served as a selectman in New Gloucester in 1898 and served in the local militia as a captain. He also has a job warning off illegal settlers in a nearby town.
Most houses in the area at this time were one-story capes; the large size and high style of this house (including 3 chimneys) suggest that it was built by a person of means. The property has been used as a farm since its inception, and has focused on swine, sheep and dairying. Interestingly evidence (receipts, entry forms) of a history of cockfighting has been found in the attic as well.
Today, Intervale Farm continues to operate in its original function as an active farm. Learn more about the farm .
8
Lower Corner Cemetery
Built ca. 1754, 1774
The Lower Corner Cemetery is New Gloucester's burying ground with the first burial having taken place in 1754. The cemetery became town property in 1774.
The cemetery is a contributing feature to the New Gloucester Historic District. View the district's National Register listing .
9
John Stinchfield House
Built ca. 1800-10, Federal
John Stinchfield built this handsome two story, hip roofed country Federal style dwelling during the first decade of the 19th century. The doorway on the Stinchfield House is similar to that on the adjacent McGraw House.
Stinchfield was from Leeds, England and moved to Gloucester, Massachusetts with his father. Stinchfield met his future wife on the trans-Atlantic trip. In 1755, the Stinchfield family moved to New Gloucester, and John, along with his sons and others, built the blockhouse (fort) for the town. The house here is presumed to have been built by his son, also named John.
The Stinchfield House is currently undergoing renovation to restore the original sash treatment and enhance other early features.
The house is a contributing structure to the New Gloucester Historic District. View the district's National Register listing .
10
Elisha Purington House
Built ca. 1761, Georgian
A well-preserved and excellent example of a mid-18th century farmstead, the Elisha Purington House is a rare surviving example of Georgian architecture in Maine's rural interior.
It's culturally significant as its builder and first owner, Elisha Purington, is considered to be one of the finest clockmakers in colonial New England. In addition, he had a reputation as a gunsmith and worked as a blacksmith in Falmouth.
11
Hall's Tavern
Built ca. 1800, Federal
Hall's Tavern, also known as the Falmouth Tavern, was built by Nicolas Hall, a farmer originally from New Hampshire. It is a simple Federal style house of good proportions. It features an impressive Federal period interior, and like the nearby Falmouth House, Hall's Tavern also has some stenciling stylistically reminiscent of the itinerant painter Moses Eaton. It's one of the few surviving buildings of this period in Falmouth.
Built as a house, the structure was converted to a tavern, it is presumed by Hall's son Ozni who acquired it and 100 acres in 1823. The taproom remains largely unchanged from its time as a tavern. The structure remained in the family for most of the 19th century, reverting a private home in the 1890s. The house was moved in the 1820s to accommodate a road.
Hall's Tavern continues its function as traveler's accommodation as the Quaker Tavern B&B. Visit the B&B website .
12
Thomas Skelton House
Built ca. 1798, Federal
The Federal style Thomas Skelton house was originally located in Portland but was relocated to Falmouth in 1971 to avoid demolition. As one of Portland's oldest surviving buildings, its meticulous restoration, and safeguarding ensures its survival for future generations.
Thomas Skelton, Portland housewright, was probably the builder of this house. In 1798, he bought the Pleasant Street lot on which it stood. In 1804, he sold the lot to John Rarckleff, a Portland mariner.
As indicated by joints in the posts and a drip course on the original center chimney, the structure was originally one and a half stories high. A second story was added shortly after the house was built around 1810, bringing the house to its current height of two and a half stories. The quirked ovolo paneling which covers the entire fireplace wall. is especially of significance. This is a late use of an uncommon panelling style, used in only a few other instances throughout Maine and New Hampshire.
The Thomas Skelton House was to be torn down to enlarge a parking lot. Greater Portland Landmarks, Inc., a concerned preservation organization, found a buyer who moved the house to Falmouth. Despite the change in location, the current site is appropriate and a far greater improvement over the alternative.