The former First Congregational Church (now the Greek Evangelical Church of Boston) of Newton Center, Newton, is a landmark example of the Neo-Gothic architectural style for a church building. Built in 1904, the structure resembles an English village church in the form of a Roman Cross with short trancepts. The structure is constructed of Quincy granite and was designed by the architectural firm of Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge. The First Congregational Church of Newton was originally established in 1664 as a parish church when Newton was still a part of Cambridge (then known as Newtowne). The parish has had six meeting houses built by the Congregation, with the last four on this site. Seeing dwindling membership in the mid-20th century, First Church in Newton dissolved in 1972, after more than 300 years of service to the Newton community. Luckily, the newly formed Greek Evangelical Church of Boston would buy the church that same year and has maintained the significant edifice ever-since!

A significant house and grounds are tucked away, hidden off Dudley Road in Newton, Massachusetts. This is the Kennard Estate. Frederic Hedge Kennard (1865-1937) was born in Brookline and attended Harvard College. He did graduate work for a time at the Bussey Institution and the Lawrence Scientific School, and entered the employ of Frederick Law Olmsted, the noted landscape architect, with his office in Brookline. By 1906, he decided to open his own landscape architecture office, opening locations in Boston and Philadelphia. He would purchase this expansive wooded property, and had this house built by 1907. He laid out the grounds, creating paths and gardens on the property and planted native trees. It is unclear who designed the house, sadly. Mr. Kennard was also a noted ornithologist (an expert on birds) and would host visiting scholars at his home, walking the grounds and studying birds there. After his death in 1937, the property was inherited by his son, Harrison Eisenbrey Kennard, and ultimately willed to the City of Newton upon his death in 1982. Since then, Newton Parks and Recreation have maintained the house (though they could be doing more to preserve it), and opened the grounds as Kennard Park, a free public park comprised of wooded trails and streams.

All aboard! Next Stop Newton Centre! The Newton Centre station was originally commissioned by the Boston and Albany Railroad in 1884 as one of a series of new, highly designed stations in the Boston suburbs. Architect, H. H. Richardson designed five passenger stations for the Boston & Albany Railroad in Newton, and of which, only one survives. After his death in 1886, Richardsons successor firm, Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge, followed the design vocabulary of Richardson for the remainder of the stations outstanding. The new station, built by the Norcross Brothers firm of Worcester, opened in 1891.The station was heavily modified in 190507 when the line was lowered below grade to eliminate street crossings. TheHighland branchwas closed in 1958 and quickly converted for streetcar use; streetcar service began in July 1959, with this station being located on the MBTA Green Line D. The station has long been leased to commercial stores and coffee shops but has been unused since 2022. Heres to hoping the building can be used again in the future!

The Maine State Building is a one-of-a-kind landmark located in the Poland Springs Historic District of Poland, Maine, though it was not originally built in this location! The Victorian structure was built in 1893 at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago (aka the Chicago Worlds Fair) as one of the State Buildings constructed by each U.S. state to highlight their history. Designed byChicago architectCharles Sumner Frost, aLewiston, Mainenative andMITgraduate, the building was constructed ofgranitewith aslateroof. After the close of the fair, the Ricker family of Poland Spring, purchased the building from the state. They had it dismantled, moved to Maine, and rebuilt on their resort, which brought even more visitors to their property. In Maine, it reopened in 1895 as a library and art gallery for their hotel guests. Along with theNorway Buildingin Norway,The Dutch Housein Brookline (a personal favorite), the Palace of Fine Arts(now the Museum of Science and Industry) andWorld Congress Auxiliary Building(now the Art Institute of Chicago) in Chicago, the Maine State Building is one of the few remaining buildings from the 1893 Worlds Fair, and the only State Building remaining. It has been lovingly preserved and operated by the Poland Spring Historical Society, who operate the building as a museum.

As part of the ever-growing Poland Springs Resort in Poland, Maine, the operators of the Poland Springs Hotel sought to erect a house of worship for guests and local community members. In 1909, fundraising had risen to total of $15,000 and that, along with a matching contribution by the Ricker Family, who owned the Poland Springs Resort, allowed for the hiring of an architect and the project to commence. Boston-area architect George Henri Desmond furnished the plans for the chapel, and were also hired by the Ricker family to complete plans for alterations to the Mt. Kineo House on Moosehead Lake during the same time period. All Souls Chapel is a Neo-Gothic Revival building constructed of irregular granite blocks with a gable roof covered with slate. It has a central tower with a flat parapet roof and a belfry with ornate louvered openings. The tower is square in plan and contains the principal entrance to the chapel. When the chapel was opened in 1912, it was opened as an interdenominational place of worship for use by Catholics and Protestants. Guests contributed much of the interior furnishings and all of the memorial hand-painted windows placed in the chapel were sponsored by guests or relatives of longtime guests.Today, the chapel hosts weddings, baptisms, and other similar events.

The Poland Springs Bottling Plant and Spring House contribute to the rich history of what was once a major American spa resort. In as early as 1797, Jabez Ricker founded a hostelry at the springs on his property in Poland, Maine, and later claimed that drinking the water saved him from a serious illness, a claim that was expanded by other members of his family for generations. In 1876, Hiram Ricker, Jabezs grandson, opened the Poland Spring House, a watering place or spa, acclaimed for its health-giving environment. While the grand hotel burned in 1975, the bottling plant and spring house designed and built in 1907, still remains on the grounds. In 1903 Hiram Rickers son, Edward P. Ricker, wrote to architect Harry C. Wilkinson, a native of Poland, Maine, to solicit a design for his proposed bottling plant and Spring House to allow visitors to drink the natural spring water. His idea of bottling the spring waters for transport and sale, which would eventually be the main catalyst for Poland Spring water today! The extravagant Italian Renaissance Revival style buildings sit side-by-side and are of a high-style despite the relatively utilitarian purpose of the facility. Both structures are very well-preserved and are operated as museums, to learn more about the history of the spring water and resort here.

The Hiram Ricker House sits in the Poland Springs Historic District of Poland, Maine, and was built as the personal residence of its namesake, who developed this formerly sleepy town into a destination in the 19th and 20th centuries. Hiram Ricker (1809-1893), the son of Wentworth Ricker and Mary Pottle, helped turn his fathers country inn in Poland into a popular late 19th century resort, bringing in droves of tourists to take in fresh air and the healing natural spring water. He and his wife, Janette (Bolster) Ricker had six children, all but one of which helped run the resort. This Queen Anne style residence was designed by Lewiston architect, George M. Coombs, and is set back down a long drive overlooking the resort grounds. Sadly, Hiram Ricker died the same year his residence was built, but the home was occupied by the Ricker Family for years after, notably by Hirams son, Hiram Weston Ricker. It is covered in later siding, but the trim details are preserved and typical of high-end Victorian homes of this period in Maine.

The Poland Springs Resort in Poland, Maine, brought thousands of visitors to the once sleepy community to take in the clean air and healing spring waters on the grounds, and eventually built recreational facilities to keep guests entertained for summers. An 18-hole golf course on the grounds was originally designed by Arthur Fenn in 1896 and redesigned by Donald Ross in 1915; and the Ricker family who owned and operated the resort, sought to take advantage of the nearby Middle Range Pond for guests. In 1909, this 1909 eclectic Queen Anne beach house was built on the northwest edge of Middle Range Pond. For twenty-four years, it was set over the water, supported on piers, but in 1932, it was moved to the east and was set on land. In 1982, the building was remodeled to a private home, now available for rent.

The Riccar Inn, now known as the Presidential Inn, was constructed in 1913 on the grounds of the former Poland Springs House. The structure was the last of the hotel buildings constructed by the Ricker family, who started the resort aimed at drawing in tourists to take in the areas natural healing waters. The annex hotel building was named Riccar Inn, with the spelling Riccar from the historic surname used by members of the family before they emigrated to America. The Queen Anne/Colonial Revival style hotel building survived the 1975 fire that destroyed the main hotel, the Poland Springs House. Architecturally grand, this three-story irregular plan hotel has a flat roof and features a four-story projecting double bay in the front facade topped with two octagonal towers. While covered in vinyl siding, much of the original ornament still shines (and there is likely more underneath the siding to be uncovered at a future date). What a beautiful building.

In 1844, Hiram Ricker (1809-1893) of Poland, Maine, drank spring water on his property and found that his chronic dyspepsia was cured. As a result, he began touting the medicinal qualities of the water and in 1859 started selling the water commercially. While the first water was bottled and sold in 1859, it was not until after the Civil War that Hiram Ricker and his sons began heavily promoting the spring as a destination for medical cures and at the same time promoted the inn and resort that they were building in association with the spring. From this, the Poland Springs Resort (and Poland Springs bottled water) was born. The development saw swarms of tourists looking to escape the polluted cities for clean Maine air and natural spring water, therefore, the Ricker Family built the great Poland Spring House in 1876 to cater to resort visitors taking its waters. The original hotel was Second Empire in style and stood four-stories tall containing 100 rooms. Throughout the 1880s and 1890s, the resort building was expanded, quadrupling its size to 450 rooms as the demand for the resort increased every summer. An annex was also built nearby, named the Riccar Inn, providing even more hotel rooms for guests. By the early 20th century, the 1870s hotel was completely remodeled in the Beaux Arts style by architect Henry Wilkinson with domed roofs and sweeping verandas. After WWII, the resort saw diminishing visitors and would ultimately close in the 1960s. During a period in the 1960s, the hotel was operated as the countrys largest Womens Job Corps Training Center, but deferred maintenance caught up to the building and it was ultimately shuttered, suffering a devastating fire in 1975, it was demolished soon after. While the large hotel no longer stands, there are many other amazing buildings on the grounds, stay tuned!

The Byfield Parish Church at 84 Warren Street in Georgetown, Massachusetts, was built in 1931 and is the fourth meetinghouse to occupy the site. The congregation dates to 1701, when sixteen families in this section of Rowley (now Georgetown) near Newbury were set off separate from the Rowley First Parish. Travel for religious services became too arduous, so the local residents petitioned to create their own parish, Byfield. Some accounts state that the first meetinghouse was built in 1702 and it is said to have been razed by 1746 to make way for a new wood frame church with a steeple, a spire, and a weathervane. This church burned in 1833, and it was replaced by a new meetinghouse soon after. The 1833 church was used for almost a century until, in March 1930, it was struck by lightning and burned to the ground. The congregation banded together and had this brick church built, its fourth. Completed in 1931, the Colonial Revival style building was designed by architect, George M. Champney, partner in the Boston office of Derby, Barnes & Champney. The church is sited within a historic cemetery containing the remains of many of the churches members, dating back to 1670. The Byfield Parish Church moved to a new building (its fifth) nearby in 1987, and in 1993, sold this church building to a private owner (retaining and maintaining the cemetery themselves) with the 1931 church converted to a single-family dwelling. How cool!

Following a devastating fire inGeorgetown in 1874,local residents of the town petitioned at a town meeting to purchase a fire engine and a lot to erect a new engine house to prevent such a loss again. Within a year, voters approved not only the construction of a new engine houseon Middle Street, near the commercial center of town, but also to move this charming single-engine firehouse atto a site to the south part the town.This structure was deemed inadequate for the dense commercial village and instead of demolishing it, town voters decided it could be relocated to another area and put to use. A volunteer company was formed for the new engine house and the small structure remained as a firehouse until the early 20thcentury when modern fire apparatus would no longer fit in the building. The building was sold by the town and has remained in private ownership since the 1920s, and its use is unknown to me, but the owners are doing a great job maintaining this significant structure.

The Brocklebank-Nelson-Beecher House is a First Period structure in Georgetown, Massachusetts, believed to have been built in the 1660s.The land on which the house standswas granted in 1661 toSamuel Brocklebank (1628-1676), a surveyor who, with his widowed mother and brother, left England and were among the first settlers of Rowley in 1639. It was built by Lieut. Samuel Brocklebank who also owned a farm of 72 acres on the site. Lieut. Brocklebank was appointed captain in a militia and was killed with his entire company in Sudbury in 1676 during a raid by Native people during the period of theKing Philips War. Samuels wife remarried and moved to Newbury, and his son,Samuel Jr., resided in the family home which remained in the Brocklebank family until 1754. The house became a tavern by ownerSolomon Nelson, who purchased the property in 1765 and made substantial additions and renovations to the house in its current Georgian style.In 1858 the house was bought by RevCharles Beecher, brother ofHarriet Beecher StoweandHenry Ward Beecher.An ardent abolitionist, he was the pastor of the towns Old South Congregational Church. Today, the Brocklebank-Nelson-Beecher House is owned by theGeorgetown Historical Society, who maintain and showcase the towns rich history from this important early residence.

This residence sits on the historicElm Street in Georgetown, Massachusetts, and is one of the best late-Georgian style dwellings in the town. The house was built in 1797 forNathaniel Nelson (1767-1853), a banker who worked in Newburyport, just years after his marriage toSally Chaplin. Nathaniel descended from Thomas Nelson (1615-1648), who was among the twenty families who had come to the New World in the winter of 1638 with the Puritan clericEzekiel Rogers (1590-1660).With Rogers most of these families settled at Rowley, incorporated in 1639 with Georgetown later setting off from Rowley, creating their own town in 1838. Nathaniel and many of his family worked as tanners, preparing the skins of animals into leather, and had shops in the area. Mr. Nelson was such an esteemed member of society, that when the War of 1812 broke out, he was asked to store money and gold from Newburyport in his basement, away from the coast, hiding it from the British forces. After successive ownership, the residence was purchased in 1936 by Everett A. andMary A. Spaulding. A Georgetown native,Everett Augustus Spauldingmade colonial revival furniture under the corporate name Spaulding Colonial Reproductions. The residence remains in spectacular condition, with its large central chimney, symmetrical faade, portico, and hipped roof punctuated by pedimented dormers.

The Dickinson-Pillsbury House is believed to be over 320 years old and is significant as a well-preserved example of a First Period house in good condition. Located on Jewett Street in Georgetown, Massachusetts, the house was seemingly built before 1700 by James Dickinson Sr. or James Dickinson Jr. and was inherited by Samuel Dickinson (1754-1841). The house is notable for being the home of War of 1812 veteran and inventor Paul Pillsbury, who purchased the property about 1801. His inventions included devices for pegging shoes, milling bark off tree sections, and stripping kernels from ears of corn. Paul Pillsbury and his wife Elisabeth Frink had a family of seven sons and one daughter. Paul Pillsbury was also the uncle of abolitionistParker Pillsburyand the great-uncle of attorneyAlbert E. Pillsburywho drafted the bylaws of theNAACP. What an incredible family! The house is well-preserved and a great example of a First Period residence from the 17th century.

TheGeorgetown Peabody Librarybegan on September 19, 1866, following a generous gift fromGeorge Peabody (1795-1869), a great man who is considered the father of modern philanthropy. George Peabodys interest in the town was due to the fact that it was the birthplace of his mother,Judith (Dodge) Peabody, and for many years the home of his sister,Mrs. Judith Peabody Russell. Mr. Peabody decided to donate funds for the towns first public library and also had 2400 books brought from London for its initial book collection.The wooden library buildingwas designed by the Boston architectural firm of Bryant & Gilman and opened in 1869. After a few decades, the first library proved inadequate for the towns needs and the present building was built with invested Peabody funds. In 1904, construction began on the new, present library building, a robust, brick structure in the Romanesque style with the firm of Cooper & Bailey furnishing the plans. The building has since been added onto as the town grew, but it retains its significance architecturally and historically for ties to Mr. George Peabody.

Just below the summit of Baldpate Hill in Georgetown, Massachusetts, stands an architecturally idiosyncratic old structure with a long history. The oldest part of the structure was built in 1733, as a residence for Stephen Mighill (1707-1783), a Deacon of the towns church and brewer of beer. The early years were filled with much sadness, as Stephen and his wife Elizabeth, lost six of their nine children in youth or infancy, including an eight-year-old son who died after falling into a scalding hot vat of liquid in a malt house on the property. The Mighills also owned slaves, who tended to the house and malting operations here. In the 1890s, the property was acquired by Paul Nelson Spofford, a Georgetown native who moved to New York to make his fortune. It was Mr. Spofford who greatly enlarged the dwelling for use as an inn, naming it the Baldpate Inn. The gambrel-roofed tower was reportedly Spoffords private space to look out over the rolling hills and forests. After Spoffords death in 1912, coupled with the tourist trade falling off in the Depression years, the property was sold to a group of physicians who established a psychiatric facility, known as Baldpate Hospital, here in 1939. Today, the complex is known as the Baldpate Treatment Center, an addiction recovery center, who do a great job at maintaining the main structure and former stable on site.

The Perley School, formerly known as theThe Perley Free Schoolis an architecturally and historically significant school building in Georgetown, Massachusetts, constructed in 1898 as a result of the former high school being lost to fire. The original funding for the Perley School was made possible bydonations from the estateof John Perley.John Perley (1782-1860)was born in town and operated grocery stores, later getting involved in land speculation. He never married nor had children and lived frugallydespite having a small fortune, that would end up being distributed to extended family and as gifts to the town, including funding this building and in the local Congregational church. He died in 1860 and was buried in a local cemetery, marked by the towns most ornate memorial. The Colonial Revival style school would suffer acatastrophic fire in 1935, but was largely rebuilt and added onto, showing the communitys resolve and determination. It remains today as the towns elementary school.

This house in Georgetown Center, Massachusetts dates to the 1860sand appearsto have been built forMilton G. Tenney, a shoe manufacturer. By the early 20thcentury, the home was owned by the third member of the Root family to practice medicine in Georgetown. The first,Dr. Martin Root, established a practice in 1827, serving the community for more than 50 years. His son,Dr. Richmond B. Root, owner of24 North Street(featured previously), was in turn the father ofDr. Raymond Root(1882-1958), owner of this fancy Second Empire style dwelling. In addition to his private practice, Dr. Raymond Root was a school physician for many years, and served as Town Clerk from 1937 to 1944. The house is Second Empire in style with a mansard roof, window mouldings and two-over-two windows, but features a Colonial Revival portico with what may possibly be a Federal-period entry of fanlight with sidelights, salvaged from his fathers home when that house was renovated.

The Spofford Family was one of the earliest to settle in present-day Georgetown, with the earliest enclave of homes built along Andover Road in the western part of town. A few generations later, subsequent family members would built in the town center, taking advantage of the growing commercial and business community.This Federal period home(with later alterations) was built around 1830 forGreenleaf Spofford (1801-1887)the same year as his marriage to Emily Willmarth. The couple would move out of town and sold the home toDr. Richmond Barbour Root (1846-1930), the second of a highly respected, three generation family to practice medicine in Georgetown. The overlay of machine-sawn Stick Style decorative porch, bracketed cornice and bay windows were likely added by Root sometime after the Civil War. Unlike most owners of Federal and Greek Revival-style dwellings, Dr. Root may have held a valid professional interest in appearing as up-to-date as possible with a modernized home that also served as the site of his office and consulting rooms.

According to local histories, this significant Greek Revival style propertyon Elm Street in Georgetown, Massachusetts, was owned by Josiah Adams (1757-1852), a farmer, a Revolutionary War veteran, and a fourth-generation descendant of the immigrant Robert Adams, who arrived here from Devonshire, England by about 1629. In March 1849, the towns Congregational Society purchased Adams Hall for eight hundred dollars to house the church vestry, which remained in the building for forty-one months until a new building was built for that purpose next door.Later, Adams Hall was owned by Moses Tenney (1808-1903),operator of a prosperous saw mill in Georgetown, and served at one time in the state senate. The structure retains its significant temple-front with four, two-story Doric columns supporting the portico. Also special on this residence is the use of flush-board siding and the oversized first floor windows.

The First Congregational Church of Georgetown, Massachusetts, is significant both architecturally as a Victorian Gothic/Stick style church designed by a prominent architectural firm, and historically as an important gathering place for the towns members for 150 years. The congregation however is much older than 1874, as when Georgetown was then a part of Rowley, Massachusetts, members here in1731 petitioned to create their own parishin Rowley to travel a shorter distance to services. The church, then known as the Second Church of Christ in Rowley, was organized in 1732 with services held in a rustic Meeting House. A second meetinghouse was built in 1769, which was both outgrown and in much need of repairs by the time the congregation decided to build a new building on a new site in the new commercial center of town. The congregation hired the esteemed firm ofPeabody & Stearnsto design the church which today, is the most high-style and architecturally grand building in the suburban town.

One of the many pre-Revolutionary homes in Georgetown, Massachusetts, the Spofford Houseis located on Andover Road, an important route which was occupied by many residences of the Spofford Family. In 1667, John Spoffordand his family became the first permanent (European) residents in what would become Georgetown. Generations later his ancestor,Eleazar Spofford (1739-1828) would build this home in 1765 to be occupied by his new wife married that year,Mary Flint, and their new family. The Georgian farmhouse has been significantly altered since its original date of construction, but retains its general form and character even with later 19thand 20thcentury additions, porches, and windows. The Spoffords had six children in this home and would later move to Jaffrey, New Hampshire after the Revolution, but returned and settled in nearby Groveland. Later generations of the Spoffords would live-in and modify the home until it finally sold out of the family in the 20thcentury.

Transitional Federal/Greek Revival style houses are among my favorite. You can see the emergence of Classical architecture blending with American architecture with features of both styles, which work well together. This example can be foundon Elm Street in Georgetown, Massachusetts. The dwelling appears to have been built forDr. George Moody, one of four physicians in Georgetown in 1840, who began his practice in town in 1830. In his first years there, he oversaw patients during Typhus and Dysentery outbreaks and was credited with having determined that a high sulphur content in the local water supply accounted for the increased cases. Dr. Moody died in 1866, and his widow continued to live in the house until her death in 1880, after which it was sold to Mrs. Charlotte Sawyer Hall, the widow of local shoemaker Seth Hall.

Constructed in 1854 for intermediate and high school classes at a time when one-room schoolhouses were still the rule in Georgetown, this well-preserved brick building is a reminder as to how far education and schooling has come. As nearby one-room schools consolidated and after the new Central School Building (now Georgetown Town Hall) was built in 1905, this Greek Revival school building was converted to town offices. The town was still fairly small, so the offices only occupied the ground floor, and the town rented the upper floor to the All Saints Episcopal Church, who purchased the building in 1917 and occupied it for nearly 50 years. They likely added the Craftsman style entry porch. The church was deconsecrated in 1966, and the building sold in 1970 to the Noack Organ Manufacturing Company, who added an assembly room at the rear.

Welcome to Georgetown! The Georgetown Central School, now known as the Memorial Town Hall, stands near the historic commercial center of Georgetown, Massachusetts, a rural community in Essex County located about 28 miles north of Boston. The two story wood-frame building was built in 1905 to a design by the Boston architectural firm of Cooper and Bailey, and located at the site of an earlier one-room schoolhouse built in the 18th century. It was Georgetowns first multi-room school building, and was built after the towns first high school/town hall burned down in 1898. The Colonial Revival style school building was eventually outgrown and was no longer needed as an educational facility. It was converted to municipal offices in 1974, a use that has remained ever since. The town has taken pride in this building, restoring much of the exterior details and slate roof.

Completed in 1811, the First Parish Congregational Church of Pownal, Maine, is an excellent and well-preserved example of a vernacular Federal-period church in a rural setting. Located across from Mallett Hall and built at the foot of Bradbury Mountain, the church was built by a crew headed by master-carpenter Uriel Whitney, a Revolutionary War veteran who moved to the area after the war. He was active in this church and is buried in the church cemetery. Little remains of the original Federal Style architecture, as its current Greek Revival Style (architects unknown) dates from remodeling apparently undertaken in 1838 and 1857.

Happy Halloween! Welcome to Copps Hill Burying Ground, a historic cemetery nestled in Bostons historic North End. Established in 1659, it served as a burial site for some of Bostons earliest settlers and notable figures, including craftsmen, merchants, and members of the influential Mather family. Also burie here is abolitionistand leader in thefree blackcommunity inBoston, Prince Hall. Originally called North Burying Ground, Copps Hill was the second place of interment on the Boston peninsula and was laid out in 1659. The area acquired its present name through its association with William Copp (1589-1670), a shoemaker and early settler who lived near todays Prince Street; ironically, his stone is no longer standing.The cemetery is particularly known for its distinct slate gravestones, many adorned with intricate carvings that reflect the artistry of the era. Over the centuries, it has witnessed significant events, including the American Revolution, when it was used as a lookout point for British troops. During the Revolution, the burying grounds prominent location overlooking the harbor gave it strategic military importance. At its southwest side the British established their North Battery and an earthworks from which they directed the shelling of Bunker Hill and ultimately the torching of Charlestown. Legend has it that British troops used gravestones for target practice. Many have interpreted the round scars on the gravestone of Captain Daniel Malcolm, an ardent son of liberty who spoke against Britain, as the result of musketballs shot at close range. The cemetery was used continually until the 1850s and is today, an evocative reminder of Bostons early days, drawing visitors who seek to connect with the citys storied history amidst its tranquil surroundings while the city stretches upwards around it. The cemetery is open and free to visit most of the year and is a great place to stroll and learn about Bostons early history and see amazing stone carving!

Built in 1886, Mallett Hall is one of the most interesting and significant buildings in the small town of Pownal, Maine. The town is located equidistant to the larger cities of Portland, Brunswick, and Lewiston, but retains a very rural charm. This hall was built following a town meeting on March 15, 1886, where an article was approved to appoint a committee charged with developing plans and estimates for a new town hall. The hall is named after Edmund Mallett, a businessman who partially funded its construction. The architect is not officially known, but estimates guess it was the work ofFrancis Fassett, a popular architect at the time in the area. In addition to housing town offices and functions, it has also served as a community center, hosting social events. The Colonial Revival style building takes strong cues from Greek Revival meeting houses in the area but exhibits a Palladian window and fanlight in the pediment.

The Jacob Randall House on Lawrence Road inPownal, Maine was built about 1796 and is a fine example of Federal period architecture executed in brick in the town. Built for Jacob Randall (1771-1829) a native ofWeymouth, Massachusetts, who purchased over 100 acres of land in town, and had this house built sometime after. His property spanned the nearbyChandler River, upon which he established a sawmill and gristmill. When Pownal was incorporated in 1808, Randall was one of its first town selectmen, a seat he held nearly continuously until his death in 1836. The house is five bays wide, with its entrance in the central bay, recessed with a fanlight.

The last active Shaker community in the world can be found in New Gloucester, Maine. The Shakers migrated toColonial Americain 1774 in pursuit ofreligious freedom and developed from the religious group called the Quakers, which originated in the 17th century. Both groups believed that everybody could find God within him or herself, rather than through clergy or rituals, but the Shakers tended to be more emotional and demonstrative in their worship. Shakers also believed that their lives should be dedicated to pursuing perfection, continuously confessing their sins, and attempting a cessation of sinning, including sex and marriage. They built 19communal settlements (so far I have featured two: Enfield Shaker Village and Canterbury Shaker Village) that attracted some 20,000 converts over the next century and maintained their numbers through conversion and adoption of orphans, numbers which have dropped to just three active members in 2024! The Sabbathday Lake community was established in 1782 and grew to a size of 1,900 acres with 26 large buildings by 1850. This building, the Shakers meetinghouse, was built in 1794 with all materials and labor supplied by the community. The small but significant structure remains a landmark in the community and is occasionally open for tours.

Located across the street from the Sabbathday Lake Shaker Meeting House in New Gloucester, Maine, this large, three and one-half story brick building has historically housed many of the active Shakers in the community. Built in 1883-4, the central dwelling house contains a self-contained town of rooms, including sleeping rooms, a chapel, music room, kitchen, and dining facilities. The building features granite lintels and sills and a square cupola at the roof. The building was designed by the Portland architects Francis H. Fassett and John Calvin Stevens.

Built in 1765 forRev. Samuel Foxcroft (1734-1807),this grand two and a half story house was the first major frame dwelling in New Gloucester, Maine. Its large scale and such fine mid-18th century architectural features as the triangular doorway pediment and quoins at the corners make this a house befitting the communitys first minister. Born in Boston in 1735, Foxcroft was the son of the Rev. Thomas Foxcroft, pastor of the First Church of Boston from 1717 to 1769. The younger Foxcroft graduated from Harvard in 1754 and answered the call of the New Gloucester Congregationalists ten years later, a brand new town in the wilderness of Maine. He was ordained in the blockhouse, a defensive structure from attacking native peoples, in January of 1765 and continued his ministry in the town until 1793, having the first purpose-built meetinghouse completed in 1773. The last years of his life were spent in poor health and he diedat his homein 1807 at the age of 72.

Constructed in 1839 by local carpenter/builderJeremiah Cotton, theUniversalist Meeting House of New Gloucester, Maine, is a dignified example of the Greek Revival style in a rural context. The First Universalist Society of Christians in New Gloucester was organized in 1805 with members drawn from nearby communities including those of Gray and Poland. In 1830, the congregation reorganized itself into the First Universalist Society of New Gloucester and Pownal. During its early history services were apparently held at various places in the community for it was not until November of 1838 that a meeting was called to take such measures for Building a meeting house as a majority of Subscribers or proprietors may think proper. After World War I, membership began to decline and from the 1930s until the societys demise in 1957 services were infrequently held. In 1969 the property was acquired by theNew Gloucester Historical Society, who maintained and restored the building. The flushboard siding, fully pedimented gable, pilasters, and symmetrical faade containing two entry doors, all work together to display the Greek Revival style in a high-style example,but in a rural setting. The building appears to be opened periodically by the Historical Society.

This important Federal-period house sits in the middle of New Gloucester village in Maine, and dates to the early 19th century with mid-19th century alterations. The original owner was Obediah Whitman, who sold the house soon after to General Samuel Fessenden (1784-1869) lived here while practicing law in New Gloucester. He was an avid abolitionist who served as a congressman and in 1828, he declined the presidency of Dartmouth College. The Generals son, William Pitt Fessenden, resided there from ages three to fourteen. William later became a U.S. Senator and Lincolns Secretary of the Treasury. The third notable owner was artist, Delbert Dana D.D. Coombs, who used the second floor for his studio for some years. The update from the mid-19th century of the modest bracketed eaves and two-over-one windows showcases how later owners can update a home without diminishing the original design.

Built in 1902 and dedicated in June 1903, the Cumberland Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons #12 is located at the corner of Route 100 and Bald Hill Road in New Gloucester, Maine. The building was constructed as a centennial celebration of the local Masonic Lodge chapters founding a century earlier. The impressive and detailed brick structure exhibits engaged brick pilasters and a stained glass lunette (half-round) window in the gable. The building is still occupied and owned by the local Masons who hold meetings in the hall.

The original New Gloucester Public Library is located in the central village of New Gloucester, Maine, and is one of the finest architectural buildings in the town. The library was established in 1888 when voters passed a resolution to establish a public town library as before this, a private, social library existed here. A committee was chosen to purchase books and make decisions for expenditures and staff. The library was originally located in the town hall building, and was supported by an annual poll tax of 50 cents. The first librarian was Helen A. Moseley, with a salary of $50 a year, she remained the towns librarian until 1920. By 1895, the library had grown to more than 2,100 volumes and it was decided a new, purpose-built library was needed. That next year, a lot was purchased and this Victorian style building was constructed adjacent to the Town Hall. The wood-frame building has a decorative central section with recessed, arched entry and gable with decorative Stick style ornament. Additionally, a tower protrudes from the roof, giving the building additional whimsy. The library was eventually outgrown and relocated in the former High School, two buildings down the street. The old library has ever-since been the towns meetinghouse.

This building, the present New Gloucester Public Library, was originally constructed in 1902 as the towns high school, a use that remained until 1962, when pupils would go to a modern school building in nearby Gray, Maine. The building is an excellent example of the Colonial Revival style with a symmetrical facade dominated by a row of multi-light windows separated by paneling, a segmental-arched dormer, and cupola at the roof with a bell. When the high school moved to its present location, this building sat vacant for some time and would be occupied by the New Gloucester Historical Society for storage and display of their collections until the public library moved into the building by the early 1990s.

New Gloucester, Maine was established in 1736 under aMassachusetts Bay Colonygrant of a 6-square-mile tract of land in the Maine Territory to sixty inhabitants from the Gloucester fishing village on Cape Ann. The first white settlers here built cabins in the forests in the 1740s, which were largely abandoned from 17441751 due to the heightened native tribe attacks duringKing Georges War. As the Native Americans gradually withdrew toCanada, the settlers moved out into their own newly built homes and the town has grown ever-since. New Gloucester was incorporated on March 8, 1774, and was named New Gloucester after Gloucester, Massachusetts, the native home of a large share of the early settlers, as Maine was still a territory of Massachusetts until 1820. Previous to 1886, the First Baptist Church was used for a town meeting house, but in that year the new Town Hall, this building, was dedicated. The building is Queen Anne in style with varied siding, applied ornament in the gable, with a more Classical portico at the entrance.

The Nathaniel C. Allen House is a two-story Federal style residence located in New Gloucester, Maine. The house was built in 1793 by Shubael Marsh, a local builder (and father of ShubaelJr. (17971867), who moved to Texas with Stephen F. Austin) and sold to Nathaniel Coit Allen, an early settler in New Gloucester, who served as a General during the American Revolution. The property was purchased by Col. James Madison Thompson, then owner of the Glen House, an early White Mountains hotel in New Hampshire, who renovated the home by replacing the central chimney with two narrow ones and raised the ceilings and introduced Victorian interior woodwork. A subsequent owner added large Colonial Revival porches on the front and side entrances along with a new entry. The house showcases the changing tastes from Federal style to Victorian back to traditional tastes.