A. B. Leavitt House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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A. B. Leavitt House
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | ME 158, Sherman, Maine |
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| Area | 0.3 acres (0.12 ha) |
| Built | 1890 |
| Architect | Palliser, Palliser & Co.; Coburn, Chester |
| NRHP reference No. | 86001336 |
| Added to NRHP | June 20, 1986 |
The A. B. Leavitt House is a special old house in Sherman, Maine. It stands on Main Street, also known as Maine State Route 158. This house was built in 1890. It is a great example of "mail-order architecture." This means its design came from a book!
The house was designed by a famous company called Palliser, Palliser & Company. They published design patterns. The Leavitt House looks almost exactly like the pictures in their design book. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. This list helps protect important historical places in the United States.
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What Makes This House Special?
The A. B. Leavitt House is known for its unique style. It is a fantastic example of Gothic Revival architecture. This style was popular in the late 1800s. It often features pointed arches and decorative details.
Its Unique Look
The house has 1-1/2 stories and is made of wood. It has a roof with many gables. Gables are the triangular parts of a wall under a sloping roof. These gables are very steep. They have fancy wooden decorations called vergeboard.
The house also has a tall, three-story tower. This tower has a pyramid-shaped roof. The outside walls are covered with clapboard and decorative shingles. These materials add to its charming, old-fashioned look.
Cool Features of the House
The front of the house has a bay window. This window sticks out from the wall. It has a small roof over it. Above this window, in the gable, are two more windows. The main front door is next to the bay window. It also has a small porch roof. This roof is held up by pretty turned posts.
Behind the main entrance is the tall tower. Next to that is another gable section. Further back, you'll find a second entrance. There is also a smaller gable section.
The Carriage House
A special part of the property is the carriage house. This building is 2-1/2 stories tall. It has two large openings for carriages or cars. It also has a square cupola on its roof. A cupola is a small, dome-like structure on top of a building.
The house looks very much like it did when it was built. Only a few small changes have been made. Some decorations were removed from the roof. The chimney was also rebuilt.
How the House Was Built
The A. B. Leavitt House was built in 1890. A local builder named Chester Coburn constructed it. He built it for Alva P. Leavitt. Mr. Leavitt was a wheelwright and blacksmith in the area.
The house's design came from Design #28. This design was in a book published by Palliser, Palliser & Company. This company was an architectural firm from Bridgeport, Connecticut. The house follows the plans very closely. The only big difference is the carriage house. Chester Coburn added this building. He made sure it matched the style of the main house.
This house is one of the best examples of mail-order architecture in Maine. It shows how people could build beautiful homes using designs from a book.
