Bagley-Bliss House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Bagley-Bliss House
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1290 Royalsborough Rd, Durham, Maine |
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| Area | 5 acres (2.0 ha) |
| Built | 1850 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 96000242 |
| Added to NRHP | March 22, 1996 |
The Bagley-Bliss House, also known today as the Royalsborough Inn, is a very old and historic home located in Durham, Maine, United States. People traditionally believed it was built in 1770, making it the oldest house in Durham. This house shows off a special style called Greek Revival. It was once owned by one of the town's first settlers, who also ran an inn there. Because of its history, the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 22, 1996.
Discovering the Bagley-Bliss House
The Bagley-Bliss House sits on the east side of Royalsborough Road. This road is also known as Maine State Route 136. The house is just south of where Quaker Meeting House Road meets Rabbit Road.
What Does the House Look Like?
The main part of the house is quite large. It has two and a half stories and is made of wood. The front of the house faces south and has five sections, or "bays," across it. The roof slopes down on the sides, which is called a side gable roof. The outside walls are covered with clapboard and shingle siding. The house sits on a strong granite foundation.
A smaller, one-story section extends from the back of the main house. This part runs parallel to the road. The front of the house looks almost perfectly balanced. The main door is in the center. It has narrow windows on each side and simple decorations in the Greek Revival style. However, the window right above the door is a little off-center. The windows on this side have small, pointed roofs above them. Inside, the house has simple Greek Revival designs. The most detailed part is the central staircase.
A Peek Into Its Past
People have always said this house was built in 1770. This would make it the very oldest house in Durham. But, the Greek Revival style of the house suggests something different. This style was popular in the 1800s. So, the house might have been built later. Or, it could have been greatly updated before 1850.
It's possible that the attached back section is part of the original 1770 building. There are also clues in the main house. Some materials might have been reused from that earlier time. For example, the main basement has the foundation of a large central chimney. This was common in the 1700s but not in the current house.
The land was settled in 1770 by O. Israel Bagley. Back then, the area was called Royalsborough. Mr. Bagley was an important person in the community. He ran a mill for grinding grain and a shoe factory. He also opened the town's first store. Plus, he operated an inn right from his house!
In 1836, Charles Bliss bought the property. He started a dairy farm there. Mr. Bliss was likely the one who added the Greek Revival changes to the house. The house stayed in the Bliss family until the 1970s. In 1982, it was carefully fixed up and restored. Today, it serves as a cozy bed and breakfast inn.
