Bass Boarding House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Bass Boarding House
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Wilton, Maine |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| NRHP reference No. | 88000396 |
| Added to NRHP | 1988 |
The Bass Boarding House is an old and important house located on Canal Street in Wilton, Maine, United States. It was built in the 1860s. This building was later used as homes for workers of the G.H. Bass & Co. shoe factory, which was right next door.
The Bass Boarding House is special because it is one of the few buildings in Wilton that was changed to house factory workers. Because of its history, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. Today, the house is home to the Wilton Historical Society's Wilton Farm and Home Museum.
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What the Bass Boarding House Looks Like
The Bass Boarding House is a two-and-a-half-story building made of wood. It sits on a strong foundation of granite. The house has a large section at the back, called an "ell."
The roof of the house is shaped like a triangle, known as a gable roof. The front of the house faces west and has three sections, or "bays." The main entrance is at the southwest corner. The front door has narrow windows on the sides and a simple frame above it. On the second floor, there are windows that can be pushed up or down. Two more windows are located in the very top part of the roof. The roof also has small windows that stick out, called dormers.
The inside of the house still looks much like it did in the past. It has a simple style. The lower part of the back section (the ell) is a large open room.
History of the Bass Boarding House
The story of the Bass Boarding House began in 1861. At that time, Emerson and Rawson Fuller bought the property along with a nearby mill. Rawson Fuller likely built the main part of the house soon after. It was his family's home until the early 1900s.
Rawson Fuller probably turned the house into a boarding house before George H. Bass bought it in 1911. A boarding house is a place where people can rent a room and often get meals.
George H. Bass and Worker Housing
George H. Bass was a skilled leather worker who had been making shoes since at least 1871. He bought Fuller's mill in 1904. Then, he built the large Bass factory that stands there today.
To make sure his factory workers had places to live, Bass used different plans. He built simple apartment buildings in Wilton. He also bought existing houses, like this one, and changed them into homes for his workers. This is why worker housing in Wilton was spread out, unlike other towns where all the factory homes were built together in one big area.
Bass bought this house in 1911. It was used to house workers until 1937. In 1987, the Wilton Historical Society bought the house.
Wilton Farm and Home Museum
Today, the Bass Boarding House is home to the Wilton Farm and Home Museum. This museum shares the history of the local area.
The museum has many interesting exhibits. You can see old household items and tools used for different jobs. These include tools for farming, shoe making, and blacksmithing. There are also displays of old clothing and a collection of old bottles from Maine. The museum helps visitors learn about the history and culture of Wilton.
See also
