Birch Island House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Birch Island House
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Holeb, Maine |
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| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Built | 1870 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian |
| NRHP reference No. | 96000246 |
| Added to NRHP | March 7, 1996 |
The Birch Island House is a special old building. It's the main part of a historic "sporting camp" on Birch Island. This island is found in Holeb Pond, in a quiet part of Somerset County, Maine, United States. The house was likely built around 1870. It's a rare example of a private camp from the 1800s. Most other old camps from that time were run as businesses. The Birch Island House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. Recently, part of its porch has fallen in, and people are checking if the building is still strong.
Contents
What Does the Birch Island House Look Like?
The Birch Island House is a two-and-a-half story building. It is made of wood and sits on a stone foundation. The roof is red and made of metal. A two-story porch stretches across the front of the house. The back roof slopes down to the first floor. This gives the house a unique "saltbox" shape.
Inside the Historic House
The porch is held up by square posts. These posts have pretty, cut-out designs. The house has five sections across its front. The middle section has two doors. The bottom door is the main entrance. The top door opens to the upstairs balcony. Windows are found in the sections on either side.
Each floor of the house has four rooms. The first floor has living, dining, and kitchen areas. Bedrooms are located on the second floor. Some bedrooms are also in the half-story above. Originally, the walls were covered with pine boards. Now, many rooms have plasterboard over the old wood.
The History of Birch Island House
The exact year the Birch Island House was built is not fully known. It is thought to be around 1870. This house is very old and special. It is one of the few private sporting camps left from the 1800s. Most other camps from that time were open to the public.
Why is its History a Mystery?
The house's remote location made it hard to find. It was not often mentioned in local history books. It also didn't appear in books about Maine's sporting camps. This means its early history is a bit of a mystery. People believe it was built in 1870, but there are no old papers to prove it.
A Camp for Sportsmen
By the early 1900s, the island was known as the "Birch Island Sporting Camps." A private group ran these camps. The Birch Island House likely served as the main lodge. It was a central place for all the other buildings on the island.
From Abandoned to Restored
The camp was left empty around the 1950s. It stayed that way for many years. Then, in the 1980s, R. David Murphy bought the Birch Island Sporting Camps. He formed the Birch Island Sportsman Association. This group worked to restore the old camps on the island. They also divided the island into smaller ownerships. Today, the Murphy family still owns the Birch Island House through a special trust.
