Blazo–Leavitt House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Blazo–Leavitt House
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Photograph ca. 1900
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | ME 160, Parsonsfield, Maine |
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| Built | 1812 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 82000791 |
| Added to NRHP | February 19, 1982 |
The Blazo–Leavitt House is a very old and important house located on Maine State Route 160 in Parsonsfield, Maine. This large, two-story home was built in 1812. It is known as one of the best examples of a Federal period house in northern York County. Because of its history and unique style, the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
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What Makes the Blazo–Leavitt House Special?
The Blazo–Leavitt House is a big, beautiful mansion built in 1812. It was first built by William Blazo. He was the uncle of Robert Tibbetts Blazo, who later became a well-known lawyer in Parsonsfield.
Family stories say that Robert T. Blazo, when he was just 15 years old, helped build his uncle's house. This makes sense because Robert had lived with his uncle William since he was young. Later, Robert T. Blazo himself owned the house.
Who Lived in the House?
The house stayed in the family for many years. After Robert T. Blazo, his two daughters, Susan Blazo Leavitt and Emily Blazo Browne, owned it. Eventually, it passed to Susan Blazo Leavitt's son, Robert Greenleaf Leavitt, and his family. This is why it's called the Blazo–Leavitt House!
A man named Thomas Eaton is believed to have designed the house. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places because of its special design and long history.
Inside the Historic Home
The Blazo–Leavitt House has five large brick chimneys and ten fireplaces, which means it has lots of cozy spots! The entrances are very fancy, with beautiful carvings, pillars, and special glass designs. The doors have panels, and the windows have many small glass panes, which was common for homes built during that time.
The main part of the house was built in 1817, a few years after the first section was finished in 1812.
The Blazo Family's Roots
The Blazo family has a long history in the area. William Blazo's grandfather, also named William Blazo, came to America from France before 1727. He first settled in Greenland, New Hampshire, and later in Epsom.
William's father, Amos Blazo, was the very first settler in North Parsonsfield. He started clearing land at a spot called "Blazo's Corner" in March 1778. Amos Blazo had five sons, and four of them settled on farms nearby. It was Amos's son William who built the Blazo House. He later sold it to his nephew, Robert Tibbetts Blazo.
Robert Tibbetts Blazo's Life
Robert Tibbetts Blazo started his career as a school teacher. One of his students was Mary Freeman, who later became his wife. Before they married, Robert Blazo worked as a lawyer in Moultonborough, New Hampshire. But eventually, he and Mary settled in Parsonsfield. There, Robert continued to practice law and served as a Justice of the Peace and Post Master for many years.
Robert and Mary had four children: Susan, Daniel, Charles, and Emily. Some of Daniel's family still live in the Daniel Blazo house, which is right across the road from the Blazo–Leavitt house at Blazo's Corner.
Connecting to Parsonsfield Seminary
All four of the Blazo children went to Parsonsfield Seminary. This school is located directly across the road from the Blazo–Leavitt House. Robert Tibbetts Blazo, who owned the house, actually gave the land for the Seminary and helped start the school!
Susan Blazo met her husband, John Greenfield Leavitt, at Parsonsfield Seminary. He was a student from Buckfield, Maine. They got married and moved into the Blazo house with Susan's parents. They had one child, Robert Greenleaf Leavitt.
Emily Blazo married Howard Hiram Browne, and they also lived in the house. They had one child, Maude Browne, who became a portrait artist. Since Maude Browne did not have children, the house eventually went to the Leavitt family, specifically to Robert Greenleaf Leavitt.
Robert Greenleaf Leavitt was a famous botanist (someone who studies plants) and educator who studied at Harvard University. After he passed away in 1942, his wife, Ida, and their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren continued to live in the house every summer. Sadly, Robert Greenleaf Leavitt's daughter, Constance Leavitt Hanson, sold the house in 1973.
Nature Around the House
The Blazo–Leavitt house faces south, and its west side looks towards Green Mountain. This mountain is in Effingham, New Hampshire, and is part of the foothills of the White Mountains.
Close by is the Leavitt Plantation Forest. This huge forest covers about 8,603 acres and is the biggest continuous forest area south of Sebago Lake. It covers 20 percent of all the land in Parsonsfield!
With help from The Nature Conservancy, the State of Maine bought a special agreement called a conservation easement for this forest. This agreement makes sure that the forest is managed in a way that protects it for the future. It also allows people to walk and enjoy nature there. The agreement also stops any building from happening on the land. The forest continues to be used for commercial logging in a way that is good for the environment.
Images for kids
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The house in 2015
