Bradford Farm Historic District facts for kids
The Bradford Farm Historic District is a special old farm in Patten, Maine. It's located on the west side of Maine State Route 11, just north of the town center. This farm is important because it still has many of its original buildings. These buildings were built between the 1840s and the 20th century. The property was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003. Today, the old farmhouse is a cozy place called the Bradford House Bed and Breakfast.
Quick facts for kids |
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Bradford Farm Historic District
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | 46 Main St. (SR 11), Patten, Maine |
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| Area | 16.3 acres (6.6 ha) |
| Built | 1842 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Late Victorian |
| NRHP reference No. | 03000294 |
| Added to NRHP | April 22, 2003 |
Discovering Bradford Farm
The town of Patten is in a quiet, inland part of Maine. It's in northern Penobscot County. The Bradford Farm covers about 16 acres (about 6.5 hectares). It sits just north of the town center.
The main part of the farm is on the west side of Maine State Route 11. This road is the main north-south route through the county. The farm's fields stretch west and north. They reach Maine State Route 159. This road leads to the northern end of Baxter State Park.
What Makes This Farm Special?
The most important part of the farm is its 19th-century connected farmstead. This means the house and barns are all linked together. The main house was built around 1845. It is designed in the Greek Revival style. This style was popular back then.
The house connects to a barn complex through smaller sections called "ells." The oldest part of the barn is an English barn. It was built around the same time as the house. Other buildings on the farm include a 19th-century potato house. There is also a wagon shed. These buildings show how farms used to work.
The Farm's Long History
The area that became Patten was first settled in the 1830s. Patten officially became a town in 1841. The Bradford Farm property was originally much larger. It was a full lot of 160 acres (about 65 hectares).
The first owner was David Haynes. He is believed to have built the earliest parts of the farm complex we see today. In 1893, Ezekiel Bradford bought the property. His family worked the land for 105 years!
The Bradfords mainly ran a dairy farm. This means they raised cows for milk. They added and changed buildings over time. This helped them meet the farm's changing needs. In 1998, the old farmhouse got a new life. It was turned into a bed and breakfast inn. This means people can stay there overnight and enjoy breakfast.
