Brickett Place facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Brickett Place
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | Maine State Route 113, Stow, Maine |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1812 |
| Built by | John Brickett |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 82000772 |
| Added to NRHP | July 28, 1982 |
The Brickett Place is a really old farmstead located in the countryside of Oxford County, Maine, in the United States. You can find it deep inside the beautiful White Mountain National Forest, along Maine State Route 113, in a tiny town called Stow.
This special house was built by John Brickett between 1812 and 1816. He even made the bricks himself! It's a unique example of the Federal style of architecture, especially because it's in such a faraway place. It's also the oldest building managed by the United States Forest Service in their Eastern Region. In 1982, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Today, the Forest Service uses it as a visitor center during certain times of the year. Here, you can learn all about the history of the area.
Exploring Brickett Place
Brickett Place is found in a small open area, just east of Maine State Route 113. It's near the entrance to the Caribou/Speckled Mountain Wilderness. Besides the main house, there's also a small garage. This garage was built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). You can still see parts of old stone walls and a small parking area too.
The main house is a brick building with one and a half stories. It has a sloped roof and sits on a strong granite base. There are four chimneys inside, rising up near the side walls. The front of the house faces south and has five sections with windows or doors. The main door is in the middle and has a special three-pane window above it. Wooden porches were added later, in the early 1900s, on the north and west sides. A fancy cover also protects the back entrance.
Inside, the house has a typical layout from the Federal period. This means it has a main hallway in the center. Some of the original decorations and details from that time are still there.
A Glimpse into History
John Brickett was one of the very first people to settle in the Cold River valley. He arrived there in 1803. For several years, he and his family lived in a log cabin. He started building this brick house in 1812, making all the bricks by hand. It took him four years to finish the house!
Interestingly, John Brickett didn't own the land when he started building. The land was part of a large area given to Josiah Bachelder in 1816. This area later became the town of Stow. Brickett bought about 50 acres (20 hectares) of land from Bachelder in 1820. The house stayed in the Brickett family until 1877. Then, in 1918, the United States Forest Service bought the property.
Since the Forest Service took over, Brickett Place has been used for many different things. Groups like the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) used it as a work center. The Appalachian Mountain Club used it as a place for hikers to stay. Even the Boy Scouts of America used it! It also served as a guard station for the Forest Service. The building was carefully repaired and restored between 2009 and 2011.
