Burgess House (Sebec, Maine) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Burgess House
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | Burgess Road, Sebec, Maine, United States |
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| Area | 0.5 acres (0.20 ha) |
| Built | 1816 |
| Built by | Ichabod Young |
| Artists | Moses Eaton, Jr., Rufus Porter |
| Architectural style | Cape form |
| NRHP reference No. | 78000196 |
| Added to NRHP | May 3, 1978 |
The Burgess House is a really old and special home in Sebec, Maine, United States. The oldest part of this wooden house was built around 1816. It was built by Ichabod Young. He also built the first fulling mill in Piscataquis County. A fulling mill was a place where wool cloth was cleaned and made thicker.
This house is famous for its beautiful wooden details inside. It also has amazing artwork on the walls of several rooms. These artworks include paintings by Rufus Porter. There is also stencilwork by Moses Eaton, Jr.. These two artists were well-known travelers who created art in the early to mid-1800s. The Burgess House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. This means it's an important historical building.
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What Does the Burgess House Look Like?
The Burgess House is a classic New England home. It's a connected homestead, which means it has a main house and two smaller sections called "ells." These ells connect the main house to a modern garage. Usually, they would connect to a barn or carriage house.
Main House Features
The main part of the house is a 1-1/2 story building. This means it has one full floor and a half-story above it. It's built in the "Cape style." It has five sections across the front. There's a big chimney in the middle. The front door is in the center. It has narrow windows on either side. Above the door, there's a louvered transom, which is a decorative window with slats. The windows on either side of the door have louvered shutters.
The Connected Sections (Ells)
The first ell is also 1-1/2 stories tall. It has three sections across its length. It also has a chimney in the middle and a centered entrance. This ell is narrower than the main house. The second ell also has three sections, but they are narrower. All of these sections have windows. The front of all three parts of the house faces north.
Amazing Art and Woodwork Inside
The inside of the Burgess House is truly special. The wooden details show great care and skill. This is especially true for the wood panels on the first floor.
Famous Artists' Work
The most exciting part of the inside is the well-preserved artwork. This art is found all over the main part of the house. It includes paintings by the traveling artist Rufus Porter. There is also stencilwork by Moses Eaton, Jr. Both of these artists are among the few who are known to have done this type of work in the early to mid-1800s. They probably created these artworks around 1820.
History of the Burgess House
Ichabod Young moved to this area in 1816. In that same year, he built a fulling mill. This mill was on the north side of the Sebec River. He likely built the main part of the Burgess House that same year. The house was built on the south side of the river. The two smaller sections (ells) were added later. One was added around 1830, and the other around 1850. In the late 1800s, the house was owned by Thomas Burgess.
