C. F. Douglas House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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C. F. Douglas House
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | ME 8, Norridgewock, Maine |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1868 |
| Architectural style | Italian Villa |
| NRHP reference No. | 78000200 |
| Added to NRHP | December 18, 1978 |
The C. F. Douglas House is a special old house located in Norridgewock, Maine. It was built in 1868 by a talented architect named Charles F. Douglas for his own family. This house is a fantastic example of the Italianate style of architecture, which was popular back then. It has fancy decorations and a tall, square tower that makes it stand out. Because it's so unique and well-preserved, the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
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What Makes the Douglas House Special?
The Douglas House is a two-story building made of wood. It has a pointed roof and two brick chimneys inside. The outside is covered with clapboard siding, and it sits on a strong granite foundation.
Unique Features of the House
- Entrances: The house has two main doors. One is in a three-story tower on the east side. The other faces the driveway on the south side.
- Porch: A single-story porch wraps around the house, connecting both entrances. This porch is held up by groups of square columns that are beautifully decorated.
- Roof Details: The edges of the porch roof, the main roof, and the tower roof all have decorative teeth-like patterns called "dentils" and fancy brackets.
- Tower Windows: The tower has cool, rounded-arch windows, which are typical of the Italianate style. The very top part of the tower has two of these windows side-by-side on each wall.
- Carriage Barn: There's also a two-story barn on the property. It was used for carriages and horses, and it has similar decorations to the main house.
Who Was Charles F. Douglas?
Charles F. Douglas was born in Brunswick, Maine. He taught himself how to be an architect and started his own business in Skowhegan, Maine in the 1860s. He designed and built this house in 1868 for his family on land that belonged to his wife's family in Norridgewock.
A New Home and New Beginnings
Sadly, the Douglas family had to move from the house the very next year. They moved to Lewiston, Maine, where Charles F. Douglas continued his work. He designed many important buildings there, including the famous Continental Mill. The C. F. Douglas House is quite special because it shows off the Italianate style so well in a rural area of Maine. Usually, you see buildings like this more often in towns along the coast.
