George S. Tiffany Cottage facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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George S. Tiffany Cottage
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | Aldrich Rd., Dark Harbor, Maine |
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| Area | 3 acres (1.2 ha) |
| Built | 1911 |
| Built by | Hatch & Pendleton |
| Architect | Mauran, Russell & Crowell |
| Architectural style | Prairie School |
| NRHP reference No. | 89001700 |
| Added to NRHP | October 16, 1989 |
The George S. Tiffany Cottage is a historic summer house found on Aldrich Road in Islesboro, Maine. It was built between 1911 and 1912 for George S. Tiffany, a businessman from St. Louis, Missouri. This house is a rare example in Maine of the Prairie School style of architecture. Because of its unique design and history, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.
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Where is the George S. Tiffany Cottage?
The town of Islesboro is on an island in Penobscot Bay. This bay is located along the central coast of Maine. The island looks a bit like two round parts connected by a narrow strip of land.
The cottage is located on a smaller piece of land called Shattuck Point. This point sticks out into the water from the southern part of the island. The Tiffany Cottage sits right on the waterfront, on the southwest side of Shattuck Point. You can reach it by Aldrich Road.
What does the George S. Tiffany Cottage look like?
The George S. Tiffany Cottage is a large, two-story building. It has a unique V-shape when you look at it from above. The outside of the house is covered with shingles, and it has a hip roof, which means all sides slope downwards to the walls.
At the very tip of the V-shape, a section with a pointed roof sticks out towards the water. This part has decorative brackets supporting it. On either side of this section, there are smaller porches that serve as entrances.
The windows on the house are placed in an interesting way. They are not perfectly even, but they are arranged to emphasize horizontal lines. This is a common feature of the Prairie School style. One end of the house also has a two-level porch. This porch is supported by groups of posts, which are typical of the Colonial Revival style.
Inside the Cottage: A Mix of Styles
The inside of the house mainly features the Colonial Revival style. This means you'll see paneled wood on the lower parts of the walls, called wainscoting. The main hallway in the center of the house has decorative columns, known as pilasters. The house combines elements from both the Prairie School and Colonial Revival styles.
Who was George S. Tiffany?
The George S. Tiffany Cottage was built in 1911-1912 for George S. Tiffany. He was a businessman from St. Louis, Missouri who worked in the cotton industry.
George S. Tiffany's father had a connection to Islesboro too. In 1891, his father bought land in the area. This land was being developed by a company called the Islesboro Land and Improvement Company. They were trying to make Islesboro a popular place for people to spend their summers.
Sadly, George S. Tiffany's father's house burned down in 1910. After that, this new cottage was designed for George S. Tiffany. The design was done by a company from St. Louis called Mauran, Russell & Crowell. They created a house that blended the distinct looks of the Colonial Revival and the Prairie School styles.
