Gov. Edward Kavanaugh House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Gov. Edward Kavanagh House
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c. 1960 HABS photo
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | ME 215 (Damariscotta Mills), Newcastle, Maine |
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| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Built | 1803 |
| Architect | Codd, Nicholas |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 74000178 |
| Added to NRHP | May 3, 1974 |
The Gov. Edward Kavanagh House is a very old and important house in Newcastle, Maine. It was built way back in 1803. This house is a great example of a building style called "Federal architecture." It's special because it was home to James Kavanagh, one of the first Irish Catholic immigrants in Maine. Later, his son, Edward Kavanagh, who became the Governor of Maine, lived here too. This historic house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 3, 1974.
Contents
What is the Gov. Edward Kavanagh House?
The Kavanagh House is located near the small village of Damariscotta Mills. It sits between Pond Road (also known as State Route 215) and Damariscotta Lake. This house is quite large, with two stories and a square shape. It has a special roof that slopes on all sides, called a hip roof. On top of the roof, there's a cool eight-sided tower called an octagonal cupola.
The house sits on a strong foundation made of granite. The front and east sides of the house look very smooth. They are covered with flat wooden boards. These boards are placed very close together. The other sides of the house are covered with regular overlapping wooden boards called clapboards. A low fence, called a balustrade, goes around the roof. The roof also has a decorative trim with tooth-like blocks, known as a dentillated cornice.
Main Entrance and Windows
The front of the house has five sections, or "bays," for windows and doors. The main door is right in the middle. It's set inside a rounded archway. Above the door, there's a half-circle window with a fan-like design. A rounded porch covers the entrance. This porch is supported by fancy columns with scroll-like tops, called Ionic columns. These columns hold up a decorative beam structure and another low fence, similar to the one on the roof.
Above the main entrance, there's a special three-part window. This style is called a Palladian window. It has a large center window with two narrower windows on each side. Small, flat columns, called pilasters, stand next to these windows. Above the center window, there's another fan-shaped vent.
Who Built the Kavanagh House?
The Gov. Edward Kavanagh House was built in 1803. It is one of the most detailed and impressive examples of Federal architecture in Maine. The house was built by a skilled builder named Nicholas Codd. He was an immigrant from Ireland. Nicholas Codd also built other important structures nearby. These include the Matthew Cottrill House in Damariscotta, Maine. He also built the brick St. Patrick's Catholic Church, which is close to the Kavanagh House.
Nicholas Codd likely worked out of Boston, Massachusetts. He was encouraged to come to this area by James Kavanagh and Matthew Cottrill. Both James Kavanagh and Matthew Cottrill were early Irish immigrants to the region. They were very successful in their businesses.
Edward Kavanagh: A Governor of Maine
James Kavanagh's son, Edward Kavanagh, became a very important person. He became the Governor of Maine in 1843. He took over the role after the previous governor, John Fairfield, was elected to the United States Senate. This house was Edward Kavanagh's home, making it even more historically significant.
