Holmes Cottage facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Holmes Cottage
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | 521 Main St., Calais, Maine |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1820 |
| NRHP reference No. | 87001855 |
| Added to NRHP | April 4, 1988 |
The Holmes Cottage is a very old house located at 521 Main Street in Calais, Maine. It was likely built around 1820, making it the oldest building still standing in the town! This special house is known because of Dr. Job Holmes, who was a very important doctor when Calais was first growing. Today, the St. Croix Historical Society owns the cottage. They run it as the Dr. Job Holmes Cottage & Museum, where people can visit and learn about history. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988, recognizing its importance.
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Exploring the Holmes Cottage
The Holmes Cottage is found on the south side of Main Street. This street is also known as United States Route 1. It is just a short distance east of the main downtown area. Right next to it, on the east side, is the Dr. Job Holmes House. This house is also owned by the St. Croix Historical Society.
What the Cottage Looks Like
The cottage is a one-and-a-half-story building. It is made of wood and has a classic design. It has five sections across the front. The roof slopes down on two sides, and there is a chimney in the middle. The outside walls are covered with clapboard siding. The front of the house looks balanced. There is a main entrance in the center. This entrance is part of a section that sticks out and has its own small roof. On the main roof, there are two small windows with their own roofs, called dormers.
Inside the Historic Home
When you go inside, the house has a typical layout for its time. There is a narrow, winding staircase right in front of the central chimney. To the left of the chimney is the parlor, which is like a living room. To the right is the kitchen. Behind these rooms, there is a long, narrow room. The parlor is especially interesting. It still has its original woodwork and hardware from the Federal period. This means you can see how homes looked a long time ago.
The Cottage's Long History
The exact year the Holmes Cottage was built is not fully known. Local stories say it might have been built even before 1805. The first person known to own the house was Artemus Ward. He was a land speculator from Boston. He bought the house in 1805.
Dr. Job Holmes and His Family
Later, Dr. Job Holmes bought the cottage. He lived there with his family for many years. They stayed in the cottage until the 1850s. That's when the house next door, the Dr. Job Holmes House, was built. The cottage remained in the Holmes family for a very long time. In 1954, the family gave the house to the St. Croix Historical Society. This allowed the society to preserve it and share its history with everyone.
See also
