Hyde Mansion facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Hyde Mansion
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | 616 High St., Bath, Maine |
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| Area | 4 acres (1.6 ha) |
| Built | 1913 |
| Architect | John Calvin Stevens |
| Landscape architect | Carl Rust Parker |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 78000197 |
| Added to NRHP | November 21, 1978 |
The Hyde Mansion, originally known as Elmhurst, is a historic house located at 616 High Street in Bath, Maine, United States. This grand building was finished in 1913. It was built for John Sedgewick Hyde, whose father, Thomas W. Hyde, founded the famous Bath Iron Works (BIW). The mansion was designed by a well-known architect named John Calvin Stevens. It is a great example of the Colonial Revival style of architecture. Because of its history and design, the Hyde Mansion was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. Today, it serves as the main building for The Hyde Schools' campus in Bath.
What Does the Hyde Mansion Look Like?
The Hyde Mansion sits high up on the west side of Bath. It is located on a large, beautiful property that is now home to The Hyde Schools. The house itself is a two-and-a-half-story building made of brick. It has special details made from wood and stone.
The roof is shaped like a hip, which means all sides slope downwards to the walls. There are tall brick chimneys at both ends of the house. A wide porch stretches across the front of the building. A smaller covered entrance, called a porte-cochere, extends even further out. Both the porch and the entrance are supported by strong square brick columns with stone tops. The school has also added a new section to the south side of the building. This new part uses similar materials and style, so it blends in well with the original mansion.
Who Built the Hyde Mansion?
The Hyde Mansion was designed by John Calvin Stevens, who was a very important architect in Maine during the early 1900s. The house was completed in 1913. The gardens on the west side of the mansion were designed in an Italian style. These beautiful gardens were created by Carl Rust Parker, a landscape architect from Portland.
The mansion was built for John Sedgewick Hyde. His family had owned the land since the early 1800s. John Sedgewick Hyde was the son of Thomas W. Hyde, who founded the Bath Iron Works. In 1905, John Sedgewick Hyde bought BIW from Charles M. Schwab. He is known for making the Bath Iron Works a top naval shipyard in the years that followed.
The Mansion's Many Lives
After John Sedgewick Hyde passed away, his family gave the estate away in 1947. They donated it to the Pine Tree Society for Crippled Children. This organization used the mansion as a place for children to recover and get better.
In 1966, the estate became the campus for The Hyde Schools. Sadly, a fire caused a lot of damage inside the house in the 1970s. However, the mansion was carefully and completely restored to its original beauty.
