John Perkins House (Castine, Maine) facts for kids
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John Perkins House
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | Perkins St., Castine, Maine |
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| Area | 0.3 acres (0.12 ha) |
| Built | 1765 |
| Architectural style | Colonial |
| Part of | Castine Historic District (ID73000240) |
| NRHP reference No. | 69000019 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | December 30, 1969 |
| Designated CP | February 23, 1973 |
The John Perkins House is a special old house that is now a museum. It's located in Castine, Maine, on the land of the Wilson Museum. This house was built way back in 1765, making it one of the oldest homes in Castine. It's a great example of a building style called Georgian architecture, which was popular a long time ago.
The house wasn't always in its current spot. It was carefully moved from Court Street to where it is now between 1968 and 1969. After being moved, it was fixed up to look like it did in the past. Because of its history and unique style, the John Perkins House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969. This list helps protect important historical sites in the United States. You can visit the house for tours during July and August. There's also a special gallery in the basement that's open from May to September.
Contents
What Does the John Perkins House Look Like?
The Perkins House sits on the south side of Perkins Street, close to the Bagaduce River. It faces west, looking towards the main building of the Wilson Museum. It's a wooden house with two and a half stories and a chimney right in the middle. It has five windows across the front.
Behind the main part of the house, there's a smaller, one-and-a-half-story section called an ell. This part also has a sloped roof and a chimney. The wood used to build the house was cut by hand, and the pieces were joined together using a special old method called mortise and tenons. The walls inside were made with thin strips of split wood. The front door is fancy, with windows on the sides and decorative columns, topped with a triangular shape.
A Look Back: The House's History
The story of the John Perkins House began around 1763. That's when John Perkins, who came from York, Maine, moved to Castine with his new wife. The first house he built was on what is now Court Street. It was a smaller, one-story building, which is like the back ell of the house you see today.
The larger, two-story main part of the house was built later. Around 1783, the original small ell was replaced with a two-story one. By the middle of the 1900s, the house had become very old and worn out. It was even considered a fire danger! Luckily, the Wilson Museum stepped in to save it. They carefully took the house apart, piece by piece, and then put it back together at its current location. The two-story ell from 1783 was too damaged to save, so it was rebuilt to look like the very first single-story ell. Today, the main rooms downstairs have been restored to look just as they did around 1783.
The House During Wars
The John Perkins House is very special because it's the only known house in Castine that was built before the American Revolutionary War. This means it saw a lot of history!
- Revolutionary War: In 1779, British soldiers actually lived in the house. It even survived being shot at by American forces during the Penobscot Expedition. This was a big, difficult attempt by the Americans to push the British out of the area.
- War of 1812: The house was again used by British troops during the War of 1812.
It's amazing that this house stood strong through both of these important wars!
The Perkins Gallery Today
In 2018, the basement of the John Perkins House was updated. It's now home to the Perkins Gallery, which is part of the Wilson Museum. This gallery displays old farm tools and other interesting items, including some that belonged to the Perkins House itself. You can also learn about the history of the towns nearby. The Perkins Gallery is open on the same days as the main Wilson Museum.
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