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 really old and cool house in Castine, Maine. It's now a historic house museum that you can visit! This house was built way back in 1765. That makes it one of the oldest homes in Castine. It's a great example of an old style of building called Georgian architecture.
The house wasn't always in its current spot. It was carefully moved in 1968 and 1969. It now sits on the grounds of the Wilson Museum. This special house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969. You can take tours of the house in July and August. There's also a special gallery in the basement that's open from May to September.
Contents
What Does the House Look Like?
The Perkins House is located on Perkins Street. It sits between the street and the Bagaduce River. The house is made of wood and has two and a half stories. It has a large chimney in the middle.
There's also a smaller, one-and-a-half-story part at the back. This back part is called an "ell." The wood used to build the house was cut by hand. The walls were made using split wood. The front door has special windows on the sides. It also has decorative columns and a triangular shape above it.
A House with a Long History
The story of the John Perkins House began around 1763. That's when John Perkins and his wife moved to Castine. John Perkins was from a town called York, Maine. He first built a smaller, one-story house. This first house was located on what is now Court Street. This original part is like the back ell of the house today.
Later, the main two-story part of the house was built. Around 1783, the original back ell was replaced. Over time, the house became very old and worn out. It was even considered a fire danger!
Saving the Perkins House
Luckily, the Wilson Museum stepped in to save it. The house was carefully taken apart, piece by piece. Then, it was rebuilt on its current spot. The ell from 1783 was too damaged to save. So, a new one was built to look just like the original. The main rooms downstairs have been fixed up. They now look like they did around 1783.
A Witness to Wars
The John Perkins House is very special. It's the only known house in Castine that was built before the American Revolutionary War. This house saw a lot of history!
- In 1779, British soldiers stayed in the house.
- It survived when American forces attacked during the Penobscot Expedition. That attack was an attempt to remove the British.
- British soldiers also occupied the house again during the War of 1812.
The Perkins Gallery
In 2018, the basement of the house was updated. It is now home to the Perkins Gallery. This gallery is part of the Wilson Museum. It displays old farm tools and other interesting objects. You can also see items that belonged in the Perkins House. The gallery shares the history of the towns nearby. It is open on the same days as the main museum.
