Nordica Homestead facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Nordica Homestead
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | 116 Nordica Lane, Farmington, Maine |
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| Area | 115 acres (47 ha) |
| Built | 1857 |
| NRHP reference No. | 69000006 |
| Added to NRHP | December 23, 1969 |
The Nordica Homestead is a special old house in Farmington, Maine. It was the home of a very famous singer named Lillian Nordica. She was born here in 1857. This house is now a museum. It helps people remember Lillian Nordica and her amazing music. The homestead became a historic place in 1969. You can visit it from June to October.
About the Nordica Homestead
The Nordica Homestead is a charming old house. It has one and a half stories. The house is made of wood and has a classic Cape style design. It has a strong stone foundation. Inside, you can still see the original pine floors. These floors were painted with cool, spattered colors.
There is also an old barn on the property. This barn is one of the few farm buildings left. The entire property covers about 115 acres.
History of the House and Lillian Nordica
The house was built in 1840. A local farmer named Edwin Norton built it. He owned a lot of land in the Farmington area.
His daughter, Lillian, was born in this house in 1857. She lived here until she was five years old. Lillian grew up to be a world-famous opera singer. She studied singing at the New England Conservatory in Boston, Massachusetts. She became known by her stage name, "Lillian Nordica."
The Norton family sold the house in 1857. But later, in 1911, two of Lillian's sisters bought it back. They gave the house to Lillian as a gift. She loved to visit it during the summers. She continued to visit until she passed away in 1914.
After Lillian's death, the house became empty. It started to fall apart. But a group of her friends and fans wanted to save it. They worked together to buy the property. They carefully fixed it up. In 1928, they opened it as a museum. The museum was created to honor Lillian Nordica's memory.
The Nordica Homestead was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969. This means it is a very important historic site. Today, the museum is open to visitors from June through October. There is a small fee to enter.
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