Norumbega Castle facts for kids
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Norumbega
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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 | 63 High St., Camden, Maine |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1886 |
| Architect | Jennings, Arthur Bates |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Part of | High Street Historic District (ID88001843) |
| NRHP reference No. | 74000174 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | July 12, 1974 |
| Designated CP | January 5, 1989 |
Norumbega Castle is a beautiful old house located in Camden, Maine. It was built a long time ago, in 1886-1887, for a clever inventor named Joseph Barker Stearns. This house is famous for its fancy design, known as the Queen Anne style.
Today, Norumbega Castle is a cozy place called the Norumbega Inn. It works as a bed and breakfast, where people can stay and enjoy its history. Because it's so special, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. This means it's an important historical building!
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What is Norumbega Castle?
Norumbega Castle is a large, historic home in Camden, Maine. It sits on High Street, which is also part of Route 1. The house is known for its unique and detailed look.
It's a two-and-a-half story building. It's made from rough-cut stone, with pretty brick and wood decorations. The house has a rectangular shape, but its different parts are arranged in a fun, uneven way. This was very popular for houses built in the Queen Anne style.
Norumbega's Unique Design
The front of Norumbega Castle has three main sections. The middle part goes up three stories high. It has a cool, stepped roof design at the very top. The section on the right also has three stories. It sticks out a bit and has a round, pointy tower on its roof.
Inside, the house is just as amazing. It was built with the newest inventions of its time. This included things like electric lights and steam heating. Imagine having those in your home way back in the 1880s!
Who Built This Castle?
Norumbega Castle was designed by an architect from New York City named Arthur B. Jennings. Local builders helped to construct it between 1886 and 1887.
The house was built for Joseph Barker Stearns. He was born in Weld, Maine. Joseph Stearns became very rich from the telegraph business. He invented something called "duplex telegraphy." This allowed two messages to be sent over the same telegraph wire at the same time! He made a lot of money by letting companies all over the world use his invention.
Arthur B. Jennings also designed the carriage house for the Norumbega estate. A carriage house is like a garage for horse-drawn carriages. This carriage house is now owned separately. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places, just like the main castle.
Today: The Norumbega Inn
Today, Norumbega Castle welcomes guests as the Norumbega Inn. People can stay overnight and experience what it's like to live in a grand, historic home. It's a great way to see how people lived in the late 1800s, but with modern comforts.
