Rockwell Kent Cottage and Studio facts for kids

The Rockwell Kent Cottage and Studio are two old buildings on Monhegan Island in Maine, USA. They were built by a famous artist named Rockwell Kent in 1906 and 1910. These buildings are important because they remind us of the time Kent spent creating art on the island.

Later, another artist, James E. Fitzgerald, owned both buildings. Today, they are part of a museum that shows Fitzgerald's artwork. These historic buildings were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992, which means they are recognized as special places in history.

What They Look Like

The Rockwell Kent Cottage and Studio are on the north side of Horn Hill Road on Monhegan Island. They both look out over the village.

The Cottage

The cottage is a small, one-story wooden house. It has a classic "Cape style" look with a roof that slopes down on two sides. Its outside walls are covered with wooden shingles. The front of the house faces south and has three sections, with the main door on the right side. The door has narrow windows on either side.

The Studio

The studio is about 800 feet (240 meters) away from the cottage, down a winding path. It's a bit bigger than the cottage and also has one story. The main part of the roof is shaped like a hip roof with a gable on top. The studio has some cool design features, like a porch area tucked under a hip roof. On the north side, there's a special wall dormer that holds a large window. This big window lets in lots of light for the art studio space inside.

Their Story

These two buildings are among four that Rockwell Kent designed while he lived on Monhegan Island. Kent had studied architecture and design, so he knew a lot about building.

Building the Cottage and Studio

He built the cottage in 1906 and oversaw its construction himself. He also built a similar cottage for a neighbor and a small house for his mother. In 1910, Kent built the studio. He planned to use it to run an art school with his friend, Julius Golz. This studio is where Kent painted some of his most famous works. These include Toilers of the Sea, Winter-Monhegan Island, and Down to the Sea.

Who Owned Them?

Kent left Monhegan Island in 1910 and sold the cottage. His cousin, Alice Kent Stoddard, who was also an artist, rented it. Later, in 1948, Kent bought his cottage back from Alice and spent more years on the island.

In 1952, artist James E. Fitzgerald bought the studio. Six years later, he bought the cottage too. When Fitzgerald passed away in 1971, his friends and supporters, Edgar and Anne Hubert, inherited his buildings and artwork. After Anne Hubert passed away in 2004, Fitzgerald's estate, including the buildings, was given to the Monhegan Museum and Library.

The Museum Today

During the summer, you can visit this historic house museum. It's open for a limited time to see the artworks of James E. Fitzgerald. In 2007, a special meeting was held to celebrate 100 years since the studio was built. Papers from this meeting were planned to be published by The Kent Collector, a publication from the Rockwell Kent Archives at SUNY Plattsburgh Art Museum.

See also

• Kent Cottage, Brigus, Newfoundland
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Lincoln County, Maine