Sea Change (Northeast Harbor, Maine) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Sea Change
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | 27 Corning Way, Northeast Harbor, Maine |
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| Area | 3.5 acres (1.4 ha) |
| Built | 1945 |
| Architect | Harrison, Walter K.; et al. |
| Architectural style | International Style, Shingle Style |
| NRHP reference No. | 08000991 |
| Added to NRHP | August 7, 2009 |
Sea Change is a special historic summer home located in Northeast Harbor, Maine. It's known for its main house, which was built in a modern style called International Style. This house was first designed in 1940 by famous architect Wallace K. Harrison and artist Isamu Noguchi. After a fire in 1999, it was rebuilt in 2005 to look exactly like the original.
The property also has older buildings. These include three cabins and a carriage house. They were built in the late 1800s in a different style called Shingle Style. One of the most interesting parts of Sea Change is a large, strong concrete bomb shelter. It was built in 1961-62. Because of its unique buildings, especially the modern house and the Cold War-era bunker, Sea Change was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.
Contents
Discovering Sea Change's History
Sea Change is found on a small piece of land called Sargent Head. This land sticks out into the water from Mount Desert Island in Maine. In the late 1800s, a businessman and politician named Erastus Corning bought this whole area. His family started building what would become Sea Change.
Early Days and New Owners
The Corning family first built a large Shingle Style house and a carriage house. Erastus Corning gave part of this land to his son, Edwin. Edwin then hired an architect named Fred Savage. Savage designed a main house and three small cabins. These cabins were called "sleeping pavilions." The property felt like a cozy camp by a lake.
In 1939, a new family bought this part of the Corning property. This was the family of William A. M. Burden. He was part of the wealthy Vanderbilt family and was also the president of the Museum of Modern Art for a long time. The Burdens named their new home "Sea Change." This name came from a line in William Shakespeare's play, "The Tempest."
A Modern Masterpiece is Built
The Burdens took down the old Corning main house. They then asked architect Wallace K. Harrison and sculptor Isamu Noguchi to design a new, very modern house. This new house was finished in 1947. Harrison designed it to fit in with the older buildings that were still there. He made sure the new house blended indoor and outdoor living spaces.
The older cabins were also updated. They got new materials that matched the main house. Each bedroom in the cabins even got its own bathroom.
The Secret Bomb Shelter
In the 1950s, William F. Pederson redesigned one of the cabins. But his most unusual project at Sea Change was the strong concrete bomb shelter. Mr. Burden ordered this shelter after he returned from Belgium. He had been the United States Ambassador to Belgium.
Mr. Burden had also advised the U.S. government on military matters, including nuclear weapons. He knew about the Soviet Union's advances in these areas. The first designs for the shelter were made in September 1961. Just a month later, the Soviet Union tested a powerful hydrogen bomb.
The shelter has a large main room and two hallways leading off it. It was designed to hold up to 24 people safely.
Restoring Sea Change
In 1999, the main house at Sea Change was badly damaged by a fire. But it was carefully restored between 1999 and 2005. The restoration used the original plans, so the house looks almost exactly as it did before the fire. Architect Heinrich Herman and family member Jean E. P. Burden guided this work.
The only changes made were adding more modern kitchen appliances. Also, the heating, cooling, and electrical systems were updated to meet modern safety rules.
