The Norlands facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Norlands & The Washburns
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The Norlands mansion in August 2010. Part of the farmer's cottage reconstruction can be seen on the right
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | 290 Norlands Rd., Livermore, Maine |
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| Built | 1821 |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 69000004 |
| Added to NRHP | December 30, 1969 |
The Norlands is a special historic place in Livermore, Maine. It is also known as the Israel Washburn Homestead. This old building was once the home of the Washburn family. They were a very important family in Maine's history. Today, Norlands is a fun place where you can learn about life in the 1800s. It is called the Washburn-Norlands Living History Center.
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What is the Norlands Living History Center?
The Norlands mansion was built in 1821. It has a unique style called Gothic Revival. This means it looks a bit like old castles or churches. In 1969, the Norlands was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list includes important historic sites across the United States.
Today, the Norlands is a living history farm. This means you can see what life was like in the 1800s. People who work there dress up in old clothes. They show you how people lived, worked, and went to school long ago.
Exploring the Norlands Farm
The Norlands Living History Center has several interesting buildings:
- The Norlands mansion: This is the main house where the Washburn family lived.
- A schoolhouse: You can see what a classroom looked like in the 1800s.
- A library: It has displays about the Washburn family's history.
- A meeting house: This was a place for people to gather.
- A farmer's cottage: This shows how a farming family might have lived.
- A barn: Here you can meet farm animals, just like in the past.
The farmer's cottage and the barn had to be rebuilt. They were damaged in a fire in 2008. The farmer's cottage reopened in 2011. The barn was also rebuilt later to look like it did long ago.
The 2008 Fire at Norlands
On April 28, 2008, a fire started at the Washburn-Norlands Living History Center. It seems a lamp tipped over and fell into some hay. This caused the hay to catch fire.
Firefighters to the Rescue
Volunteer firefighters from the area quickly arrived. They had actually practiced for a fire at Norlands before! Ten other fire departments also came to help. They worked hard to put out the fire.
Langhorne Washburn was the only living family member born at Norlands. He was very thankful for the firefighters' quick work. He told a local newspaper, "Thank God Norlands didn’t burn. I would like to commend (the firefighters) on their efficiency." It took several years to rebuild the parts of the farm that were damaged.
See also
- Ethel Wilson Gammon, founder and first executive director of the Washburn-Norlands Living History Center
