Thomas Hamilton House (Calais, Maine) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Thomas Hamilton House
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | 78 South St., Calais, Maine |
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| Area | 0.5 acres (0.20 ha) |
| Built | 1856 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 82000788 |
| Added to NRHP | February 4, 1982 |
The Thomas Hamilton House is a special old house located at 78 South Street in Calais, Maine. It was built around 1857. This house is a great example of the fancy Italianate style. It was quite a grand building for its time, especially since Calais was a more remote area back then.
Thomas Hamilton, who built the house, wanted to show off his wealth. However, he spent too much money, and he ended up losing the house. Because of this, people in the area started calling it "Hamilton's Folly." This means it was a grand but foolish project that cost him everything. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. This list helps protect important historical places in the United States.
Contents
Discovering the Hamilton House Design
The Hamilton House stands on the northeast corner of South and Manning Streets. It is close to the eastern part of Calais where many homes are located. This building has two stories and is made of wood. It is mostly square-shaped.
What Makes the House Special?
The roof of the house is a "hip roof," which means all sides slope downwards to the walls. In the middle of the roof, there is a tall section called a "monitor." This part helps bring light into the house. The outside walls are covered with clapboards. The corners have special blocks called "quoins" that make them look stronger.
The edges of the roof have decorative brackets. These are a key feature of the Italianate style. The front of the house faces southeast. It has a porch that goes all the way across the front on the first floor. This porch is held up by square posts. These posts have fancy brackets at the top. The porch roof also has decorative trim. The windows have special frames with flat tops and small brackets, adding to the elegant look.
The Story of Thomas Hamilton
The Hamilton House was built around 1857 by Thomas Hamilton. He was a local businessman in Calais. It seemed like Hamilton was doing very well in his businesses. He was able to build this large, fancy house. He also bought expensive clothes and fine horses with carriages.
Why Was It Called Hamilton's Folly?
Unfortunately, all these costs were too much for him. He spent more money than he had. Because of this, he had to mortgage the house. A mortgage is a loan where the house is used as a guarantee. Hamilton eventually lost the house because he could not pay back his debts. It is said that he later died in a poor house. This sad ending is why the house became known as "Hamilton's Folly."
Famous Visitors to the House
Later, in the 1900s, the house was owned by Clarence Beckett. He was the mayor of Calais. Mayor Beckett hosted several governors of Maine at the house. This shows that the Hamilton House remained an important and respected place in the community.
The Hamilton House Today
The Hamilton House got a big update in the spring of 2017. It was renovated to make it modern and useful again. Today, it is no longer a private home. Instead, it serves as the dental office of Dr. Karen Delaney.
