Union Hotel (Cundy's Harbor, Maine) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Union Hotel
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | 926 Cundy's Harbor Rd., Cundy's Harbor, Harpswell, Maine |
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| Area | 1.8 acres (0.73 ha) |
| Built | 1862 |
| Architectural style | Italianate, Vernacular Classical |
| NRHP reference No. | 85002179 |
| Added to NRHP | September 12, 1985 |
The Union Hotel is a really old and special building in a place called Cundy's Harbor, Maine. It was built way back in 1862. People think it's the oldest hotel in Maine that was built just for summer visitors! This historic building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. Today, it's not a big hotel anymore. Instead, it's a cozy place called the Captain's Watch Bed and Breakfast.
The Union Hotel: A Historic Building
The Union Hotel building sits on a small hill in the village of Cundy's Harbor. This village is located near the very end of Sebascodegan Island. This island is part of the town of Harpswell. The building looks like a large, old house. You can find it on the west side of Cundy's Harbor Road. It's just north of the local library.
What Does It Look Like?
The hotel is a two-story building made of wood. It has a special roof shape called a hip roof. The outside walls are covered with clapboard siding. Right in the middle of the roof, there's a cool eight-sided tower called an octagonal cupola. The building has decorative parts that are in a style called Italianate. These include flat columns at the corners and wide trim under the roof. Old pictures show that it once had fences on the roof and a porch.
A Look Back in Time
The Union Hotel was built in 1862 by a man named Daniel Weeks Simpson. He was from a nearby town called Brunswick. He married into a family that lived in the area. This hotel is thought to be the oldest building in Maine that was made to be a resort hotel. There was an even older hotel in Harpswell built in 1835, but it burned down in 1868.
Unfortunately, Mr. Simpson's hotel didn't make a lot of money. Because of this, the building has been used for many different things over the years. In the 1800s, besides being a hotel sometimes, it was also used as a local school and even a church! In the 1900s, it was changed into a private home. Now, it's a bed and breakfast called the Captain's Watch.
