Watkins House and Cabins facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Watkins House and Cabins
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The main house
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| Location | Jct. of Raymond Cape Rd. and US 302, South Casco, Maine |
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| Area | 13.3 acres (5.4 ha) |
| Built | 1810 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 92000792 |
| Added to NRHP | July 2, 1992 |
The Watkins House and Cabins is a historic property located in Casco, Maine. It sits where Raymond Cape Road meets United States Route 302. This special place shows how buildings can change and be used for different things over 200 years. The property is about 13 acres big, with lots of woods and open fields.
On the land, you'll find two houses, one built a long time ago in the early 1800s. There's also a barn and three small cabins. You can even see parts of an old factory where carriages were made. This property was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992 because of its important history.
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Discovering the Watkins Property's Past
We don't know all the early details about this property. The main house is a two-and-a-half-story wooden building. It has a chimney in the middle and a roof that slopes down on the sides. Some of its fancy decorations suggest it was built in the early 18th century. However, we don't know who owned it back then.
Who Lived Here First?
The first owner we know about was William Hill. He likely bought the property in the late 1830s. He added a Greek Revival style entrance to the house. A part of the house extends to the right, connecting it to a barn built in the late 1800s. William Hill was a dairy farmer, raising cows and sheep on the land.
The Watkins Family Arrives
In 1837, Clark Watkins bought land next to Hill's farm. He probably built a smaller, one-and-a-half-story house there. This house is in the Cape style. Later, in 1876, Clark's wife, Mary Watkins, bought William Hill's farm. She moved into the bigger main house and rented out the Cape-style house.
In 1877, Mary and Clark's son, Sumner Watkins, started a carriage factory. It was on the Hill property, across the road from the main house. This was a big change for the property. It started moving away from just farming. The family still produced some dairy products and apples, though. The carriage factory stayed open until 1907. Its building was taken down in the 1930s.
From Farm to Vacation Spot
In the 1920s, Charley Watkins, a later family member, changed the property again. He turned it into a place for summer visitors to rent. Besides the 1837 Cape house, he built a small office and eight cabins. He advertised that the cabins had heat and were open all year. He also offered space for trailers and rented rooms in the main house. This was a smart move because more people were traveling by car.
However, the property became less popular after the 1950s. The main road, US 302, was moved, which took some of the property's land. It also caused the loss of one of the property's water wells. By the 1980s, all but three of the cabins were torn down.
Today, the Watkins House and Cabins property is protected. This means its history and natural beauty will be preserved for the future.
