William Sewall House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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William Sewall House
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Photograph c. 1910
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1027 Crystal Rd., Island Falls, Maine |
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| Area | 0.3 acres (0.12 ha) |
| Built | 1865 |
| Architect | Osgood Pingree |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 82000740 |
| Added to NRHP | April 12, 1982 |
The William Sewall House is a special old home in Island Falls, Maine. It was built way back in 1865. This house is a great example of a style called Greek Revival, which was popular for homes in the countryside.
What makes this house really interesting is that it was the home of William Wingate Sewall for many years. He was one of the first people born in Island Falls. William Sewall was also a very good friend of Theodore Roosevelt, who later became a President of the United States. Roosevelt even visited this house often until 1878.
The William Sewall House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. This means it's an important historical building. Today, the house is still owned by Sewall's family. They use it as a place where people can go for yoga retreats.
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The William Sewall House: A Historic Home
The Sewall House is located on Crystal Road in the village of Island Falls. It sits just west of the Post Office. This house is a two-and-a-half-story building made of wood. It has a roof that slopes down on two sides and two chimneys inside. The outside walls are covered with clapboard siding.
What Does the House Look Like?
The front of the house faces south. It has a porch that goes all the way across the front and wraps around the right side. This porch has square posts holding up its roof. The main front door has tall, narrow windows on each side. These are called sidelight windows. There are also flat, decorative columns next to the door.
On the right side of the house, there's a two-story garage with two bays. It connects the main house to an old carriage barn. This shows how the house has grown over time.
Who Was William Sewall?
One of the very first people to settle in Island Falls was Levi Sewall. He arrived in 1842. His tenth child, William Wingate Sewall, was born in 1845. William was the first person born in the community of Island Falls.
William Sewall lived in Island Falls his whole life. He worked in Maine's logging industry until he was 75 years old. This house was built for William by his neighbor, Osgood Pingree. William Sewall's house became a well-known place for hunters. They would stop there when they were exploring the Maine woods.
A Future President's Friend
In 1872, a young man named Theodore Roosevelt visited the house. At the time, he was a bit sickly. But he and William Sewall became great friends. Their friendship lasted for many years, until Roosevelt passed away in 1919.
Roosevelt last visited Sewall in Maine in 1878. However, he invited William to join him on an adventure. This trip was to the Dakota Territory in 1884. This shows how strong their friendship was.
The House Today
The William Sewall House is still owned by the family of William Sewall. Today, it is used as a yoga retreat center. People can visit to relax and practice yoga in this historic setting.
