List of the oldest buildings in Maine

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See also: List of the oldest buildings in the United States

This article attempts to list the oldest buildings in the state of Maine in the United States of America, including the oldest houses in Maine and any other surviving structures from the First Period or oldest buildings of their type in Maine. Some dates are approximate and based on architectural studies and historical records, other dates are based on dendrochronology. All entries should include citation with reference to: architectural features; a report by an architectural historian; dendrochronology; or other secondary source.

Verified through dendrochronology or architectural surveys[edit]

Building Location First Built Notes
McIntire Garrison House York, Maine 1707 Apparently built in 1707 thought traditionally held to be constructed in 1645.[1]
Old York Gaol York, Maine c. 1720 Construction of building began in 1720, with expansion continuing until 1806.

The structure is one of the oldest surviving jails in the United States.[2]

Bray House Kittery, Maine c. 1720 While the Bray House was historically dated to the mid-1600s, a contemporary survey has deemed that assigning a date prior to 1710-1720 to the structure is "not really possible."[3]
First Congregational Church and Parsonage Kittery, Maine c. 1730 Oldest church building in Maine
Littlefield Tavern Wells, Maine 1735 This structure is reported to be an early tavern.[4]
Ramsdell House York, Maine c. 1747 One of the oldest houses in Maine, dated using dendrochronology.[5] Located on Lindsay Road.
Tate House Portland, Maine c. 1755 House museum and one of the oldest houses in Portland
Burnham Tavern Machias, Maine 1770 Possibly the oldest building east of the Penobscot River in Maine.[6]
Portland Head Light Portland, Maine c. 1790 Oldest lighthouse in Maine[citation needed]

Currently unverified estimates[edit]

Building Location First Built Notes
William Whipple House Kittery, Maine c. 1660 Purportedly the oldest portion of home at 88 Whipple Road is alleged to circa 1660 and was occupied by Robert Cutt; it was later the birthplace of General William Whipple, Signer of the Declaration of Independence; located at 88 Whipple Road[7][8] Possibly the oldest house in Maine. As of 2019 date not known to be confirmed with dendrochronology.
Francis Hooke House Kittery Point, Maine c. 1674 No known dendrochronology survey.[9][10]
William Pepperrell House Kittery, Maine 1682 Allegedly one of the oldest houses in Maine[11][12] No known dendrochronology survey.
Hunnewell House Scarborough, Maine 1684 The Hunnewell House is possibly the oldest surviving home in Scarborough.[13][14] No known dendrochronology survey.
Wells Homestead Wells, Maine 1696[15] No known dendrochronology survey.

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ "NHL nomination for McIntire Garrison House". National Park Service. Retrieved February 27, 2015.
  2. ^ "NHL nomination for Old York Gaol". National Park Service. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
  3. ^ "NRHP nomination for Bray House". National Park Service. Retrieved May 13, 2015.
  4. ^ "NRHP nomination for Littlefield Tavern". National Park Service. Retrieved May 11, 2015.
  5. ^ "Ramsdell House, Lindsay Road, York, Maine (43.142286, -70.653951)". Oxford Tree-ring Laboratory. Archived from the original on September 21, 2010. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
  6. ^ Dabney W. Caldwell, Roadside Geology of Maine (1998) pg. 92 https://books.google.com
  7. ^ "Restoring the house of legendary William Whipple" by D. Allan Kerr, Oct 9, 2017
  8. ^ Old Kittery and Her Families, by Everett Schermerhorn Stackpole, (Lewiston, ME: 1903) pg. 81 - Old Kittery and Her Families, by Everett Schermerhorn Stackpole, (Lewiston, ME: 1903) pg. 81
  9. ^ John Mead Howells, The Architectural Heritage of the Piscataqua: Houses and ... (1937), p. 207 https://books.google.com
  10. ^ John E. Frost (John Eldridge), Colonial Village, (1948), pg. 69 archive.org
  11. ^ "NRHP nomination for William Pepperrell House". National Park Service. Retrieved August 25, 2015.
  12. ^ "Historic American Buildings Survey" https://www.loc.gov/item/me0179/
  13. ^ [{National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010 {National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010]. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
  14. ^ "Hunnewell House, ca. 1950". November 15, 2016.
  15. ^ "NRHP nomination for Wells Homestead". National Park Service. Retrieved May 19, 2015.
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