The Gov. Israel Washburn House is a historic house at 120 Main Street in Orono, Maine. Built in 1840, it is architecturally significant as a fine local example of

Greek Revival architecture The Greek Revival was an architectural movement which began in the middle of the 18th century but which particularly flourished in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in northern Europe and the United States and Canada, but ...

, and is historically significant as the long-time home of Governor of Maine

Israel Washburn, Jr. Israel Washburn Jr. (June 6, 1813 – May 12, 1883) was a United States political figure who was the Governor of Maine from 1861 to 1863. Originally a member of the Whig Party, he later became a founding member of the Republican Party. In 184 ...

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

Description and history

The Washburn House is located on the east side of Main Street (

United States Route 2 U.S. Route 2 or U.S. Highway 2 (US 2) is an east–west U.S. Highway spanning across the northern continental United States. US 2 consists of two segments connected by various roadways in southern Canada. Unlike some routes, wh ...

), on a residential stretch of that road south of downtown Orono that is lined with 19th-century houses. It is a -story wood-frame structure, with a front-

gable roof A gable roof is a roof consisting of two sections whose upper horizontal edges meet to form its ridge. The most common roof shape in cold or temperate climates, it is constructed of rafters, roof trusses or purlins. The pitch of a gable roof ca ...

, and a granite foundation. A two-story gabled wing extends northward from the rear of the main block, and there is a carriage house at the rear of the property. Most of the house is sheathed in clapboards; the front facade and the front-facing part of the wing are finished in flushboarding. The building corners are pilastered, supporting an

entablature An entablature (; nativization of Italian , from "in" and "table") is the superstructure of moldings and bands which lies horizontally above columns, resting on their capitals. Entablatures are major elements of classical architecture, and ...

that rings the house. The front facade has a single-story porch supported by Doric columns, with a low

balustrade A baluster is an upright support, often a vertical moulded shaft, square, or lathe-turned form found in stairways, parapets, and other architectural features. In furniture construction it is known as a spindle. Common materials used in its con ...

above. The front facade of the wing has a projecting bay with paneled corners and full-height windows, and is also topped by a balcony with a similar balustrade. Windows on the ground floor of the main facade and south side are full length, with more standard-sized

sash window A sash window or hung sash window is made of one or more movable panels, or "sashes". The individual sashes are traditionally paned window (architecture), paned windows, but can now contain an individual sheet (or sheets, in the case of double gla ...

s elsewhere. The entrance is in the left bay of the three-bay front, flanked by sidelight windows and pilasters. The interior retains period woodwork and hardware, including original oak floors with inlaid mahogany, and two fine black marble fireplaces. The house was built in 1840 by

, not long after his marriage, and was his home until 1863. Washburn was born into a politically prominent family, entered the legislature in 1851, and served two terms as Governor of Maine during the American Civil War. He was appointed Collector of the Port of Portlan

by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, a post he held until his retirement in 1877. He is best known for his prominent and vocal stance against the expansion of slavery.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Washburn, Gov. Israel, House Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Maine Greek Revival houses in Maine Houses completed in 1840 Houses in Orono, Maine National Register of Historic Places in Penobscot County, Maine Historic district contributing properties in Maine

Description and history

See also

References