The John Perkins House is a
historic house museum
A historic house museum is a house of historic significance that has been transformed into a museum. Historic furnishings may be displayed in a way that reflects their original placement and usage in a home. Historic house museums are held to a ...
on the grounds of the
Wilson Museum at 120 Perkins Street in
Castine, Maine. Built in 1765 on Court Street, it is one of the oldest houses in Castine, and a well-preserved example of Georgian architecture; it was moved to its present location in 1968-69 and restored. The house was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
in 1969. It is open for tours on a limited basis during July and August; the Gallery located in the basement is open from May to September.
Description and history
The Perkins House stands on the south side of Perkins Street, between the street and the
Bagaduce River
The Bagaduce River is a tidal river in the Hancock County, Maine that empties into Penobscot Bay near the town of Castine. From the confluence of Black Brook and the outflow of Walker Pond (), the river runs about U.S. Geological Survey. Nationa ...
. It faces west, toward the main Wilson Museum building. It is a -story wood-frame structure, five bays wide, with a central chimney. A -story ell extends to the rear of house; it also has a gable roof and a chimney. Its timbers are hand-hewn and joined by mortise and tenons, the lath used in the walls is made of split wood. The front entry is framed by sidelight windows and pilasters, and topped by an entablature and gabled pediment.
The house has a construction history dating to 1763 when John Perkins, a native of
York, Maine, moved here with his bride. The house Perkins built was located on what is now Court Street, and initially consisted of a single-story structure corresponding to the rear ell of the house. The present two-story main block was built sometime thereafter. The original ell was replaced about 1783 by a two-story structure. By the mid-20th century the building had deteriorated in condition, and had been condemned as a fire hazard. It was rescued by the Wilson Museum, carefully disassembled, and reassembled on the present site. The 1783 ell was too badly rotted to save, and was replaced by the present reconstruction of the original single-story ell. The main downstairs rooms of the house have been restored to their appearance circa 1783.
The house is the only known house in Castine to predate the
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
. The house was occupied by British troops in 1779, and survived bombardment by American forces of the
Penobscot Expedition, the disastrous attempt to dislodge the British. It was again occupied by British troops during the
War of 1812
The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...
.
[
The basement of the house was renovated in 2018 and now houses the Perkins Gallery; an extension of the Wilson Museum which contains antique farm tools and objects, items from the Perkins House, as well as a history of the surrounding towns. The Gallery is open the same days as the Museum.
]
See also
*
References
External links
Wilson Museum web site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Perkins, John, House
Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Maine
Colonial architecture in the United States
Houses completed in 1765
Houses in Hancock County, Maine
Castine, Maine
Historic house museums in Maine
National Register of Historic Places in Hancock County, Maine
Historic district contributing properties in Maine