Saturday, July 13, 2024; 11am to 4pm

Homes on Tour 2024 featured a collection of private homes in historic Wiscasset Village and the immediate surrounding area. Our six featured homes and carriage house were built between 1799 and 1898. Each is unique and fascinating, and each presents an aspect of Village life in the 19th century. They are treasured private residences, and homeowners have successfully blended contemporary taste with historical details so that glimpses of the past remain:

• A stunning home, not far out of Wiscasset Village, started modestly in the1890s, probably as a farmhouse with its acres of working land sweeping down to the river, and has been expanded into the exquisite estate it is today with more than 6,000 sq. ft. of living space. In addition to the waterfront lawns and views, the many luxurious features include an island kitchen designed for entertaining, six bedrooms and baths, a billiard room, and patio and pool out the back door.

• A once-modest farmhouse, built in 1805 or earlier, exemplifies what was once rural living on the outskirts of town. The farmhouse today is colorful and comfortable. As visitors enter through the sun porch, an updated kitchen with new stone counters, a custom island, and a butler’s alcove express contemporary taste while views across a flourishing meadow to the edge of the forest, link to the past. A small farm pond with a jolly sculpture nearby completes the ‘then’ and ‘now’ experience.

• In Wiscasset Village, an intact carriage house from about 1850, at the head of abundant gardens, reminds visitors that this romantic method of transportation was actually quite common – and useful – during the 19th century. The gardens, with native plants and contemporary style, have been planted in a yard that’s been a working landscape for more than 200 years. 

• A home, built in 1810, served dual purposes into the 1960s as a home and a business. New owners have embarked on a restoration that emphasizes functional authenticity: the four fireplaces are being overhauled, planks and doors have been borrowed from the barn, and interior brickwork has been exposed.The home owners have been rewarded for their efforts thus far by finding the initials of long-gone craftsmen, old documents, and engraved initials. Restoring the original windows, a barn overhaul, a music studio, and a sunroom are all part of long-range planning.

• A stately Federal-style home, built in 1799 by Ebenezer Whittier, was a wedding gift to his daughter, Elizabeth. Inside, after substantial renovations, the original wide-plank floors and a cozy feel to the home have been restored. The home is also the informal exhibit space for paintings, including the home owner’s, and many personal collections of miniatures, children’s toys, and furnishings.

• A classic saltbox, built in 1820, is home to a musician who also paints. No surprise that she has created a music room and a painting studio within. But the overwhelming feature that stuns visitors are the bold and hand-done stenciling in several rooms. The artwork, the stenciling, collections of etched glass, Japanese porcelains, and some whimsical furnishings, give the home an aptly unique character.

In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, picturesque Wiscasset had a prolific ship-building industry along the shores of the Sheepscot River. Those stunning homes that spoke eloquently of their owners’ wealth still remain, but so, too, do the well-preserved homes of shopkeepers, entrepreneurs, farmers, and other productive members of this small self-contained community. Together, they contribute to Wiscasset’s description as “the prettiest village in Maine.”

Wiscasset’s Homes on Tour features history, splendor, and inspiration!  Read about the 2023 tour in Wiscasset Newspaper.

Ticket Info., Tea in the Garden, Picnic Lunch . . ..

In 2024, tickets were priced at $30 each and could be purchased online or in person. Pick up for all tickets was in Wiscasset Village on the day of the tour with visitor parking and bathrooms nearby.

The featured homes were all located in or near Wiscasset Village. Afternoon tea or lemonade - with homemade sweets - was served in a lovely Wiscasset Village garden featuring native plants.

For the convenience of tour-goes, a pre-ordered picnic lunch was available at $18. each. Lunches were prepared by Wiscasset’s Back River Bistro and selections included salads and sandwiches. The picnic location was the historic Nickels-Sortwell House lawn and garden in Wiscasset Village with live music by jazz guitarist David Lawlor. Alternatively, tour-goers were able to enjoy lunch from one of the delicious restaurants in the Village and environs.