Vaughan Homestead

Vaughan Homestead
Location 2 Litchfield Rd., Hallowell, Maine
Coordinates 44°16′36″N 69°47′43″W / 44.27667°N 69.79528°W / 44.27667; -69.79528Coordinates: 44°16′36″N 69°47′43″W / 44.27667°N 69.79528°W / 44.27667; -69.79528
Area 25 acres (10 ha)
Built 1797 (1797)
NRHP Reference # 70000091[1]
Added to NRHP October 6, 1970

The Vaughan Woods and Historic Homestead is a historic estate at 2 Litchfield Road in Hallowell, Maine. Now a museum property open to the public, it was developed in 1797 by Charles Vaughan for his brother Benjamin. Both Vaughans were leading businessmen and leaders in Hallowell at the time, Benjamin having married into the prominent Hallowell family. A portion of the property, encompassing the main house and surrounding landscaped area, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.[1]

Description and history

The Vaughan estate is located south of downtown Hallowell, on a property overlooking the Kennebec River, that is bounded on the north by Litchfield Road, the west by Interstate 95, the south by public lands containing regional schools, and the east by Greenville Street and small residential roads. The estate covers nearly 200 acres (81 ha), much of it woodland. The northern third is separated from the south by Vaughan Brook, which flows east from Cascade Pond (on the property) to the Kennebec River. It is in this area that the main estate buildings are located. The house is a large and rambling structure, two stories in height. The original main block is the southernmost portion, except for a now-enclosed porch extending across its southeastern face that is a 19th-century addition. To the northwest of this block there are a series of ells, also mostly of 19th-century origin, one of which is in a distinctive octagon shape. The house is surrounded by terraced landscaping.[2] To the south and west of the house are woods, with hiking trails offering scenic views and access to historic uses of the property.

The estate was part of the once-large holdings of Benjamin Hallowell, one of the Kennebec Proprietors and the namesake of the city. Hallowell's daughter Sarah married Benjamin Vaughan, son of a London merchant, and their two sons, Charles and Benjamin, moved to Hallowell in 1791 and 1797, respectively. Charles had the main portion of this estate house built for Benjamin in anticipation of his arrival. Benjamin Vaughan was a merchant and diplomat, playing a critical role in negotiations ending the American Revolutionary War. Both Vaughans were active in the promotion of business and the economic development of Hallowell.[2]

By the late 19th century, a significant portion of the Vaughan estate had been sold off and cleared of trees. Vaughan descendants William and Benjamin Vaughan began in 1890 to repurchase portions of the estate and restoring the woodlands. The present estate is largely a product of their efforts. William's heirs donated a conservation easement to the Kennebec Land Trust in 1991, and the property was eventually taken over by a non-profit organization founded in 2002.[3]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 National Park Service (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  2. 1 2 John Briggs (1970). "NRHP nomination for Vaughan Homestead" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved 2016-07-15. with photos from 1970
  3. ↑ "Woods History". Vaughan Woods and Historic Homestead. Retrieved 2016-07-15.


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