Samuel D Hanson School - Crescent Yearbook (Buxton, ME)

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THE CRESCENT . MAINE HOUSES Often place that people feel that a small town is a they happened to be so unfortunate 7? dreary monotonous as to have been born and reared in. Actually, there are countless interesting ee and enjoy in a small place. Undoubtedly, never thought of the part houses play in the history of They can take their place beside things that towns take such as an important battle sight, an old Indian trail, things to S birthplace of some notable person. you have a locali pride in of the The most primitive type of house ever built by white people in America was the Plymouth Half House C1620-l65OJ. This small dwelling had a chimney on one end, oiled paper in one or twoi windows, a single door, and usually no floor. These were built of rough boards or logs, the chinks being filled with clay. Even the chimney was built of logs and lined with hard mud. From this type grew the New England Homestead ed the Cape Cod House. This was really anothe the end with the chimney of the Plymouth Half the chimney in the center C1650-17002. From C1700-l8OOD the Seventeenth Century existance. These had two and a half stories. often falsely call r room added to House thus making House came into Frequently around the country we see this type with lovely fan doorways. When the daughter of the house get married the old couple often built an it leaving the it was called, All of the extension on the back of the house and moved into large house for the newlyweds. The lean-to, as was added to all existing types of houses. se old houses had large chimneys and small window The very earliest windows had diagonal panes and were imported from England. Around Buxton and Gorham a person often sees the unequally divided windows with more panes of glass in the upper' section than the lowerg for example twelve over eight. There are many other combinations. Really old panes of glass can be distinguished by the waves which pass through it making it slightly muddy and often distorts objects when it is looked throught. The doors of these houses are very interesting too. Fan doorways and sidelights were very popular. Sea captains often made beautifully carved doorways while on their long adventurous voyages. Christian and double Christian doors were seen both inside and outside. The Christian door has four panels divided YY S. by a cross. The double Christian doors were believed to insure a double protection against witches. These are characterized by six panels divided by a cross with two arms. The lovely Georgian doors with their carved posts and scrolls across the top were most common in the south but are occasionally seen in the north. Frequently houses were built of brick. These were very sturdy often several layers of brick. The farmers often made their own bricks and spent several years in constructing their houses. ' Another very unusual type was the overhangg the upper story extended over the lower. A series of holes were built in the overlapping part in order to make it possible for the inmates to shoot down at hostile Indians who approached the door.

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6 THE CRESCENT But what of Maineis first religious services? The first Christian religious service conducted in Maine was in 1604 when when the French under De Monte visited Mount Desert. The first mass said in Maine was by Father Beard in October, 1611, on an island at the mouth of the Kennebec'River. ln 1607, the first Protestant religious service in New England was conducted by Rev. Richard Seymour at Popham, where a church was built. From these and other various meetings the settlers grouped together and erected the first rude churches in which tomworship their God, some of,which still stand today. , ' ln Lincoln County stand three old churches which serve as a perfect example'ef these great landmarks, each 9 center of activity for over a centuryaff one at Walpole, Alna and Waldoboro. For many years plans forpthe erection of aixmeeting-housenin Walpole were discussed but it was not until l772'that the plans materializ- ed. ln external appearance 't has been altered by the addition of blinds, so that new sur unded andihglgrhidden-by tall elm trees and clumps of lilacs. aiibresemofes an 655' wo and a half story dwelling house. There anasthree ent .fiwith aisles merging into the central aisle leading from each. The audience room is partitioned by moderately high walls into almost square pews with narrow, uncomfortable seats around three of their Galleries twelve feet wide hang from three walls, fitted up similar pews, and a long bench in front for the singers' wherein the old-time psalm tunes were droned out. Toweri al te of Me of ed r held forth in long prayer and the Hmeeting-houseu erected in etinghouse in Waldoboro erected Portland in 1721 and the hundr here and there over the entire Probably most interesting to l, high on the wall, hangs the formidabl longer so Alna in in 1775, d other state. us in th South Cenfregatienal Church on Tory Hill a e pulpit where rmon. This is ivee, the HOld the First Pari village churche the e story of t Buxton Lower UE seat, eve the sides. with r minis- typical German sh Church s scat the Corner which during the post quarter of a century has become,the most famous country church in New England, through the literary work of the late Kato Dounlass Within. A more peaceful scene could Ci, not be found. From the tending from the low he Mt. Washington. Buxton erected its bolfry the view is wide and varied, ox- ad of Agamenticus to the lefty summit of first rude church in 1744 and the first frame meeting house was dedicated in 1762. The first settled minister was Rev. Paul Coffin who preached sixty years and whos manuscript sermons are in the possession of the Maine Historica Association in Portland. The present edifice is the third one, erected in 1822. The place was made the subject of a church drama, HThe Old Peabody Pewn by Kate D. Wiggin. As a religious and literary shrine the old Tory Hill summer by hundreds of pilgrims and by summer tourists. . Surely the old Churches of Maine relics of the state's historical days impressive. Carolyn J. Woolcockf42 Chur many, ch is visited e of our friends ach and, ter- e 1 are hallowed places, and as they are numerous and deeply

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8 THE CRE SCENT Around seaports the sea captains' houses were very common. The old captains were lonely on shore so they built flat roofs like their ship decks with a cupalo on top. These had windows on all sides and there the captain could take his telescope and chair and comfortably watch the ships sail in and out of the. harbor. trimmings whic porches. Cups Throughou as French korma Spanish stucco and seen in no other part of the MAINE F on the rapi Meonbeams danced of water seem studded r . ,I After the Civil War many northerners grew extremely wealthy. They had nothing to spend their money on but elaborate homes. It was then that the gingerbread houses with their ornate h looked like lace hanging from the roofs and los, gables, amd balconies were seen everywhere. t America were the foreign influenced types such ndie houses, gambrel roofs, Swiss Chateaus, and houses but all the other types are purely American world. Shirley Lieby'42 ORTS ds of the riv with diamonds. The soft K1 c, making sprays breeze'blew through the pine trees, the trees swaying back and forth keeping time with the rhythmical marching of the night sentinel. Such are the elements '.'. fhich surrounded Fort Edgeoomb or any fort constructed in the early seventwenth century. Addition upon this scene would have to be, in order to make it traditional. A lovely girl clothed in a flowing dress, wearing a velvet wrap and glass slippers. The girl being the commanding officer's daughter, has a dull life in the fort. At this time the shad- ows move - out steps a masculine form, which is the hero and heart throb of the Fort. The scene completed - either the moon disappears or the fort is attacked hy Indians. At the time Maine first becare settled, the environment of the peopl: was vgry diffzrent from today. Families struggling desperately for a living - depending wholly upon themselves for existence. Villages, towns dnd settlements sprung up here and there. Finally when all is peaceable and harmonious it is the way of life to have intruders and war hawkes enter upon the scene. People of these towns and settlzments were protected by and with- in ths malls of forts. An ekamelq of the valu ..'., of these forts 'H to settlers is that thgy afford protection from Indians. These with th ir cry of terror and deadly arrows were the pioneers dreaded danger. At present, Kaine has many of the original forts, which are still in existence - surrounded with mystery and romance. In order to prdsorve the forts from individual ownership and de- struction, the state has bought eight of these forts. ' Aa one visits and looks at Fort St. George or any other fort such as the picturesque scenes surrounding Tdgecomb - it is hard to realize these psactful buildings were once alive with busy pioneers dressed in daerskin and coon caps - shouldgring heavy guns. Always on the alert for the treacherous Indians.