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Castine House &
Garden Tour, “Under the Elms and By the Sea,”
Set for July 29, 2010
Castine, Maine, April 6, 2010 -- This summer,
the Castine Historical Society presents the 2010
Castine House & Garden Tour, which takes place on
Thursday, July 29, 2010 from 10am-4pm. For the
first time since 2004, in this town known for its
lovely harbor and rich history, Castine opens its
front doors and garden gates for all to enjoy a
glimpse into the wonderful character of this unique
coastal village.
Under
the Elms and By the Sea,
the theme of this
year’s tour, celebrates one of Castine’s great
treasures: its beloved collection of towering elm
trees that still canopy many of its charming
streets. Recognized as one of the last great stands
of the majestic Dutch Elm, over 300 elm trees
remain, through the tireless preservation efforts of
townspeople, as a glorious symbol emblematic of the
era of American growth and forestation.
Offering a range of architectural periods and
styles, the walking tour which comprises nine houses
and five gardens, has something for everyone. Among
traditional architecture, colonial homes and summer
cottages, visitors will have the opportunity to see
an historic once-functioning sail loft that the
current owners have transformed into a highly
attractive living space overlooking Castine Harbor,
the former home of American poet Robert Lowell, a
house constructed of cedar half timbers with birch
logs inside and out, and a masterfully restored 18th
century Captain’s house.
Several of the homes make use of stylish interior
design including a Cape house decorated in the Arts
and Crafts style, one that incorporates contemporary
art and furniture into its renovations, one that
blends mid-century modern furnishings with its
classic underpinnings, and one that takes advantage
of its rustic yet fanciful lodge style.
A cornerstone of the tour is the Parson Mason House,
built in 1797, a classic example of Federal
architecture, which has been carefully restored,
benefiting greatly from the homeowner's dedication
to research, historical accuracy and aesthetics. At
another home on the tour, which was built in 1924
and featured in Arts and Decoration magazine in
February 1925, fundraising tea parties were held in
the summer of 1941called the "Queen's Handkerchief
Garden Party for British War Relief".
For the sail loft featured on the tour, it is not
just lore but documented in the archives of the
Castine Historical Society, that around 1890, during
the heyday of its sail-making operation, the
interior walls were covered with vaudeville posters
and included an original framed Fitz Henry Lane oil
painting Castine from Ft. George, circa 1856.
Today, the modernized sail loft situated in the
commercial district, is a summer residence which has
been reconstructed to experience life in the heart
of harbor activities.
The gardens on view include one that sweeps across
an 1802 federal house with formal plantings, an herb
garden, vegetable beds and fruit trees. Another
garden that sits in a charming in-town location
provides an unusually restful oasis of native
perennials that flourish in the unique climate of
coastal Maine. At the former home of celebrated
American author Mary McCarthy, there is a secret
garden which includes all the rose bushes planted by
the author, who apparently adored roses. Further out
on the peninsula, another garden unfolds situated
high above the entrance to Castine Harbor, capturing
the dramatic views of the mouth of the harbor as it
leads out to the open waters of the Penobscot Bay.
To
kickoff the event, a Preview Evening will be held on
the night of Wednesday, July 28th,
which will include a lecture, free and open to the
public, followed by a Preview Party fundraiser. For
the lecture, the Castine Historical Society welcomes
Christopher Glass, architectural historian and
author of the newly-released book Historic Maine
Homes: 300 Years of Great Houses.
A special luncheon is available for tour-goers, by
reservation, at The Manor Inn, for $25. Reservations
can be made at the time of ticketing.
To
purchase tickets, contact Castine Realty at
s.vogell@msn.com or by telephone at
207-326-9392, or visit
www.castinehistoricalsociety.org. Tickets
purchased by June 30 are $30, and throughout July
are $35. Group tickets of parties of 10 or more are
$30. Proceeds benefit the Castine Historical
Society. Additional information is available at
www.castinehistoricalsociety.org |
