Hamilton House, c. 1785
A National Historic Landmark
40 Vaughan's Lane
South Berwick, Me. 03908
(207) 384-2454
Directions
Open: June 1 through October 15
Wednesday through Sunday
Tours at 11 a.m., noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Admission: $8, Historic New England members and South Berwick residents free
Grounds open dawn to dusk
After railroads made the region accessible in the late 19th
century, coastal Maine became a fashionable destination for wealthy
summer people. Many of the newcomers bought and restored the fine old
houses built during the prosperous years following the American
Revolution.
In 1898, Mrs. Emily Tyson and her
stepdaughter, Elise, purchased the c. 1785 Hamilton House, built on a
magnificent site overlooking the Salmon Falls River. The Tysons flung
themselves into a lifelong project to restore the house to its former
glory. Influenced by literary imagery, including the writings of
their neighbor and friend, Sarah Orne Jewett, they decorated with a
mixture of elegant antiques, painted murals, and simple country
furnishings to create their own romantic interpretation of America's
colonial past.
The extensive grounds of the Hamilton House include a formal
garden, the site of a summer concert series.
Other Historic New England houses in the area include the Sarah Orne Jewett House,
Sayward-Wheeler House. Nearby the Piscataqua region are
Governor John Langdon House, Rundlet-May House,
Jackson House, and Gilman Garrison House.
Directions: Take I-95 to Maine Exit 3. Follow
Route 236 north for 9 miles. After junction with Route 91, take first
left onto Brattle Street. Take second right onto Vaughan's Lane and
continue to the end.
Discover more about the Hamilton House in the Historic
New England magazine archives:
