National Register of Historic Places

Gates House

Machiasport, Washington County, Maine
Listed
April 27, 1975
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
75000115

About this property

The Gates House is a historic house museum at 344 Port Road (Maine State Route 92) in Machiasport, Maine. Built in 1807, it is a remarkably high-quality Federal period house built in what was then a frontier area. The house is now owned by the Machiasport Historical Society, which uses it as its headquarters and museum. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. The Gates House is located between Port Road and the Machias River in the village center of Machiasport, a short way south of Liberty Hall. It is set on a steeply sloping lot directly on the bank of the river, presenting two stories to the street and three to the river. It is an L-shaped wood-frame structure, with a hip roof and clapboard siding. The main entrance is set near the crook of the L, flanked by pilasters and topped by an entablature. Windows are small-paned sash, with minimally decorative surrounds, and there are three chimneys. The interior has seen much alteration over the building's history, and only the first floor room layout approximates the original configuration. There are no fireplaces. When the house was built in 1807, it was one of the few houses in the immediate area. It was probably built by Nathaniel Phinney, Sr., and was purchased by Nathan Gates in 1813. Gates operated wharves adjacent to the house, which became a transshipment point for lumber arriving on the Whitneyville Railroad and sent to market via coasting schooners. The house remained in the hands of the Gates family until 1929. In 1966 it was acquired by the Machiasport Historical Society, which uses it as its headquarters and museum. National Register of Historic Places listings in Washington County, Maine

Location

Machiasport, Washington County, Maine
44.69699, -67.39339

Categories

COMMERCEARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Liberty Hall
Industrial
0 mi
Fort O'Brien
Early Republic
0.5 mi
"The Rim" and Site of Fort Foster
Early Republic
1.5 mi
East Machias Historic District
Colonial
2.8 mi
Talbot, James R., House
Industrial
2.9 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Machias
1775Revolutionary War
3.6 mi
Battle of Machias (Maine 1775)
1775Revolutionary War
3.7 mi

Questions about this property

When was Gates House listed on the National Register?

Gates House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 27, 1975.

What type of historic resource is Gates House?

Gates House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Gates House?

The period of significance for Gates House is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Gates House?

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