National Register of Historic Places

Oaklands

Gardiner, Kennebec County, Maine
Listed
July 26, 1973
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
73000131

About this property

Oaklands, also known locally as Oaklands Castle, is a historic house on Oaklands Farm in southern Gardiner, Maine. The main house of this farm property is a stone Gothic Revival work from the early career of the noted 19th-century architect Richard Upjohn. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. Oaklands Farm is a property of more than 100 acres (40 ha) which has been in the hands of the locally prominent Gardiner family (for whom the city is named) for centuries. The land was granted in the 18th century to Silvester Gardiner, one of the Kennebec Proprietors. Confiscated by the state during the American Revolutionary War (because Gardiner was a Loyalist who fled), it was recovered by Gardiner's grandson and heir, Robert Hallowell Gardiner. Gardiner developed not just the estate, but promoted the growth of the town of Gardiner, and served as its first mayor when it was incorporated. The Oaklands estate house was built in 1835–36 to a design by Richard Upjohn, then in the early stages of his illustrious career. The Oaklands mansion house stands overlooking the Kennebec River, west of River Road and south of Cottage Road, on the larger Oaklands estate, and is accessed by dirt roads from the north and east. The house has a two-story main block with hip roof, and a three-story ell extending to its west. It is built out of ashlar granite, and features a crenellated parapet around the roof edge, and a projecting bastion-like turret at one corner. It was built out of stone quarried nearby in Hallowell. The larger estate consists of the aforementioned Oaklands mansion, Hallowell House, pond house, and orchard house. It is used as a farm, with sheep, cows, goats, and pigs bring raised on the property. National Register of Historic Places listings in Kennebec County, Maine

Location

Gardiner, Kennebec County, Maine
44.21330, -69.76555

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
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.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Oaklands

This page lists Oaklands. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Oaklands report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Pittston Congregational Church
Industrial
0.6 mi
Robinson, Edward Arlington, House
Industrial
0.8 mi
Richards, Laura, House
Industrial
1 mi
Brunswick Square
Listed
1 mi
Christ Episcopal Church
Industrial
1.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Oaklands listed on the National Register?

Oaklands was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 26, 1973.

What type of historic resource is Oaklands?

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

What is the period of significance for Oaklands?

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

Can I research the history near Oaklands?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Oaklands will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Kennebec County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Kennebec County.

Explore KennebecCounty ›

More historic places in Maine

Browse all historic places in Maine.

View Mainehistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Maine history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Mainehistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Oaklands will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report