South Berwick, Maine

Having visited South Berwick, Maine, yesterday, I am halfway done with the birthday list. Phew.

Linda and I visited two lovely historic homes. Our first stop was the Sarah Orne Jewett House. I had heard her name before and knew that she was an author. After visiting her house, I’ll be looking for her books at the library! She was published by the Atlantic Monthly at age 19. Amazing! She was taken under the wing of James Fields (Atlantic publisher) and his wife, and was introduced to Hawthorne and Emerson and other luminaries. What a time to be a writer in New England.

The house was owned by her grandfather, and he left it to her and her older sister. They were into the Arts and Crafts movement, which I love. So I really enjoyed seeing the different rugs and wallpapers in that style.

When Sarah’s friends the Tysons were looking for a summer home, she told them about nearby Hamilton House. John Hamilton was a successful shipping captain who built a mansion overlooking the Salmon Falls River. His children were not as successful in the family business and put the house up for sale. Emily Tyson and her stepdaughter Elise snatched it up. The house itself is beautiful but I preferred the grounds. There is a lovely garden and water on two sides of the house. I love the idea of a “summer house.” When I win the lottery that I never play, one of my first purchases will be a summer house on a river, lake, or ocean.