The Renovation Unfolds

As a new homeowner to an old home, one expects to find lots of interesting things, and so we did. This first phase of renovation has been all about uncovering and discovering. Some of these discoveries are illustrated in the photo collage below. (clockwise)

Bill has been sorting, scooping, breaking-down, and piling up all the "stuff" that was left behind in the basement over the years and passed down to us. Some big things; a furnace and water tank, plumbing pipes, picnic table, and shelving... and lots of small things; bottles, wood scraps, wires, and preserved canned vegetables. He is also assessing and managing "the creek" that runs through the basement floor. Yes, we have a natural spring of water in our basement dirt floor.

Over the front door is a typical decorative fan*. If this panel was original to the structure, it would likely have had a pattern of brick surrounding it. We could see a granite lintel* peaking out of either side of the wood fan. There is also a dark pattern of brick in a triangle above the lintel, suggesting a pedimented roof once covered the doorway.

The yellow and green colored glass transom windows are probably not original, but, they are a unique feature to the Little Brick House. We were surprised to discover the Living Room transoms that we could see from the exterior, were not exposed on the interior. We now have yellow and green colored glass transoms in two rooms. This is a very happy house.

The south elevation of the kitchen had two boarded-up windows that could be seen from the porch side. It seemed illogical not to have southern exposure, and a view out to the porch from the kitchen. We will do with less cabinetry to gain more sunshine.

Wall-to-wall carpeting covered the wide pine floors in two of three bedrooms and the hallway on the second floor. There are many layers of paint to be removed. The front bedroom has a beautiful floor, giving us inspiration to strip the others.

North Bridgton is home to 200-year-old Post-graduate school, Bridgton Academy. We have a beautiful view of the Chapel's steeple from the dormer in the second floor hallway. One more way to connect to the history of our home.

*The decorative fan is getting much needed repairs and a new home with our neighbor, Ed Somers, a woodworker and furniture-maker who will be helping us restore our home.

*A lintel is a horizontal beam used in the construction of buildings, and supports masonry above a window or door opening. They are made of different materials, wood, stone, steel, and concrete.

The Beginning

The Little Brick House of North Bridgton, Maine was built in 1840 by Boston engineer, Charles Griffin, for his unmarried* sisters. Made of three layers of brick in a brick kiln** just down the road from the house. The house was purchased by Mrs. Burnham by 1871 (the name appears on a map of Bridgton at that time). Elizabeth (Lizzie) Gould took ownership from Mrs. Burnham; and following her a blacksmith named Charles Thomas; a Bridgton-Saco railroad station agent, James (Jim) Bird purchased the house on April 16, 1904. In the 1930's Jim sold to a retired nurse, Ida March, who named the house "Elm's Shadow" for the great Elm trees that sheltered the property. This history has been passed to us from the previous owners (early 1980 until November 2008), Diane and Jon Ray, who interviewed long-time Bridgton resident, James B. Hamlin on February 25, 1985. Bill and I are now caring for and restoring this small piece of North Bridgton history, that we have fondly named the "Little Brick House". We invite you to follow us through this process. *historically called, "spinster", an unmarried woman past the age common for marrying. ** see: The Last Brick Maker in America, currently showing on the Hallmark channel for a nice little story about brick-making.