McLellen House

McLellen House

Unfortunately we didn't get a chance to enter this house on this day, but we have gone into it before. On the outside it's beautifully kept, restored and attached to the Portland Museum of Art in downtown. The inside from what I remember is also nice. Very much so a product of it's time it consists of a main room in the center, with a lavish stair case that leads up stairs to balconies that extend into separate rooms.

It was built in roughly 1800-1801 by Major Hugh McLellen. It turns out that Major McLellen was a big deal in Maine, Portland in particular. Not only was he the owner of the largest fleet of ships in the state, but he also started the states first insurance company, and the first bank. It was built as a dedication to the "golden age" in Maine's history between the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812.

The house itself was designed and built by the late (obviously) John Kimball Sr.. A designer from Ipswich Massachusetts. He was Portland's first architect and studied British architecture to find inspiration.

The McLellen family didn't get to enjoy the house for very long. Soon after moving in Major McLellen's wife passed away. Soon after that the British trade embargo took hold and crippled his business. By 1815 the house was up for sale. It was purchased by Asa Clapp for a total of $4,050 for her son Charles Quincy Clapp.

In 1880 the house was sold by the Clapp family to a Colonel Lorenzo de Medici and Margaret Jane Mussey Sweat. Margaret being a local with a degree from Bowdoin college. Colonel Sweat eventually served in the Maine senate from 1861-1862 and was a congressman from 1863-1865.  

Shortly after in 1882 the Portland Society of Art was founded by local artists. At the time of Ms. Sweat's death in 1908 she deeded the house to the Society, which preserved it.

When the Museum was eventually constructed the House was attached to it. A show of respect for both Ms. Sweat, and the history behind the house. Very few building this old exist in such good condition in the United States. It's nice to be able to not only see it, but go inside of it and see exhibits to it's former owners.