Pettengill Farm in Freeport
If you are even slightly acquainted with Freeport, Maine then L.L.Bean or the outlet stores likely come to mind when you picture the town. On many occasions I have strolled down Main Street with throngs of tourists. On this visit, I started at that location and stopped by the Freeport Historical Society for an appointment with its executive director, Jim Cram. From there, we drove two miles and arrived at tranquil Pettengill Farm. It felt like a different world from the one we were in a few minutes earlier.
The 140-acre property is filled with beautiful fields, trees, rock walls, old apple orchards, and a salt marsh at the estuary of the Harraseeket River. All of this natural beauty surrounds a saltbox house that was home to Mainers for almost two centuries. Its last resident, Millie Pettengill, moved out in 1970. Step inside and you’ll find yourself in an earlier chapter of history. The building has never had running water, electricity, or central heat.
Unlike many historical buildings in Maine, this one is — for lack of a better term — raw. But don’t let that deceive you: rare treasures have been discovered inside. Layers of wallpaper were peeled away revealing artwork etched into the walls over two hundred years old. The term for this technique is sgraffitti. According to the society’s description, the Italian word means to scratch or draw by incising into the surface. The intricate designs of four British and American warships are stunning. The artist remains unknown.
Tour guide: Jim Cram, executive director of the Freeport Historical Society
If you need some post-shopping serenity the next time you pass through Freeport, a stroll through these grounds will be like medicine. The gardens, fields, and forest trails are open to the public, dawn to dusk, year-round. Other events can be found on the historical society’s website.
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