Preservation of a historic building or neighborhood first relies upon the commitment of a steward. For more than 50 years, Judy Barrington has been among the lead stewards of the City of Bath and surrounding Sagadahoc County, ensuring the historic fabric of Midcoast Maine is maintained for and appreciated by future generations.
Having grown up in an early 18th century house on Massachusetts’s South Shore, Judy was primed for preservation from the beginning. Her appreciation for historic buildings was cemented while studying art history, American studies, and natural sciences at Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design.
Judy and her husband, an engineer hoping to secure a job at Bath Iron Works, moved to Maine in 1965. Judy was among the founding members of the Sagadahoc Preservation, Inc., a nonprofit formed in 1971 to prevent the demolition of Bath’s Winter Street Church. Judy’s professional career as a scientific illustrator and photographer for Maine Medical Center easily translated to the graphic design needs of the fledgling nonprofit.
Judy worked on several early projects. In the early 1970s, she helped advocate for a renewed downtown Bath, making models of restored storefronts to counter the looming threat of urban renewal. Preservationists and like-minded partners prevailed over proposals to demolish the historic buildings, protecting one of Bath’s greatest assets – its built heritage. She also served as photographer for the first survey of historic houses in Bath from 1974-1979.
Following her retirement in 2001, Judy became more involved as a Trustee of SPI, serving as Board President from 2001-2004 and Co-President from 2005-2007. Judy led the charge on many of SPI’s public-facing initiatives, notably the historic house plaque program. The recognizable signs are evident all over Bath, identifying historic homes and engaging the public. Each request for plaque includes a research packet with deed information, tax data, census records, and genealogical documentation specific to each house, spanning the entire line of owners.
Also of particular note, is the architecture coloring book Judy developed for 4th graders in Sagadahoc County, intended to educate children on the importance of the buildings around them and to pass along that message to their parents!
Judy’s efforts were not limited to SPI. She was also a charter member of the City’s Historic District Architectural Review Board in 1999 and helped draft the original design guidelines for Bath’s historic district. She long participated in Bath’s Main Street program, serving on its Design Committee. In addition, Judy shared her time with Maine Preservation, serving two, six-year terms as a Trustee, chairing our easement committee and co-chairing the outreach committee. She helped design brochures and completed photographic documentation for a preservation easement that will protect the Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village in perpetuity.
And if all of this was not enough, Judy and her husband saved their current home, a c. 1803 Federal Style house, after plans to widen the approach to Carlton Bridge guaranteed its demolition. In 1984, with the help of a local contractor, they carefully deconstructed the post-and-beam house and relocated it to safety.
You will still find Judy at the SPI office in the basement of Winter Street Church, ready to answer questions about your historic house, plan the next tour, and ensure Bath’s historic buildings are kept safe.
