Story
The Winter Harbor Historical Society owns and stewards the town’s former schoolhouse as its museum. The building was erected in 1877 as the fourth school in what was still the Town of Goldsboro, after the previous school was lost to fire. Just ten years after its construction, the schoolhouse was set to be relocated to make way for a hotel. Hoping to attract the same attention of rusticators and summer people seen on Mount Desert Island, Winter Harbor native and businessman, Edward J. Hammond spearheaded efforts to acquire land and develop cottages, along with building a hotel. To ensure guests had water views, Hammond came to an agreement with the Town to move the school down the road. The move required 10 oxen and reportedly took two weeks.
The school remained open until 1952, triggering momentary use of the building by the local grange and subsequently a boat builder. In 1976, the town deeded the former schoolhouse to the Winter Harbor Historical Society for the purposes of its preservation. The Historical Society has since stewarded the property, transforming the first-floor space into a local history museum, while use of the second floor is limited given accessibility challenges. Its members continue to collect archival material, objects, and ephemera important to the area’s past, partnering with nearby College of the Atlantic for assistance with digitization of records and curation. In 2014, the Historical Society celebrated repairs to the building’s belfry that allowed for reinstallation and operation of its original 1875 bell.
Threat
Growing concerns from members who observed shifting in the building’s walls led them to pursue answers. The May 2022 findings from a local engineer revealed the schoolhouse wasn’t just an old building with uneven floors and few straight lines, it had structural flaws that would require intervention. The biggest concern is the balloon frame structure, particularly on the second floor, has been stretched towards it limit causing the exterior walls to pull away from floor joists, which are not providing adequate structural support. Additionally, the condition of the fieldstone foundation compounded the framing issues, moisture control in the crawlspace was lacking, and access to and within the building was limited. The engineer advised that action be taken within the next five years so as not to reach the point of no return. With the help of an experienced local contractor, the Historical Society developed cost estimates for all the needed repairs to the schoolhouse, totaling nearly $400,000. This would include repairs to the exterior and windows, as well as upgrades to the existing heating system.
How to Get Involved
While the Winter Harbor Historical Society seeks guidance and pursues grant funding, its members have turned to yearlong residents and the summer community for support in preserving an important landmark and guaranteeing the organization a place to continue its mission in preserving the area’s heritage. Getting the word out about the need is also critical. The school’s 19th century relocation left it in a less prominent location, setback considerably from Main Street and out of view.
For more information on the Winter Harbor Historical Society Museum and updates on the organization’s progress, tune into their Winter Harbor History page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086397036113.
