Name/Title
Stetson-Starboard House | 13 Boynton Street, Eastport, Maine | Boynton Street Historic District | I7-0C4-01 | District #97Entry/Object ID
097Description
The two story hip roof federal style house is part of the National Register Boynton Street Historic District and was built in 1821. Gideon Stetson was a blacksmith and land speculator. He purchased the land for his house in 1821, and sold it the same day to Ebenezer Starboard with the promise of building a house on the property. Starboard along with another partner was in the clothing business and they were noted for making the uniforms of the Eastport Light Infantry. In 1823 a stable was attached to the house, but was removed in the late 1800s when the ell was added. The house has two separate rear ells, a feature that is found on other Eastport houses of the same period. The house has a design similar to the Daniel Kilby house next door with a five bay front and center doorway facing the street. The front door has an intricate fanlight and sidelights. The house retains its original clapboard wood siding.
From Sunrise County Architecture (2nd revised and enlarged edition) 1996, p.25:
STETSON-STARBOARD HOUSE.
Gideon Stetson was a blacksmith and land speculator. He purchased the land for his house in 1821, and sold it the same day to Ebenezer Starboard with the promise of building a house on the property. This Federal period two story home was built in 1821-1822. In 1823 a stable was attached to the house, but was removed in the late 1800s when the ell was added. The house has a design similar to the Daniel Kilby House, with an intricate fanlight and sidelights, and clapboarded exterior. The Stetson-Starboard House is at 13 Boynton Street. AFN
From Eastport Walking Tour Brochure, 2010:
53) The Stetson-Starboard House (NR) 13 Boynton Street, Federal style, 1821 or 1822. Gideon Stetson was a land speculator and a blacksmith who purchased the land for this house in 1821. The house was built for Ebenezer Starboard, who was in the clothing business with Mr. Rice and they were noted for making the uniforms of the Eastport Light Infantry. Although similar in design to the Kilby house next door, they are not identical. It does have a clapboard exterior and intricate fanlight and sidelights. This house was at the edge of The Great Fire of 1886 and was perhaps saved only because the engine house was across the street at the corner of Green and Boynton Streets, and the enginemen fought there to save their own building.
( ) From Eastport Sentinel, March 29, 1882, p.2, c.5-6:
Some old Eastport Houses,
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AND THEIR OCCUPANTS.—A FAMILIAR RETROSPECT.
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PAPER NO. 2&
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THE BOYNTON STREET HOUSES
There were twenty-five or more of these hipped roof houses* in Easport and they must have all been built within a period of about twenty years, and not more than two or three of them later than the year of 1820 when the State of Maine set up for herself. The first here mentioned is the oldest in town and was built by Aaron Hayden in 1805 and the other, built by Daniel Kilby in 1820, is among the youngest of the group. The five Boynton street houses have remained practically unchanged until the present year. Next below the last mentioned house, now owned and occupied by Mrs. Ann Mabee, stands one built by Gideon Stetson in 1820. In my earliest recollection, it was occupied by Isaac Hobbs between whose family and our own there was a close intimacy. Mr. Hobbs moved to the large new house which he built at the corner of Middle and Shackford street, now for many years owned by Samuel Witherell. The youngest daughter of the family is doing excellent educational service in Gen. Armstrong’s institute at Hampton, Va. Stephen Bartlett also lived here, and his son Gordon born in this house graduated at Harvard College,(and followed the profession of teaching. He died several years ago. A later occupatn was Mrs. Curry, widow of Cadwallader Curry, who in his day carried on a large mercantile business at Campoello, and their son Cadwallader now holds the important office gf Savings Bank Commissioner for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Purchased by Joseph H. Claridge it was for many years his home, and his family have continued there since his decease.
• From Eastport Sentinel, April 17, 1889, p.3,c.2: “A second large ell has been added to the Claridge house on Boynton St., by Mr. John Smith who recently purchased it.”
