Name/Title
Livermore House | 20 Key Street, Eastport, Maine | I7-0D3-02 | District #29Entry/Object ID
029Description
The Livermore house is a two and half story federal style house designed and built by Eastport architect and builder, Daniel Low, in 1821. The house began as a hip roof house, but its current pediment gable roof was added soon afterwards. Corner pilasters likely were added at the same time. The five bay front faces east and parallel to Key Street and contains a center later added projecting entrance. The original doorway with fan light and side lights is still within this entrance. A later barn addition is attached to the west side of the house. The Livermore family is an old and well-esteemed family in Eastport. Capt. Joseph Livermore retired from the sea in 1806, a year before the Embargo Act, and sailed the first Eastport vessel as a packet between Eastport and Boston. His son Oliver S. Livermore was one of the first lieutenants in the newly formed Eastport Light Infantry militia company in 1819 and later a director of the Frontier Bank. The Livermore house remained in the Livermore family until late into the twentieth century.
From Eastport Walking Tour Brochure, 2010:
46) The Livermore House 20 Key Street, a Daniel Low designed Federal style house. The Livermore family is an old and well-esteemed family in Eastport. Capt. Joseph Livermore retired from the sea in 1806, a year before the Embargo Act, and sailed the first Eastport vessel as a packet between Eastport and Boston. His son Oliver S. Livermore was one of the first lieutenants in the newly formed Eastport Light Infantry militia company in 1819 and later a director of the Frontier Bank.
• From Eastport Sentinel, April 12, 1882, p.2, c.3-5:
Some old Eastport Houses.
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AND THEIR OCCUPANTS.—A FAMILIAR RETROSPECT.
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PART 3.
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THE KEY STREET HOUSES.
The Livermore house further up on the same side was built in 1821 by Daniel Low, one of the most prominmnt master builders of the time. Trescott Hall has gone, but the Central Congregational meeting house, and many a substantial old dwelling are monuments of his faithful work. When the house came into the possession of Oliver S. Livermore he put on a pitch roof and his descendents still occupy the estate. In his ancestry, by birth, and by personal identification, Mr. Lovermore was a thorough Eastporter, and also in his descendents. He was grandsgn of Samuel Tuttle one of the original founders of the town (of whom more in another place) and son of Capt. Joseph Livermore who commanded the first Boston packet ever owned here, the Friendship, a schooner of forty tons which which was built on the beach near where the Frontier Bank stands, and afterwards, wrecked on Grand Manan. He was deputy sheriff under Gen. John Cooper, and afterwards a Lieut. in the Revenue service. In 1811 having returned to the merchant service and while on a voyage from Portsmouth, N.H., to Baltimore, with a company of United States troops on board, he was knocked overboard by the main boom and drowned. The company of troops was subsequently engaged in the battle of Tippecanoe. Mr. O.S. Livermore always took a deep interest in town affairs, and his memory was a perfect storehouse of Eastport history. He, his son Joseph M., and his grandson Edward E. have served as selectmen. He was president of the Frontier Bank at the time of his decease. I used to think the Eastport Light Infantry was a wonderful military phalanx, in the days when Captain Lavermore marched at its head with shoulders held well aback. Joseph M. Livermore the next occupant of the house was the last surveyor of the port of Eastport, the office being discontinued at his decease. On the capture of the island by the British in 1814, Maj. Lemuel Trescott the collector fo the District moved the custom house to Lubec which became shortly thereafter an important business centre, and when the United States escaped its jurisdiction the collectors office still remained there and Eastport merchants had to go to Lubec to enter and clear their vessels. To remedy this and to give more authority to the sub office on the island, the office of Surveyor of the port of Eastport was created and Dr. Samuel Dyer of New Hampshire was the first incumbent. It will be noticed that while the collector is collector of the District of Passamaquoddy the surveyor was surveyor of the Port of Eastport. Two of the surveyors have been natives of Eastport, but no man born on the isalnd has ever been appointed collector, while two natives of the adjoining town of Perry have held the position.
