Name/Title
George Peabody House | 1 Key Street, Eastport, Maine | I7-0D4-04 | District #53Entry/Object ID
053Description
Little is known about this two story house that was built in 1828. It has a gable roof and a five bay front with center doorway. The house narrowly escaped the Great Fire of October 14, 1886 that destroyed the large Passamaquoddy Hotel next door. A late 19th century bay window has replaced the two original windows on the west side of the center doorway. A later addition was added to the rear of the house. More recent aluminum siding has covered over the original wood clapboard siding. A newspaper account of 1894 refers to the house as the Peabody house. Historian Lorenzo Sabine lived in the house when he was elected representative to the Maine legislature in 1833 and 1834. Sabine became known for his history of the American Loyalists first published by Little and Brown of Boston in 1847, the first such history published in the U.S.
• From Eastport Sentinel, September 19, 1894, p.2,c.2-3:
“Some Notes about the Residences of
Eastports Former Legislators.
... At about the same distance on Middle street, stand the old homes of Partmon Houghton, representative 1865 and Senatore 1866 and 67, and opposite that of Lorenzo Sabine, who lived in what is now knowf as the Peabody house, on Key street, when chosen representative in 1833 and 34, and after removal to Massachusetts, was elected representative to Congress from the Middlesex district. ... Jonathan Bartlett representative 1819 and 20, and member of the Maine Constitutional Convention 1819, lived in the old Dana mansion on the site of the Peavey library, corner of Water and Key streets, Lorenzo Sabines house was next above.
Field Survey Notes by Alice Sleight completed on May 6, 1981 in interview with then owner of the house, Margaret Jones, who stated that the house was built in 1828 according to previous owner.
