Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in one of LandVest’s properties? We invite our owners to tell us a bit about their experience, what they love about their homes and a bit of their history. The owners of 306 Tuttle Road in Cumberland, ME share some of the special qualities about their property.
How did you come about owning this property, and when?
We purchased the property from the McCarty Trust in 2016. At the time, the property was in need of a boatload of TLC. I am a general contractor, and one of my specialties is historic renovations. In my many drives past the house, I remember hoping someone would give it the attention it deserved. To make a long story short, one of my carpenters is related to the family that owned it. He asked me if I would look at it, as he was trying to help them sell it. Well, Mary and I walked through. I thought for sure she would say, “no way” but instead she said, “this property has a wonderful and warm feeling about it.” I fell in love with the timber frame barn, and the rest is history.
Please describe any recent, significant improvements.
We took it down to the original timber frame and rebuilt exterior walls with completely new systems including electric, plumbing & insulation. We re-did the floor layout to accommodate 21st-century living and also built a new addition to accommodate a 2-bay garage and second-floor master suite.
Tell us about some of the properties special features.
This home has a gorgeous 200-year-old hand-hewn timber frame, original wide pine floors, and a separate antique timber frame barn. Blending the old and modern, it is spacious with a great layout for contemporary lifestyles, yet has a distinctive historical feel.
What is your favorite room in the house and why?
We love the kitchen/dining room because of the restored and working beehive oven and the open space around the counter peninsula.
Do you have a favorite spot on the property?
We love the back-stone patio because it is sunny, private and quiet. The sweet timber-frame barn which can be used as a workshop, garden shed or a place to store bikes or kayaks is also a favorite.
Please provide us with any history that may be of interest to a prospective buyer.
Built in c 1821 this house and the property was historically known as Drowne Farm. It was initially 100 acres, and Captain Isaac Sturdivant lived here for many years. His daughter Elizabeth Drowne was interested in using the land for educational purposes and, as we understand it, that is why there is a town forest and why a school was built on part of the land as it was divided.
If you are comfortable doing so, please share your reasons for selling.
We took this project on as part of our business and because we love historic homes. We live in our own historic farmhouse now, and this helped us in designing interiors for modern living. Our kids are in college now, but we can picture 306 Tuttle being perfect for the school-age years because of the layout and location. We also have a lot of relatives that visit, and this house has such a great layout for that as well.
For more information about 306 Tuttle Road,
contact Betsey Reiche Ducas, bducas@landvest.com or 207.228.0170.
