|
 Ruggles House - Columbia Falls, ME Posted by:  T0SHEA
N 44° 39.126 W 067° 43.797
19T E 600703 N 4945088
Built prior to the Victorian era, the Ruggles House is one of the finest of its type in the world, with one of the finest Flying Staircases in the world.
Waymark Code: WMQB9K
Location: Maine, United States
Date Posted: 01/27/2016
Views: 1
Ruggles House was the handiwork of builder and designer Aaron Sherman and woodcarver Alvah Peterson. Completed in 1820, Peterson's wood carvings alone required three years to complete. 1820, incidentally, was the same year in which Maine attained statehood. Thomas Ruggles had arrived in Maine from Rochester, Massachusetts in 1796. Here he made his fortune, exporting lumber on ships had had built. He became head of the local militia, the first postmaster (originally Plantation 13, the place was renamed Columbia in 1796), and chief justice of Court of Sessions in Washington County.
Ruggles was unable to enjoy his lovely house for long as the house, begun in 1818, was completed the year he died.
Now completely restored and furnished with period furnishings, most once belonging to the Ruggles family, the house was first opened to the public in 1950 as the Historic Ruggles House Museum. The museum is open daily each year from June 1st through mid October. A Virtual Tour of the museum is available at their website.
About the Ruggles House
The Ruggles House, designed by housewright Aaron S. Sherman of Marshfield, Massachusetts, was built 1818-1820 for Judge Thomas Ruggles, a wealthy lumber dealer, postmaster, captain of the local militia and Justice of the Court of Sessions for Washington County. This particularly lovely example of Adamesque style Federal period architecture is remarkable for its location as well as its survival.
The house is renowned for its flying staircase, which comprises almost a third of the house. Intricate woodwork, crafted by Massachusetts carver, Alvah Peterson, is especially abundant in the west parlor.
The Ruggles House was lived in for 100 years, until 1920, by three generations of the Ruggles family. By then the house was in quite a state of disrepair. Through the diligence of Ruggles descendent, Mary Ruggles Chandler, restoration efforts began in the 1920s and were completed in 1951 when the house first opened for tours. The house museum is supported and maintained by the Ruggles House Society, a nonprofit organization, through voluntary contributions.
Many of the furnishings in the house are original Ruggles pieces, some that never left the house and many that have returned over the years. All other furnishings are period to when the Ruggles family was in residence.
From the Ruggles House Society
Ruggles House
The Ruggles House, known as the "House with the Wonderful Carvings" was built by Aaron Sherman of Duxbury Falls, Massachusetts. He constructed a number of homes in the Columbia Falls area, but the Ruggles House is considered to be his finest effort.
The owner of the house was Thomas Ruggles, who came to Columbia Falls in 1770 from Rochester, Massachusetts, over the course of years he became the area's largest owner of timberland. He was owner of a sawmill, postmaster, merchant, captain of the militia, shipbuilder and owner of a fleet of lumber carrying vessels. He was also justice of the court in Machias.
Ruggles died soon after the house was completed in 1820. His last survivor died in the 1920s. The house was left unattended until 1938 when Miss Chandler, a descendent of the builder rallied support for its preservation.
When Sherman had completed his tasks, Judge Ruggles imported one of the finest wood carvers in England to decorate the interior of the house, this man, whose name is unknown, spent over three years at his painstaking labours. For his efforts he received over $3,000.00 for the parlor carving alone.
The "Flying" staircase is held in such high regard that the Metropolitan Museum once offered Miss Chandler $1000.00 for it. The late Harrison Williams, a noted architect, said that it is the only flying staircase of its period anywhere that never has needed repairs or reinforcement, and that Haggles House is one of the amplest and most spaciously planned small houses in the world.
In 1949 the Ruggles House Society was formed to restore the house and open it to public display. The group is currently in charge of the house.
From the NRHP Nomination Form
Theme:
Local history and history of the Ruggles family.
Street Address:
146 Main Street
Columbia Falls, ME USA
04330
Food Court: no
Gift Shop: yes
Hours of Operation:
2015:
June 13th through October 12th
Monday to Saturday 10:00 - 4:00
Sundays 12:00 - 4:00
Cost: 5.00 (listed in local currency)
Museum Size: Small
Relevant Web Site: [Web Link]
|
Visit Instructions:
In order to log this waymark in this category, you must be able to provide proof of your visit. Please post a picture of yourself or your GPSr in front some identifiable feature or point of interest either in the museum, or on the museum grounds.
Recent Visits/Logs:
| There are no logs for this waymark yet. |
|
|
|
|