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Description

Location Lat 44.198066 / Lon -69.753771

Off Route 27 on Arnold Road in Pittston on the east bank of the Kennebec River.

Hours / Season The grounds are open 9:00 a.m. to sunset daily. Regrettably, the Colburn House is closed to public access due to needed restoration work. The public is invited to visit and enjoy the grounds. The Colburn House project aims to restore and reopen the site for the public to enjoy. Examples of restoration work that will flow from the work of archeology and engineering/architecture resources engaged with the Department include a new foundation, new roof and siding, and mold abatement. No timeline regarding the restoration is currently available. (Updated March 2024)

No, George Washington never slept here but he knew the owner. Two other people who figured prominently in the American Revolution did sleep in this house - Benedict Arnold and Aaron Burr. Built in 1765, this colonial Federal-style house was home to several generations of the prominent Colburn family.

In September 1775, Colonel Benedict Arnold led an expedition of more than 1,000 colonial soldiers up the Kennebec River to attack the British stronghold of Quebec City. The men came to the Kennebec from Massachusetts on board eleven ships which disembarked here at the home of Reuben Colburn, a member of the Maine Committee of Safety.

Colburn had help spawn the idea of attacking British Quebec by way of the Maine wilderness and had supplied critical information to General Washington. On Arnold's arrival, Colburn had 200 wooden boats called bateaux waiting and the expedition used them to carry its provisions and military stores upstream toward Canada. This house was Arnold's headquarters and the launching point for his famous expedition against Quebec.

Colburn had also assembled a crew and built the boats within two weeks of General Washington's request to do so, but without enough seasoned lumber for the sizable task, the builders had to use green wood which was more prone to fail in the water. Twenty of these craftsmen, including Colburn himself, then accompanied the expedition to Canada, carrying supplies and repairing the boats as they traveled.

If you are interested in learning about geology around the state, check out the Maine Geological Survey Searchable Database.

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Activities

  • Fishing
  • Watchable wildlife

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Rules

Consider lending a hand. Contact us if you would like to help with stewardship or maintenance work.

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Services and Facilities

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When to Visit

Grounds are open daily 9:00 a.m. to sunset. The Colburn house, carriage hose, and barn are closed to the public during the restoration.

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