Located just south of Main Street, the Baxter House is a two-story, clapboard-sided, Federal-style building. The facade is symmetrical and the centered entry is framed by sidelight windows and an elliptical fanlight. The windows are grouped in pairs except for the single second floor window directly above the entry. The upper windows are smaller than the first floor's and placed just below the eaves which are supported by paired brackets. The roof is side-gabled with two gable front dormer windows. The house was originally sited much closer to the street when it was built by Isaac Gilkey, a local carpenter. Dr. Elihu Baxter purchased it in 1812. His youngest son, James Phinney Baxter, was born there in 1831 and would go on to serve multiple terms as the Mayor of Portland. After passing through other ownership, the house was purchased and donated to the town by James in 1907 with the stipulation that a library be built on the grounds and the house be open to the public as a museum. The building was then moved to its current location, set back from the street. It is open seasonally and is a contributing resource to the South Street Historic District.
Year Listed: 1979 (individually); 1988 (historic district)
For more information: https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/AssetDetail?assetID=d16fb4d0-2a96-49f1-a24e-b794fdf2e228