Valley Lodge, located in the rural interior of Cumberland County, survives as an example of the growth of early homestead houses. Ephraim Brown settled in Baldwin in 1788, building a small one-story cape and naming it Valley Lodge. That original cape is now enveloped in a two-story Federal-style structure, which Brown built around his pre-existing house in the early 1800s to accommodate the needs of his growing family. The Federal-style facade of the house (built several feet in front of the old front wall thereby creating space for two long, narrow parlors) is just one example of the still-apparent modifications to the original building. The central chimney and kitchen running the length of the house are other remnants of the original cape. Valley Lodge remained in the Brown family's possession into the twentieth century, serving as a summer home and gathering place for family reunions after 1880.
Year Listed: 1977
For more information: https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/AssetDetail?assetID=e92b65a4-8ef4-4cec-b265-a07119020017