Description: This was originally the site of the James Lawton house built by Danforth Marcyes. In 2017 this was the site of the Bar Harbor Bank and Trust Building.
Description: The land was purchased from Henry H. Ward, Sr. 3/16/1876 (152/399) by Arthur Newman. The house was built by Merrill B. King about 1878 [T-189]. It was then sold to William H. Ward, Jr. 10/17/1911 (484/111). A mortgage was foreclosed by Union Trust Co.12/11/1913 (503/35) and then it was sold to Eldora Dolliver Ward 11/30/1918 (543/290). It was devised to George A. and Thelma Dolliver Ward 7/2/1939 (670/109) and then sold to William Sklaroff (of Stanley Fisheries) et al. 5/7/1947 (714/90). The property went to Eugene and Kathleen Grant Watts 11/7/1953 (757/579) and then sold to John A. and Janice E. Knote 4/5/2001 (3054/127). In the spring of 2015 the town was considering the purchase of this property for use as a near-dock parking area. (map 1, lot 66) - Our Neighborhood – Manset and Seawall (Southwest Harbor Historical Society, Southwest Harbor, 2015) 136. [show more]
Description: "The Island House, owned by Deacon Henry H. Clark, was the first summer hotel on Mount Desert Island. Deacon Clark began the hotel business by taking into his hospitable home the first occasional tourists who came to the island for a short stay. He gradually enlarged his house until in 1885 it was entirely remodeled and did a thriving business, employing many of the townspeople during the summer season." - Traditions and Records of Southwest Harbor and Somesville, Mount Desert Island, Maine by Mrs. Seth S. Thornton, p. 174 - 1938. [show more]
Description: William was an enterprising man. He built the Central House, sometime in the 1880s – before 1894, and lived there on land across the street and a few lots toward town from his father’s land. The house known as "The Central House" was sold to William's sister, Sarah Frances Mayo and her husband Willard Wycliff Rich in 1905 and occupied by them as early as 1903.
Description: According to Elizabeth (Marshall) Klausky Mills, Joseph Dana Phillips’ granddaughter, Joseph built the house on Phillips Lane as a wedding present for his bride, Clara Adelaide Driscoll, at the time of their marriage in April 1901. Nell Thornton says that he bought the land in 1900. Construction was probably done between then and the wedding. - Elizabeth to archivist at the library, September 2013.
Description: The building fronted on Main Street and would probably have had a Main Street address at the time. The property is now [2017] the Western Way Condominium complex.
Description: J. T. R. Freeman purchased the discarded schoolhouse about 1865, moved it to his lot, remodeled and added to it as his residence. He built a small building to the north which was used for a long time as a post-office while Mr. Freeman was postmaster. This building is now a part of the Freeman Store. About 1887 he built the present store building and enlarged his business which is now [1938] carried on by his daughter, Mrs. Fred A. Walls.
Description: "The Cedars was built by Sylvester Brown, who lived there for some time before moving to Northeast Harbor and selling to Thomas Savage, who sold to James Scott." - “Traditions and Records of Southwest Harbor and Somesville, Mount Desert Island, Maine” by Mrs. Seth S. Thornton, p. 151-152 – 1938. The Browns built their house, later called “The Cedars”, before 1900. Sylvester’s father-in-law, John T.R. Freeman had his store just around the corner on Main Street and owned the land from there to what was later called Freeman Ridge so it is probable that he gave or sold the land to the Browns at about the time of their marriage. Nell Thornton says that Sylvester Brown sold the property to Thomas Savage. Thomas was apparently a farmer or farm gardener. The twice widowed Myra Ellen (Barrett) Lord Dresser purchased the house from Thomas and Nellie Savage on March 24, 1904. Nell Thornton’s account of the history of the house omitted Myra’s ownership. She may or may not have lived in the house. Myra sold the house to her daughter and son-in-law, James H. and Lizzie Lord Scott on July 7, 1908. James H. Scott was born to John J. and Rachel K. Scott in January 1872 in Ellsworth, Maine. James married Lizzie J. Lord (1869-1956), daughter of Seth R. and Myra Ellen (Barrett) Lord on December 31, 1900 in Ellsworth, Maine. The property at 7 Wesley Avenue was devised to Lizzie J. (Lord) Scott on September 28, 1921. 7 Wesley Avenue is called “The Cedars” on the Sanborn 1921 map. James H. Scott died in September 1929 and Lizzie, the manager of a “rooming house” in 1930, kept “The Cedars” for thirty-five years. It is reasonable to assume that Lizzie turned the house into a rooming house and named it “The Cedars” as everyone else before Lizzie had other professions. “Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Toomey of Boston have rented furnished housekeeping apartments at The Cedars. Mr. Toomey is employed at the Seawall radio station. Mrs. Scott will continue to let the remainder of her rooms to transients as usual.” – The Bar Harbor Times, Wednesday, June 10, 1925. “Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Harding and children of Gott's Island have taken housekeeping apartments in the garage building belonging to Mrs. James Scott of The Cedars.” – The Bar Harbor Times, Wednesday, June 17, 1925 “Mr. and Mrs. Walter M. Robinson have taken rooms at the Cedars for the remainder of the summer.” – The Bar Harbor Times, Wednesday, August 19, 1925 Lizzie Lord sold “The Cedars” to Richard G. and Barbara Wallace Robinson on July 10, 1956. Brendon Herbert Thurston was born on July 10, 1915 to Herbert W. and Gertrude E. (Kelley) Thurston in Tremont, Maine. Brendon married Effie Florence Murphy (1921-1988), daughter of Forest Emery and Lottie Frances (Conary) Murphy, on October 15, 1935 in Maine. Brendon Herbert Thurston died on October 31, 1980 in Seal Cove, Maine. “The Cedars” was sold to Juanita Dorr Wilson on August 8, 1967. Juanita Esther Dorr was born on July 19, 1929 to Sylvester Warren and Nellie Myra (Robinson) Dorr in Southwest Harbor, Maine. Juanita married Howard Edwin Wilson (1928-1966). “The Cedars” was devised to Juanita’s son, Michael E. Wilson on November 27, 1995. Juanita Esther (Dorr) Wilson died on December 18, 1997 in Southwest Harbor, Maine. [show more]
Description: The property at Spruce Point was purchased by Frederick Allen in 1841. He was the first person of African descent to own land in the area. His family of 12 lived on this property until the 1890s. Spruce Point was also referred to as Negro Point.