This information is taken directly from a brochure prepared by the Quoddy Maritime Museum in 2001. This brochure, The Eastport Walk-About, which also include maps and pictures is available at the Quoddy Maritime Museum, 70 Washington Street. (NR) denotes listing on National Register of Historic Places.
Barracks Museum 74 Washington Street (Route 190). A two and one half-story wooden clapboard structure, this building is the only part of the Officers Quarters still in existence from Fort Sullivan. This northern section was a part of one building that was cut into three pieces. It was sold on February 1, 1877 for $110. and moved to its present location on Washington Street. In 1822, John Kelly, the fort's sutler, was allowed to construct a house next to the post's hospital. A sutler was a person who sold provisions to the troops. The sutler's house was a two-story building that contained four rooms and measured 44 feet long x 21 feet wide. Sometime in 1827 the Army purchased the Kelly house for an addition to the officer's quarters. |
Captain Hopley Yeaton House Corner of Washington Street (Route 190) and County Road, 1792, Cape. This small house is also known as the Spate's House. It belonged to the U.S. Coast Guard's first commissioned officer, Hopley Yeaton (1740-1812). Captain Yeaton received his commission on March 21, 1791. [From an online history of the U.S. Coast Guard: Hopley Yeaton of New Hampshire commissioned as "Master of a Cutter in the Service of the United States for the Protection of the Revenue". This first commission of a seagoing officer of the United States was signed by George Washington and attested to by Thomas Jefferson. Yeaton was assigned to the Cutter SCAMMEL stationed out of Portsmouth, NH.] His patrol area was from Portsmouth, New Hampshire to Passamaquoddy Bay (Eastport, Maine). Captain Yeaton had this house built before he moved his family from Portsmouth. The timbers for this dwelling were from land that he received as a Revolutionary War veteran. Captain Yeaton stayed in this house while he had a larger house built on his farm at Seward's Neck, "Eastport on the Main," which became North Lubec when that town was incorporated. The U.S. Coast Guard remains in Eastport to this day. In October 2004, they moved from the U.S. Post Office to a new facility on the Breakwater, with their vessels also at the Breakwater. There is an interesting book His Window on the World, The Piscataqua and the Days of Hopley Yeaton written in 1997 by Barbara L. DiFrancesco that details the beginnings of the U.S. Coast Guard in this area. When Captain Yeaton died he was buried in North Lubec but his remains were moved in 1975 to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. |
Raye's Mustard Mill 83 Washington Street (Route 190). In 1903 John W. Raye established a mustard mill next to the less than five-year-old railroad tracks on Washington Street, near the railyard (the lot next to R & M IGA). John came from a family of sea captains, some of them schooner skippers to the Magdalene Islands. Sardine packing was a big business at this time and mustard became one of the most popular packs for sardines. John Raye saw an opportunity for the mustard to be shipped in barrels by schooner and the railroad to other sardine packing communities. The mill is the last mustard mill, world-wide, using granite grindstones in business today. |
St. Joseph's Catholic Church 51 Washungton Street. In 1826, Rev. Charles French came to Eastport as a clergyman of the Roman Catholic faith and began to gather a society. Shortly after Rev. French's arrival, steps were taken to erect a chapel. Mr. Edward Gilligan, formerly of Ireland, was an efficient assistant and had a number of Protestants contribute toward the fund. The cornerstone was laid May 3, 1828; and the chapel was completed the following year, with a residence being built for the priest at a later date on the same lot. When the parish had outgrown the capacity of their house of worship, it was moved to another place on Chapel Street, and the present St. Joseph's Church was built on the same site. The present priest Fr. Paul Sullivan S.J. is the easternmost Jesuit in the United States. St. Catherine's Hall across Washington Street on Chapel Street is used for parish suppers and other events. |
The Coolidge House 49 Washington Street, 1829, Cape. Captain Henry Hunter of the U.S. Revenue Marine built this house. In 1833, Captain Uriah Coolidge, also of the U.S. Revenue Marine, purchased the house. Captain Coolidge was in command of the Revenue cutter Swiftsure in 1833 during Audubon's visit to Eastport and the Passamaquoddy Bay area, and took Audubon on several trips to the surrounding island. Coolidge's ship was one of the two stationed in Maine and he held a very prominent position in local society. |
The North Baptist (Christian) Church Corner Washington and High Streets. Although this society is the second oldest, being incorporated in 1816, it was the first to build a church in Eastport. The new church was dedicated December 1, 1819. A peculiarity of the interior was recalled in Kilby's book Eastport and Passamaquoddy. "Instead of placing the heating apparatus on the floor, or beneath it, as is now the custom (1888), the stoves were hung in mid-air, attached to columns which support the roof; and the sexton was obliged to mount some steps to make or replenish the fires." |
The Buxton House 45 Washington Street. E.S. Buxton and his brother Charles were noted for their stables and carriages. E.S. Buxton was known for his "Cleopatra" barge wagon that would take up to forty passengers to dances, special events or just for a pleasant outing around town. The old carriage barn and many yard ornaments are now gone. Both E.S. and Charles were members of the "Eureka" Engine Company and fought many a fire with the old hand-hauled and hand-pumped water engine. |
The Milliken House 29 Washington Street. Benjamin F. Milliken owned a wharf just off the downtown area of Water Street. He was a successful wholesale fish dealer, oil and coal merchant, and involved with other business ventures. |
Elm Cottage 2 Elm Street, early Cape. Sea Captain Thomas Pearce originally built this building as a Classic Cape Cod style home about 1818. John Sharland added remodeling and the gingerbread trim at a later date. Many elm trees were planted around Eastport during 1817 to 1820. The street that Elm Cottage is on originally was named Coombs, after Philip Coombs who purchased 50 acres of Boynton's original land grant, surveyed (1802), and mapped the original parcels and streets. In the 20th century this house was the home of Eastport's last city mayor, Roscoe Emery. |
The Wadsworth House 36 Washington Street, Cape. Samuel Longfellow Wadsworth was born in Eastport. His father, S.B. Wadsworth had built up a strong merchantile business, but Samuel wanted to go to sea. In his early years he sailed on the Baltimore Clipper John Quincy Adams to China. He later returned to take up his father's business. Although his business was that of a ship chandlery, he was involved in everything from lumber and a brickyard to raising oranges in Florida. The sixth generation of Wadsworths carry on the family business at 42 Water Street. |
Washington Street Baptist Church 34 Washington Street. This church started as a religious society in August of 1802 with Aaron Hayden as the first deacon. The society moved around both before and after the War of 1812. In 1837 the Washington Street Baptist Church was built as a two-story building with a square bell tower facing Washington Street. |
The McLarren House 11 Washington Street, 1830. John H. McLarren was perhaps Eastport's most respected ship's master of the 1800s. He commanded everything from sloops to full rigged ships to steamers on the Boston run. He also had shares in numerous vessels and was a prominent ship owner. |
Eastport, Maine: Easternmost City in the U.S.A.
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