Penobscot County

Joseph Low Mansion // 1857

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The neighbor to the iconic Thomas Hill Standpipe (last post), this pre-Civil War Italianate mansion predates the water tower and has long been one of the most grand homes in Bangor, Maine. The house was constructed in 1857 for Joseph W. Low, a businessman and trustee of the Bangor Savings Bank. The house he had built is one of eastern Maine’s outstanding Italianate residences, designed by Boston architect Harvey Graves, who was born in Maine. Soon after the Civil War, Graves moved west to California, likely seeking additional wealth from the spurned from the success of the Gold Rush. He appears to have lived out the remainder of his life out west, giving his family in Maine this home. The house exhibits flushboard siding with scored wood to resemble ashlar masonry, gorgeous window hoods and mouldings, and a large belvedere at the roof, which would have provided sweeping views of the Maine frontier when built, atop one of the highest hills in Bangor.

Thomas Hill Standpipe // 1897

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Built in 1897, the Thomas Hill Standpipe is the oldest standpipe in town and has been in constant use since its construction. In 1895, it was discovered that the city pumping station contained faulty equipment, risking the possibility of a city water shortage, so the city councilmen pushed for a new standpipe on one of the highest points in the city to provide a back-up plan. Its purpose is the same today as when it was built; to help regulate Bangor’s water pressure in the downtown area and to provide water storage for emergencies. The New Jersey Steel and Iron Co. assembled the 50-foot high and 75-foot diameter steel tank atop Thomas Hill, with architect Ashley B. Tower of Holyoke, Massachusetts, designing and overseeing construction of the Shingle style wooden structure to cover the metal structure. Originally, the exterior was painted dark gray with the pillars and lattice work painted white. During World War II, the standpipe was painted olive for camouflage purposes, because of its proximity to Dow Army Airfield, and concerns it would be a target when the Germans ultimately crossed the Atlantic. The tower was completely painted white in 1949.

As Stephen King is synonymous with Maine, Bangor specifically, he used the Thomas Hill Standpipe as the inspiration for the Standpipe in the fictional town of Derry, where Stan first encounters Pennywise (It).

Frederick Parkhust House // c.1890

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Frederick Parkhurst (1864-1921) was born in the small Maine town of Unity and attended local schools. He moved to New York to attend Columbia Law School, receiving his degree in 1887. Soon after, he was admitted to the Maine bar. Frederick moved back to Maine and joined his father in a leather goods business in Bangor, of which he later became president. He served on the Bangor City Council and later in the Maine House and State Senate. With his wealth and connections, he purchased a large house lot on West Broadway, then the most exclusive street in town, and hired local architect Wilfred Mansur, to design a Shingle style home for his family. During World War I he led the Liberty Loan effort and in 1920, was elected Governor with the largest margin in Maine history, moving to the State Capitol, Augusta soon after. Parkhurst served less than a month when he died on January 31, 1921.

Smith-Miller House // 1893

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Located on stunning West Broadway in Bangor, Maine, the Smith-Miller House stands out as a beautiful blending of the Shingle and Queen Anne styles. Built in 1893 from the designs of Connecticut architectural firm Cook, Hapgood, and Company, the home was featured in The American Architect and Building News journal for its design success. The home is clad with continuous cedar shingle siding, with a prominent corner tower, wrap-around porch, and porte-cochere, all together provide complexity and intrigue on the street of large homes. What do you think of this home?

Charles P. Brown Mansion // c.1872

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Located next to the famed Stephen King House in Bangor (last post), this stunning Second Empire house was purchased by Stephen and Tabitha King in 2004, creating a small historic house campus in one of the nicest neighborhoods of the city. The Brown Mansion was constructed in the early 1870s for Charles P. Brown, an attorney who became involved in land speculation in the west. During and immediately following the Civil War, Brown purchased large land holdings in the “western frontier” in Minnesota and farther west, and re-sold the land years later at a huge profit when development began. He was thought to be one of the richest men in Maine upon his death in 1892, but it was discovered that many land holdings possibly vanished (or he lied about having much more land to his family), leaving his executors of his will very upset. The man who was estimated of having a net-worth of over $1,000,000 in 1892 (more than $31,000,000 in dollars today), left just $16,000, split between his two daughters, leaving nothing to his sister, whom he had been living with for the final two years in his life.

Joseph C. White House // 1866

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Located a short walk from the Stephen King House in Bangor, this stunning Second Empire style house shines just as bright! This house was built in 1866 for Joseph C. White, a dry goods merchant in town. Just years after it was completed, he sold the mansion, possibly due to upkeep. The two-story mansard-roof house is clad in wood siding, scored to resemble stone rustication, a method to make the home appear more expensive. The corner entrance with later enclosed second-floor porch, massive brackets, and scrolled dormers add a lot of Victorian flair to the home. Would you move in here?

Stephen King House // 1854

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Stephen King, the world-renowned author of some of the most popular horror novels, was born in Maine, and has used the state as the setting for many of his stories. From blood-soaked Carrie, to the haunted hallways in The Shining, to the evil clown Pennywise in “It”, Stephen King has long been one of the leaders in horror, terrifying millions with his books and film adaptations. Instead of living in a larger metropolitan area, he has long resided in Bangor, Maine, in one of the most visually striking homes in the state. The home was built in 1854 for William Arnold, who operated prosperous livery stables in town. The home is a rare example of an Italianate Villa in the state. While Stephen King now spends most of his time at his home in Florida, his Bangor mansion with its iconic wrought-iron gate ornamented with spiders and webs, bat-winged creatures, and a three-headed reptile are much more fitting of the horror author’s essence.