DURHAM – This beautifully maintained farmhouse comes with fascinating historical associations and period details: For example, the pair of hardwood “ship’s knees” that braces the upper story of the barn represent a construction technique that originated with Noah. The repurposed barn board forming one wall of the dine-in kitchen, and the square-cut nails in the living room’s wide pine boards, also date back to the original date of construction, c. 1840.

In the mid-20th century, the spacious formal dining room – note its tin ceiling, and the excellent condition of the oak flooring – was used for giving dancing lessons. One might wonder whether young Stephen King, who in boyhood lived nearby on Runaround Pond Road, received instruction here.

But the 2,621-square-foot house, which is exactly 10 miles from the L.L. Bean flagship store in Freeport Village, and handy to all the recreational, educational and business amenities of the Pineland Farms complex in New Gloucester, is no museum, but a wonderfully charming and comfortable home that has been thoroughly updated, from the Buderus boiler up, by both its previous owners and the sellers.

The 10-acre lot – lawn, gardens, stone walls, broad swaths of meadow that is hayed by a local farmer – is ringed by woods with pretty birches, and the home’s interior – including a big laundry room and the huge workshop to which it connects – is oriented to make the most of the pastoral views.

The eat-in kitchen, which looks out through plant-shelf bay windows, was renovated five years ago and features cherry cabinetry, stainless appliances, soapstone counters and cheerfully colorful tile backsplashes. Past the newer, first-floor bath with clawfoot tub and beadboard wainscoting, there’s a studio space with a wall of built-ins, also looking southeast. One wide-pine step up, beneath its box-beamed ceiling, the back-to front living room has twin French doors out to the deck, and a massive brick wood-burning fireplace.

There’s more exposed brick upstairs, which is renovated. One of the good-sized bedrooms has a woodstove-ready hearth, and there are plenty of built-ins, and more than ample closets. The master bedroom has not only a walk-closet but also a private “mudroom”/entrance, with back stairs down to the side door.

The home at 359 Runaround Pond Road, Durham, is listed for sale by Jeff Mateja of Universal Properties at Keller Williams Realty.

For more information, please call 553-2605 or e-mail upi@universalpropertiesmaine.com.

Price: $350,000
Built: c. 1840
Rooms/bedrooms: 9/4
Baths: Two full
Square footage: 2,621
Lot size: 10 acres
Parking: Off-street, for several vehicles
Taxes: $3,180

Produced by the Marketing Department of the Maine Sunday Telegram, the Home of the Week is provided at no cost.
Staff photos by Derek Davis.
Send HOW suggestions to jrolfe@pressherald.com.

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