WINDHAM – This 4,368-square-foot Federal-style home in the historic Windham Hill neighborhood has a fascinating history. It is known as the Peter White House, after its original owner more than 200 years ago. Renowned architect John Calvin Stevens made design changes when the house was owned in the early 20th century by George Morrill (the “M” in B&M).

His son George Jr. built an airstrip here, and his wife discovered and revealed the wallpapered-over, pineapple wall stenciling by Moses Eaton throughout the halls downstairs and upstairs. At one point, the broad several-acre swath of pasture (of the property’s more than 11 acres total) was the site of the Charter Oak trotting track, with a grandstand holding 2,000 spectators.

Today, the Morrills’ summer estate on Pope Road would still make a wonderful horse (or organic) farm, thanks to its fields and a trail and outbuildings that include a barn and a two-level carriage house, not to mention a big sauna, a charming playhouse, and a sugarhouse that works, all enhancing a lovely landscape of lawn, gardens, towering trees and splendid hardscaping of granite, brick, slate and fieldstone.

The c. 1809 house has been cherished, scrupulously maintained, and improved by its longtime owners – most notably in the heart of the home, the gorgeous, newer kitchen, whose granite-topped dining/work island makes a natural and irresistible gathering place,and which is warmed by both wood stove, and wood-burning fireplace with beehive oven. The adjacent, south-facing sunroom, with seats built in all around its roomy bay, also has refinished maple floors, but all other flooring in the house – as in the library with generous built-ins, and the living room with its own wood-burning fireplace, is pumpkin pine.

Up the center staircase – note its single-board paneling – the second story provides four large bedrooms and two full baths. The “back” bedroom/office invites finishing into a guest/au pair suite, and has its own staircase.

The basement, as fine as one could hope to see in an older home, includes a huge workshop, nicely paneled, as is the well-appointed family/recreation room. And here’s one final historic detail: The cylindrical, 500-gallon oil tank was repurposed from a ship.

The home at Pope Road, Windham, is listed for sale at $529,000 by Preston Robison and Alexa Oestreicher of Legacy Properties Sotheby’s International Realty (Portland office) and is being shown by appointment.

For more information or to arrange a private viewing, please contact Preston at 671-4914,  Preston@LegacySIR.com; or Alexa at 329-9307,  alexa@legacysir.com.

Produced by the Marketing Department of the Maine Sunday Telegram, the Home of the Week is provided at no cost.

Photos by Meggie Booth.

Send HOW suggestions to jrolfe@pressherald.com.

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