WESTBROOK – This property has not only an address, but also a name: Bermside, because the west side of its 1.47-acre lot traces what was once the towpath of the Oxford and Cumberland Canal.

The canal is long gone, but rich history remains at this c. 1761 home. Behind a low picket fence and stone pillars, it is watched over by towering, ancient trees including a hemlock that is among the area’s tallest. The little outbuilding, two centuries ago, was a schoolhouse that served the children of five families; the schoolmaster was brought over from England.

The huge family room’s windows have original interior shutters – pocket shutters, rather than the folding version more often seen. Hidden in one of the home’s interior doors – which one cannot be revealed here – is a metal compartment for secret money storage.

The barn is coeval with the main house, which was at least twice expanded until the two were connected. Today, the former “summer room” is a recently finished, barnboard-paneled, three-season bonus room that’s ideal for a big workshop or as a “green room” for a dedicated gardener, who might also sell plants out of the outbuilding. (Several business uses, such as professional offices, are allowed here.)

The 2,398-square-foot house, with its total of 10 rooms; four, or five, bedrooms, and three full baths, is a fine option for a family. The flexible floor plan includes a first-floor bedroom; upstairs, via a private-entrance staircase, a pair of rooms with a full bath provides a full suite.

The home at 107 New Gorham Road, Westbrook, is listed for sale at $350,000 by Bridget King and Jason Miller of the King + Miller Real Estate at Portside Real Estate Group in Falmouth.

For more information or to arrange a private viewing, please contact the team at 749-1073 or at info@kingmillerrealestate.com.

Photos by Michael Eric Bérubé, MaineVirtualTours.com. The Home of the Week is produced by the Marketing Department of the Maine Sunday Telegram.

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