Maine Bicentennial: Westbrook

The James Winslow House, off East Bridge Street, shown here about 1909, was built in 1748. Photo courtesy of Ira Stockwell

James Winslow, the first Quaker in what is now the greater Portland area, built the house in 1748. The first school in Westbrook was held at the Winslow house in 1794 and the teacher was also a Quaker, historians say.

In 1830, a great-granddaughter of Winslow, Sarah Winslow, married a farmer, Benjamin Boody, and the farm remained in the Winslow/Boody family until 1909. Stockwell said it then became known as the Ar-Lu-Do Farm, owned by Alvin Dean. Historical society accounts describe Dean as a gentleman farmer who raised prize-wining Ayrshire cattle.

The Stockwells bought the home in 1970 and preserved many of the original interior features, including six fireplaces and the structural timbers fastened with wooden pegs. The historic property still includes an antique barn and what Stockwell calls a corn processing shed.

In commemoration of Maine’s bicentennial this year, the American Journal is featuring historical highlights from our communities’ past 200 years. This feature can be found in print and online every other week.

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