One of my favorite things about Maine are the beautiful, historic homes. But part of that history has been lost and deserves to be restored.

My love of old buildings started when I spent summers at my grandparents’ 1500s cottage in England, then at my parents’ 1790 farmhouse in Castine. I now live in Kennebunk and recently bought a 1791 farmhouse in Lyman, which I restored and sold. When I owned that house, I had a plaque made for it. But I intentionally added something: I added the name of the woman of the house.

As I drive around the Kennebunks, I love looking at the signs with dates and names on old homes. But they are only ever the names of the male owners. Where are the women’s names? Women’s history has been mostly lost, and this is just one more example of it. The women of these households were just as important as the men and not only ran and fed the entire household, among many other vital tasks, but also usually bore and raised many children.

My hope is that we can start a movement to have owners of historic houses create new signs so that we won’t all see The Charles Parker House, 1793, or the Isaac Stover House, 1813. But instead, The Charles and Alice House, 1793, or The Isaac and Elizabeth House, 1813. Let’s remember the women of Maine who helped create our deep and wonderful history. They deserve to not be forgotten.

Heather Morrison-Tapley
Kennebunk