Wiscasset in Lincoln County, Maine — The American Northeast (New England)
Lee-Payson-Smith House - 1792
Wiscasset, Maine
| | The Museum in the Streets | |
Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, October 14, 2024
1. Lee-Payson-Smith House - 1792 marker
In 1792, Silas Lee, Harvard-educated lawyer, U.S. Congressman and Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas for Lincoln County, built one of the finest examples of Georgian style architecture in Maine. Ionic columns support a semi-circular portico while two elegant pilasters climb to a beautifully detailed roof line. Two wings built in the early 19th century were destroyed by fire in 1957, but the main house remains intact.
In 1807, the Lees moved into their grand new home at the end of the street (now Castle Tucker) and the house was purchased by General David Payson. Over the years, it was used for a variety of functions. It was a tavern called The Bunch of Grapes, a boarding house on the first floor and a dancing school in the parlor.
Many have reported hauntings in the house: mysterious music, an elderly lady peering from a second story window, the faint fragrance of roses and a family servant who sleeps on the landing and trips the family cat. Even when unseen by humans, animals seem to see this apparition and act accordingly.
Samuel E. Smith, a three-term governor of Maine, bought the house in 1826. It remains
this page online
Erected by The Museum in the Streets. (Marker Number 4.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings.
Location. 44° 0.218′ N, 69° 40.079′ W. Marker is in Wiscasset, Maine, in Lincoln County. It is at the intersection of High Street and Main Street, on the right when traveling north on High Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 21 High Steeet, Wiscasset ME 04578, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Midcoast Maine. It is also in the American Northeast, in New England, and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Sons of Wicasset (a few steps from this marker); Meeting House 1767 / First Congregational Church 1907 (within shouting distance of this marker); Lincoln and Kennebec Bank, 1805 / Wiscasset Public Library, 1929 (within shouting
Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, October 14, 2024
2. Lee-Payson-Smith House - 1792 marker
Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, October 14, 2024
3. Lee-Payson-Smith House
Credits. This page was last revised on October 23, 2024. It was originally submitted on October 20, 2024, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. This page has been viewed 411 times since then and 39 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 20, 2024, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. • Michael Herrick was the editor who published this page.
