For Sale, USD 5,475,000
6 Benson Rd, North Haven, Maine, United States
Property Type : Single Family Home
Property Style : N/A
Build Size : N/A
Land Size : N/A
Bedroom : 5
Bathroom : 4
Half Bathroom : 0
MLS#: ME2560
Property Description
Wooster Farm is an exceptional and historic saltwater farm with 9± acres, spectacular views over fields to the water, and shorefront on both the coveted Fox Islands Thorofare and Wooster Cove. The main house is a beautiful and enchanting center-chimney Federal-style farmhouse, and the property includes a charming guest cottage, a historic post-and-beam barn, a tennis court and a boathouse. The attractive and varied shorefront features two pocket sand and pebble beaches and a deep-water granite pier with a ramp and float system on the scenic Thorofare.
The current owner is only the fourth steward of this historically significant property that was once the home of the well-known American Impressionist painter, Frank W. Benson (1862-1951). Benson and his family began summering on North Haven in the early 1900s in an effort to escape the city heat. Many of Benson’s most popular paintings depict his family, especially his daughters, during the summers they spent at Wooster Farm. He drew inspiration from the stunning scenery of the farm’s fields and beaches with the backdrop of Penobscot Bay and the Camden Hills.
When Benson first purchased the farm in 1906, the property had only the main farmhouse and a cattle barn. Benson eventually converted the substantial post-and-beam barn into his studio and added a large picture window so he could enjoy the views while he painted. Remnants of Benson’s time at the property exist in the mural he painted in the house, and on the south facing wall of the barn that is covered in dried paint where the artist mixed colors and cleaned his brushes. Old journals verbally illustrate the family’s summer exploits and the cherished time spent there for generations; Benson’s grandchildren returned to the property until his death in 1951.
- Period details include large, wood-burning fireplaces, wonderful trim, and many of the original wide-board wood floors. A highlight is the preserved Benson mural in the living room.
- The main residence has five bedrooms, including a spacious main floor primary bedroom suite.
- The cottage offers additional living space for family and friends and two bedrooms.
- The historic and spacious post-and-beam barn has been finished to offer additional recreational space. This versatile building could host barn dinners, or it would make an excellent studio or creative retreat.
- The landscape is spectacular with rolling fields and thoughtfully curated outdoor living areas that add to the charm and appeal of the property.
- Two pocket sand and pebble beaches offer an idyllic backdrop for relaxing summer days in the sun, or evenings around a bonfire.
- A boathouse provides storage for boats and other outdoor equipment.
- A deep-water granite pier with a ramp & float system offers access to the excellent boating on the Thorofare and the surrounding island-dotted Penobscot Bay.
- The property is divided by Crabtree Point Road and there is 327± feet of shorefront on Wooster Cove and 733± feet of shorefront on the Fox Islands Thorofare.