|
Sheepscot Village Historic District - Sheepscot Year listed: 2003
Saved! Sheepscot Village is one of the most significant cultural landscapes in Maine, whose history stretches back thousands of years. Sheepscot has both prehistoric and historic archaeological sites and is home to the oldest road in the State of Maine, the King’s Highway. The Village of Sheepscot was settled during the 18th and 19th centuries and today is considered one of the few places in the United States that appears almost exactly as it did one hundred years ago. The nomination states "Sheepscot retains a rare sense of place in its early architecture, spectacular landscape and scenic vistas. It is the overall historic context of the village that makes it a valued resource for artists, writers, historians, and those who treasure its unspoiled history and beauty." It is the unspoiled nature of the village that was threatened by a Maine Department of Transportation’s plan to expand the bridge and its approaches over the Sheepscot River. The footprint of the bridge has not changed since 1794, and residents feared that the bridge expansion would have a negative impact on historic sites near the bridge. "The expansion project will increase areas of fill, change the grading of the river bank, potentially damage sensitive wetlands and will require the removal of old growth trees. The result is that the project will irreparably alter the treasured historic Sheepscot cultural landscape." Ultimately, Maine Department of Transportation resolved not to expand the bridge and its footprint, deciding on a design that would protect the landscape and history of Sheepscot Village.
Learn about Maine's Most Endangered Historic Properties success stories! 2004 Endangered List | 1999 Endangered List 2003 Endangered List | 1998 Endangered List 2002 Endangered List | 1997 Endangered List 2001 Endangered List | 1996 Endangered List |
