E.C. and M.I. Record Homestead, Buckfield

The E.C. and M.I. Record Homestead is an example of a Federal/Greek Revival-style residence and an exception in rural western Maine for its ornamentation. The house was constructed circa 1844 for the young couple near the homes of other members of the Record family, which was among the first to settle Buckfield.

The homestead was sold to Patricia and David Ledlie in 1977 and since then, they have acquired and reassembled a significant portion of the original farm property. While the many buildings elsewhere from the same time period have been renovated and modernized, the Record homestead remains largely intact.

Among the many projects undertaken by the couple, new wood windows that replicate the 6/6 light pattern of the original windows were installed to replace later 2/2 windows, and  Dave Ledlie had molding knives cut to match the original trim profiles in the house in order to replace missing elements of the trim.

In order to document that the house was eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, a complete architectural inventory was completed by Sutherland Conservation & Consulting which recorded the significant features of the homestead, documenting the historic fabric and existing conditions. 

After being careful stewards of the property for more than three decades, the Ledlies will protect their work in perpetuity. They plan to donate a conservation easement to the Western Foothills Land Trust to protect the land and a preservation easement to Maine Preservation to protect the historic integrity of the house and barn.

Thanks to David and Patricia Ledlie who for research done to write the National Register Nomination as well the proactive approach they have taken to provide guidance for future work. Maine Preservation is pleased to present a 2013 Honor Award for their stewardship of the Ezekiel Courtney and Mariam Irish Record Homestead.