Eveleth-Crafts-Sheridan Historical House

Guests embark on a tour through the fascinating Eveleth-Crafts-Sheridan House

The main property, located at 444 Pritham Avenue, Greenville Junction, features the Eveleth-Crafts-Sheridan Historical House, the Moosehead Lumbermen’s Museum, and the Outdoor Heritage center.

Once a part of the storied Moosehead Inn property, this 1890s mansion was generously donated to the Historical Society by distinguished local entrepreneurs, Julia and Philip Crafts Sheridan.  The house is open for guided tours Wednesday through Friday, between mid June and early October, from 1:00 to 4:00 pm.  It offers a wide variety of permanent and annually changing exhibits affording a fascinating glimpse into the daily life in this remote, yet economically significant, northwoods region of Maine.

Visitors purchase tour tickets in the Carriage House office, then walk front entrance of the house on the large wraparound veranda, where they are greeted in the foyer and introduced to both the home and the residents for whom the house is named.

Interpreters in period costume guide visitors on their journey back in time through the classic parlor, grand formal dining room, butler’s pantry, and large kitchen, describing and explaining the many curious and often unfamiliar objects on display, while offering insight into the history of its residents, guests, and influential local families.

The kitchen of the Eveleth-Crafts-Sheridan House includes a slate sink and counter from the famous Monson slate quarries.

Ascending to the second floor visitors will find four bedrooms and two baths, furnished and decorated in period style, and complimented by displays depicting a variety of vintage clothing, activities and leisure pastimes.

Among the most popular is the “Be Our Guest” bedroom featuring artifacts and memorabilia from  families whose forebears have been residents of the area for generations.  Equally popular is “Oliver’s Room,” once the private domain of Oliver Crafts who tragically died at a young age, which now offers exhibits and displays of a masculine nature including wartime service, “sporting” activities such as hunting and fishing, and typical area employment endeavors from years gone by.

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Among the most appreciated favorable comments received is that, unlike so many historic homes, the entire Eveleth-Crafts-Sheridan house is open to view.  Even the attic, which once served as servant quarters and now functions as a storage facility for textiles, hats, and foot wear is open to view should visitors express an interest.

In addition to the mansion, we proudly offer other permanent and changing exhibits, one of which includes The 1880’s Kitchen. The 1880’s Kitchen offers a wonderful collection of old-time kitchen utensils, appliances, and furnishings.  Step into this replica of the past and you can almost smell the beans, biscuits, and pies baking in the 1875 wood-burning cook stove.

Our Lumberman’s Museum hosts many different and fascinating tools used at one time in the area’s timber industry

The Carriage House

Lumbermen’s Museum

The three story building, once the estate’s carriage house, is now home to the museums’ office, library, extensive research files and photographs, paintings, and additional displays including an extraordinary collection of models of many of the steam vessels, both private and commercial, that once plied the waters of Moosehead Lake.

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The Moosehead Lumbermen’s Museum is located in the Carriage House

The Lumbermen’s Museum showcases the history of timber harvesting in the Moosehead region from tools – axes, crosscut saws, pike poles, and Peaveys – to life in camp, to the highly dangerous river drives. The artifacts and photos on display detail the character of the industry over a period of more than one hundred years.

The centerpiece of the Lumberman’s Museum is an impressive 30-foot Kennebec bateau that once plied the waters of the Roach River during the late days of theMoosehead Lake -Kennebec River log drives.

The remaining building at the Eveleth-Crafts-Sheridan property is the Barn. New in 2019 will be the unveiling of a permanent exhibition titled “Moosehead’s Outdoor Heritage.” Outdoors will tell the remarkable cultural heritage of Moosehead’s outdoors experience, from the guides who worked on Mt. Kineo to the history of the sporting economy that defines the Lake region, up through today.

Gardens and Grounds

Volunteers have done an exceptional job of restoring the gardens. From June to October, the gardens provide a restful, peaceful spot to sit where we often see visitors with their lunch in the sunken garden or strolling the grounds admiring the flowers and garden art.

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A peek into our beautiful sunken garden in full summer bloom