THIRLSTANE, HAMILTON HILL BUILT 1881, DESIGNED BY WILLIAM R. EMERSON PURCHASED BY WILLIAM P. . HAMILTON 1926 BURNED IN THE 1947 fire BAR HARBOR HISTORICAL SOCIETY PURCHASED BY COL. MORRELL IN 1897 ALTERATIONS BY COPE & STEWARDSON OF PHILADELPHIA THIRLSTANE. "THIRLSTANE BUILD IN 1881 FOR MRS. R. B. SCOTT Alterations and Improvements to "be Made on Col. Morrell's Residence. ARCHITECT WILLIAM RALPH EMERSON Last week the RECORD gave a descrip- Of the many beautiful locations in this tion of the new cottage which Mr. Gardi- ner Sherman of New York is having built vicinity one of the finest is that selected for a residence by Mrs. R. B. Scott, of Baltimore, on Strawberry hill. Since then, work on the heights near the head of Mount Desert has been begun on another large contract for another of our non-residents. Last street, overlooking the village. When com- autumn, Col. Edward Morrell of Phila- pleted this "cottage" (altho' it seems a misno- mor to so call it,) will be one of the most ele- delphia, purchased the Scott estate on Malden hill, including Thirlstane, the gant and convenient in Bar Harbor. A recent summer residence of the late Mrs. R. B visit to the new house showed it to be rapidly Scott of Washington, D. C. Prior to the advancing towards completion it will prob- purchase, he had occupied the house for ably be finished before December. We par- two summers and had been charmed with ticularly noticed the substantial manner in the place and its situation Now, having which everything is constructed; all is bought it, Col. Morrell is about to make thoroughly made and the same care is appar- great alterations and improvements on ent in the minute details, as in the more im- the old house; and the contract has been portant features of the building. It reflects let to Mr. A. E. Lawrence of this town, great credit upon both the architect, Mr. Em- who, as stated, has already begun the erson, and the master-builder, Mr. Hodgkins. work. The house is large and very conveniently ar- The architects who made the new plans, ranged. Fireplaces are provided in every are Messrs. Cope & Stewardson of Phila- room, and there is also to be a furnace in the delphia. The cost of the work will be cellar. Gas, water and electric bells are to about $25,000. The additions are consid All the old plumbing will be tak out be in every apartment in which they may be erable. The old veranda on the north and an entirely new system will be put needed; there are ample bath-rooms and in ern side of the house is to be removed, in by Leighton & Davenport. This fact all the necessities and luxuries of refined and a new veranda, twelve feet in width system will include two new bathrooms, comfort and elegant leisure. In wandering will take its place. On the eastern end of making, in all, four bathrooms in the over the house one is particularly attracted by the house, a one-story addition will be house. These will all be plumbed in the most modern style, and will have tile the many cozy nooks and corners to be found, built for a study or library. This floors and a tile wainscott. A large new or rather to be happened upon. One of these structure will have floor area, 22x40 feet: furnace will be placed in the basement, pleasant places is the balcony overlooking the It will have large bay windows on the which, with the old one, will heat the village. To read a favorite author on a sunny south and east ends, and a very handsome principal rooms on the first and second summer afternoon in this shady, breezy, charm- open fire-place and mantel on the north floors. Green & Reynolds will set the side. The room will be finished to the furnace, and do all the tin work on the ing little retreat, would be happiness indeed. roof in heavy oak paneling, with a beau- house. The walls and roof of the entire The prospect is unsurpassed, the harbor and tiful carved oak frieze around the top of building, will be reshingled. Geo. L village lie at your feet, and magnificent ocean the walls. The windows will be of plate Wescott will do the mason work, and the and mountain views are on every hand. There and leaded glass; and the window seats painting will be done by Graham & Tab- is also an admirable outlook from the top of will have heavy carved arms. The floor butt. Messrs. Savage & Stratton have the big round tower, and here we understand will be of selected quartered oak. The been employed by the architects as local a good telescope is to be placed. On the side room will be connected with the old par- superintendents; but the contractor, Mr. towards the mountains is a sunny, sheltered lor by sliding doors. On the north side E. Lawrence, has full charge of all the courtyard from which a carriage way connects will be an open terrace with steps lead- work. The building, which must be com- with the Eagle Lake road. On the village ing to the veranda and to the grounds. pleted August 1, will be one of the most side a pretty winding pathway has been con- The former study and a wide passage handsome residences in Bar Harbor. structed down the steep hillside. Mrs. Scott along side of it, are to be thrown into the main entrance hall adding five hundred owns here some seven or eight acres and the square feet to its area: and the new hall grounds will doubtless be attractively laid out thus formed will have new windows and when the house is completed. The abundance doors, and a new floor of quartered oak. of trees and shrubs and beautiful ferns will make The old dining room, in the northeast PURCHASED BY the arrangement of the surroundings an easy corner of the main. house, will have about WILLIAM P. HAMILTON 1926 and pleasant task to any lover of nature. two hundred fifty square feet added to its ALTERATIONS BY Mc FARLAND floor space and will have a new fireplace and new finish of panel work in pine. The new floor will be quartered oak. The From Mrs. Scott's house in Bar Harbor carved finish for the study, half, and din- the steamer Mount Desert lying at her wharf ing room, will all be made in Philadelphia in Sullivan and the Waukeag House can be and shipped to Bar Harbor ready to put distinctly scen in clear weather. up. The kitchen wing will be entirely re- modeled, and a two-story addition, 20x30 feet, will be built to it, making a larger kitchen, several new chambers, and ser- vants' dining room, pantries and store rooms. PAGE THIRTY-TWO - The Bar Harbor Times, Thursday, July 13, 1978 many summers in their lovely Yesterday house with its magnificent view of the town, mountains, harbor and bay. After Mrs. Scott's death, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVED Col. Edward Morrell of ON THE HILL Philadelphia, bought the house in the fall of 1897. He by Gladys O'Neil spent around $25,000 remod- The small hill behind the eling it and later built a gate National Park Motel on Kebo house. He was an enthusiastic Street has had many names: horseman and needed a place Malvern, Malden, (by mistake to keep his horses, so he also made in spelling on a map) purchased Robin Hood Park at Scott, School House and the foot of Newport Mountain Hamilton. Most Bar Harbor (Champlain) where he had people call it Hamilton Hill. room for them to race. He The house that once stood later made the park available there was burned in the great to the Horse Show and Fair fire of 1947 and the remaining Association, when it was ruins can be plainly seen from founded in 1900. Col. Mor- the street below. rell's horses Gray Fox, Glory, Mrs. Rebecca Scott from Belmont, Coquette, My Lady, Washington, D.C. had the Bango and Sheriff won many house built in 1881. William of the prizes. Ralph Emerson, well-known Col. Morrell, who later was Boston architect, designed it given the rank of General, was for her. She called it Thirlstane a commander of a brigade of and the name was kept by the Pennsylvania militia in peace next two owners. Mrs. Scott time. He was also a represen- and her son, Owen, spent tative to Congress. In 1906, he inaugurated a coach line view. The finest Guernsey lished there between Philadelphia and cattle and Belgian mares were After the fire dest Devon, Penn. purchased for the farms, along Thirlstane, the property After Col. Morrell's death, with the very best equipment. sold in 1948. Later s. his wife gave the park to the His milk and dairy products ideas were presente people of Bar Harbor in were sold throughout the area. develop it. A real e August of 1919. It is now the In August of 1938, Hamilton company's most recent p site of the newest additions to went into the newspaper build condominium a Jackson Laboratory. business and revived the ments did not materialize In 1926, William Pierson Mount Desert Herald, Bar the hill is now owned by Hamilton, a partner of J.P. Harbor's first newspaper. Maine banks. Morgan, bought thirlstane This was published for only a and made many changes in short time. the house, including the In 1939, he decided to go building of a swimming pool. out of the ranch business and Hamilton had owned and sold all of the livestock and operated farms in New York most of the farms. He gave his State and at that time had Salisbury Cove farm to the several working ranches in Jackson Laboratory in 1941 Nevada and California. He and Hamilton Station was the began to develop model farms name given to this research in this area and purchased laboratory when it was estab- several in Salisbury Cove, along the Shore Road, and in Trenton and Lamoine. When his project was completed, he employed 100 people and owned 1500 acres, and nine farms. All of his farm buildings were painted yellow and blue, and he called the group Thirlstane Ranch, Inc. Each farm had its own specialty: sheep were bred at Bay View Farm in Trenton, hogs were raised at Riverview Farm in Lamoine, Rosemary Farm in Trenton produced poultry, and Aberdeen Angus were featured at the Farm near River-