Living with Newer Old Houses

The Advisory Service of Greater Portland Landmarks is a volunteer organization comprised of individuals of varied backgrounds who share a love of old houses, a desire to learn more about them, and a mission to help their owners to recognize and preserve their best characteristics.

Most members have lived in older homes themselves and/or have worked on their restoration. Over the years, they have visited, at the request of owners, numerous local structures and have recorded what they have found, thus becoming well-grounded in the domestic architecture of Southern Maine.

In this volume, the members pool their knowledge of houses from the 1870s through the 1940s, utilizing what they have discovered first-hand on their visits and in their research of printed materials.

Exteriors and interiors are both examined, with special focus on the most-altered spaces, such as kitchens and bathrooms, as well as the modern conveniences connected with plumbing, heating, and lighting, which have changed the ways in which houses are used.

The result is a fascinating picture of how tastes and styles have changed, and the ways in which technology has affected housing in this period.