Before the American Revolution, England’s navy depended on timber from the New World to build its world-class ships, and every American white pine tree more than twenty-four inches in diameter was by law property of the king—something residents soon came to resent.
In 1755, George Tate, a British naval captain, arrived with his family in Portland to oversee the shipping of white pines from Maine to England. The house that was built for him, an austere, three-story clapboard townhouse, is now the only pre-Revolutionary home in Portland open to the public. Take the 40-minute tour and imagine domestic life in America when it was still a British colony. And be sure to take a peek at the 18th-century herb garden overlooking the Stroudwater River
Travel Tips
If you’re visiting between the middle of June and the middle of September, Wednesday is the best day to drop in to the Tate House. Why? Every Wednesday during that time is a “summer garden day,” when tea and treats are served following each tour of the garden, for a small extra fee.
Travel Information
1270 Westbrook St.
Portland, ME
207.774.6177
Hours:
From June to October
Wednesday–Saturday 10AM–4PM
Sundays 1–4PM
Last tour at 3PM
Admission:
$8 for adults, $6 for seniors, $3 for children ages 6-12.
Directions:
From downtown Portland, take Congress Street West (Route 22) under I-295 to Waldo Street, just beyond the Fore River. Turn left onto Waldo and then right onto Westbrook Street.
For more, visit www.tatehouse.org
