Orchard Hill Farmhouse (Circa 1794), a Classic High-Posted New England Cape
Picturesquely Situated Between the Atlantic Ocean and White Mountains
On the same Estate as Highland Cottage (see VRBO Listing #745419), which sleeps six.
Experience History! This timepiece, a classic representation of American Architectural History, proudly overlooks the foothills of the White Mountains, embodying the Saco and Ossipee River Valleys. Orchard Hill Farmhouse (OHF) offers a phenomenal mountain view with rolling hills and open fields. Wide pumpkin pine floorboards, fastened in place with square-head nails, root one in time; they are original to the main house! The interior trim work (a reflection of changing tastes) is a combination of original and Nineteenth Century woodwork. The living room and dining areas are abundant in atmosphere, featuring exposed beams, both hand hewn and sawn timbers. (For additional Historic Information about OHF, see the end of this Property Description.)
Four large hand-split granite steps lead up to the main entryway. Mature landscaping (lichen-covered stonewalls, flower gardens, bushes…) compliments this gem that has spanned four centuries (parts of two and all of two). The winding country road, bordered by long stretches of stonewalls, provides a partial panorama of the foothills of the White Mountains in New Hampshire. A three-minute stroll brings one to an impressive overlook. And Orchard Hill Farmhouse is within approximately one hour of numerous “must see” attractions! Centrally located between the Atlantic Coast and the White Mountains, a small sampling follows:
• Old Port area of Portland, ME (50 min) (cobblestone streets, gift shops, museums, fine dining, theater, lighthouses, home of DeMillo’s Floating Restaurant, “Old Port Festival” [usually mid-June]); Portland (Children’s Museum, Portland Museum of Fine Art, Longfellow House, Portland Observatory, Merrill Auditorium… SO MUCH MORE!)
• Casco Bay Lines, Portland, ME (50 min) (Ferry System Cruises, including the popular Casco Bay Islands Cruise, which covers eight islands)
• Odyssey Whale Watch, Portland, ME (50 min) (Whale Watching Tour Agency, ADVENTURES YOU WON’T FORGET!)
• Old Orchard Beach, ME (55 min) (a premier mile-long, fun-filled Maine beach, an international attraction)
• Mount Washington Auto Road, NH (1 hr) (nearly eight miles long with incredible vistas)
• Mount Washington Cog Railroad, NH (1hr) (WHAT AN HISTORIC TRAIN RIDE!)
• Kancamagus Highway, NH (40 min) (legendary highway through White Mountain National Forest, mountain views, waterfalls, hiking trails, covered bridge…)
• Fryeburg, ME (25 min) (one of Maine’s oldest towns, [home of the Fryeburg Fair, Maine’s largest Agricultural Fair “1851” (September 30 – October 7, 2018), “The Coach Exhibit-- including Gypsy Caravans--a “must see”], kayaking, canoeing, biking, an exercise community trail that follows the old “Mountain Line” Railway Road)
• Freeport, ME (1 hr & 20 min) (home of the original L.L. Bean Retail Store, outlet stores, dining…)
• North Conway, NH (35 min) (major shopping destination near Mount Washington, dinner train, hiking, theatre)
• Sebago Lakes Region, ME (20 min) (recreational destination [boating, fishing, dining…])
• Scarborough (45 min) to Kittery, ME (“Antique Alley”, Route 1 drive, time depends on traffic flow)
• Hiram, ME (15 min) (Ossipee Valley Music Festival with musicians (and fans) from all over the United States)
• Douglass Mountain, Sebago, ME (15 min) (a low energy hike with super energizing mountaintop views from a stone tower)
• Sand Pond, East Baldwin, ME (7 min) (spring-fed pond for swimming and recreation)
• Saco River, Cornish/West Baldwin Line (5 min) (kayaking, canoeing…)
• Yarmouth Clam Festival, Yarmouth, ME (1 hr) (GREAT food! Fun for the whole family! Usually held in July)
• Cornish, ME (7 min) (voted one of New England’s most charming villages, “The Crown of York County”, Home of the Apple Festival [September 29, 2018], part of the Maine Antique Trail)
Orchard Hill Farmhouse is located one-half mile off the Pequawket Trail (Route 113), a Maine Scenic Byway. It is an attractively decorated two-story structure. Sleeping accommodations: there are four bedrooms and a "room for thought" (has a fireplace) with a futon that opens to a full bed. Bedrooms I and II (first floor) each have a full bed; bedroom III has a queen bed; and bedroom IV has one set of twin beds. Thus the farmhouse sleeps ten (larger parties should consider renting Highland Cottage [VRBO listing #745419], which can accommodate six and is located on the same Estate, a short stroll across maintained lawn). A breakfast area seats four and the dining room seats six. There are two bathrooms with tubs that have showers.
The kitchen has a microwave, toaster oven, coffee pot, and full-size cook stove as well as a dishwasher. Pots, pans, dinnerware, and utensils are provided. Each bedroom has additional sets of sheets available. Towels, washcloths, and hand towels are in the bathrooms and bedrooms.
In addition…
• A screened-in porch with table and chairs, including an second refrigerator
• A TV and DVD player (no cable)
• A CD player
• Small library collection, including general interest books, cookbooks, DVDs
• Games and puzzles
• Propane fireplace and oil heat
• Stainless steel barbeque grille
• New washer (and a dryer)
• Outdoor furniture
• Pets are welcome with owners’ permission
Make Orchard Hill Farmhouse your home base to explore some of Maine and New Hampshire’s most spectacular attractions. Whether you love to bike, hike, swim, fish, shop, dine, or view… Whether you most love spring’s blossoms and blooms, summer’s lush greenery, or autumn’s inferno of foliage color, the location of this timepiece is perfect to realize your vacation plan.
$1,790/week, plus State of Maine lodging tax (9%)
$250/night (M, Tu, W), plus State of Maine lodging tax (9%)
$275/night (Th, F, Sa, Su), plus State of Maine lodging tax (9%)
$500 Security Deposit (refunded after end of stay)
Vacation Rental Contract
Minimum Stay: 3 days
Maximum Stay: 4 weeks
Available May through October
Additional Historic Information about Orchard Hill Farm
Orchard Hill Farmhouse (OHF) is originally the Estate of Ephraim Bachelor (b 1749), a Militia Member who served during the Revolutionary War. This land parcel (a Revolutionary War Bounty Land Grants Award) was granted by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts before Maine was designated its own (advented) U.S. Statehood in 1820.
A functioning farm and apple orchard up until 1953, OHF remained in the same family until 1958, when it was purchased by Mildred and Edward Giroux and used as an Artists Retreat until 1995. It remains in the Giroux and Monette family, and continues to be a source of creative inspiration. The Estate includes Highland Cottage (see VRBO listing #745419)--formerly, an Art Gallery--which is located in close proximity (a stroll across maintained lawn) to OHF.
Although a modern drilled well has been the water supply since 1996, the original well is located a quarter-mile up the hill behind OHF. This “gravity fed” system supplied water, which was collected in a cistern. The stonework that was once part of an ice house (where ice that was cut from ponds in the winter was stored for year-round refrigeration purchases) still stands on the north side behind OHF. Of course, OHF has modern plumbing! Even though, the “outhouse” still exists in the bottom floor of a three-story Carriage House, which has an original granite hitching post with a blacksmith-forged iron ring located in front. (The Outhouse is NO LONGER!! in use.) Most work done on OHF--a combination of restoration and renovation--has been tasteful, preserving the integrity of the architectural style.