Historical Society

A Brief History

In 1890, Frank Hutchins hired local carpenter Lavella Norton to build a picturesque Victorian residence on High Street for his bride, Effie Pearl Winter. Charles and Alma Wilson purchased the Hutchins home in 1944 and in 1968, afraid that it would “become a tenement house,” Alma donated the 13-room Victorian era mansion to the Kingfield Historical Society. The Wilson’s forethought and generosity gave the society a home, and in 1970, its doors were opened to the public.

This two-story home with three porches and an attached two-story barn, retains much of the detailed work both inside and out, that are signatures for the Victorian era. The Scotch Firetube Steam Boiler, built in place while the house was being constructed, is one of a very few still in existence. Local historical artifacts and memorabilia fill the historical home to the brim with 19^th and 20^th Century furniture, dishware, textiles, photographs, paintings, tools, school yearbooks, war artifacts, Narrow Gauge Railroad memorabilia and more from Kingfield families and their descendants. It is here where visitors can discover the tools and methods that allowed our forefathers to thrive in western Maine.

The Kingfield Historical House features outstanding displays honoring its famous residents: William A. King, the first Governor of Maine for whom Kingfield is named; Chansonetta Stanley Emmons, renowned female photographer, her daughter, painter Dorothy Emmons, and twin brothers/inventors, F.E. and F.O. Stanley; Herbert Wing, local entrepreneur and member of the Maine legislature for many years and builder of the first Herbert Hotel; Amos Winter and the Winter Family (Amos was famed, “the father of Sugarloaf”) and Charles Grenville Wilson, Kingfield resident (who settled here in the 1920s with his wife Alma) and famous writer, poet, photographer and artist.

The Kingfield Historical House was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.

Kingfield Historical Society Timeline

1890 – Frank Hutchins hired Lavella Norton (local carpenter) to build the house as a wedding gift for his wife, Effie Pearl Winter.

*Victorian style, originally with 8 rooms and attached barn (Now 15 rooms.)

*Picturesque wrap around porch

*Multiple dormers

*Use of uniquely patterned shingles on roof

*Interior decorative tin ceilings

1917 – Frank remodeled upstairs into apartment, ultimately was 3 apartments one was in the barn. Frank and Effie lived in downstairs apartment until 1944

1944 – Effie sold house to Alma Wilson. Alma’s mother lived in one apartment for several years.

1954 – Ida Smith Wilson (Charles Wilson’s mother) was the last living resident in the Hutchins House.

1964 – Kingfield Historical Society was established as a non-profit organization with charter members

1968 – Alma gave building to Historical Society. She didn’t want to see it remain an apartment building.

1970 – Kingfield Historical Society opens to the public

1986-87 – Historical home on High Street receives National Register of Historic Places status