Shingle style cottages have long been synonymous with Maine summers. But at least one early adopter of the style recognized the appeal of living year round in a rambling fieldstone-and-shingle retreat by the sea. Providence-based banker Charles Ingraham built his 1897 iteration with a massive stone chimney and artful arrangement of roof peaks in Phippsburg as a retirement home. He had hoped that the gracious dwelling would serve as a model for friends who might build their own places here. But that dream did not materialize and Ingraham lived out his last years alone in his cottage. Almost a century later, however, the home — now known as the Stone House Manor bed and breakfast — is the bustling refuge Ingraham envisioned, welcoming visitors through its arched front door in every season.
Portland-based writer Julie Senk holds degrees in history and historic preservation and provides property surveys and architectural analyses to homeowners and businesses. To learn more about her work, visit northernvernacular.com.