On Saturday, May 5, Maine Preservation will present its annual Old House Forum at Union Hall in Rockport. The event will feature renowned landscape architect Patrick Chasse. A resident of Mt. Desert for almost 50 years, Chasse has done extensive research of the designed landscapes that cover that extraordinary island. Chasse’s lecture, entitled, “From Eden to Acadia,” chronicles the evolution of historic homes and public landscapes across Mt. Desert. Chasse specializes in historic landscapes, reconstruction of natural plant communities, and design of new gardens, from Mt. Desert Island to Istanbul. He was a leader of efforts to preserve “Garland Farm,” Beatrix Farrand’s last home and garden, in Bar Harbor, Maine, and in 2004 was appointed the first Curator of Landscape at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, in Boston.

The theme of this years’ Old House Forum is “View from the Porch.” Portland architect John Turk will be speaking on “Porches: History & Current Best Maintenance Practices.” John Turk has been a practicing architect in Portland for over 25 years and has worked on a variety of preservation projects including the Maine Irish Heritage Center, the Portland Observatory and Deering Oak’s Castle-in-the Park. Turk has been recognized for his design excellence and preservation expertise by the Maine Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Maine Preservation and Greater Portland Landmarks. 

The event will also feature prominent preservation architect and historian Christopher Glass and State Historian Earle G. Shettleworth, Jr. speaking on Camden Summer Houses. Mr. Glass has been a practicing architect in Camden for more than 40 years, focusing primarily on new houses and renovations to existing ones. He is former chairman of the Maine Historic Preservation Commission, two-time past president of Maine Preservation and for twenty years taught architectural design at Bowdoin College. Earl Shettleworth, Jr. retired as Director of the Maine Historic Preservation Commission in 2015. Mr. Shettleworth has lectured and written extensively on Maine history and architecture, his most recent publication being Maine in World War I, which he co-authored in 2017. 

This event has been made possible through the support of Allen Insurance and Financial, Cold Mountain Builders, Bateman Partners LLC, Consigli, Norway Savings, Preservation Timber Framing, Taggart Construction and Town & Shore Associates. The event begins at 10am and lunch is included. Tickets are $30. For more information about this event, please go to mainepreservation.org or to purchase tickets visit https://viewfromtheporch.bpt.me/.

Maine Preservation, founded in 1972, is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit member-based statewide historic preservation organization. Our Mission is to promote and preserve historic places, buildings, downtowns and neighborhoods, strengthening the cultural and economic vitality of Maine communities. We envision a Maine where vibrant, active communities value and sustain their historic character. Learn more by visiting our website mainepreservation.org.