An apartment building that was once a hotel known as the “Revere House,” where famed scientist Alexander Graham Bell once stayed, is for sale in central Maine.
The hotel was built in 1858 on East Vassalboro’s Main Street by Alfred M. Bradley, who also owned Bradley Island in nearby China Lake, said Janice Clowes, president of the town’s historical society. Guests of the Revere House traveled to the hotel by electric trolley and could be ferried to Bradley’s island to enjoy its bowling alley, dance hall and dining room, Clowes said.
In its heyday, Clowes said the Revere House counted Alexander Graham Bell among its guests. The renowned inventor stayed there while working on a survey of deaf people in the area, according to Clowes’ historic records.
It was Bell’s research experimenting with hearing devices, inspired by his mother and wife’s deafness, that led to him being awarded the first American patent for the telephone. Local legend says that Bell owned the Revere House, with Vassalboro’s Wikipedia entry reflecting that. But it’s a myth, Clowes said.
“He only stayed one night,” she said.
The hotel was converted into an apartment building sometime in the mid-20th century, Clowes said. It has recently fallen into disrepair. The 4,300-square-foot building was listed for sale this week for $249,000, with the property’s online listing calling for an investor to restore the place to its original glory.
The building, which still bears its original “Revere House” sign, now has four 2-bedroom apartments and one 1-bedroom apartment, according to the listing. There is plenty of parking, room for storage in its basement, and coin-operated laundry, the listing from Real Broker notes.
While the listing also points out the building’s location in the heart of downtown Vassalboro but a “stone’s throw away” from the public boat launch on China Lake, it does note that the state would require lead paint abatement to be completed before anyone moves in.
The town would love to see the place fixed up. It’s a prominent building in East Vassalboro, only two doors from the historical society. Clowes believes it belongs on the National Register of Historic Places.
“It’s just kind of slowly gone downhill,” Clowes said. “If it sells and somebody is able to redo it, my word, we would be so happy.”
