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Every house has a story. I try to tell them.

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About alewifecove

I am history loving foodie from the Coast of Maine. In my daily life I endeavor to make people think I have a few brain cells that still seem to function. Usually I succeed. I am married to a woman who has the patience of a saint and the strength of a high priestess. For some inexplicable reason, she has chosen to tolerate my presence for some 25 years now.

Glimpses. 11 Garrison Street Extension

Built ca: 1825 by James Parker.

A modest Colonial/Federal in the Stroudwater neighborhood.

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This entry was posted in Architecture, Colonial, Federal style, Garrison Street Extension, Glimpses, History, Images, James Parker, Maine, Off the peninsula, Stroudwater, Then & Now, Westbrook and tagged 19th Century, Architecture, History, images, Joseph Chamberlain, Maine, Myrtle Kittridge Lovejoy, Portland, Portland Maine, Shipyard Point, Stroudwater, Then and Now, This Was Stroudwater, Westbrook on July 20, 2025 by alewifecove.

30 Dow Street

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Built ca: 1828 for Joseph Ilsley Jr.

A small Federal in the West End neighborhood

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This entry was posted in Architecture, Dow Street, Federal style, History, Images, masonry, Remuddling, Survivor, Then & Now, West End, William Widgery Thomas and tagged 1820s, 19th Century, Architecture, Curtis Meservey, Elmer W CObb jr, Federal style, Fieldstone, Henry G Timmons, History, images, John O Caleb, Joseph Ilsley Jr, Maine, Portland, Portland Maine, Remuddling, Then and Now, West End on June 22, 2025 by alewifecove.

89-91 St Lawrence Street

Build date unclear

A Greek Revival former store and residence in the Munjoy Hill Historic District.

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This entry was posted in Architecture, Commercial, Greek Revival, History, Images, Income Property, Maine, Munjoy Hill, St Lawrence Street, Survivor, The Great Fire of 1866, Then & Now and tagged 19th Century, Alfred Hatch, Architecture, Cobbler, Hatch Brothers, History, images, Maine, Munjoy Hill, Portland, Portland Maine, Shoe Shop, The Hill, Then and Now, William Hatch on May 24, 2025 by alewifecove.

Glimpses. 1043 Congress Street

Built ca: 1858 for Peter & Armina Nollet/Nollett

A whimsical Greek Revival in the Libby’s Corner neighborhood.

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This entry was posted in Architecture, Congress Street, garage, Glimpses, Greek Revival, History, Images, Libby's Corner, Maine, Off the peninsula, Then & Now and tagged 19th Century, Architecture, Congress Street, East Ender, History, images, Libby's Corner, Maine, Portland, Portland Maine, Then and Now on May 4, 2025 by alewifecove.

By Request. 296 Spring Street

Built in 1857 by Merrick Sawyer

A fine Greek Revival in the West End

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This entry was posted in Architecture, By Request, Captain Benjamin Webster, Condominium, Granite, History, Images, Italianate, Spring Street, Then & Now, West End and tagged 19th Century, By Request, Captain Benjamin Webster, Elias Thomas, Granite, History, images, Merrick Sawyer, Portland, Then and Now, West End on April 13, 2025 by alewifecove.

Glimpses. 308 Danforth Street. A peek inside.

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A rare opportunity to see the interior of a Portland landmark.

In early 2024, one of the city’s landmark antebellum homes came on the market under some odd circumstances.

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This entry was posted in Architecture, Brick, Charles A Alexander, Danforth Street, Glimpses, History, Images, Italianate, Maine, masonry, Observations, Portals, Real Estate, West End, West End Walks and tagged 19th Century, Architecture, Belvedere, Brick, Charles A Alexander, Danforth Street, doors, Glimpses, History, images, Italianate, Maine, masonry, Post Colonial, preservation, Real Estate, Spiral Stair, West End on March 16, 2025 by alewifecove.

Portland House Stories is 10 years old!

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As hard as it is to believe, I started this website in February of 2015.

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This entry was posted in Anniversary and tagged 1 Decade, 10 Year Anniversary, 10 years, Aluminum Anniversary, Anniversary, Daffodil Anniversary, History, Portland, Portland House Stories, Portland Maine, Then and Now on February 15, 2025 by alewifecove.

16-22 Pine Street

Built on spec in 1856 by the Granville & Sewall Chase. Design by Charles A Alexander

A quartet of substantial Italianate townhouses in the Longfellow Square neighborhood

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This entry was posted in Brick, Built on spec, Charles A Alexander, Chase, Condominium, Fail, Granville M Chase, History, Images, Italianate, Longfellow Square, Maine, On Spec, Pine Street, Portals, Remuddling, Rowhouse, Sewall Chase, Then & Now, Townhouse, West End Walks and tagged 19th Century, Architecture, Brick, Charles A Alexander, Granville Chase, History, images, Maine, Portland, Portland Maine, Sewall Chase, Then and Now, West End on January 19, 2025 by alewifecove.

Redux. 1 Thomas Street

Built in 1891 for Harry Butler. Design by John Calvin Stevens

An iconic Romanesque in the West End Historic District

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This entry was posted in Architecture, Brick, Harry Butler, Images, John Calvin Stevens, Maine, masonry, Portals, Redux, Romanesque, Thomas Street, West End, West End Walks and tagged 19th Century, Architecture, Elizabeth S Butler, Harry Butler, History, images, John Calvin Stevens, Juris K Ubans, Maine, Mara Ubans, Miami, Portland, Portland Maine, Then and Now, West End on December 1, 2024 by alewifecove.

Clippings. The American Architect & Building News and the Jekyll Island Club House

The American Architect & Building News was the standard trade publication in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Most of the issues are available for reading and, in most cases, download.

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This entry was posted in American Architect & Building News, Charles A Alexander, Field Trips, History, Images, Jekyll Island Club, Off the peninsula and tagged Architecture, Charles A Alexander, Clippings, History, images, Jay Gould, Jekyll Island Club, Jekyll Island GA, JP Morgan, Marshall Field, The American Architect & Building News on November 3, 2024 by alewifecove.

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By Request: 127 Pleasant Street
Glimpses. 12 Madison Street
By Request: 140 Eastern Promenade / 1-7 Wilson Street
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