This Federal style house was built for himself by carpenter and wood carver Ebenezer Alden in 1797, shortly after he completed the carved ornamentation for General Henry Knox’s mansion Montpelier. It remained in the Alden family until the 1970’s, through Victorian era alterations and 20th century neglect.
In the mid-1970’s, it was purchased by antique collectors Joe and Hazel Marcus and restored by them. The upper photo shows the north parlor during restoration. The fireplace has been rebuilt (they were all removed in the 1860’s) but otherwise the room is not yet restored. The lower photo, by David Clough, shows the room today.
The Alden House is one of 13 featured houses presented between the how-to chapters of Restoring Your Historic House, The Comprehensive Guide for Homeowners. The houses date from c. 1760 to 1957 and range geographically from Maine to Santa Fe, NM. They were all photographed by noted architectural photographer David Clough for the book.
The 720-page award-winning hardcover book is available in bookstores and from online retailers (it is currently 34% off on Amazon! http://ow.ly/N7ba50y4PSL). 2020 Winner – Excellence in Publishing Award from the Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance.
Signed and personalized copies are available directly from the author on this site.
Your local bookstore can order copies from W.W. Norton.
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