BREAKING STORY: Historic Mill Pond house demolished in Somesville
SOMESVILLE, June 23, 2023 - - One of the most historic houses on MDI was demolished this week, 15 months after it was acquired by a London couple who are long-time summer residents.
The Mill Pond House was built in 1928 and was owned by Dr. Virginia Somes Sanderson, a direct descendent of Abraham Somes, thought to be the first non-native settler of Mount Desert Island and for whom the village of Somesville was named. Somes built his sawmill on the east bank of the mill pond in 1763.
The house and 2.6 acres of land with 553 feet of shore front were sold in March 2022 to Katherine M. Walker of 36 Landsdowne Crescent, London, England. The application for the demolition permit was filed by Noel Musson, the town’s land-use consultant since 2012, who represented Walker.
The sale generated $5 million for the endowment of the Somes-Meynell Wildlife Sanctuary, which Somes founded in 1985 with a donation of 33 acres.
Members of the board of the sanctuary supported the new owner’s desire to build a new house, saying the old house was in disrepair and the new owners made a good-faith effort to save it.
“The new owners were kind enough to show SMWS (sanctuary) drawings, and the new plan appears to be tasteful, understated, and in keeping with the character of the village of Somesville,” stated member Dan Kane in an email. “All indications are that the new owners will be exemplary stewards of both the ecological and aesthetic value of the property.”
Musson stated in an email, “We do not have a rendering to share for this project. However, the design of the new home has been created to respect the local architecture, history, environment, and the property’s context within the village of Somesville. We have been working closely with Somes-Meynell throughout and will continue to work with them during construction.”
The Sanctuary retained deeded access to the mill pond dam and fish ladder which enables ongoing scientific, educational, and maintenance programs.
Virginia Somes was an educator, poet, historian and wildlife conservationist who maintained two properties in Somesville; Mill Pond House located in the village, and a cottage on the south shore of nearby Somes Pond.
She bequeathed her Mill Pond House to Somes-Meynell and in 1990 the Sanctuary granted life tenancy to a local family in lieu of a substantial land donation (100 acres) within the Somes Pond watershed.
The tenants were John S. Fernald Jr., who died in2018, and Betty W. Fernald who died in 2020.
“After the end of the life tenancy and a Sanctuary planning process, LandVest was approached and selected to market and sell this property. We knew immediately that this was far more than a typical real estate transaction, rather it was about contributing to Virginia's legacy, and at the same time, finding a buyer who shared the values of the Sanctuary since a portion of the property has a reserved right for on-going wildlife research, monitoring and educational programs by Somes-Meynell staff, volunteers, and partners,” wrote Scott McFarland of Landvest, which represented the sanctuary in the sale.
Somes Sanderson was born in Columbus, Ohio. Her father was in the insurance business in Ohio and in California, representing the Aetna Insurance Company. Virginia’s mother, Hattie, born in Somesville in 1870, was the daughter of Thaddeus Shepley Somes and Emilie Clarissa (Meynell) Somes. Thaddeus was the son of Abraham Somes III (1801-1868) and Adeline Freeman Somes (1815-1892) so Virginia’s Mount Desert Island pedigree was about as authentic as anyone on the island.
In 1914 she graduated from Berkeley High School and then earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of California.
She taught vocal expression and dramatics for two years in Paso Robles. She started at the San José State University English Department English Department in 1922 teaching Oral English, Public Speaking and Drama, attended Oxford for summer school in 1925 and the Sorbonne at Paris University in fall 1925. She was a pioneer in choral speaking as an educational tool. Sanderson was professor of speech and hearing therapy in the Division of Special Education of the Bureau of Educational Research and Service a Ohio State University in 1960.
She died June 16, 1990 at the age of 93 and is buried in Brookside Cemetery.
The Somes-Meynell Wildlife Sanctuary has grown since its founding, now protecting and preserving 255 acres in the Somes Pond Watershed. “As increasing development and visitation place pressure on fragile natural systems within its watershed, the Somes-Meynell Wildlife Sanctuary is committed to remaining diligent in its mission of conservation and education of this very special place,” it stated on its website.
Pave Paradise put up a parking lot! This news leaves me almost speechless. When I moved to MDI 46 years ago I lived in Somesville and often walked by this beautiful home. Back then the mere thought of it being torn down to make way for yet another McMansion would have been simply unthinkable. Even to suggest such a thing would have immediately resulted in a person being shunned by the local community if not being ridden out of town on a rail. Downtown Somesville back then was a lovely New England coastal village made up largely of well kept old homes owned by people whose families had long distinguished local histories. Fernald's Store was a combination general store/hardware store/auto repair garage owned by the Fernald brothers. Although it lacked the proverbial pot belly stove and cracker barrel it was a community meeting place through which both natives and the occasional person "from away" could establish and maintain friendships. I met Virginia Somes Sanderson, the owner of the house back then, via my job working as a stock clerk at Don's Shop 'n Save in Bar Harbor. She was a fascinating character with an encyclopedic knowledge of history and an abiding love for Somesville and MDI. I can not even imagine how she would have reacted to the desecration of this historical landmark. When are the people of Mount Desert Island going to awaken and say, "Enough is enough!" From cruise ship mobs in downtown Bar Harbor making NYC look like a remote village in the Himalayas, through the endless destruction of historical homes, and the conversion of year round homes to Air B&Bs, this beautiful island is under attack. The time to fight back, to honor the sacrifices made by Abraham Somes and the other original settlers, is now!
What a shame to see that beautiful home demolished. One can only hope that the new house is, as promised, sensitively rendered.