The Thomas Jefferson Southard House stands as a testament to the architectural grandeur and historical significance of the 19th century in Richmond, Maine. Dubbed “one of the most stylish wooden Italianate houses surviving in Maine” by the Historic American Buildings Survey at the United States Library of Congress, this home offers a remarkable blend of historical value and aesthetic beauty. While it now dazzles with intricate designs and period-appropriate restorations, its story began much more modestly. The journey from a simple 1870 structure to an iconic Italianate masterpiece is intertwined with the vision of Thomas Jefferson Southard, a prominent shipbuilder who purchased and redesigned the house in 1888.
The Modest Beginnings
Originally built in 1870, the house was not the architectural marvel it is today. Its transformation began when Southard, a figure of great influence in Richmond, acquired the property. Southard’s contributions to the town’s shipbuilding industry were immense, and his success allowed him to redesign the home, turning it into one of the finest examples of Italianate architecture in the state. The house’s evolution from simplicity to sophistication mirrors Southard’s own rise in prominence, as he left his mark on both the town’s economy and its architectural heritage.
