11 Laurel Cove Rd, Harpswell, ME 04079

Laurel Cove Farm is a former salt-water farm that has been occupied at least as far back as the late 18th century. The circa 1780 cape is still in use and in impeccable condition. Along the way (1987 or so) a single-story addition was added that honors in appearance the connectors found in antique farm houses all over New England. Finally, in 1995, at the far end of that connector was added an unfinished two-story new structure that mimics an attached barn. The current owners took this raw material and designed, repaired and renovated the three sections into a coherent whole, blending the eras of architecture and construction materials into the livable layout and appearance that exist today. You can choose for yourself how to use the 11 rooms. Windows across the entire water side of the house provide light and stunning views throughout. Modern amenities support comfortable living in the house itself; the oversize 3-car garage provides storage, work space and hobby space. In addition, the owners have cultivated the grounds into lawn and gardens and maintained as bird habitat the meadow that sweeps down the hill to a salt marsh and tidal cove. Native Maine plants and trees flourish in the cultivated areas; the meadow is bush-hogged in thirds annually and is a delightful combination of grasses that turn different colors in different seasons and provide the year-round habitat. The large doors and windows, particularly those in the generous screened and glassed 3-season porch, provide an expansive overlook for the owners' bird houses and feeders at the top of the hill that then flows gently downward to become a tree-lined swath of wavy grasses leading to the blue waters and tidal flats of Laurel Cove. All-in-all, a truly lovely, tranquil and peaceful place to live and work, both inside and out.