Stand high on a hill overlooking Fort Williams are the ruins of what was once a magnificent oceanfront residence, the Goddard Mansion. This was the home of Colonel John Goddard and his family who lived here during the mid to late 1800s. Karen and I enjoyed walking through the ruins and trying to imagine what life must have been like for those who called this place "home."The Goddard Mansion, completed in 1858, was one of the first grand houses to be built along the Cape Elizabeth shore. Goddard, who had made his fortune in the lumber business, purchased Cape Cottage, a popular summer resort hotel built in 1835.
The mansion was built on a portion of the hotel property, although we did not see any of the remains of the hotel.The mansion was acquired by the U.S. Army in 1898 and used for housing married enlisted men and their families who were stationed at Fort Williams. The basement of the house was used for the fort's Non-Commissioned Officer's Club.
No comments:
Post a Comment