Jonathan Fisher House: 1814 Historic House Museum, Blue Hill, Maine: House

	In 1896 they tore down the original 1796 house and replaced it with a two-story addition. In the following decades the homestead’s outbuildings were either left to decay or were torn down. The wood house and hogs cote were both gone by the time the Jonathan Fisher Memorial took over the property in the 1950s. The barn lasted into the 1990s, but eventually it too succumbed to decay and was dismantled. The Jonathan Fisher Memorial also added its own addition to the house in the 1970s, in order to house exhibition space and offices. In spite of these changes, Fisher’s main house from 1814 is remarkably intact. The Parson’s descendants harbored great respect for their industrious patriarch and chose to keep the house in its original state. When the Fisher family left Blue Hill, care of the house fell on a number of concerned local citizens, and eventually lead to the founding of the Jonathan Fisher Memorial and opening of the house to the public.

1796 - The Original House Fisher began work on his original house in the summer of 1796, shortly after his arrival in Blue Hill in June of that year. The frame of the house was raised on September 1st, and without a doubt most of the men in his congregation were on hand to assist. The Fishers did not occupy their house for over a year. On November 2, 1797 (the day of their first wedding anniversary), Jonathan and Dolly Battle Fisher finally took up residence on their homestead. The Parson writes in his journal: "This day we are removed into our own house. Though in an unfinished state, it is more comfortable than the habitations of many." The Fishers’ original house was quite small, being only one-and-a-half stories tall, with two rooms on the ground floor and a small sleeping space under the roof. But for a newly-wed couple on the Maine frontier it was comfortable. 1814 – The Big House By the second decade of the nineteenth century, it became apparent that the Fisher home was becoming too small for the growing family and the Parson began to plan a substantial addition to his house. In 1811, perhaps in anticipation of this activity, Fisher constructed a wood house in his yard. In it he installed the first wind-powered saw in Blue Hill. Fisher continued preparations for his house in the following years. During the long winter months of 1814, the Parson began to draw up plans for his house. He created several different schemes, and settled on the final form of the building in February of that year. On January 18, 1814, Fisher “engaged Mr. J. Holt to frame my house for me next June,” and also he “engaged Mr. Savage to enclose the covering of my house, put on corner boards, window facings, & trimmings...by the last of Sept. 1814.” The Parson kept to this schedule, and on June 21, 1814, the frame of Fisher’s house was raised into place: "A day of care & business—Mr. Holt, Steven & Mr. Smith worked A. M. on frame. Worked myself stripping old house & drawing nails. About 100 hand collected & assisted me in raising my house, with plank sides, which went up well, & no person was materially hurt. After raising partook of a bountiful supper & after supper had pleasant singing. Blessed be God for the variety & abundance of his mercies." It took several more years for Jonathan Fisher to complete his house. His journal records that the Parson was working to finish the building well into 1818, at which time he finally painted the exterior. Subsequent Alterations The Fisher homestead remained in its original condition for a number of decades, even after the Parson passed away in 1847. At the end of the nineteenth century, however, Jonathan Fisher’s grandchildren decided to renovate the Fisher homestead.