19th Century Willowbrook Village: Where Victorian Maine Comes into the Present

Set among the trees and rolling hills about an hour west of Portland is 19th Century Willowbrook Village, a living museum crafted from a variety of properties purchased by Don King and his associates starting with the 1965 purchase of the Durgin property in Newfield. More than four decades after that first purchase, the three-acre Willowbrook Village contains two historic homes and their barns, a reproduction schoolhouse and bandstand, along with a millpond and dozens of other exhibits on 19th century history spread among 25 buildings.

The exhibits at Willowbrook Village focus on all aspects of farm life in rural Maine during the mid- to late 19th century, including tools used in blacksmithing, carpentry, haymaking, cutting firewood and orchard cultivation, among others. Until his death in 1985, King was highly involved in collecting and presenting many of the tools currently on display in the buildings at Willowbrook. Eventually, residents sought out the village as a way to preserve their treasured family heirlooms.

The 1894 Armitage-Herschell carousel, for example, was a gift from I. H. Fenderson Jr. in 1978; the carousel still operates at Willowbrook today. During the season, patrons can witness the operation of the carousel on a daily basis to see the century-old machine in action. Once every month, Willowbrook Village has a scheduled day when visitors can even ride the carousel. For that special day, make sure to check the calendar at the Willowbrook Village website. 

There’s also the Country Store , which offers an extensive candy counter along with kitchen gadgets and other sundry items for the shopping-oriented visitor. There used to be two stores, the Shops at Willowbrook and the Country Store, but they have since merged; there is also a Farmer's Market on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. during the season. And at the site of Amos Straw’s general store is a collection of vintage display counters, authentic 19th century advertisements, and tin containers among antiques.

From Memorial Day weekend through Columbus Day each year, the museum’s two dozen buildings are open for self-guided tours through the various exhibits on all aspects of 19th century life in rural Maine. For groups of 20 or more, Willowbrook Village provides a guide that will offer an hour-long tour of the museum. Members of the group won't get to see everything though, as going through the entire property would take anywhere from 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Beyond perusing the collection of antiques and family heirlooms, Willowbrook Village also offers the Trafton Barn and the Sandwich Shop as indoor event facilities, as well as space in the big red barn on the property and an outdoor picnic area.

Two-thirds of the village are accessible for visitors in wheelchairs; this doesn't apply to the historic buildings as there are no ramps and the doorways are too small to feasibly fit a wheelchair. One wheelchair is available for rent at the Country Store. The village does advise people who might make use of the chair to call ahead in order to reserve it.

HelloPortlandMaine Tip: There are events held throughout the year at 19th Century Willowbrook Village. Check the website before your visit to see if anything coincides with your trip.

19th Century Willowbrook Village Newfield Portland