Funds will be used to rehabilitate the Old Hancock County Sheriff’s Home and Jail, a 19th-century building listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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The Ellsworth Historical Society has secured a second federal grant to rehabilitate the Old Hancock County Sheriff’s Home and Jail, a 19th-century building in Ellsworth’s historic district that's listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The $185,770 REvitalizeME grant will fund exterior carpentry work as part of a multi-phase effort to preserve the downtown landmark, located at 40 State St."Our goal is mindful rehabilitation, so that the structure remains historically accurate while protected for future generations," said Bill Fogle, president of the Ellsworth Historical Society.
Before-and-after
The award follows a $200,000 RevitalizeME grant in 2022 that funded repairs and reconstruction of damaged areas across the Old Jail’s brick exterior.In 2024, Portland masonry firm Hascall & Hall repaired all the crumbling exterior brickwork on the 1886 structure, using original materials and appropriately colored mortar to restore all four walls to their original state.
Since 2007, the structure has been included on Maine Preservation’s Most Endangered Historic Places List.
Deteriorated wood
The latest grant will focus on critical exterior carpentry repairs and rehabilitation necessary to ensure the building’s long-term structural integrity and preservation.
Work will include rehabilitation of deteriorated wood elements including entrances and windows.
The rehabilitation will be conducted in accordance with the U.S. Department of Interior’s standards for the treatment of historic properties.
Work is expected to begin following final project approvals and contractor selection by architect and project manager Carla Haskell.
The sheriff’s home and jail was designed by Maine architect Francis Fassett and constructed in 1886. For nearly 100 years, it served as the county’s principal detention facility and residence for the sheriffs and their families.
The building’s dual function as a sheriff’s family home attached to jail cell blocks, preserved in its original form, makes it a rare artifact of U.S. law enforcement history, according to the society. The house interior remains largely intact from the time of construction, with many original details preserved.Matching funds
As part of the grant agreement, the Ellsworth Historical Society will contribute 20% in non-federal matching funds toward the project costs. The local match represents a $40,000 financial commitment by the organization and its supporters.
“Downtown preservation is not only about maintaining buildings; it is about sustaining the historic character that defines Ellsworth,” said Fogle. “This investment strengthens the downtown historic district and reinforces the building’s role as a community asset.”
The Ellsworth Historical Society is the owner and steward of the structure and responsible for its maintenance, rehabilitation and administration. The group has previously undertaken phased preservation efforts to stabilize and rehabilitate the structure.
The REvitalizeME Downtown program provides federal financial assistance for historic preservation projects that support economic development in Maine’s downtowns.
In Maine, the program is administered by the Maine Development Foundation in partnership with the Maine Historic Preservation Commission.
