McLellan-Sweat Mansion

The McLellan-Sweat Mansion is a three-story brick building with a granite foundation and a central entrance framed by Doric columns supporting a semicircular portico. The walls display Flemish bond brickwork, while the roofline features a bracketed cornice and a balustrade topped with decorative stone urns.

Built between 1800 and 1801 for shipping merchant Hugh McLellan, the house served as a private residence for prominent families for over a century. In 1908, Margaret Sweat bequeathed the property to the Portland Society of Art, transforming it into a museum building.

The home showcases how prosperous shipping merchants lived during the Federal period, with rooms arranged to show the elegance and craftsmanship that defined early American wealth. Walking through the spaces reveals the domestic habits and aesthetic choices of a merchant family at the height of its influence.

The house can be accessed through the Portland Museum of Art complex at Congress Square during regular museum hours. Some interior staircases and hallways are narrow, so visitors with mobility concerns should confirm accessibility options beforehand.

The ornate roofline with its balustrade and decorative stone urns represents architectural details often overlooked as visitors focus on the classical columns at the entrance. This elaborate roofwork was a signature feature of wealthy homes and visibly demonstrated the owner's status.

Location: Maine

Architectural style: Federal architecture

GPS coordinates: 43.65330,-70.26250

Latest update: December 12, 2025 14:21