Capt. Nathaniel Lord Mansion, Federal architecture mansion in Kennebunkport Historic District, US.

Capt. Nathaniel Lord Mansion is a three-story wood-frame house with a five-bay facade, a center entrance with sidelights under a hip-roof portico, and six-over-six sash windows. A cupola tops its flat roof, and a three-story rear addition dates to 1859. Inside, Federal woodwork and a freestanding elliptical staircase survive.

Nathaniel Lord, a local shipbuilder, used his own workers to build the house and its barn in 1812, when a British blockade had halted the town's shipping. The house passed down through a continuous female line, which gave it several names over the years. The last Lord descendant sold it in 1972, and it became a bed and breakfast.

The mansion displays the classical Federal style features that define Kennebunkport's architectural character throughout the neighborhood. The carefully crafted facade with its symmetrical details reflects the taste and skills of the craftspeople who built it.

The building sits within Kennebunkport Historic District, an area containing many historical buildings from before 1925. Access is on foot, and daytime visits work best for viewing the facade details clearly.

The house stayed in the Lord family until 1972, passed down through a continuous female line, so it carried several different names over the years. The freestanding elliptical staircase inside is the feature to look for.