Historic New England's Castle Tucker

05/28/2026

At Castle Tucker, history isn’t just preserved—it’s shared through stories, conversations, and connections across generations.

Meet Peggy Konitzky, Midcoast Maine Site Manager at Historic New England, in our Meet Your Site Managers series. This season, Peggy is especially excited for programs tracing how families tied to Castle Tucker and neighboring sites experienced the American Revolution and its legacy.

As we prepare to welcome visitors to for the open season, we invite you to get to know the people who make our tours and events so special.

04/22/2026

We can’t wait to welcome you back this season for tours and programs—and hope you’ll join us for our Open House on June 6.

On Saturday, June 6, 2026, our historic sites across the region are open and FREE to the public. Join us for a fun day of fantastic storytelling! Love architecture, history, fantastic stories, great landscapes, fine art, folk art, or interior design? Then join Historic New England on June 6, 2026, f...

10/04/2025

As our season winds down, make sure to plan your visit to Castle Tucker! We are open Friday to Sunday from 11am to 3pm, with tours on the hour. Our last day is October 12th, so come see us before then! 🎃🍁🍂

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10/04/2025

Object Spotlight of the Week!

This wood and stone adz is a ceremonial piece that comes from the Harvey Islands. Traditionally, an adz would be used for hollowing out canoes. This adz is carved with complex geometric designs, with the stone piece at the top tied to the wood handle by rope in a weaved pattern. This tool was brought back as a tourist souvenir by Richard Tucker III in 1905!

What other objects from Castle Tucker are you interested in learning more about?

09/25/2025

Object Spotlight of the Week!

When he was little, Richard Tucker II, also known as Dick, received a package of stickers in his Christmas stocking. Like any child would, he immediately went around the house and put these stickers on everything he could reach. Clocks, bookcases, side tables, and jars around Castle Tucker now have small stickers stuck on them, some very carefully placed. It seems like someone, possibly Mollie, tried peeling some of these stickers off, but with little success. While we’ve spotted quite a few of Dick's stickers, we're still finding more to this day!

What other objects in Castle Tucker are you interested in learning more about?

09/13/2025

Object Spotlight of the Week!

Doing laundry has always been a chore, especially for the ladies living in Castle Tucker. When Mollie needed to do laundry, whether for her children or for boarders, she would use this metal tub and wooden laundry paddle. After putting the clothes in the tub along with water and chemicals and lighting the fire underneath, Mollie, or anyone else doing the laundry, would use the paddle to mix everything together to get the clothes clean. She could also use a washboard to scrub the clothes. After the clothes were clean, they would have hung them outside to dry.

What other objects in Castle Tucker are you interested in learning more about?

08/26/2025

These three busts depict Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, and John C. Calhoun. All three men were American politicians during the early to mid-1800s. Their plaster heads sit next to each other in the first-floor hallway in Castle Tucker. Having busts and images of American politicians and philosophers was a way to show your patriotism, political leanings, and American roots during the colonial revival period. The colonial revival period began in the 1880s, after the Civil War, and stretched into the mid-1900s, during which the Tuckers occupied Castle Tucker.

Are there any objects you are interested in learning about from Castle Tucker?

08/22/2025

Both Castle Tucker and Nickels-Sortwell House love Asher Benjamin's work!

08/19/2025

These five temple bells hang from a red cord in the Tucker's front entrance. Each bell is made from brass that has been painted black. There are also beautiful teal and gold dragons painted over the black. While the maker of this object is unknown, the temple bells were imported from China by A.A. Vantine & Co. During the Victorian Era, particularly the late 1800s, Eastern Asian goods, especially those from Japan, were very popular. As a modern family, the Tuckers filled their house with Eastern Asian goods, including these bells!

Are there any objects you are interested in learning more about from Castle Tucker?

08/13/2025

Have you ever heard of English Solitaire or the Fox and Geese Game? Both are played using this marbleized solitaire board. Including 32 marbles of varying colors in a stand made of walnut wood, this game would have kept the Tucker family entertained. While English Solitaire was a single-person game, the Fox and Geese Game was for two players. If you're interested in learning the rules to these games, check out the rules by House of Marbles in the link below.

Can you imagine Mame and Dick on the Solarium playing a game of Fox and Geese? What other objects from Castle Tucker are you interested in learning about?

https://shop.houseofmarbles.com/puzzle-solutions/standard-solitaire-instructions/