It’s snowing again, as I write – another of those polite, itsy-bitsy-flaked snow showers that slowly and diligently fills the much-plowed driveway and tops-off the rest of the snow build-up elsewhere. These snow “storms” are getting boring. I’m almost ready for a good old-fashioned, tree-toppling blizzard. Almost.
Instead, let’s just look at two historically important buildings that look better after the snow stops. Eden Chapel in the foreground was dedicated in 1900 and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. This late Victorian church contains distinctive wooden design features, including a decorative diamond on the second stage of the tower and wave-cut shingles on the third.
To the left of the Chapel, you’ll see what once was Naskeag Schoolhouse No. 1. When Brooklin was incorporated in 1849, that was one of nine one-room schools to which local children walked. The school was closed in 1937 and the building reportedly was reconfigured as a an automobile repair garage that was run by Arthur and Arlene Smith, a husband-wife team of mechanics. (Image taken in Brooklin, Maine, on February 7, 2025.)