A 1913 photo in the Old Berwick Historical Society archives has a note that reads, “Old Butler House… 2nd oldest house in town.” While this is not necessarily accurate, the Butler House surely is one of the oldest houses on Portland Street. The large hill rising up behind the house has been known to this day as Butler’s Hill (or Powderhouse Hill, for the ammunition storage that used to be up there).

One of the first settlers to farm on the Plains, as today’s South Berwick Village was once known, was Thomas Butler, born in 1674. About 1790, his descendants built the Butler House still standing near the intersection of Portland Street and Agamenticus Road.

Thomas Butler and his Descendants by George H. Butler, M.D., written in 1886, details a long string of Butler descendants at the site.

This photo from the late 1800s shows the Butler House, right, viewed from the heights of Butler’s Hill, along with Schoolhouse No. 5, lower left, facing the Thomas Jewett House (later Elisha Jewett’s house) across the street.

Portland Street Walking Tour
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