Murals depicting sea monsters, ships, longboats and animals are etched on interior walls of the historic Pettengill Farm in Freeport.

The pictures were made using a centuries-old technique called “sgraffito,” and, according to Holly Hurd of the Freeport Historical Society, they are one of the most fascinating features of the history-rich house, which will be open for tours this summer.

“They’re incredible,” Hurd said. “It’s worth taking the tour just to see them.”

Pettingill Farm, built around 1800 on an estuary of the Harraseeket River and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has other draws, as well.

Mildred Pettengill, who lived there for many years with her brother, Frank, was its last resident and lived in the house until 1970. The farmhouse sits on 140 acres that supported a saltwater dairy farm.

On the five summer tours, Hurd, curator and collections manager for the historical society, which owns site, will describe the history of the farm and saltbox home, which was sustained over generations without modern amenities.

“There are many interesting places all around the property, but the focus of the tour is the house,” Hurd said. “It never had central heating, running water of electricity. There is a woodstove in the center of the house that was Mildred’s sole source of heat. It’s very isolated and very primitive. You just don’t see that these days. They lived in this very simple, primitive way.”

The Pettengills also ran their dairy farm very simply.

“They never had any mechanized vehicles. They did it with horses, right into the 1960s. Frank left the mower in the field after the last time he used it,” Hurd said.

She’ll show people around the farm property, where archaelogical digs have unearthed some finds.

Last fall, archaeologist Norm Buttrick unearthed a huge wharf – 30 feet wide and 90 feet long – at the water’s edge. The saltwater served to preserve much of the wharf, Hurd said.

Buttrick also found the remnants of a brick farm.

“We’ve known for a long time there was a brick yard there. It’s just one example of the many things there are to see,” Hurd said, adding that there also are three cellar holes on the property.”

The sgraffiti inside the house, though, is a highlight. Some of the ships depicted probably are frigates from the War of 1812, Hurd said.

Mildred Pettengill covered the sgraffiti with wallpaper, but made it known to people that it was underneath, Hurd said.

“We think they were done in the early 19th century,” she said.

Using the sgraffito technique, layers of plaster are applied over another color of plaster. Drawings are then scratched into the top layer revealing the color of the underlying layer. 

Pettengill Farm typically is open to the public only one day a year, on Pettingill Farm Day, but the new summertime tours make it available to more people. The historical society scheduled different times for the tour dates to accommodate differing work schedules.

Attendees should meet at the gate entrance at the end of Pettengill Road and carpool to the site. Spontaneous participants are welcome to join in at the start location. Visitors are advised to bring along bug spray and to wear appropriate footwear for walking on uneven surfaces. Participants who don’t want to take the walking part of the tour can remain near or in the house, Hurd said.

Should a tour need not go off as planned because of rain or too few attendees (at least four must show up), it will be rescheduled or registrants can have their admission fees refunded.

Freeport Historical Society tours of historic Pettengill Farm begin on Thursday, July 14.

A closer look

Tours of historic Pettengill Farm, arranged by the Freeport Historical Society, will take place at 10 a.m. Thursday, July 14; 5 p.m. Sunday, July 17; 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 19; 8 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 4; and 5 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 17. General admission is $12, $10 for historical society members. Participants must register at least 24 hours in advance because at least four people (maximum 10) are required for the tour to occur. Visit freeporthistoricalsociety.org or call 865-3170.