Samuel F. Houston to Cary T. Grayson
Title
Samuel F. Houston to Cary T. Grayson
Creator
Houston, Samuel F.
Identifier
WWP16247
Date
1920 April 27
Source
Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia
Language
English
Text
509 Real Estate Trust Building
Philadelphia
Admiral TJ Grayson,
care The White House,
Washington, DC
My dear Sir
Judging from statements we see in the daily press, I am of the opinion that you are looking for a quiet spot for a summer home for President Wilson. I am therefore taking the liberty of calling your attention to Clapboard Island, Casco Bay, about five miles from Portland, Maine.
Casco Bay is a land locked body of water, fourteen or fifteen miles long by four or five miles wide at the widest part. An outer row of interlocking islands make the Bay itself like a salt water lake. Clapboard Is. is about one mile from the shore, and from three to four miles from the outer row of islands. Between it and the open sea lies the lower (eastern) end of Diamond Is., on which is Fort McKinley.
Clapboard Is. contains about 33 acres. It is three-fourths of a mile long, and is about 100 yds. wide at the widest part. My wife owns this entire island. On it is a large house, built about twenty years ago, which we have used in previous summers. On the ground floor, this house contains three large rooms (the dining room is 16 by 32 ft.); a large hallway; and in addition, a small suite of large bedroom, sitting room and bathroom. The second floor contains ten rooms and a bath; and on the third floor are four maids rooms. There are four toilets, beside the toilet in the basement for the maids. In the basement, which is out of the ground because the house is built on the side of a hill, there are kitchen, laundry, and maids dining room. On the Island there is a gardeners house, a play house with two rooms, a boat house, and a large barn. There is a flower garden, a vegetable garden of about one acre, and a clay tennis court. The Island is heavily wooded. Water is supplied from an artesian well 200 ft. deep, by a gasoline engine. There is a tank outside, and two large tanks in the attic. There is also a large rain water cistern, supplying soft water for laundry purposes. There are eleven open fire places in the house.
Immediately ashore from Clapboard Island is a spring, known as Underwood Spring, which competes with Poland as the purest commercial spring in the country.
Several different summers convalescents have been on the Island, and have made most remarkable progress.
The Island is not on any public transportation route, but with all the boats the Government owns in Portland Harbor, you would be able to secure all the transportation you would need, without the least trouble. Our 60 ft. boat was in the Coast Patrol Service for a year and a half, and is no longer available. The house would be rented this season partially furnished.
There is a permanent wharf, on the west side of the Island, which runs to water six ft. deep at low tide. Immediately ashore there are a number of first class vegetable gardens. The splendid automobile road running east from Portland is within 100 yds. of the landing nearest to the Island.
May I suggest that you could have this property examined very easily by any one now at Fort McKinley, Fort Williams, or Fort Preble. I call your attention to this Island because it is such a quiet, comfortable place to spend the summer. Mrs. Houston would be satisfied with a rental of not over $2500, but I do not suppose the question of cost in any way enters into your calculation.
If Clapboard Is. in any way interests you, I would be glad to arrange to visit the property with your representative, or if he would prefer going without me, to so arrange.
Yours very truly,
SF Houston
Philadelphia
Admiral TJ Grayson,
care The White House,
Washington, DC
My dear Sir
Judging from statements we see in the daily press, I am of the opinion that you are looking for a quiet spot for a summer home for President Wilson. I am therefore taking the liberty of calling your attention to Clapboard Island, Casco Bay, about five miles from Portland, Maine.
Casco Bay is a land locked body of water, fourteen or fifteen miles long by four or five miles wide at the widest part. An outer row of interlocking islands make the Bay itself like a salt water lake. Clapboard Is. is about one mile from the shore, and from three to four miles from the outer row of islands. Between it and the open sea lies the lower (eastern) end of Diamond Is., on which is Fort McKinley.
Clapboard Is. contains about 33 acres. It is three-fourths of a mile long, and is about 100 yds. wide at the widest part. My wife owns this entire island. On it is a large house, built about twenty years ago, which we have used in previous summers. On the ground floor, this house contains three large rooms (the dining room is 16 by 32 ft.); a large hallway; and in addition, a small suite of large bedroom, sitting room and bathroom. The second floor contains ten rooms and a bath; and on the third floor are four maids rooms. There are four toilets, beside the toilet in the basement for the maids. In the basement, which is out of the ground because the house is built on the side of a hill, there are kitchen, laundry, and maids dining room. On the Island there is a gardeners house, a play house with two rooms, a boat house, and a large barn. There is a flower garden, a vegetable garden of about one acre, and a clay tennis court. The Island is heavily wooded. Water is supplied from an artesian well 200 ft. deep, by a gasoline engine. There is a tank outside, and two large tanks in the attic. There is also a large rain water cistern, supplying soft water for laundry purposes. There are eleven open fire places in the house.
Immediately ashore from Clapboard Island is a spring, known as Underwood Spring, which competes with Poland as the purest commercial spring in the country.
Several different summers convalescents have been on the Island, and have made most remarkable progress.
The Island is not on any public transportation route, but with all the boats the Government owns in Portland Harbor, you would be able to secure all the transportation you would need, without the least trouble. Our 60 ft. boat was in the Coast Patrol Service for a year and a half, and is no longer available. The house would be rented this season partially furnished.
There is a permanent wharf, on the west side of the Island, which runs to water six ft. deep at low tide. Immediately ashore there are a number of first class vegetable gardens. The splendid automobile road running east from Portland is within 100 yds. of the landing nearest to the Island.
May I suggest that you could have this property examined very easily by any one now at Fort McKinley, Fort Williams, or Fort Preble. I call your attention to this Island because it is such a quiet, comfortable place to spend the summer. Mrs. Houston would be satisfied with a rental of not over $2500, but I do not suppose the question of cost in any way enters into your calculation.
If Clapboard Is. in any way interests you, I would be glad to arrange to visit the property with your representative, or if he would prefer going without me, to so arrange.
Yours very truly,
SF Houston
Original Format
Letter
To
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938
Files
Collection
Citation
Houston, Samuel F., “Samuel F. Houston to Cary T. Grayson,” 1920 April 27, WWP16247, Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.