{{short description|Historic house in Maine, United States}} {{Use American English|date=January 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox NRHP | name = Norlands & The Washburns | nrhp_type = hd | nocat = yes | image = Washburn Norlands.jpg | caption = The Norlands mansion in August 2010. Part of the farmer's cottage reconstruction can be seen on the right | location = 290 Norlands Rd., Livermore, Maine | coordinates = {{coord|44|24|27|N|70|12|39|W|display=inline,title}} | locmapin = Maine#USA | area = | built = 1821 | architect = | architecture = Gothic Revival | added = December 30, 1969 | refnum = 69000004 <ref name="nris">{{NRISref|2008a}}</ref> }}
'''The Norlands''' (also known as the '''Israel Washburn Homestead''') is a historic building on Norlands Road in Livermore, Maine, United States. It was owned by Israel Washburn and his descendants.
== History == The Gothic Revival-style house was built in 1821 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969. The house is now operated as part of the '''Washburn-Norlands Living History Center''', a 19th-century period farm with living-history demonstrations. The buildings include the Norlands mansion, a mid-19th-century period schoolhouse, a library with displays about the Washburn family, a meeting house, a farmer's cottage, and a barn with farm animals. The barn and farmer's cottage burned down in April 2008 but the Farmer's Cottage was rebuilt and reopened in early 2011. The barn was later reconstructed in an early configuration.<ref>[http://www.pressherald.com/archive/norlands-fire-spares-centers-crown-jewel_2008-04-30.html "Norlands Fire Spares Center's Crown"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807114952/http://www.pressherald.com/archive/norlands-fire-spares-centers-crown-jewel_2008-04-30.html |date=2011-08-07 }} - ''Portland Press Herald'', March 17, 2010</ref>
==Fire== {{expand section|date=February 2022}} A fire started on April 28, 2008, at the Washburn-Norlands Living History Center. The fire was likely caused by a lamp tipping over and falling into hay, setting it alight. Volunteer firefighters, whom had prepared in advance for a fire in this scenario, put out the fire with assistance from 10 other fire departments. Langhorne Washburn, the only living descendant born at the Norlands, said to the Sun Journal: "...Thank God Norlands didn’t burn. I would like to commend (the firefighters) on their efficiency." in preventing the fire.<ref>"Norlands to 'Rebuild.'" Sun Journal. April 30, 2008. https://www.sunjournal.com/2008/04/30/norlands-to-rebuild/</ref><ref>"Norlands to 'Rebuild.'" Sun Journal. April 30, 2008. www.sunjournal.com</ref> Rebuilding of the farm spanned several years.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2008-05-02 |title=Before the fire starts, have a plan |url=https://www.sunjournal.com/2008/05/02/fire-starts-plan/ |access-date=2022-02-15}}"Before the Fire Starts, Have a Plan." Sun Journal. May 2, 2008.</ref><ref>"Norlands Living History Center Vows to Rise From the Ashes." Livermore Falls Advertiser.</ref><ref>"Norlands' Barn Burns to the Ground." Livermore Falls Advertiser. Niles, Nancy.</ref>
== Bibliography == *Remarkable Americans: The Washburn Family by Kerck Kelsey *The Rise and Fall of William Drew Washburn by Kerck Kelsey
== See also == *Ethel Wilson Gammon, founder and first executive director of the Washburn-Norlands Living History Center
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.norlands.org Washburn-Norlands Living History Center]
{{NRHP in Androscoggin County, Maine}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Norlands}} Category:Houses completed in 1821 Category:Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Maine Category:Houses in Androscoggin County, Maine Category:Museums in Androscoggin County, Maine Category:Living museums in Maine Category:Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Maine Category:National Register of Historic Places in Androscoggin County, Maine Category:Historic districts in Androscoggin County, Maine