On the Market: A Historical Maine Home on a Semi-Private Island

Photo by Joseph Sortwell

16 Bremen Long Island, Bremen, Maine
Price: $2,475,000
Size: 5,100 square feet
Bedrooms: 5
Baths: 4

After that millionth Zoom of the day, now seems about the perfect time to imagine a summer of jettisoning your laptop into the ocean, driving up to Maine, and hopping a boat to your sprawling coastal paradise home. Idyllic Bremen Long Island—just a quick boat ride off the Maine mainland—is about a mile wide and two-and-a-half miles long, filled with unsullied woodlands and rugged rocky coves. And you’re not alone here, with around 25 other seasonal residences on the island, which was first settled around the mid-1800s and still features historical carriage trails.

This massive five bedroom and four bathroom home with breathtaking views of Muscongus Bay is dubbed “Aspinwall” after John Aspinwall, the wealthy New York businessman who built the beauty in 1917. The home, which sits on 113 acres, was neglected for a while after Aspinwall’s death, but when new owners snatched up the property in 1997, they began a 15-year renovation. Nature is the main event here, with this off-the-grid home running on solar power and a generator, but with all the contemporary conveniences. Including Wi-Fi for when you have to return from your private beach and (begrudgingly) plug back in.

Here, rustic details mix with modern comforts. The seasonal main home includes a grand living room with a vaulted and oak-trussed ceiling, with the fieldstone fireplace calling for post-beach catchups. The sunroom, with its wall of windows that looks out onto the shore, is the perfect spot for a family game night, with the library and its wood-burning fireplace reserved for quiet evenings with a book. The kitchen, meanwhile, boasts quirky wood detailing that finds balance with the sleek appliances and deep farmer’s sink.

When you need to escape from it all, float on over to the main suite with its private deck, wood-burning fireplace, and pristine white bathroom with a soaking tub and walk-in shower. Let the guests take to the other spacious bedrooms of the main house and the open bunkroom with a fireplace in the historic cabin by the shore. And the whole crew can come together again in the game room in the second cabin, which boasts plenty of space for crafts and hangouts.

Not in a hurry to leave once the weather cools down? The property also includes a barn with a workshop that’s topped off by a one-bedroom year-round apartment with an open living room and full kitchen. There, one glance at the bay and you’re bound to be in no hurry to leave.

For information, contact Terry Sortwell or Joseph Sortwell, LandVest, landvest.com.

Photo by Joseph Sortwell

Photo by Joseph Sortwell

Photo by Joseph Sortwell

Photo by Joseph Sortwell

Photo by Joseph Sortwell

Photo by Joseph Sortwell

Photo by Joseph Sortwell

Photo by Joseph Sortwell

Photo by Joseph Sortwell

Photo by Joseph Sortwell

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