This house has been on my brain lately. Let me explain. I remember reading an article about this Islesboro, Maine cottage (yes, cottage) that was built by a Philadelphian named J. Kearsley Mitchell (1871-1949). This wealthy businessman earned his fortune by selling his rubber works business to B.F. Goodrich. He then went on to marry J.P. Morgan's business partner's daughter, Edward Stotesbury. I can't find her name. Their wedding gifts, according to The Summer Cottages of Islesboro, by Earle Shettleworth, Jr., included "a diamond necklace, a diamond tiara, and a string of pearls valued at $500,000." In addition, a big check for 1 million.
Ok, here is why I know and think about this house. It was featured in a magazine article (Vogue Living, maybe?) with this fashionable, young family. My goal was and still is to find the great, interior shots of the renovation. I remember the first picture of the story was the woman in a row boat with one of her children in front of the house. The story went on to say that she retooled the house after purchasing it from Kristie Alley and Parker Stevenson. I remember giggling at the fact that the new owner had to strip some of the frilly details from the celebrity couple. I think she said Kristie tried to out-Parish Sister Parish ( in Kristie's defense, it was the 80's).Sister vacationed in these parts and had worked on the house, including a lattice filled dining room. Is this ringing a bell for anyone? I'm obsessed. And if I had any sense, I would have just torn the article out, but I never do. I always think I'm going to save the magazine and catalog it. Yeh, right. So upon searching everything from Sister Parish, to Islesboro Inn (it became one for awhile) to Kristie Alley (boy, they had a nasty divorce), I only found these two photos from Around Maine. But I love the awnings on the porch picture, I don't think it holds the same design, but doesn't it look so current? I hope you can help me.
****UPDATE****
Courtney of one of my all time favorite blogs, Style Court, remembered the article from the first Vogue Living (remember Jennifer Lopez on the Cover??) I'll have more info to come! Thanks Courtney!
