Augusta State Hospital from the River
Augusta State Hospital, later called the Augusta Mental Health Institute, is featured in the background of this painting. The hospital’s location, directly across the Kennebec River from the State House, was planned to ensure that it would never be forgotten by the governor or legislature. At the time this painting was completed, the State Hospital was called Maine Insane Hospital. It was built of Hallowell granite and opened its doors in 1840. The painting is attributed to Charles Codman, a Portland artist who died in 1842. The first owner of the Blaine House, Captain Hall, would have seen rafts of his logs on the river, similar to those in the lower left of the painting. MSM 77.84.1 |
Oil painting attributed to Charles Codman Circa 1840
Over-mantle Mirrors
MSM 79.40.3 (top) and 79.40.9 |
Both of these over-mantle mirrors have been in the Blaine House since the Blaines lived in it. However, the two are not the same age. The mirror over the eastern mantle in the Reception Room dates to the first half of the 1800s. That over the west mantle was made later. It was probably commissioned or purchased by the Blaines in the mid-to-late 1800s.
