page_title: Pennellville Historic District
section_title: Historic homes
hierarchical_section_title: Pennellville Historic District / Historic homes
caption_attribution_description: Benjamin Pennell House, Brunswick, Maine.
context_page_description: Pennellville Historic District is a residential district located in Brunswick, Maine. To locals, the neighborhood is known simply as "Pennellville."
  Pennellville is significant for two main reasons: it has several historic ship captains' mansions, and much of the real estate is waterfront property. The real estate in Pennellville is some of the most expensive in the state of Maine.
  The area's historic significance centers on the fact that the Pennell family founded a shipbuilding company and shipyard there. The company built wooden ships there for the 18th and 19th century shipping trade. Their company was Pennell Brothers, and it was one of the most successful shipbuilding companies in the country. The shipyard was located in the cove at Pennellville.
context_section_description: With their new-found fortunes, the Pennell family began building mansions along Pennellville Road. Only six of those seven are still standing. The names of the mansions are as follows:
  Thomas Pennell II House (1720–1770), son of Thomas Pennell. 35 Pennellville Road. No longer standing. Pennells lived in the current circa-1785 building until 1870. Bowdoin College purchased the property in 1968, after its period as the Coleman Research Farm. It was later sold back for use a private residence
  Jacob Pennell House (1778–1841), son of Thomas Pennell III. 149 Pennellville Road. Built 1794; expanded 1806. Federal style residence, one-and-one-half stories high with clapboard siding and gable roof
  Benjamin D. Pennell House (1804–1861), son of Jacob Pennell. 287 Pennellville Road. Built 1834.  Greek Revival style residence, two stories high with clapboard siding and gable roof. Recessed porch with classical columns on east wing. One story service wing extending from east side with one-and-one-half story barn built in 1876. Around 1900 it became a popular summer boarding house, Bay View Farm, and Helen Keller was one of its guests. It is now Middle Bay Farm Bed & Breakfast
  James Pennell House (1809–1865), son of Jacob Pennell. 257 Pennellville Road. Built 1838. Greek Revival style residence, two stories high with clapboard siding, gable roof and hexagonal cupola. One story porch with classical columns on south side of main structure, attached carriage barn on west end. The façade of the house has been remodelled in that the nine windows are now evenly spaced on the second floor. The cupola has also been given a new aluminum top, a material also now used on the roof
  Charles S. Pennell House (1815–1900), son of Jacob Pennell. 292 Pennellville Road. Built 1843. Greek Revival style residence, two stories high with gable roof, clapboard siding, classical entrance on east facade, one story porch on south side. Large two-and- one-half story barn with clapboard siding, gable roof and Italianate style cupola to rear (west) of the house. Charles was the treasurer of Pennell Bros
  William Pennell House (1781–1832), son of Thomas Pennell III. 258 Pennellville Road. The original building was erected in 1780. It was later enlarged and remodeled in 1862. Greek Revival style residence, two stories high, clapboard siding, hipped roof, small one story classical portico over east entrance, adjoining two-and-one-half story carriage barn. Jacob II (1807–1882, son of Jacob Pennell) lived here during the days of the Pennell Bros. shipyard. Pennells lived here until the 1900s
  Job Pennell House (1812–1868), son of Jacob Pennell. Built circa 1860. Greek Revival style, two story residence with vinyl siding, gable roof, one-and-one-half story ell and carriage barn
  There is also a carpenter shop (built circa 1850). One-and-one-half story structure with gable roof and clapboard siding. Extending across east facade is a veranda with Italianate style brackets.
caption: Benjamin D. Pennell House and barn, 287 Pennellville Road