This Federal home in downtown Kennebunk, Maine, was built in 1812 by architect Thomas Eaton for John Usher Parsons and his bride Susanna Savary. Parsons, however, died shortly after in 1815.

Daniel Seawall, Register of Probate, bought the house in 1816. All of the county records were stored here until the York County Court was established in Alfred, Maine, in 1819.

When it was built, the lawn was terraced and originally stretched all the way to Main St.

Edward Emerson Bourne Jr. inherited the home from his aunt, Maria Seawall. He was the Judge of Probate for York County. His father held the same job, and also served at the President of the Maine Historical Society. Judge Bourne’s account of Kennebunk’s history from its earliest settlements through 1820 was the first written town history.

The house was passed down to Harold H. Bourne who was also a judge, and married many couples here. The Bourne family continued to live here until 1965.

In 2012, its owners — Marjorie Haley and her family — threw a party for the house’s 200th birthday, inviting 100 people, including John Bourne, the last Bourne family member to live here.

“Everybody who has lived here loved to have parties,” Haley told seacoastonline.com, in a story about the celebration.

To add to the celebration, Haley gathered memorabilia and pictures from the Bourne family’s time in the mansion.

Haley has created a trust so the mansion will remain for future generations.

“The family has loved the home so much, Haley said, that the middle names of her two sons are Bourne, her daughter married in the home, as did the Bourne daughters, and they are opening up the house for the 200th birthday celebration,” the news story said.

“That’s how much we love this house,” Haley said. “We figure we’re caretakers at this point.”

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.