Abandoned 19th century ‘ghost mansion’ in stunning sleepy town hits the market for bargain $80K: ‘Someone please save this house’

By James On Sep 7, 2024

A dilapidated mansion built more than a century ago is for sale for just $80,000, but it will require extensive renovations to restore.

Located in a quiet part of Frankfort, Maine, the 4,300-square-foot, six-bedroom home was built in 1864.

The house has been empty for years. The previous owner wanted to convert the building into a bed and breakfast and went through difficult times.

After his death in 2022, the estate was transferred to a family member, who now wants to sell the historic building.

The house had water damage and was structurally neglected, with an observant resident recently calling it a “haunted house.”

Scroll down for the video:

The 4,305-square-foot, six-bedroom apartment is located in a quiet corner of Frankfort, Maine, and was built in 1864

However, the house has been empty for years, having fallen on hard times after the previous owner planned to restore it into a bed and breakfast.

“Someone please save this house,” the local resident wrote, as he the list on a community Facebook page.

“It’s a total job,” added listing agent Suzanne Chase of the home in an interview Friday with the Daily news from Bangor.

Two days earlier she told Fox ABC-Maine as he stood outside the dilapidated house: ‘It’s the only thing left in this architectural design.’

To save it, “you would have to fix the roof first,” she said — referring to the “funnel” of water “that brings all the water in.” [rain] to the third, second, first floor and even the basement.’

‘Fix the roof and then the rest [follows]’, she said, admitting that such an undertaking would be both costly and time-consuming.

The asking price of $79,900 reflects this, she said.

The advertisement states that ‘the materials used and the craftsmanship are still vaguely visible'[,] but decades of neglect and lack of maintenance have taken their toll.’

The historic estate is listed as a ‘former beauty currently in need of a major clean-up’ [and] extensive renovations and repairs.’

The house is for sale for $79,999

His death in 2022 saw it passed to a family member, who now wants to sell it

The listing states that ‘the materials used and the craftsmanship are still vaguely visible'[,] but decades of neglect and lack of maintenance have taken a heavy toll’

The listing, which describes the historic estate as a “former beauty,” goes on to state that the home is “currently in need of a major clean.”[,] then extensive renovations and repairs’

The home, which suffered from water damage and structural deterioration, was recently labeled a “haunted house” by a wary resident

To save it, you’d first have to fix the roof, said the realtor selling the property — a venture that would be as costly as it would take time.

During a tour of the property conducted by Chase and Fox ABC Maine, some of the damage to the home’s interior was revealed, including sagging ceilings and graffiti.

The exterior has improved somewhat over the years, but is in dire need of a lick of paint, and that’s without even mentioning the improvements to the house.

“You know, it’s a story,” said Michele Christle, who lives at the house built 160 years ago by famed shipbuilder Franklin Treat.

She lived down the street and said, “When I tell people where I live, they always ask, ‘What’s with that house?’”

Besides the architecture that harks back to a bygone era, the house also has quite a history.

Treat, a shipbuilder and merchant from Maine, had it designed by Boston architect Calvin Ryder, Christle told the Bangor Daily News, noting features such as a mansard roof and a foundation made entirely of granite taken from a nearby mountain.

A grand staircase, stucco cornices and arched windows were also commissioned, which still stand today.

The shipbuilder then sold his creation to Louisa T. Peirce, wife of the late granite baron George Albert Peirce. From there, it changed hands several times before being abandoned for more than two decades.

“It’s a total job,” added listing agent Suzanne Chase of the home in an interview Friday.

“You know, it’s a story,” said Michele Christle, who lives in the house built 160 years ago by famed shipbuilder Franklin Treat. “When I tell people where I live, they always ask, ‘What’s with that house?'”

A tour of the property conducted by Chase and Fox ABC Maine showed some of the damage to the interior of the home

A grand staircase, stucco cornices and arched windows were also commissioned, which still stand today

The exterior has improved somewhat over the years, but is in dire need of a new coat of paint – and some home improvements too

So potential buyers will have to weigh whether the bargain price is worth the inevitable project that comes with it — quite an undertaking for anyone, Chase said.

It then came into the possession of the last buyer, Dana Geel.

The senior did what he could do for the residence, regularly organizes garage sales within its walls and on the veranda while work was underway to transform it into an inn.

“We used to say, ‘Oh, it was abandoned for 20 years, but today you can come back,’” Christle recalls of these screenings.

“And people loved it.”

But Dana died and the house had to be abandoned again, falling further and further into disrepair.

According to Chase, potential buyers must weigh whether the bargain price is worth the inevitable project that comes with it. That’s a big undertaking for anyone.

Meanwhile, the house remains in place at 9 Main Rd. South, looks more creepy than welcoming.

“This 4,300-square-foot historic icon is currently in need of a major clean-up, followed by extensive renovation and repairs. It can accommodate up to six bedrooms and as many bathrooms on three floors,” the new listing warned.

“Bring your safety shoes, flashlight and visions of salvation!”