The 237 year old homestead of Reverend Moses Sweat and the surrounding 100 acres will become the Louise Virginia Hurd Morin Preserve, in accordance of the wishes of Mrs. Morin. Her generous gift to the Mousam Way Land Trust will result in a beautiful 100 acre property, open to the community for walking along soon-to-be-cleared wooded footpaths through a relatively mature forest of pine, oak, and maple trees. The historic home, located on lower School St. in Sanford, is currently undergoing restoration efforts. The bequest was made by Virginia Hurd Morin, a Sanford native who passed away earlier this year at the age of 99. The gift of the properties was unexpected, according to Bud Johnston, President of the Land Trust.
Mrs. Morin also provided one million dollars in a stewardship fund for the maintenance of Land Trust properties. In announcing this gift, Dr. Johnston said, “We are extremely pleased that Virginia recognized our accomplishments and decided, without our knowledge, to pass this property into our keeping.” He went on to say, “The land will be, in her words, ‘…a green space to be known as the Louise Virginia Hurd Morin Preserve for the benefit of wildlife and nature lovers.’ ”. Work has already begun on clearing a walking trail through the property.
The Sanford Springvale Historical Society led the effort to ensure protection of this historic place, which also includes a Sweat family cemetery, identified as an “Ancient Burying Ground”. “The preservation of this house as it was during the lifetime of Moses Sweat would honor him and put Sanford in the limelight as a city that cares, said Harland H. Eastman, Society Chairman. Through a joint Trust/Society agreement, the house, barn, cemetery, and several outbuildings along with several acres will be under the vigilant and accomplished perpetual care of the Society. Homestead restoration work has already begun. “Her heirs and many of her friends have told me how delighted they are to know that the Morin-Sweat Homestead is going to be preserved”, said Charlie Nickerson, Mrs. Morin’s life-long friend and confidant. He went on to say that funds are “…available for the purpose of renovating the homestead and barn on the premises of Virginia Hurd Morin.”
Although quite striking on the surface, a recent walk-through by some of the Land Trust’s directors, some of whom have construction experience, found numerous issues that would require renovation work. A recent visit to the homestead by Jonathan Hill, Field Services Manager Maine for Preservation, a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and preserving historic places, described most of these issues: “I did not observe any indication that led me to believe there are critical structural problems with the buildings.” He also observed that, although some issues are significant, “…they in no way detract from the integrity and importance of the site and structures.” He went on to say, ”The main house was constructed as a low posted center chimney New England cape but with a significantly heavier frame than typically found. Massive hand-hewn oak beams, tightly spaced, span the entire depth of the house. Additionally, an upstairs bedroom was never plastered, though riven lath boards were attached in preparation for doing so. This is a feature I haven’t encountered elsewhere.”
Mrs. Morin was the daughter of Charles and Delma Hurd and a 1941 graduate of Sanford High School. Her father worked as a weaver in the plush mill before opening a radio store on Main St., where the Salvation Army is located now. Brian Desrochers, who took care of the property for Mrs. Hurd, said she and her husband moved to Connecticut after the mills closed and Sanford’s economy took a downturn. They later returned to Sanford and moved in to the Sweat homestead to care for his parents in their declining years.
Mr. Desrochers remembered Mrs. Morin as a lover of nature and wildlife who would not allow him to trim trees or shrubs, and insisted that a broken section of fence remain as such so that deer could cross through her front yard. He said she was a kind and loving person who cared for several family members, and always had interesting stories to tell.
Rev. Moses Sweat was pastor of the first Congregational Church in Sanford and ministered to the flock there for 36 years, until his death from tuberculosis in 1822.
The Sanford-Springvale Historical Society, in conjunction with the Sanford Historical Committee, collects, preserves, and displays artifacts, documents, records, photographs and other materials and objects of historical interest to the town.
Mousam Way Land Trust 