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Home Built: ca 1909 Sale Price: $1,490,000 Square Feet: 3,959 Bedrooms: 4 Baths: 5/1
The William Mason Shehan House is an excellent example of Colonial Revival architecture and remains a grand monument to Mr. Shehan, Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Talbot County from 1934 to 1940. The Maryland Historic Trust dates construction from 1909 to 1910. The home was built on three parcels that together make it one of the largest properties in Easton’s historic district.
The front elevation of the home features four tall and imposing columns that support a sharply gabled roof and define a stately brick portico and wide porch. Three arched Queen Anne sash windows on the third story preside over symmetrical bays of windows on the second and first floors. Dark shutters outline each set of windows.
The roofline is characterized by a denticulated, boxed cornice of wood that continues around the home, returning on the pediment of the portico. Three brick chimneys have corbelled caps. Together, the brick entry, roof lines, and architecturally balanced window frames make a powerful statement and evoke another era, one that was surely more elegant, sophisticated and timeless than is possible to find now.
A two-story rear addition and a one-story screened-in porch were constructed sometime after Shehan’s death in 1941. Although it has been sold numerous times since then, the home retains its original detailing and remains virtually unaltered. Landscaping has evolved over the years, and a three-car garage, pool, and firepit were installed. These new additions only add to the sense that this was always meant to be a family home: one that could be enjoyed by folks both young and old, one that should be explored and adored. The house has four bedrooms with five full baths and one half-bath. The third level is a loft softly lit by sunlight that filters through windows on each side. These windows look over the treetops and across the lawn to other historic homes in the neighborhood.
The home was recently sold in a private transaction to sincere admirers. The couple currently lives in St. Michaels, but have been familiar with the property for some time. “When I first saw this home in 2006, I was taken with its architecture and history,” the new owner says. “I thought that one day I might have an opportunity to own the home and live there with my wife and family. This home reminded me of something from Gone with the Wind, and we fell in love with it instantly.”
The sale and purchase of the property proved to be serendipitous and smooth, aided in no small part by Chuck Mangold of Benson and Mangold Realty. In fact, the home was not on the market when the former owners happened by chance to meet the new owners at a reception. Shortly after, the property was mentioned in passing over breakfast with Mangold, who suggested it might be for sale. “The owners weren’t living in the home at the time, they had moved to St. Michaels,” the new owner says. “By chance, we live in St. Michaels but were preparing to downsize. It was the perfect coincidence and perfect timing for everyone.”
Although the quality of the original craftsmanship continues to shine through on design details like crown moulding and trim, wainscoting, and the elegant staircases, the new owners are making some cosmetic changes to the home. Throughout the spring, they painted, modernized the kitchen, and refinished the wood floors. Outside, they worked with the Easton Historic District Commission for approval to remove tall shrubbery, which blocked a view of the house from the sidewalk, and to install a beautiful wrought iron fence around the edge of the property. “My wife has purchased a fountain for the front of the house, and we are refinishing the pool, installing a rose garden and planting beautiful landscape flowers like hydrangeas,” the new owner says. “When these projects are complete, we look forward to sitting in our rockers on the porch watching people pass by.”