Olson House (Cushing, Maine)
Encyclopedia
Olson House is a 14-room Colonial farmhouse in Cushing, Maine
. The house was made famous by its depiction in Andrew Wyeth
's Christina's World
. The house and its occupants, Christina and Alvaro Olson, were depicted in numerous paintings and sketches by Wyeth from 1939 to 1968. The house was designated as a National Historic Landmark
in June 2011.
artist Andrew Wyeth
, including his 1948 masterpiece, Christina's World
. Wyeth was inspired to paint Christina's World by the story of Christina Olson, who had lost the use of her legs to polio
. Wyeth befriended the Olsons and maintained a studio in the house. Wyeth later recalled, "I just couldn't stay away from there. I did other pictures while I knew them but I'd always seem to gravitate back to the house." Christina and Alvaro Olson lived at the house until they died in 1968 and 1967, respectively. Christina and Alvaro Olson and Andrew Wyeth are buried in the Olson family cemetery on the property.
, who was an admirer of Wyeth's work. Levine operated the house as a museum for two years starting in 1971 but the operation met with opposition from local residents. In 1974, Levine announced that he would give the property to the State of Maine, but Levine withdrew the offer in 1975 over concerns that the state lacked funding to maintain the property. The house was purchased by Apple Inc. CEO John Sculley
, who put the house up for sale in 1989. Sculley eventually donated the Farnsworth Art Museum
in 1991.
The Olson House remains under the ownership of the Farnsworth Art Museum, which maintains it as a facility that is open for public visitation. Farnsworth executive director Christopher Brownawell noted, "This nondescript saltwater farmhouse and its connecting structure has become one of the most recognized images in American art."
in 1995 and designated as a National Historic Landmark
in 2011.
Cushing, Maine
Cushing is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 1,322. A favorite of artists for its unspoiled natural setting, Cushing includes the villages of North Cushing, Cushing, South Cushing, and Pleasant Point.-History:Part of the Waldo...
. The house was made famous by its depiction in Andrew Wyeth
Andrew Wyeth
Andrew Newell Wyeth was a visual artist, primarily a realist painter, working predominantly in a regionalist style. He was one of the best-known U.S. artists of the middle 20th century....
's Christina's World
Christina's World
Christina's World is a 1948 painting by American painter Andrew Wyeth, and one of the best-known American paintings of the middle 20th century...
. The house and its occupants, Christina and Alvaro Olson, were depicted in numerous paintings and sketches by Wyeth from 1939 to 1968. The house was designated as a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in June 2011.
Early history
The Olson House was built in the late 1700s by Captain Samuel Hathorn. The house was substantially altered in 1871 by Captain Samuel Hathorn IV. The 1871 alterations included the addition of several bedrooms on the third floor and the construction of a steeply pitched roof. The property was inherited in 1929 by Christina Olson and Alvaro Olson, descendants of the Captain Hathorn who first built on the site.Association with Wyeth
Between 1939 and 1968, the house was depicted in paintings and sketches by the AmericanUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
artist Andrew Wyeth
Andrew Wyeth
Andrew Newell Wyeth was a visual artist, primarily a realist painter, working predominantly in a regionalist style. He was one of the best-known U.S. artists of the middle 20th century....
, including his 1948 masterpiece, Christina's World
Christina's World
Christina's World is a 1948 painting by American painter Andrew Wyeth, and one of the best-known American paintings of the middle 20th century...
. Wyeth was inspired to paint Christina's World by the story of Christina Olson, who had lost the use of her legs to polio
Poliomyelitis
Poliomyelitis, often called polio or infantile paralysis, is an acute viral infectious disease spread from person to person, primarily via the fecal-oral route...
. Wyeth befriended the Olsons and maintained a studio in the house. Wyeth later recalled, "I just couldn't stay away from there. I did other pictures while I knew them but I'd always seem to gravitate back to the house." Christina and Alvaro Olson lived at the house until they died in 1968 and 1967, respectively. Christina and Alvaro Olson and Andrew Wyeth are buried in the Olson family cemetery on the property.
Later years
After Christina's death, the house was purchased in 1968 by movie director, Joseph E. LevineJoseph E. Levine
Joseph E. Levine was an American film producer.He was born in Boston, Massachusetts. His Embassy Pictures Corporation was an independent studio and distributor responsible for such films as Hercules , The Carpetbaggers, Harlow, The Graduate, A Bridge Too Far and The Lion in Winter.Levine is famous...
, who was an admirer of Wyeth's work. Levine operated the house as a museum for two years starting in 1971 but the operation met with opposition from local residents. In 1974, Levine announced that he would give the property to the State of Maine, but Levine withdrew the offer in 1975 over concerns that the state lacked funding to maintain the property. The house was purchased by Apple Inc. CEO John Sculley
John Sculley
John Sculley is an American businessman. Sculley was vice-president and president of PepsiCo , until he became CEO of Apple on April 8, 1983, a position he held until leaving in 1993...
, who put the house up for sale in 1989. Sculley eventually donated the Farnsworth Art Museum
Farnsworth Art Museum
The Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland, Maine, United States, is an art museum that specializes in American art. Its permanent collection includes works by such artists as Gilbert Stuart, Thomas Sully, Thomas Eakins, Eastman Johnson, Fitz Henry Lane, Frank Benson, Childe Hassam, and Maurice...
in 1991.
The Olson House remains under the ownership of the Farnsworth Art Museum, which maintains it as a facility that is open for public visitation. Farnsworth executive director Christopher Brownawell noted, "This nondescript saltwater farmhouse and its connecting structure has become one of the most recognized images in American art."
Historic designation
The building was listed on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1995 and designated as a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 2011.