Wiscasset Homes on Tour 2025
Saturday, October 18, 2025; 11am to 4pm
Homes on Tour 2025 features a collection of private homes and gardens in historic Wiscasset Village and the surrounding area. Featured homes are from the 18th and 19th centuries, each unique and fascinating. Together they present a visual record of rural Village life but updated for the 21st century. They are treasured private residences, and homeowners have successfully blended contemporary taste with historical details so that glimpses of the past remain.
In 2025, homes include the historic Lee-Payson-Smith House (1792) and the Swett-Johnston-Neal House (1805), both featured on Wiscasset’s Museum in the Streets. Also on the tour is DayBreak (1927), an elegant home visited by FDR and Charles Schultz, with a panoramic view of the Sheepscot River. Stories abound! The October 18 tour is a unique opportunity to explore the interiors and grounds of these exceptional homes.
In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, picturesque Wiscasset had a prolific ship-building industry along the shores of the Sheepscot River. Those stunning homes that spoke eloquently of their owners’ wealth still remain, but so, too, do the well-preserved homes of shopkeepers, entrepreneurs, farmers, and other productive members of this small self-contained community. Together, they contribute to Wiscasset’s description as “the prettiest village in Maine.”
Wiscasset’s Homes on Tour features history, splendor, and inspiration!
Ticket Info.,
In 2025, tickets are priced at $30 each and are available for purchase online or in person. Pick up for all tickets will be in Wiscasset Village, 36 Water St., on the day of the tour, from 10:30am to 2:30pm. Visitor parking and bathrooms are nearby. Purchase online tickets here.
Wiscasset Village restaurants will be open for tour-goers.
ABOUT WISCASSET’S OPEN HOUSE DAY
Wiscasset has a long history of inviting visitors into the many grand homes throughout the historic Village. Enjoy this excerpt from local author Phil DiVece’s account of Wiscasset Open House Day below:
Once upon a time, there was “Wiscasset Open House Day,” a day-long celebration held every August when people living within the village opened the doors to their historic homes and offered guided tours for a small fee. The event included a noontime luncheon with proceeds going to support the public library and the “W.V.I.S.,” which stood for Wiscasset Village Improvement Society. A 1938 poster advertising Open House Day billed it as the 11th annual one, suggesting it started in 1927. The tradition was carried on until the early 1960s when it ended.
NOTE: The house on the 1940 poster to the left, the Lee-Payson-Smith House, will be open to the public again during Homes on Tour 2025!
FAQs for Homes on Tour 2025
Will I need a car? Yes. While some homes are walkable from the village parking lots, others are farther away than walking will allow.
Will there be food available? Yes, some of the homes will have a light snack. We have fabulous local restaurants that are sponsors of this event and they will be listed on your map.
Are the homes accessible? The homes have varying degrees of accessibility. All have a few steps. All have old, steep staircases. For many, you must park and may need to walk a block or so.
Do you allow pets? Since these are private homes, pets will not be permitted unless an official service animal; no support pets please.
How do I pick up my ticket? Check in will be under the tent at the south end of the parking lot at 36 Water Street. You will see us! If coming south bound on HWY 1, you CANNOT make a left onto Water Street. Please proceed to Middle Street and go around the block.
Do you provide a discount for children? Absolutely! Kids between the ages of 4 - 12 will receive a discounted rate of $10. when buying tickets online. To buy a child’s ticket, go to the "add ons" section of the Eventbrite page. Children’s tickets may also be purchased day of event.
Is this a non profit organization? You bet it is! Wiscasset Creative Alliance is a nonprofit that funds many events, activities, scholarships . . . in the Wiscasset and Midcoast Maine area.
Will Homes on Tour still happen if there is inclement weather? Yes, we are an all-weather event.
How do I get the map of homes? You will receive a brochure when you check in at 36 Water Street. We do not provide this information online or prior to the event to protect the privacy of our homeowners.
May I buy tickets the day of the event? Yes. Day of ticket sales are $30 and available at the check in table, 36 Water St., Wiscasset Village. Parking and bathrooms nearby.
Enjoy the tour!
