A historic Red Beach house may be demolished by the National Park Service (NPS), despite offers of help from the Portland‑based nonprofit Maine Preservation. The McGlashan‑Nickerson House, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, is the subject of the National Park Service's draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the St. Croix Island International Historic Site. The draft EA evaluates three alternatives for the historic house: no action; removal and relocation; or documentation and demolition. The park seeks public comment on the draft EA, with the deadline for public comment on November 30 and an open house for questions and comments to be held at the site on Monday, November 19, from 3 to 6:30 p.m.
     With the construction of a new and energy efficient building for offices and staff living quarters, the park's use of the McGlashan‑Nickerson House ended in the fall of 2014. It is no longer considered a "fundamental resource" to the park.
     The house and its 6.75 acres on the St. Croix River were purchased by NPS in March 2000 for $160,000. An adjacent property known as the Ross House was also purchased but was not listed on the National Register and in 2010 was demolished to make way for a maintenance building. Park Site Manager Meg Scheid, who came to the park in 2004, explains that the purchases were to fulfill a vision set forth in a 1998 general management plan that built on a 1995 assessment plan recommending that both buildings with land be purchased. One of the buildings would be used for a visitor center and other administrative and maintenance functions, but, more importantly, the purchases allowed the park to "round out the boundary" of the park's mainland property. While the park's core mission is focused on St. Croix Island, "it is too fragile for actual visitation," says Scheid.
     "The land is important because today, as we look at the mainland parcel... we've realized that the only place the public can see the island is from the interpretative point and trail. If anything should happen to that, we'd have no sites for viewing," says Scheid. The peninsula is eroding and has been supported with riprap, but Scheid notes, "Generally speaking the NPS doesn't interfere with natural process. ... My concern right now is we're fine, the riprap is holding up fine, but in 50 years, who knows where we'll be." She adds, "We are aware that more frequent, more severe storms are becoming the norm." The island itself has been the subject of scientific study and planning in the case of storm‑related erosion in the future.
     When the McGlashan‑Nickerson House was purchased, it was deemed the more suitable property for the visitor center and other functions after the NPS determined that the Ross property would require too many road switchbacks for public access and parking. There were no deed restrictions at the time of the purchase other than standard utility easements.
     The McGlashan‑Nickerson House served its purpose for a number of years, housing the park's staff, administrative offices, visitor center and maintenance. The house, at 5,427 square feet, and garage, at 748 square feet, have presented challenges from the get‑go. Its role as a visitor center never worked well, Scheid says. She explains that accessibility for those with disabilities was non‑existent. Fire suppression was another significant issue with the large old house. While mice and fleas don't usually make the headlines when it comes to historic preservation projects, they have been a near constant presence despite eradication efforts. The water has radon and a recent test showed saltwater seepage.
     Keith Johnston, Acadia National Park and St. Croix Historic Site chief facility manager, explains that once the discussion started in 2013 that identified the building as no longer necessary to the park's mission, the park stopped putting money into it. Prior to 2013 the park spent about $280,000 on foundation work, stabilization of the porch and encapsulation of exterior and interior lead paint.
     Additional estimates were put in place for replacing the roof and repairing and painting exterior walls, all to National Register standards. That total in today's dollars is in excess of $1.14 million. Johnston notes that conducting the work in the private sector would cost less because it would not involve some of the additional costs associated with federal work, including the preplanning process. However, his estimate in today's dollars suggests a restoration cost of about $820,000.

House finds no takers in first round
     The park has had two superintendents during Scheid's tenure. Both were in agreement in their reluctance to give the land back to the General Services Administration, says Scheid, "because it was chosen for a reason." When the park realized that the house was no longer necessary, it began in 2011 to reach out to the community and interested stakeholders. In 2013 two strong possibilities arose when the Passamaquoddy Tribe and the Friends of the McGlashan‑Nickerson House (FMNH) expressed interest.
     The process of taking over a NPS property is layered and complex, with tiers of priority. The tribe, after a number of visits, notified the park in 2015 that it couldn't support the acquisition. Meanwhile the FMNH had been hard at work trying to find two necessary components: a government partner and a fiscal agent. The government partner was not an issue, with the county, the City of Calais and the community college all willing to act in that capacity as long as there was no fiscal requirement. The fiscal agent never came to fruition.
     Charlie McAlpin, who volunteered with the FMNH, explains that a number of different angles were explored, including educational, but "with so much that needs to be done locally," the group realized that it had to choose its battles. "I would love to see the building saved," he adds. "It will be a loss."

Maine Preservation offers help
     The house is on Maine Preservation's annual Maine Most Endangered Historic Places list. In a release the Portland‑based nonprofit states its disappointment in the NPS for having "already stopped painting and repairing the historic residence, abdicating its mission to maintain the property" by the 2013 date. Johnston confirms the stoppage of work, saying that it came down to the smart use of limited taxpayer funds in a situation where the house was determined to be "not‑critical" to the mission of the park.
     Maine Preservation states that for two years it "has offered and continues to offer to work with the NPS in partnership with the Maine Historic Preservation Commission to find a new owner for the McGlashan‑Nickerson House who will stabilize and rehabilitate the house and agree to manage the six acres of land that goes with the house in a manner compatible with the adjoining visitor center." Scheid says that Maine Preservation Field Service Administrator Chris Closs visited the house in December 2017. "Chris was great; he felt confident they could find a partner within three years." Scheid was not able to explain why NPS had not begun working with Maine Preservation when the organization first made its offer of help, nor why it has not agreed to work with the organization to find a buyer within a three‑year time-line. She referred the questions to the Bar Harbor headquarters, which did not respond.
     Moving the house is one of the proposed disposition alternatives. Another scenario might be moving just the main portion of the house, since it is configured with an ell that could be left behind. Scheid says, "Moving half the house is not an option we've considered. If someone were to propose that, we would evaluate the idea at that time."
     Scheid has heard from one person who was investigating moving the entire house, but wanted to know if the National Register designation would stay with the house if moved because of the additional cost associated with restoration according to historic standards. Scheid says that while the NPS cannot speak for the other entities involved, the General Services Administration and the Maine Historic Preservation Office, it may be that the designation would not remain once the house was moved because "typically it loses the integrity of location."
     The U.S. Department of the Interior National Register guidelines suggest that if the building was moved, it would likely lose its designation because of its intrinsic connection to the history of Red Beach. Section VII, Criteria Conditions B, states, "Criteria limit the consideration of moved properties because significance is embodied in locations and settings as well as in the properties themselves. Moving a property destroys the relationships between the property and its surroundings and destroys associations with historic events and persons." It adds, "For a property whose design values or historical associations are directly dependent on its location, any move will cause the property to lose its integrity and prevent it from conveying its significance."

Integral to Red Beach history
     The McGlashan‑Nickerson House was built in 1883 by George McGlashan, who came from New York City to join others in the creation of the Maine Red Granite Co., which was incorporated in 1876. It is classic Italianate style architecture and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990 for its local significance and architecture.
     The house is one of a number of buildings that once reflected a prosperous time in Red Beach. While most of the quarrying infrastructure has long been gone, at one time the area was lined with quarry‑related buildings, including plaster mills, polishing works and, of course, the quarry operation itself, which was located high above the cove. Remnants of the quarrying can be found all along the shore, including pieces of granite not from Red Beach but that were brought in from other places to be worked.
     The draft EA and instructions for how to comment online are available at <http://parkplanning.nps.gov/SACRHouse> by clicking "Open for Comment." Paper copies will be available weekdays at Acadia National Park, the St. Croix Island International Historic Site Ranger Station, as well as the Calais Free Library and the Peavey Memorial Library in Eastport.
     Written comments may be submitted to St. Croix Island International Historic Site, Attn: Draft EA for McGlashan‑Nickerson House, P.O. Box 247, Calais, Maine 04619. Written comments will also be accepted at the public open house. Comment forms will be available. Comments will not be accepted verbally, via fax, e-mail or any format other than those specified above. Public comments are due no later than Friday, November 30.