In 1801 two wealthy merchant brothers, Hugh and Stephen McLellan, each built houses on High Street which was then emerging as Portland’s most fashionable neighborhood. Both these Federal Style mansions were designed and constructed by Portland architect and builder John Kimball Sr. The brothers retained him to design and construct houses across the street from each other for $20,000 each (we suspect they got a discount). These virtually identical houses were his most significant commissions. Like most builders of the time, he relied on his British architectural handbooks like William Pain’s “The Practical Builder” and the “Builders Companion”. Both brothers lost their property in the economic upheaval resulting from the Embargo Act of 1807 and the lead up to the war of 1812.
Thirty years later, in 1857, Horatio Jose purchased the house for his residence. Jose was a real estate developer, a founder of Maine General Hospital, organizer of the Portland and Ogdensburg Railroad and a director of Maine Central Railroad. Following the great fire of 1866, Mr. Jose built many of the buildings on Exchange Street in what is now our Old Port district.
Jose made substantial renovations to the interior and exterior of the house which remain today. He replaced the Federal period front entrance portico with a grander design and raised the low-pitched roof to a higher hipped roof.
Meanwhile, as Jose enjoyed his residence, the Cumberland Club was organized in April of 1877. The Club was originally located in another Federal period house, the Matthew Cobb House, located on what is now the site of the Portland Museum of Art. The Club was originally for men to enjoy literary and social discourse… though not said at the time, it was also a place to avoid Maine’s prohibition law.
The Club learned in 1892 that the Cobb House was to be sold. After Joses’s death they purchased the Stephen McLellan house from his widow in 1894. The Club moved into their new quarters in 1895 with 125 members and has remained in this historic house ever since. We now have over 400 member families and have continued to expand our Club house to accommodate. While we have updated our interior to provide the amenities of a modern club, we will never lose sight of the rich history and traditions of the Stephen McLellan House, the home of the Cumberland Club.