The Morse-Libby House (Victorian Mansion), was built between 1858 and 1860 in Portland, Maine, as a summer retreat for Ruggles Sylvester Morse and his wife, Olive. Designed by architect Henry Austin, it is one of the finest examples of the Italian Villa style in America.
The mansion was equipped with modern conveniences for its time, including central heating, gas lighting, flush toilets, and a 25-foot stained glass skylight. Interior designer Gustave Herter decorated the home with opulent furnishings, gilded surfaces, intricate plasterwork, and wall-to-wall carpeting, making it a showcase of 19th-century luxury. The mansion remains the only intact Herter commission in existence. Italian artist Giuseppe Guidicini painted the walls with exquisite trompe l’oeil designs, which still adorn over 90% of the interiors. After Morse’s death in 1893, the house was sold in 1894 to J.R. Libby, a dry goods merchant, whose family preserved much of the original décor until 1929.
Rescued from potential demolition in 1940, the mansion has operated as a public museum since 1941, offering visitors a glimpse into Gilded Age opulence.
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