Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84 Page 85 Page 86 Page 87 Page 88 Page 89 Page 90 Page 91 Page 92 Page 93 Page 94 Page 95 Page 96 Page 97 Page 98 Page 99 Page 100 Page 101 Page 102 Page 103 Page 104 Page 105 Page 106 Page 107 Page 108 Page 109 Page 110 Page 111 Page 112 Page 113 Page 114 Page 115 Page 116100 p o r t l a n d monthly magazine House of tHe MontH courtesy legacy ProPerties sotheby’s international realty By 1936, Norman had “married Muri- el Price,” and their dreams evolved into the grander sense of Millstone Manor. Soon the design was 1890 meets 1920 meets 1937. This included five bedrooms and a pen- chant for Colonial Revival, featuring mas- sive fireplaces and 18-inch pine floorboards: “Like many artists in the day, he collected Early American furniture and had a keen interest in Millstones…” A bout these millstones. According to family lore, Norman collected them from all over New England, and “his right-hand man, Everett Currier, erect- ed them.” As the years rolled by, “between 68 and 70” granite millstones were deftly designed around the house, meadow, and gardens like statuary, hiding beneath ferns and shadows, peeking out from secret plac- es in the rocky ledge–a faerie enchantment. Millstonesalsoserveasstepsandstep- stones.“Everettalsobuilttheexpansive rounded‘drywall’thatholdsupthebeautiful stoneterracesontheoceansideofthemanor.” The Brazers’ talent, warmth, and con- vivial architecture were so magnetic that fellow artists just started turning up. “Nor- man was good friends with Henry Strater,” Marcia writes. “They tuna fished together.” Independently, Norman Sr. hunted for larger prey. “During the war he was in the Navy reserves and would patrol the wa- ters in [his tuna boat] Noma off the coast of Ogunquit for German submarines.” Across time, an exquisite two- to three- bedroom guest cottage sprang up on the property, as well as a dark room/garden shed, two-car garage, and pool house. As Norman Sr. got older, he got to know young Mel and Nancy Brooks (her father was editor of the Boston Herald) Weiner as friends. Mel was a perennial summer resi- dent who early on, like Bette Davis years before, had served as “head lifeguard at the Ogunquit Beaches in 1940-1941,” according to daughter, Abby Weiner Taylor. Mel earned Norman Sr.’s respect be- cause he flew B-25s and B-26s during World War II. On his business resume: Mel successfully ran Weiner’s Furs in Law- rence, Massachusetts, for four decades; owned Service Chemical Corp.; and found- ed Northeast Solvents Corp. in North An- dover. Best of all, Mel was a noted bluefin tuna fisherman during the summers. Mel’s boat, with its flying bridge, was a landmark in nearby Perkins Cove. Mel grew up with John Laurent and Bill Tower (founder of Barnacle Billy’s), so he knew Ogunquit like the back of his hand. Also in his favor: Mel’s popularity in the neighborhood grew deep because “he was known for taking all the ‘cove rats’–kids– out on his boat, the Elsam, for a day of fish- ing and sightseeing,” his daughter says. After Norman Sr. died, his wife Muriel decided no one else ought to own Millstone Manor but Mel and Nancy, so she worked to convince them until they took the plunge and bought it from her in 1969. The Wonderbread generation, featur- ing Mel and Nancy’s daughter Abby and her two brothers, Steve and Brooks, began to discover old friends here, among them Tim Tower, Bill’s son, who manages popu- lar Barnacle Billy’s with his siblings. Next, the Nintendo generation joined the party. Some became tuna fishermen; others came just for the view. Then Nancy passed away, followed by Mel on May 8, 2013. Any friendly ghosts? we ask Abby. “Not that I know of,” she says. “Though I remember my dad would hear a noise and say, ‘It’s Norman.’” “Oh, so your father was a sensitive?” “No, he was a joker.” “What was the joker’s drink?” “Dewar’s. On the rocks.” We climb the tower, with stairs steep enough to discourage grown-ups from pry- ing. It’s like being in a lighthouse. Abby pauses at an elevated cupboard trundle bed and smiles, remembering something. What happened here? we ask. “As kids, this was our sacred space. We used to climb up here, tell secrets, and smoke cigarettes out the open porthole,” she says. “My mother had a silver cup on the mantel filled with Tar- eytons.” ‘The one worth fighting for.’ “It’s a wonder she didn’t notice her supply slip- ping away!” Oh, she noticed. Millstone Manor, Ogunquit and York. Taxes are $20,092. n