Wilson Family and Museum History
John Howard Wilson (1871-1936) first came to Castine in 1891 with his mother, Cassine Wilson (1839-1929), and his brother Arthur (1875-1907). Cassine purchased a summer home on Perkins Street, and the family visited Castine regularly. J. Howard met his future wife, Georgia Johnson (1872-1962), on Nautilus Island in Castine Harbor. Their honeymoon in 1903 was spent visiting archaeological sites throughout Europe, which was followed by many more trips. The couple made Nautilus Island their summer home and continued to travel after the births of their three children, Birkbeck (1903-1946), Sturgis (1905-1985), and Ellenore (1912-2004). J. Howard received an M.A. (1905) and Ph.D. (1906) in geology from Columbia University Graduate School, but was also increasingly interested in archaeology and anthropology.
In 1921, Cassine gave the western portion of her land on Perkins Street for a museum to be built that could house and exhibit J. Howard’s growing collection of artifacts from around the world. The Wilson Museum was formed under the name “Castine Scientific Society,” and its stated goal was “to show the antiquity of Man and his cultural stages from the earliest geologic times which show any evidence of his existence, down to our own historic and colonial times.” J. Howard also formed a historical committee to incorporate the history of Castine and its surroundings into the museum.
Following J. Howard’s death, his family continued to support the museum financially as well as assuming administrative duties and adding to the collection. In the 1960s and 1970s, under the leadership of his daughter, Ellenore W. Doudiet, the Wilson Museum campus grew with the addition of the John & Phebe Perkins House, a blacksmith shop, and a small exhibit building that now displays equipment related to early firefighting in Castine. Further expansion in the 2010s included the Hutchins Education Center, a wood shop, a boat shop, and an exhibit space for small boats.