Join quilter and museum guide Betsy Spekke on August 16 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. for a special tour of Castle Tucker that highlights the quilts, embroidery, crochet work, and other examples of needlework produced by the Tucker women. Learn about Victorian hand work in 19th century America and see examples from the Tuckers' collection, including rooms not included on the general tour. The tour closes with an introduction to examples of needlework in Historic New England's online Collection Access Project. Advance reservations are required. Space is limited. Admission is $10 for members of Historic New England, $15 for nonmembers.

To reserve a place, call 207-882-7169 or visit www.historicnewengland.org.

Castle Tucker was built in 1807 by Judge Silas Lee. Lee had already built an exquisite Georgian style house on High Street, but this was to be his architectural masterpiece. The interior of the house incorporated startlingly modern architectural features and trim. After suffering financial reversals due to the Jeffersonian Embargo of 1807, Lee and his wife Tempe were only able to enjoy life in their new mansion for seven years before his death in 1814.

In 1858, Captain Richard H. Tucker, Jr., eldest son of a local wealthy shipping family, bought the house and moved in with his young bride, Mollie, and their newborn baby. The Tuckers were at the pinnacle of Wiscasset society for four generations, but the public never saw the private turmoil of these lively and colorful personalities.

Occupied by the family for almost a hundred and fifty years, Castle Tucker is filled with original furnishings and decoration. The mansion, grounds and barns reveal a fascinating view of the lives of a Victorian Wiscasset family.

Castle Tucker is located at 2 Lee Street in Wiscasset. Historic New England is the oldest, largest, and most comprehensive regional heritage organization in the nation. For a full program calendar and more information on their collection and 36 historic house museums across five states, visit www.historicnewengland.org.