In the early 1980s, the John Bishop House (11 South Burnham Highway, Lisbon) was destined for demolition. Its structure had suffered from years of neglect and water infiltration from a leaky roof. Improper stove venting in the kitchen had turned the entire first floor—walls, doors and absolutely everything—black. Demolition was the only viable solution until the town and the historical society decided to look beyond the rot, peeling paint, and grime and saved her.
    John Bishop, an early settler of Lisbon, built the L-shaped house in 1810 as a post and beam, eleven-room, Georgian-style farmhouse with many unique features.  It is located in the center of town, across from the Newent Congregational Church and the Lisbon Town Hall. During the house’s 210-year history, it has had only three owners, which is quite unusual for a house of this age.

   John Bishop was 79 years old when he built the house. Unfortunately we know very little about him, but we believe he was likely a farmer or a trader. A cooper’s shop is listed in the property deed from 1812, so perhaps he or other family members were barrel makers as well.
   The second owners of the house were the Browns, and they were there for 95 years. They were farmers but also had a small mercantile shop in the center of town at the junction of 169 and 138. They were extremely successful businessmen, traders, and landowners. One son became a prominent attorney and the other a physician, whose office was in the house.

    The Bradlaws, the third owners, were German immigrants and they, too, were farmers. In addition to growing and selling crops, they also sold their own meat, which they peddled along with milk and vegetables to other towns by horse and wagon.
In the early 1980s, George Bradshaw, the last remaining owner, moved into a nursing home and the town of Lisbon was offered the property.
    Today the completely restored John Bishop House is owned by the town of Lisbon and leased by the Historic Society as a museum and educational center. The house is open for tours at specific times during the summer and during Lisbon’s Fall Festival.