Have you ever wanted to own a 19th-century train station? Well, now’s your chance — a former train depot for the Boston and Maine Railroad is up for sale in Kennebunk.
The charming wood-frame building at 12 Depot St. is listed at $939,000.
The 4,125-square-foot building is currently used as office space and for the past 15 years has served as the headquarters of Dietz Associates Inc., a creative design and marketing firm.
The Kennebunk train depot has been a well-known landmark in town since it opened 146 years ago.
Tim Dietz and his wife, Kathy, bought the depot in 2004 and restored the building, painting the exterior in Victorian-era colors and replacing carpeted plywood floors on the first floor with hand-laid fir to match the original flooring.
“Everybody knows the depot,” Dietz said. “It’s a distinctive building.”
The train station has a long history that goes back to the 1870s.
Dietz said construction of the depot began in 1872, when Irish laborers were brought up from Boston to dig the foundation for the building, and the station officially opened in 1873.
“I love history and historic buildings and architecture,” he said. “I fell in love with it when I first saw it.”
After the train station closed in the 1960s, the depot building was used by a variety of businesses. Dietz recalled that it once housed a macrame bead shop and a bike shop, and later on it became the headquarters of Tom’s of Maine, a company known for its natural toothpaste and personal care products.
Dietz said because he and his wife are in their mid-60s, “it’s time to downsize,” and they hope to find a buyer who will serve as a steward of the property.
Roxane Cole Commercial Real Estate LLC, a firm based in Portland, is marketing 12 Depot St. as “an unprecedented opportunity to own a true piece of history.”
“Full of charm, sun, and fascinating indoor spaces, the Depot retains the character of the original stick-built design constructed by the B&M Railroad,” the brochure states. “This building has welcomed visitors from around the world and down the street, including President George H.W. Bush who, as a boy with his family, greeted his father, Senator Prescott Bush, up for the weekend from Connecticut. This remarkably distinctive building is perfect for commercial space or a special Kennebunk retreat for those looking for unmatched character or a one-of-a-kind living space.”
According to the real estate listing, the property is zoned for many uses, so the depot could be turned into a retail business, restaurant, inn, museum, art studio, veterinary clinic, or even a single or two-family home.
“It’s a very, very beautiful building,” said the listing agent, Roxane A. Cole.
Emily Sweeney can be reached at esweeney@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @emilysweeney.