In November 2009, The Gingerbread House Task Force officially incorporated as
a 501 (c)3 nonprofit organization with a new name:
Norway Landmarks Preservation Society, dba Friends of the Gingerbread House.
The house was built by Richard Evans for his own family sometime in the 1850's.
Evans was born in Portland in 1805 and after training as a carpenter, moved to Norway in 1833. He and his wife, Mary Warren Hill, had eight children and  one can imagine the Gingerbread house filled with activity.
Son Warren invented the Evans repeating rifle and he and his brother George formed the Evans Repeating Arms Co. which employed 250  in Mechanic Falls and produced 15,000 rifles between 1873 and 1879.

Charles B. Cummings bought the house in the early 1890s and engaged Norway architect John B. Hazen to remodel the house. Hazen added the gingerbread adornments for which the house is now known.

Fred  and Cora Cummings lived in the house until the 1940's. Fred was a collector and a large stuffed peacock perched at the top of the stairs, delighting the schoolchildren who came to tour the house.

Agnes and Elizabeth Beal, daughters of General George Layfayette Beal of the 10th Maine Infantry, lived on the second floor for many years.

There were occupants until the 1970's when the house became used for storage by the owners of the Advertiser Democrat newspaper.