Thirlstane, on Hamilton Hill (formerly Scott's Hill) in Bar Harbor, was designed by William Ralph Emerson and built in 1881 for Mrs. Rebecca Scott of Washington, D.C. It was purchased in 1897 by Edward deVeaux Morrell of Philadelphia, who had rented the cottage for the previous two seasons. Following is an account of the purchase reported in the Bar Harbor Record, 29 September 1897, page 1, columns 5 and 6:

In 1898, furnaces were installed.

(from Bar Harbor Record, Wednesday, 13 April 1898, page 4, column 2)

In 1926, Thirlstane was purchased by William Pierson Hamilton, a great-grandson of Alexander Hamilton and son-in-law of J. P. Morgan.

The cottage burned during the 1947 fire, but remnants can still be seen from various points in downtown Bar Harbor and from higher places in the area.