The Nickels-Sortwell House is set facing south on a sideways-sloping lot on the north side of Main Street (U.S. Route 1) in the center of Wiscasset. It is a three-story wood-frame structure, five bays wide and  deep, the length including a rear ell. It has a low-pitch hip roof and is set on a granite foundation.
The Nickels-Sortwell House is positioned facing south on a sloping lot adjacent to Main Street (U.S. Route 1) in Wiscasset's central district. It is a three-story wooden structure, five bays wide and deep, with an additional rear section. The roof has a low pitch and rests on a granite foundation.