Main Street Historic District (Auburn, Maine)

Last updated

Main Street Historic District
Horatio G. Foss House, Auburn ME.jpg
USA Maine location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location Auburn, Maine
Coordinates 44°05′38″N70°13′37″W / 44.09389°N 70.22694°W / 44.09389; -70.22694
Area6 acres (2.4 ha)
ArchitectMultiple
Architectural styleColonial Revival, Italianate, Queen Anne
NRHP reference No. 89000255 [1]
Added to NRHPApril 21, 1989

The Main Street Historic District is a small residential historic district south of the downtown area of Auburn, Maine. The fourteen houses in the district represent a cross-section of residential development during Auburn's growth between about 1825 and 1925. The district extends along Main Street, from Drummond Street south just past Elm Street, and includes a few houses on Elm and Vine Streets. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.

Contents

Description

Auburn rose on the banks of the Androscoggin River with the humble beginnings of a log driver's camp in the late 19th century, and did not benefit in the 19th century the way neighboring Lewiston did, which had a more suitable siting for textile mills. A bridge across the river in 1822-23 spurred some development, including along the road which is now Main Street. The Greek Revival Edward Little House, 217 Main Street, is the oldest house in the district, and was built in 1826 by Edward Little, a major proponent of development in Auburn from the 1820s to the 1840s. [2]

The arrival of the railroad in 1848, and the choice of Auburn in 1854 to be the seat of the new Androscoggin County cemented the importance of the area where downtown Auburn is now located, and prompted further residential development in this district. Several Italianate houses were built in 1850s, such as the Roak House (20 Elm Street, built c. 1854) and the Reynolds-Hasty House (201 Main Street, c. 1850). [2]

In the late 19th century a number of high-quality Queen Anne houses were built in the district. Conspicuous among them are the Penley House at 233 Main Street, designed by George M. Coombs and built in 1890; it occupies a prominent position at the corner of Main and Elm Streets. The A. A. Garcelon House at 223 Main Street is probably the most elaborate of Auburn's Queen Anne houses, designed by Coburn and Sons and built in 1890 for a local merchant. It exhibits the busy exterior typical of the style, with projecting sections, elaborate porches, and a domed tower, and was listed separately on the National Register for its architecture. [2]

In the early 20th century several Colonial Revival houses were built, and a number of houses had Colonial Revival additions and alterations made. The Reynolds-Hasty House is an example of the latter, with a porch and picture windows dating from that time. The Horatio G. Foss House at 14 Elm Street is the most significant house built in this time, designed by Gibbs and Pulsifer and built in 1914 for a shoe manufacturer. [2]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edward Little House</span> Historic house in Maine, United States

The Edward Little House is an historic house at 217 Main Street in Auburn, Maine. Built in 1827, the Federal style house is one of the oldest on the south side of Auburn, and is most notable as the home of Edward Little, a major landowner and proponent of the development of Auburn. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Androscoggin County Courthouse and Jail</span> United States historic place

The Androscoggin County Courthouse and Jail is located at 2 Turner Street in Auburn, Maine, the county seat of Androscoggin County. The original portion of the large brick Renaissance Revival complex was designed by Gridley James Fox Bryant and was built in 1857, with a sympathetic enlargement c. 1915-20. The jail was expanded in 1970 and 1990, and is now accessed via an entrance on Pleasant Street. The complex was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 for its architecture and its association with the history of Auburn and the county, particularly with respect to the contentious debate over the choice of county seat in the 1850s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First Universalist Church (Auburn, Maine)</span> Historic church in Maine, United States

The First Universalist Church is a historic church building on the corner of Pleasant, Elm, and Spring Streets in Auburn, Maine. It was built in 1876 to a design by John Stevens of Boston, Massachusetts, and has been a significant landmark in the city since its construction. It is a fine local example of Gothic Revival architecture executed in brick, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A. A. Garcelon House</span> Historic house in Maine, United States

The A. A. Garcelon House is a historic house in the Main Street Historic District in Auburn, Maine. Built in 1890 for a prominent local businessman, it is one of the city's finest examples of Queen Anne Victorian architecture. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 13, 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles A. Jordan House</span> Historic house in Maine, United States

The Charles A. Jordan House is a historic house at 63 Academy Street in Auburn, Maine. Built c. 1880, it is one of the finest examples of Second Empire style in the state. Charles Jordan was a local master builder, who built this house as a residence and as a showcase of his work. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William A. Robinson House</span> Historic house in Maine, United States

William A. Robinson House is a historic house at 11 Forest Avenue in Auburn, Maine. Built in 1874, it is one of the region's finest examples of Late Gothic Revival architecture, and is the state's only surviving work of local architects Herbert and Balston Kenway. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Horatio G. Foss House</span> Historic house in Maine, United States

The Horatio G. Foss House is an historic house at 19 Elm Street in Auburn, Maine within the Main Street Historic District. It was built in 1914 to a design by Gibbs & Pulsifer for Horatio G. Foss, owner of a major local shoe factory, and is also notable for its well-preserved Colonial Revival styling. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Horace Munroe House</span> Historic house in Maine, United States

The Horace Munroe House is an historic house at 123 Pleasant Street in Auburn, Maine. Built in 1899–1900 to a design by William R. Miller, it is one of Auburn's finest examples of Queen Anne architecture. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. It is now the Munroe Inn, a bed and breakfast inn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samuel Penney House</span> Historic house in Maine, United States

The Samuel Penney House is a historic house at 78 Maple Street in Mechanic Falls, Maine. The house was completed in 1902 to design by William R. Miller and is considered the finest example of his residential work. It was originally one of three identical houses that stood side by side until the early 1920s. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Seaverns House</span> Historic house in Maine, United States

The George Seaverns House is a historic house at 8 High Street in Mechanic Falls, Maine. Built in 1853, it is distinctive and prominent local example of Gothic Revival architecture, with association to individuals important in the local paper industry. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Firth–Glengarry Historic District</span> Historic district in Massachusetts, United States

The Firth–Glengarry Historic District encompasses a residential area of Winchester, Massachusetts consisting of well-preserved high quality houses built mainly between 1880 and 1900. The district lies between Wildwood Street and Wedge Pond, and includes properties on Pine Street, Glengarry Road, Grassmere Avenue, Dix Street, and Wildwood Street; houses on Curtis Street and Curtis Circle, are excluded from the district. Much of the area was laid out by developer William Firth, and many of its houses were designed by Boston architect Robert Coit. The 13.44-acre (5.44 ha) district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Main Street–Frye Street Historic District</span> Historic district in Maine, United States

The Main Street–Frye Street Historic District is a historic district comprising houses on Frye Street and parts of College Street and Main Street in Lewiston, Maine. This area was part of the most fashionable residential district of the city in the second half of the 19th century, and was home to many of the city's elite. Its architectural styles are diverse, with a significant number of homes designed by local architect George M. Coombs. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Downtown North Historic District (Hartford, Connecticut)</span> Historic district in Connecticut, United States

The Downtown North Historic District is a 19-acre (7.7 ha) historic district in Hartford, Connecticut. It is a predominantly residential area located around Main Street and High Street north of I-84 and south of the Amtrak railroad tracks. Its apartment blocks, houses, schools and churches, built up mainly in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as part of an expansion of the city's urban core. It includes the 130-foot (40 m) Keney Tower. The area was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Webster Grammar School</span> United States historic place

The Webster Grammar School is an historic former school building at 95 Hampshire Street in Auburn, Maine. Built in 1915-16 to a design by Harry S. Coombs, it was one of the first junior high school buildings in New England, and is a fine local example of Colonial Revival architecture. The building is now apartments and a community center, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in September 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bradford Peck House</span> Historic house in Maine, United States

The Bradford Peck House is a historic house at 506 Main Street in Lewiston, Maine. Built in 1893, it is an unusual example of a rambling and asymmetrical Colonial Revival house. It was designed by local architect George M. Coombs and built for Bradford Peck, owner of Peck's Department Store, one of the largest such stores in New England. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2009. It now houses professional offices.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belfast Historic District</span> Historic district in Maine, United States

The Belfast Historic District encompasses a large portion of the city center of Belfast, Maine, representing one of Maine's largest concentrations of pre-Civil War architecture, as well as a rich collection of commercial architecture of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986, with minor enlargements in 1993 and 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Federal Street Historic District</span> Historic district in Maine, United States

The Federal Street Historic District of Brunswick, Maine encompasses a part of the town whose development was influenced by its 18th-century success as a shipping center, and by the presence of Bowdoin College, whose historic central campus is part of the district. In addition to the campus, the district includes a series of relatively high-style Federal and later-period houses along Federal Street and Maine Street, which join the campus to downtown Brunswick. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Auburn Commercial Historic District</span> Historic district in Maine, United States

The Auburn Commercial Historic District encompasses the main late 19th-century historic downtown area of Auburn, Maine. The twelve buildings in the district represent the city's growth between 1855 and 1902, housing businesses, professional offices and social halls, and also the city's municipal offices. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rutland Courthouse Historic District</span> Historic district in Vermont, United States

The Rutland Courthouse Historic District encompasses an architecturally cohesive area of civic and residential buildings in Rutland, Vermont. Roughly bounded by Court, Washington, South Main, and West Streets, the district was principally developed between 1850 and 1875, and includes a number of prominent municipal and county buildings, including the Rutland County courthouse, the Rutland Free Library, and the Grace Congregational United Church. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Topsham Historic District</span> Historic district in Maine, United States

The Topsham Historic District encompasses the historic village center of Topsham, Maine. Extending along parts of Elm, Green, and Pleasant Streets, the area has a fine collection of 19th and early 20th-century architecture, with the majority built before 1850. It is almost entirely residential, with only a few non-residential uses, including a church. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

References

  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
  2. 1 2 3 4 National Register nomination for Main Street Historic District; available by request from the National Park Service