Main Street Historic District | |
![]() | |
Location | Main St. from Limerock to Winter Sts., Rockland, Maine |
---|---|
Coordinates | 44°6′14″N69°6′34″W / 44.10389°N 69.10944°W |
Area | 2.5 acres (1.0 ha) |
Architectural style | Greek Revival, Italianate, Colonial Revival |
NRHP reference No. | 78000182 [1] (original) 11000991 (increase) |
Significant dates | |
Added to NRHP | June 7, 1978 |
Boundary increase | January 4, 2012 |
The Main Street Historic District encompasses the historic commercial heart of Rockland, Maine. Located on several blocks of Main Street (United States Route 1), the district has a well-preserved collection of commercial architecture dating from the mid-19th to early 20th centuries, the period of the city's height as a shipbuilding and industrial lime processing center. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, and enlarged in 2012. [1]
The area that is now Rockland was settled as part of Thomaston in the late 18th century. The city's harbor proved a good shipbuilding location, and the area's limestone were developed as a locally significant lime-burning industry, with kilns lining parts of the shore. The area was incorporated as East Thomaston in 1848, and reincorporated as the city of Rockport in 1854. The city's early 19th-century downtown was largely destroyed by a series of fires in 1853. As a consequence, the new downtown that was built up with a significant number of Italianate brick buildings. [2]
The historic district, as originally listed in 1978, extended along Main Street, from Winter Street to the municipal parking lot entrance north of Tillson Avenue on the east side, and from Museum Street to Limerock Street on the west side. [2] In 2012, it was extended north to Lindsey Street on the west and Summer Street on the east side. [3] Prominent buildings in the district include the 1912 Colonial Revival Security Trust Building, designed by Boston architect R. Clipston Sturgis, and the 1854 Farnsworth Homestead. a centerpiece of the Farnsworth Art Museum. [2]
Rockland is a city in Knox County, Maine, United States. As of the 2020 census, the town population was 6,936. It is the county seat of Knox County. The city is a popular tourist destination. It is a departure point for the Maine State Ferry Service to the islands of Penobscot Bay: Vinalhaven, North Haven and Matinicus.
The Old Port is a district of Portland, Maine, known for its cobblestone streets, 19th-century brick buildings and fishing piers. The district contains boutiques, restaurants and bars. Because of its reputation for nightlife, the Old Port is a popular destination for tourists and locals alike.
The Main Street Historic District encompasses the historic commercial center of Damariscotta, Maine. Although the community was settled in the 18th century, most of its downtown area dates to the second half of the 19th century due to an 1845 fire. Lining Main Street east of the Damariscotta River, the downtown has a well-preserved collection of commercial, residential, and civic structures from the period. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, and enlarged in 2001.
The Exeter Waterfront Commercial Historic District encompasses the historic commercial and residential waterfront areas of Exeter, New Hampshire. The district extends along the north side of Water Street, roughly from Main Street to Front Street, and then along both sides of Water and High streets to the latter's junction with Portsmouth Street. It also includes properties on Chestnut Street on the north side of the Squamscott River. This area was where the early settlement of Exeter took place in 1638, and soon developed as a shipbuilding center. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. It was enlarged in 1986 to include the mill complex of the Exeter Manufacturing Company on Chestnut Street.
Thomaston, formerly known as Fort St. Georges, Fort Wharf, and Lincoln, is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,739 at the 2020 census. Noted for its antique architecture, Thomaston is an old port popular with tourists. The town was named after Major General John Thomas.
The Dudley Block is a historic mixed-use commercial and residential building in at 28-34 Water Street in downtown Biddeford, Maine. Built in 1848, it is one of the older buildings in the downtown area, and is a fine example of Greek Revival commercial architecture. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982, and was included in the Biddeford Main Street Historic District in 2009.
The Calais Historic District encompasses a city block of 19th-century commercial buildings in the center of Calais, Maine. The district, developed after a fire devastated the area in 1870, contains a cohesive concentration of brick Italianate architecture. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
The Belfast Commercial Historic District encompasses two blocks of the central business district of Belfast, Maine. This area includes the best-preserved and most architecturally interesting commercial buildings of the city's mid-to-late 19th century development, when it was the leading port on Penobscot Bay. It extends along Main Street from the major intersection and Church Street north to Washington Street. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, and is entirely contained within the larger Belfast Historic District.
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.
The Farnsworth Homestead is a historic house museum at 21 Elm Street in Rockland, Maine. Built in 1854 by William A. Farnsworth, it is an excellent late example of Greek Revival architecture, and was the home of Lucy Farnsworth, the major benefactor of the Farnsworth Art Museum, which owns the house and operates it as a museum property. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
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.
The Rankin Block is a historic commercial building at 600-610 Main Street in Rockland, Maine. Built in 1853, it is a fine example of a late Greek Revival commercial block. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. It currently houses a senior living facility.
The Rockland Residential Historic District encompasses a predominantly residential area west of the downtown of Rockland, Maine. With a history dating to the early 18th century, this area includes high quality examples of residential architecture, most dating to the period 1870-1920, and including several fine examples of municipal architecture. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.
The Rockport Historic District encompasses the historic town center of Rockport, Maine. Arrayed around the head of its harbor, the town's most significant period of development was in the mid 19th century, because of lime processing and other industries. The town has a well-preserved collection of Greek Revival and Italianate architecture from that period. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
The Security Trust Building is a historic commercial building at Museum and Main Streets in downtown Rockland, Maine, United States. Built in 1912, it is a high-quality local example of Colonial Revival architecture, designed by Boston architect R. Clipston Sturgis. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
The Thomaston Historic District encompasses much of the historic town center of Thomaston, Maine. With a settlement history dating to the 17th century, the town is now a showcase of 19th-century architectural styles up to the 1870s. The district extends for about 2 miles (3.2 km) along United States Route 1, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
The Timothy and Jane Williams House is a historic house at 34 Old County Road in Rockland, Maine. Built about 1859, it is one of the finest local examples of Italianate architecture, and was built for someone closely associated with the area's important 19th-century lime processing industry. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.
The Waterville Main Street Historic District encompasses the best-preserved portions of the historical commercial downtown area of Waterville, Maine. Developed most intensively in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, this area was the center of commerce for Waterville and the surrounding rural communities. It encompasses 25 properties on Main and Common Streets, including the Waterville Opera House and City Hall. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2012, and was slightly enlarged in 2016.
The Portsmouth Downtown Historic District encompasses the historic urban core of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. With a history dating to the 17th century, Portsmouth was New Hampshire's principal seaport and the center of its economy for many decades, and the architecture of its urban center is reflective of nearly four centuries of history. The district is roughly L-shaped, radiating from the downtown Market Square area to South Street in the south and Madison and Columbia streets in the west, with more than 1,200 historically significant buildings. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2017. The district includes 35 previous listings on the National Register, and five National Historic Landmarks.