Old Town House (Parsonsfield, Maine)

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Old Town House
ParsonsfieldME OldTownHouse.jpg
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Location Merrill Hill Rd., N of jct. with Middle Rd., Parsonsfield, Maine
Coordinates 43°43′42″N70°55′47″W / 43.72833°N 70.92972°W / 43.72833; -70.92972 Coordinates: 43°43′42″N70°55′47″W / 43.72833°N 70.92972°W / 43.72833; -70.92972
Area 0.3 acres (0.12 ha)
Built 1833 (1833)
Architect Morton, William. Jr.
Architectural style Greek Revival
NRHP reference # 02000785 [1]
Added to NRHP July 15, 2002

The Old Town House is the town hall of Parsonsfield, Maine. Located on Merrill Hill Road, the 1834 Greek Revival building has served as the town's main civic building for more than 150 years. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002. [1]

Parsonsfield, Maine Town in Maine, United States

Parsonsfield is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,898 at the 2010 census. Parsonsfield includes the villages of Kezar Falls, Parsonsfield, and North, East and South Parsonsfield. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area.

National Register of Historic Places federal list of historic sites in the United States

The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance. A property listed in the National Register, or located within a National Register Historic District, may qualify for tax incentives derived from the total value of expenses incurred preserving the property.

Contents

Description and history

The Old Town House is located on the east side of Merrill Hill Road, at the northern fringe of the rural village center of Parsonsfield. It is a 1-1/2 story wood frame structure, with a front-facing gable roof, clapboard siding, and a granite foundation. Oriented facing south (with the gable ridge parallel to the road), its front facade is symmetrical, with a pair of entrances, each flanked by pilasters and topped by an entablature. The building corners are also pilastered. There are three sash windows set around the entrances on the ground floor, and two more in the attic level. The interior, originally a single large space, has retained original wide pine wainscoting and plaster walls. Portions of the interior have been partitioned off to house town offices, and part of the attic level has also been finished for that purpose. [2]

Gable roof may have eaves or parapet; no rake overhanging

A gable roof is the classic, most commonly occurring roof shape in those parts of the world with cold or temperate climates. It consists of two roof sections sloping in opposite directions and placed such that the highest, horizontal edges meet to form the roof ridge. The design of this type of roof is achieved using rafters, roof trusses or purlins. The pitch of the roof and the height of the gutters can vary greatly.

Pilaster decorative architectural element giving the appearance of a supporting column

The pilaster is an architectural element in classical architecture used to give the appearance of a supporting column and to articulate an extent of wall, with only an ornamental function. It consists of a flat surface raised from the main wall surface, usually treated as though it were a column, with a capital at the top, plinth (base) at the bottom, and the various other elements. In contrast to a pilaster, an engaged column or buttress can support the structure of a wall and roof above.

Entablature architectural element

An entablature is the superstructure of moldings and bands which lies horizontally above columns, resting on their capitals. Entablatures are major elements of classical architecture, and are commonly divided into the architrave, the frieze, and the cornice. The Greek and Roman temples are believed to be based on wooden structures, the design transition from wooden to stone structures being called petrification.

When Parsonsfield was first incorporated in 1771, town meetings were held in local residences. In 1794 the town built a meeting house on the west side of Merrill Hill Road, which was used for both civic and religious purposes. The present building was erected after that building was made over exclusively for church use. The building was used for town meetings until 1985, but still houses town offices and is used as a polling station. [2]

Colonial meeting house

A colonial meeting house was a meeting house used in colonial New England built using tax money. The colonial meeting house was the focal point of the community where all the town's residents could discuss local issues, conduct religious worship, and engage in town business.

See also

National Register of Historic Places listings in York County, Maine Wikimedia list article

This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in York County, Maine.

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References

  1. 1 2 National Park Service (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service.
  2. 1 2 "NRHP nomination for Old Town House". National Park Service. Retrieved 2015-08-05.