NoeFlandre/osm-polygon-wikidata-only huggingface dataset:
Somerset County Courthouse (Maine)

The Somerset County Courthouse is a historic county government building on Court Street in downtown Skowhegan, Maine, the county seat of Somerset County. The brick building was designed by local architect Charles F. Douglas and built in 1873, with an addition by John Calvin Stevens in 1904, and a second addition added in 1938. The building continues to serve county functions; it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. Description and history The courthouse is located at the southeast corner of Court and High Streets, just north of Skowhegan's central business district. A modern court building, housing the local district court, stands across High Street to the north. The original 1873 portion of the building, oriented west toward Court Street, is a three-story brick structure with stone trim. It has a truncated hip roof that once sported a cupola (removed during the 1904 alterations), with a cornice that has heavy brackets. The front and sides each have slightly projecting central sections marked by corner brick pilasters, that in front topped by a gable roof. A single-story gable-roofed portico shelters the main entrance, supported by groups of chamfered granite posts. The upper two levels have windows set in tall round-arch openings. To the rear of this main block stands a 1938 addition, two stories in height. Its entrance on the north side repeats details found in the main entrance, and the second-floor windows are also set in round-arch openings, not as elaborate as those of the original building. Brick pilasters and corbelling at the eave are also features repeated in the addition from the main block. Somerset County was incorporated in 1809 from parts of Kennebec County, with its original county seat at Norridgewock. In 1872 the county seat was formally relocated to Skowhegan, provided that town could provide adequate space for county functions in a timely manner. Temporary space was deemed by the county commissioners to be inadequate, and a legal struggle ensued between the towns over the matter. This was resolved when former Governor of Maine Abner Coburn, a Skowhegan native and one of the state's wealthiest men, offered to pay for the construction of a courthouse in his hometown. The original portion of the main block was designed by local architect Charles F. Douglas, and was completed in 1873. In 1904 the noted Portland architect John Calvin Stevens oversaw a renovation and expansion of the building, in which two bays were added to the rear, matching in style Douglas' design, with a complete redesign of the interior. The building was then enlarged again in 1938. See also National Register of Historic Places listings in Somerset County, Maine References
Merrill House (Maine)

The Merrill House is a historic house and estate on Maine State Route 120 northeast of the village center of Andover, Maine. With construction dating to the late 1780s, the main house exemplifies the evolution of a frontier property. It is also significant as the birthplace of financier John A. Poor (1808-1871) and financial analyst Henry Varnum Poor (1812-1905), the latter of whom was responsible for its transformation into a summer estate in the late 19th century. The property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Description and history The main portion of the Merrill House is a large 2+1⁄2-story wood-frame structure, resting on a granite foundation, with a hip roof and a large central chimney. This structure was built between 1788 and 1792 by Ezekiel Merrill, a veteran of the American Revolutionary War who had been granted the land for his service. The main facade is a five-bay center-entry configuration typical of the period, although it has been embellished with a Queen Anne portico. Merrill's construction originally had symmetrically placed twin chimneys; the change to a central chimney was part of the 1890s alterations. Ezekiel Merrill's daughter Mary married Sylvanus Poor, and this couple inherited his property. Their children included Henry Varnum Poor (1812-1905), who started a firm that continues today as part of Standard and Poors, and John A. Poor (1808-1871), a lawyer and businessman who was instrumental in the development of the railroad in Maine, particularly the Grand Trunk Railway. Henry purchased the family homestead from relatives in 1890, and transformed the property into a summer estate, working in consultation with architect Edward Clarke Cabot and landscape designer Frederick Law Olmsted. Cabot's alterations to the main house included creation of a large dining room running the width of the rear of the house, and the construction of a maze of bedrooms in the second story, as well as the relocation of a service ell. The largest addition, however, was the construction of a great hall in 1896, a massive two-story structure built on the site of the old barn. Its interior feature Gothic woodwork in an open "lodge" space 30 feet (9.1 m) high at its apex. The property continues to be owned by descendants of the Poor family. See also National Register of Historic Places listings in Oxford County, Maine References
Maine Publicity Bureau Building

The Maine Publicity Bureau Building is a historic commercial building at 501 Danforth Street in Portland, Maine, United States. Built in 1936, it is a local example of Colonial Revival architecture and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990 for its association with early formalized efforts by the state to promote tourism. Description and history The former Maine Publicity Bureau Building stands below the southernmost end of Portland's Western Promenade, on the northeast side of a 90-degree bend in Danforth Street just before its western end. Although the building stands on a slight rise above Danforth Street, its view of the Fore River is obscured by the raised embankment that carries Commercial Street. The building is a 1-1/2 story brick building with Colonial Revival style, with a five-bay side-gable central section flanked by symmetrical single-story front-gable projecting sections. The flanking sections each have a Palladian-style window group, with narrow fixed windows flanking a central sash that is topped by a half-round fan. The center section has regular sash windows set in rectangular openings with flat keystone lintels. The main entrance is a recessed double door, the opening flanked by pilasters and topped by a broken segmented pediment. The main room of the interior features high-quality woodwork. The building was designed by Portland architect John P. Thomas and was completed in 1936 with funding support from the Works Progress Administration. The Maine Publicity Bureau was founded in Portland in 1921 by a group of the state's business leaders, as a formalized way to promote the state's business, industrial, and recreational resources. At first located in offices on Congress Street, the group chose this prominent location for a permanent home when it outgrew those facilities. The land and building were owned by the state, and were leased by the Bureau until 1979 when its headquarters was relocated to Hallowell. On July 28th, 2025, the cupola was damaged by a fire. See also National Register of Historic Places listings in Portland, Maine References
Scopan Lake

Scopan Lake is a V-shaped lake in northern Maine. The lake was known as Squa Pan Lake by early European settlers, but was renamed in 2011 to eliminate what Native Americans in the United States interpreted as a racial slur. The lake is mostly in Scopan township (formerly Squapan township), but the north end of the eastern arm of the "V" extends into Maine township 11, range 4; and the north end of the western arm extends into Masardis and Ashland. The lake discharges to Scopan Stream (formerly Squa Pan Stream) through a dam in Masardis. Scopan Stream flows into the Aroostook River 4 miles (6.4 km) downstream of the dam, and the Aroostook River is a tributary to the Saint John River. The Bangor and Aroostook Railroad crosses the northern tip of both arms of the lake. Recreation The dam created the shallow western arm of the lake and increased the depth of the original lake forming the eastern arm. The lake is drawn down every winter to generate hydroelectric power. The dam prevents migration from downstream, but brook trout and rainbow smelt spawn in tributaries Nowland Brook, Bogan Brook, Aluson Brook, Dunn Brook, Cold Spring Brook, West Branch, and Scopan Inlet (formerly Squa Pan Inlet.) Boat launching facilities are available for public use at the dam and at the north end of the eastern arm 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Maine State Route 163. The eastern shore of the eastern arm is a 16,700-acre (6,800 ha) reserve of public land available for fishing, hunting, birding and camping. Sources
Old Kennebunk High School

The Old Kennebunk High School, also known as the Park Street School, is an historic former school building at 14 Park Street in Kennebunk, Maine. Built in 1921 to a design by Hutchins & French of Boston, Massachusetts, it is historically significant for its role the town's education system, and architecturally as a fine example of a "modern" high school building of the period with Colonial Revival styling. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011. Description and history The Old Kennebunk High School is located on the southeast side of Park Street, roughly opposite its junction with Dane Street, on the south side of the village center of Kennebunk. It is a two-story brick building, with limestone trim. The main facade, facing the street, is seven bays wide, the outer two blind (windowless) facades of slightly projecting end wings. These end wings have a round-arch recess, filled with bricks at their centers on the first level, with a round limestone panel above on the second level. The central five bays are demarcated by pilasters, and have large sash windows on the second level. The outermost bays have small 2-over-2 windows at their center, and the next inner ones have sash windows with panels below. The original main entrance stands in the center bay, with a transom window and console hood above. Modern additions dating to 1954 and 1962 extend the original building to the rear. The school was built in 1921–22, serving as the town's fourth high school, replacing a former private academy building (built 1833, purchased by the town in 1850), an Italianate combined grammar and high school built after the first was destroyed by fire in 1870, and a brick building from 1871 that was known as the Kennebunk High and Grammar School. This school was built to adhere to new state standards for schools, and to attract tuition-paying students from surrounding communities. The school design, by Hutchins and French of Boston, was awarded after a design competition. The school served the town has a high school until 1939, when a new high school was opened to address overcrowding. This school was then renamed the Park Street School, and housed elementary grades until its closure in 2004. It now serves as housing for older and disabled residents. See also National Register of Historic Places listings in York County, Maine References
Chop Point School

Chop Point School is a private Christian school located in the town of Woolwich, Maine. History The school site was originally inhabited by Native Americans sometime in the early 1500s to 1600s. At some point there was likely at least a small farm here and even a small fort possibly. Many archeological artifacts have been found on campus ranging from colonial pipes to Indian arrow heads and fishing weights. During the revolutionary war it is possible that Benedict Arnold may have stopped here or at least passed by on his way to Canada up the Kennebec River. In the late 1800s to early 1900s an all girls camp was established at Chop Point, the camp was called the Merrymeeting Camp at this time. Then in the 1950s the camp changed hands again as it was purchased by Franklin Hayward and Peter Willard. With this new land they planned to start a Christian summer camp. However, they were forced to postpone any and all building due to the nearby Kennebec River being heavily polluted by upriver waste. This put the plans for a camp on hold until the river was no longer a hazard and once they were later able to receive accreditation from the American Camping Association in 1967. With that, Franklin Hayward and Peter Willard were able to start the Christian summer camp Chop Point. Three decades later, in 1987, Hayward and Willard added Chop Point School, a Christian school, to along with their camp. Geography The school is located on Chops Point, a peninsula that juts into the Kennebec River. The campus looks out into Merrymeeting Bay and The Chops. The campus has hills, multiple buildings, camp cabins and a barn. Other facilities include tennis courts, a playground, a large gymnasium, a system of trails along the bay and a soccer field called Bridge Field. Students The school's total enrollment is 88 students of ages ranging from kindergarten to the 12th grade. There are exchange students that come every year from all over the world; they typically live at the school during the year. The teacher-student ratio is one to six. Athletics Chop Point School offers a variety of sports. The soccer team is class D in the Maine Principals Association. The 2015 soccer team went 2–8, with wins against High-View Christian Academy and Temple Academy. The school also hosts a running club and the basketball team competes in the MCSSL. References
Dresden Brick School House

The Dresden Brick School House is a historic school building on Maine State Route 128 in Dresden, Maine. Built in 1816, it is one of the oldest surviving brick district school buildings in the state. It is now a museum property, owned by the local historical society. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. Description and history The Dresden Brick School House is located on the west side of a rural stretch of ME 128, about 0.25 miles (0.40 km) south of its junction with Maine State Route 197 in West Dresden. It is a single-story brick building, with a gabled roof. The street-facing front facade has a pair of entrances, each devoid of trim except for a transom window above the door, with a window (now boarded over) in the gable above. The sides of the building have two sash windows. The interior of the building has original wainscoting on the walls. The school was built in 1816, when this area was still called Pownalborough. It is the second-oldest known brick school in the state, after only the Brick School (1810) in nearby Winslow. The school is now maintained by the local historical society, which displays items of local historical interest in the building. See also National Register of Historic Places listings in Lincoln County, Maine References External links Dresden Historical Society - Town of Dresden
Hyde Mansion

The Hyde Mansion, originally known as Elmhurst, is a historic house at 616 High Street in Bath, Maine, United States. Now the main building on the Bath campus of The Hyde Schools, it was built in 1913 for John Sedgewick Hyde, the son of Bath Iron Works (BIW) founder Thomas W. Hyde. It was designed by John Calvin Stevens, and is an example of Colonial Revival architecture. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. Description and history The Hyde Mansion is located on the heights of Bath's west side, roughly west of the Bath Iron Works complex on the west side of High Street. It is set on a landscaped estate that now houses the facilities of the Hyde School. It is a 2+1⁄2-story brick building with trim of wood and stone. It is covered by a hip roof, and has extended brick chimneys at either end. A porch extends across the central portion of the front facade, with a narrower porte-cochere extending further out; both are supported by square brick columns with stone capitals. The school has added a modern wing, sympathetic in materials and style, to the south side of the building. The mansion was designed by Maine's leading architect of the early 20th century, John Calvin Stevens, and was completed in 1913. The grounds on the west side of the house were landscaped in the Italian garden style by Carl Rust Parker, a landscape architect from Portland. The mansion was built for John Sedgewick Hyde, the son of Bath Iron Works founder Thomas W. Hyde, on land that had been in the family since the early 19th century. Hyde was then the owner of BIW, having purchased it from Charles M. Schwab in 1905. The younger Hyde is credited with developing the works as a leading naval shipyard in the following decades. In 1947, Hyde's heirs donated the estate to the Pine Tree Society for Crippled Children, for use as rehabilitation and convalescent facility. In 1966, the estate became the campus of The Hyde Schools. The interior of house was extensively damaged by fire in the 1970s, but was meticulously restored. See also National Register of Historic Places listings in Sagadahoc County, Maine References
Way Way General Store

The Way Way General Store was a historical and architecturally eclectic general store at 93 Buxton Road in Saco, Maine. Built 1927-29, it operated starting then by members of the Cousens family before closing in 2003, reopening in 2010, temporarily closing in 2025, and permanently closing in 2026. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995 for its architecture and its role in the rural economy of northern Saco. Description and history The Way Way General Store was located on the east side of Buxton Road (Maine State Route 112) in rural northern Saco, about 2 miles (3.2 km) northwest of the city center. It was an architecturally and visually eclectic two story structure, built out of hand-formed concrete blocks on the first floor, and shingled wood framing on the second. The first floor blocks were painted red and white in an alternating pattern, with the grout lines painted green. A porte cochere extended across the front of the store, supported by columns of fieldstone and topped by a balustrade. It sheltered two c. 1940s "National" brand gasoline pumps, no longer in service. To the left side was a poured-concrete two-bay garage, whose walls were scored and painted to mimic the main building's color scheme. The interior of the building retained all of its original layout, fixtures, and woodwork. The store was built over a three year period, between 1927 and 1929, by Eugene Cousens and his son Carrol. The older Cousens sold gasoline from this property since 1916, and opened a small store in a wood frame building in 1924. With the construction of this building, Cousens began carried a wider array of general merchandise, and became a mainstay of the relatively rural area. The garage bays were added in the 1930s, where Carrol Cousens serviced automobiles until the 1950s. As of the store's listing on the National Register in 1995, the property remains in the hands of Cousens' daughters. The store closed in 2003 before being reopened by Peter Scontras in 2010 under a lease agreement with the Cousens Family. The store temporarily closed in October 2025, following the death of Bridget Scontras from Parkinson's disease, and permanently closed in March 2026 following Peter Scontras's retirement. See also National Register of Historic Places listings in York County, Maine References
Viola Coombs House

The Viola Coombs House is a historic house at 33 Main Street in Bowdoinham, Maine. Built about 1910, it is significant as an example of transitional Colonial Revival/Queen Anne architecture in a residential setting. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. Description and history The Viola Coombs House stands on the north side of Main Street (Maine State Route 125), a short way east of its junction with Center Street and Back Hill Road. It is set between the Italianate Robert P. Carr House (to its left), and the Second Baptist Church (to its right). The Coombs House is a two-story wood-frame structure, roughly rectangular in plan, with a hip roof pierced on its front face by a hipped dormer. The roof has extended eaves, particularly over the front right corner of the house, which is clipped to an angle; the eaves are studded with decorative brackets. The dominant feature of the house is its porch, which extends across the front and around the right side. Its roof is supported by bulky Tuscan columns, with a balustrade of turned spindles. The main entrance is framed by sidelight and transom windows, with slender Tuscan columns flanking its outer edges. The interior features high quality period woodwork that is largely unaltered. The house was built circa 1910 for Viola V. Coombs, a Bowdoinham native born in 1844. She commissioned the design from Harry S. Coombs, of Lewiston's Coombs Brothers architectural firm, then one of the state's leading architects. See also National Register of Historic Places listings in Sagadahoc County, Maine References
Wallingford Hall

Wallingford Hall is a historic house at 21 York Street (United States Route 1) in Kennebunk, Maine. Built in 1805–06, it is an unusually grand expression of Federal architecture in the town, built by the regionally architect and builder Thomas Eaton, and one of the oldest surviving examples in the state of a connected farmstead. In the late 19th and early 20th century it was also home to William Barry, an architectural historian who wrote extensively on the architecture of southern Maine, and was an early promoter of the Colonial Revival in the area. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. Description and history Wallingford Hall is set on a 4-acre (1.6 ha) property on the north side of York Street, near the western edge of Kennebunk's village center. The main house is a 2+1⁄2-story wood-frame structure, five bays wide, with a hip roof, end chimneys, clapboard siding, and a granite foundation. The roof is ringed by a low wooden balustrade. The front (south-facing) facade is slightly asymmetrical, with the entrance at the center, with flanking sidelight windows and a leaded semi-oval fanlight window above. A flat-topped three-part Palladian window is set above the entrance, while the remaining windows are sash. The floors are separated by a band of flushboarding. A two-story ell extends to the north, and is joined to a six-bay carriage shed that extends west to a 19th-century barn, which is further joined to a modern barn by a short hyphen connector. Wallingford Hall was built between 1804 and 1806 by Thomas Eaton for George Wallingford, a successful local lawyer. Eaton was a regionally prominent builder, whose documented surviving work stretches from York to Portland and is recognized for its high quality Federal style. Wallingford was a leading local citizen, serving on the constitutional convention of 1816 at which the Maine constitution was adopted, as well as in local offices and the state legislature. Wallingford's family retained ownership of the house until 1933. Its last owner of that family was William Barry, a noted local architect and architectural historian. He had detailed plans made of Wallingford Hall in 1882, and was influential in reviving interest in Colonial architectural styles in a number of high-profile architectural firms for which he worked. His 1874 "Pen Sketches of Old Houses" is believed to be the first study of historic American architecture. See also National Register of Historic Places listings in York County, Maine References