Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1905-03-29
HISTORIC BUILDINGS.
HIGH SCHOOL, PUBLIC LIBRARY
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
INTERESTING SKETCH OF SOME OF
ELLswoRTH's LANDMARKs-A
PLEA FOR PRESERVATION.


England towns are so justly proud. Only
three of the older buildings attract the
attention OF the stranger-the high
school building, the public library and
the Congregational church.
The church, Of which President
Nathaniel Butler, of Columbia university,
once said in lecture within its walls, is
one of the finest specimens of early New
England church architecture extant, will,
doubtless, always be kept in its present
condition by an appreciative society.
The public library building, built as
private residence in 1917, was, through
the generosity OF former townsman,
converted into library in 1897, and bids
fair to remain an ornament to the city for
many years TO come, but the
HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING
has passed through many vicissitudes
until its very existence is threat
ened, and while successive city govern
ments have debated in vain the subject
for new schoolhouse, the old building
has been neglected until those who see it
every day are apt to think only of its ILL.,
kept appearance, overlooking the beauty
OF its proportions and its pure Grecian
architecture.
This building, whose history for seventy
years has been indissolubly connected
with that of the town and county, was
erected IN 1854 oy tine TOWN OF ELLSWORTH
for town house, on land given by the
Herbert estate, on the condition that 1t
should be given to the county should
Ellsworth become the shire town.
p,.ns far the new town hopse wore
drawn by the late Edward S. Jarvis, of
Surry. and were of architecture popular
at that time for town and court houses,
especially in the southern states; but it is
said that only one OF the other buildings
is extant. a court house in West Virginia
and that 1t is highly valued.
In 1897. by a vote OF. the county, Els
worth became the shire town, and there is
recorded a deed dated October IS, 1887,
which reads:
.w,.rs.s c,.,,o,,s uarher, NJ ellsworth
in said county. willow. and Charlotte Herbert,
jr. OF said Ellsworth. single woman. conveyed
unto the tow" OF Ellsworth by de'd dated !"
Inc ana ,,.,,s IN s,,s rnsw,r,, and bo,,nasd
and described Ma follow"
Th.n comes a dissertation ~ the we'll
lnox,n ,r;ano,a ON Rr;dgs hin ut the
i,ro,;or ~ West Main and Court streets
,, a., TO-, COW
r.vaa hv 81, ,o,y,o =, rl,swor,n ~ The conr,v
q, Hapcock aforesaid and Il a,pears desirable
that nil The public building. Of sail county
should not be located upon said lot in the
condition annexed to said deed TO the town of
Ellsworth is expressed. etc
Then follows at length the condition
that 1.-THE Goal" shall be built elsewhere.
The deed is signed by Charlotte Herbert
and Charlotte Herbert jr., by their attor-
ney, George Herbert.
During the following year the county
conr;ssioners who were John Chamber
-. Aaa;s,,,, Doaoa and Morr
r Saunders. had the adjoining brick
building erected for the county Offices and
the stsafe keepinp Of the county records.
The contractors are named in the records
as ssWvman A. Woodwardn. and the late
John I. Moor did the carpentry.
so.r oo,,,,ry n,,s
Inc commissioner heiu 'nen n,s'
s'oh Ia hiiswor'h III oe.'oef' ,'''' az
among tne piiis approVeo is one ioi
tor ierhiture, "c'' ior 'he COUNTY oiiee'
In the same records we READ tnat mos
800 ~ - -, "a NJ.
g. - la zoo "a sar,eII
w.,son 20, on Co.. ha,,,,no racords e,c
So Ca.,,n,o us,,..~.h
Taa,sA'..m. 49, 80, aou. ,onsa ,yoo
-. .-- -. - -, - =, rr,i,a-
.;ao;a.,s =, u,,,a,na.th o., i, tha rooords ~
g.. "a.
anu now TUG Uou,s "siee W .es '"e ~.
Iio,,..,s .os,a,,. ,n r,,saor,h a. a ~,acs Of
,vorsh,,, ,,rov,asa ,s,d Rl,ck has the sum of