Bridge Academy Public Library facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Bridge Academy
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 44 Middle St., Dresden, Maine |
|---|---|
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1890 |
| Built by | Beedle, Roscoe |
| Architect | Clough, George A. |
| Architectural style | Shingle Style |
| NRHP reference No. | 86003540 |
| Added to NRHP | January 9, 1987 |
The Bridge Academy Public Library is a special building in Dresden, Maine. It used to be a high school from 1890 to 1966. Today, it serves as the town's public library. This building is a great example of a unique architectural style called Shingle style, and it was designed by a famous architect named George A. Clough. Because of its history and design, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.
Contents
What Does the Bridge Academy Building Look Like?
The Bridge Academy Public Library is located on the east side of Middle Road in Dresden. It's a tall, single-story building made of wood. It has a distinctive roof shape called a gambrel roof. Most of its outside walls are covered with flat wooden boards called clapboards. Some parts have wooden shingles.
Cool Features of the Building
The roof was originally covered in wooden shingles, but now it has asphalt shingles. You can find entrances at both ends of the front of the building. These entrances are covered by small roofs supported by fancy curved brackets. A section of the building sticks out slightly in the middle. It has its own gable roof and an eight-sided tower right in the center. Inside, the building originally had one big classroom. It also had entrance halls on either side.
How Was the Bridge Academy Built?
The construction of the Bridge Academy was made possible by two important gifts. The first gift came from Llewellyn Lithgow, who grew up in Dresden. He left a large sum of money for a general purpose. The second gift came from Samuel J. Bridge. He promised to give money too, but only if Lithgow's gift was used to build a school. Originally, some people wanted to use the money for a bridge over the Kennebec River.
Meet the Architect: George A. Clough
The building was designed by George A. Clough. He was born in Blue Hill, Maine. Even though he worked in Boston, Massachusetts for many years, he spent his summers in Maine. He designed several important buildings there. The Bridge Academy is the only known school from the late 1800s built in the Shingle style.
From School to Library: A Building's Journey
The Bridge Academy served as a high school for local students until 1966. It also welcomed students from nearby towns who paid tuition. By 1966, the building no longer met the state's requirements for high schools. So, it became a junior high school instead. It continued as a junior high until 1983. After that, the building was changed to become the public library for Dresden.
