Broadway Historic District (Bangor, Maine) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Broadway Historic District
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | Bounded by Garland, Essex, State, Park and Center Sts., Bangor, Maine |
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| Area | 50 acres (20 ha) |
| Built | 1807 |
| Architect | multiple |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Second Empire, Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 73000244 |
| Added to NRHP | May 07, 1973 |
The Broadway Historic District is a special neighborhood in Bangor, Maine, United States. It's located between Garland, Essex, State, Park, and Center Streets. This area was once a favorite place for rich lumber owners and important business people to live. They built their fancy homes here in the 1800s.
Another historic neighborhood in Bangor, called the Whitney Park Historic District, also has many grand old houses. Both of these districts are protected by local rules. This means their historic look and feel are kept safe for the future.
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Discovering the Broadway Historic District
The Broadway Historic District shows how much Bangor wanted to become a major port city in the 1820s and 1830s. It was designed to look a bit like Beacon Hill in Boston.
A Look Back at Bangor's Past
Broadway had a green strip down the middle of its first two blocks. This strip was lined with a double row of elm trees. A bit further on, the street goes through a large area called Broadway Park. This park marks the end of the historic district.
Some nearby streets, like French Street, are also part of this district. Houses on French Street had great views of downtown Bangor from a high bluff.
Grand Homes and Architecture
The first homes built along Broadway's green strip were large brick houses. Some were single homes, and some were double-houses, like two homes joined together. These were built in the 1820s and 1830s.
An example of an early home is the Hinkley House, a brick duplex from the 1820s. The Fred Dickey House, built in 1807, is another elegant example of the Federal style.
After about ten years, builders started using wood instead of brick for these large homes. But the houses were still very big and stylish! You can find homes built in many different styles from the 1820s to the early 1900s. These include Greek Revival, Italianate, Second Empire, and Colonial Revival styles.
Changes Over Time
A big event in the district's history was the Great Fire of 1911. This fire caused a lot of damage to part of the area. Most of the burned section was rebuilt.
However, after the fire, newer and more attractive neighborhoods started to open up in Bangor. Because of this, some people began to move away from Broadway.
In the 1920s, the large Catholic John Bapst High School was built in the middle of the district. Several old mansions had to be torn down to make space for the school. This change helped turn the neighborhood into a mix of homes and other buildings.
