Columbia House (Columbia Falls, Maine) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Columbia House
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | Main St. at jct. with Church Hill Circle, Columbia Falls, Maine |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1834 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 00001203 |
| Added to NRHP | October 12, 2000 |
Columbia House, also known as Gowen Wilson Tavern, is an old and important building in Columbia Falls, Maine. It is located on Main Street. This house was likely built around 1834. For many years, it was the only hotel in the town. It seems to have closed as a hotel around 1882. Columbia House is a great example of a building that mixes Federal and Greek Revival architectural styles. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000 because of its historical value.
What Columbia House Looks Like
Columbia House stands on the north side of Main Street. It is right where Main Street meets Church Circle, in the middle of Columbia Falls village. It is a two-and-a-half-story building made of wood. It has a roof that slopes on two sides and two chimneys inside. The building sits on a strong foundation made of granite.
The front of the house faces south. It has a main entrance in the middle. This entrance has windows on its sides and decorative columns. Above the door, there is a fan-shaped window and a fancy trim. A smaller, one-story section connects the main house to a back part and a barn for carriages. Inside, the house has a central hallway. It features a beautifully carved staircase in the Federal style. The main living room has special wooden decorations in the Greek Revival style.
History of Columbia House
People used to think Columbia House was built in 1820. However, its mix of Federal and Greek Revival styles suggests it was built later. Gowen Wilson, Jr. is often given credit for building the house. He also ran a hotel there. Gowen Wilson, Jr. was born in 1808 and got married in 1833. So, it's very likely the house was built around the time he got married, probably in 1834.
Records from that time show that Wilson ran the building as the only hotel in the community. It stayed open until about 1882. After that year, it was no longer listed in business guides. For many years, the house was owned by Wilson's family members. The hotel's guest book has an interesting entry from 1868. It mentions a leap year party. During a leap year, especially on leap day, there was a tradition. Women could ask men to dance and even propose marriage! This day was sometimes called "bachelor's day."
Columbia House was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 12, 2000.
