First National Bank (Lewiston, Maine) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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First National Bank
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | 157-163 Main Street, Lewiston, Maine |
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| Built | 1903 |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| MPS | Lewiston Commercial District MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 86002282 |
| Added to NRHP | April 25, 1986 |
The First National Bank building is a really old and important building in Lewiston, Maine. It was built around 1903. This building was home to Lewiston's very first bank! It's also a great example of a special building style called Classical Revival, which was inspired by French designs. Because it's so important, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.
Exploring the First National Bank Building
You can find the First National Bank building in downtown Lewiston. It's on the south side of Main Street, right where Main and Lisbon Streets meet. This building has three stories. It's made of brick with special stone decorations.
The front of the building has four main sections. The first floor now has modern shops. The upper floors have tall, flat columns called Doric pilasters. These columns make the building look grand.
The windows on the second floor have square frames. The windows on the third floor have a rounded top. Below the third-floor windows, you can see cool wrought iron balconies. These balconies are held up by stone brackets.
A Look at the Bank's History
The bank that started all this was first called the Lewiston Falls Bank. It began in 1852. Later, it became the First National Bank. This bank was super important for helping Lewiston grow.
It helped pay for the big textile mills that were built before the American Civil War. We don't know who designed this specific building. It was built for the bank around 1903.
In 1986, when the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places, another bank called Norstar Bank was using it. Today, the building is still busy. It's home to different shops and businesses.
