Gerald Hotel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Gerald Hotel
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Postcard view of hotel, 1905
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | 151-157 Main St., Fairfield, Maine |
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| Area | 0.6 acres (0.24 ha) |
| Built | 1899 |
| Architect | William R. Miller |
| Architectural style | Renaissance Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 12000894 |
| Added to NRHP | March 25, 2013 |
The Gerald Hotel is a historic building in the town of Fairfield, Maine. It was once a fancy hotel. Today, it has been changed into apartments for seniors.
This building was designed by a famous architect named William R. Miller. It was built for Amos F. Gerald, who was a very important businessman in Maine in the late 1800s. The hotel was built between 1899 and 1900.
The Gerald Hotel is a great example of Renaissance Revival style architecture. This means it looks like buildings from the Renaissance period. It has a very detailed and special design, which was unusual for buildings in rural Maine back then. It is one of the biggest buildings in Fairfield. Because of its history and unique design, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2013.
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Exploring the Gerald Hotel Building
The Gerald Hotel building stands tall on the west side of Main Street. This is in the center of Fairfield village. It is just a short distance south of where two main roads meet: Maine State Route 100 and United States Route 201.
What Does the Hotel Look Like?
This building has four stories and is made of brick and terracotta. It looks much bigger than the other buildings nearby, which are usually one to three stories high. The front of the building is decorated with special terracotta pieces. It is divided into five main parts. There are two parts that stick out on the corners. A central part also sticks out in the middle. These parts are separated by flatter sections.
The middle section is supported by strong iron columns on the first floor. It goes all the way up to the fourth floor. This part has rounded corners with windows. The main entrance to the building is tucked away under this central section. The supports for this part rest on a huge piece of granite. People said it was the biggest piece of granite ever taken from a quarry in Maine at that time!
Originally, the central section had a fancy rooftop decoration. You can see it in old pictures from 1905. But this decoration was removed in the middle of the 1900s. The flat sections on either side of the middle part have pairs of windows on the upper floors. Each floor has different decorations around its windows. On the ground floor, these sections have large plate glass windows. The left corner section has a special entrance for carriages on the ground floor. The right corner section has another large window.
Who Built the Gerald Hotel?
The Gerald Hotel was designed by architect William R. Miller. He was from Lewiston, Maine. The hotel was built between 1899 and 1900. It was built for Amos F. Gerald, who lived from 1841 to 1913. Gerald was one of the most important businessmen in Maine during his time.
Gerald was born in a nearby town called Benton. He invested his money in many different businesses across Maine. He owned parts of electric trolley systems in several areas. He also invested in industrial mills and fun amusement parks. He even built the very first electrical power station in Fairfield. He worked hard to bring electricity to many parts of the state.
The Gerald Hotel's detailed design was typical of Amos Gerald's projects. He wanted his buildings to be interesting and unique. Amos Gerald lived in Fairfield for a long time. His own home, called the Amos Gerald House, was also designed by William R. Miller. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Life at the Gerald Hotel
The Gerald Hotel was open and working for 35 years. The ground floor of the building had different shops and businesses. The hotel was a very popular place for social events and town meetings. It was a busy spot in the community.
For many years, one of the shops on the ground floor was Lawrie Furniture. This store stayed there until 1963. It was the main furniture shop in the area. In the 1940s, the upper floors of the hotel were changed. They were turned into apartments. The building was updated and fixed up in 2015. Now, it serves as an apartment building especially for older people.
Images for kids
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The hotel in 2022
