Maine Publicity Bureau Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Maine Publicity Bureau Building
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | 501 Danforth St. Portland, Maine |
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| Area | 1.3 acres (0.53 ha) |
| Built | 1936 |
| Architect | John Pickering Thomas |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 89002344 |
| Added to NRHP | January 26, 1990 |
The Maine Publicity Bureau Building is a special old building in Portland, Maine. It was built in 1936 and looks like a classic American house from a long time ago. This building is important because it helped Maine tell people all about its beautiful places and fun things to do, encouraging visitors to come. It's even listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's a really important part of history!
A Historic Building in Portland
This building, which used to be the Maine Publicity Bureau, is located in Portland, Maine. It sits on Danforth Street, not far from the Western Promenade. Even though it's on a small hill, you can't see the Fore River from it because of a raised road nearby.
What Does the Building Look Like?
The Maine Publicity Bureau Building is made of brick and has one and a half stories. It's built in a style called Colonial Revival. This style was popular in the 1930s and copied the look of older American homes from the 1700s.
The middle part of the building has a pointed roof and five windows. On each side, there are smaller sections that stick out. These side sections have special windows called Palladian windows. A Palladian window has a tall, arched window in the middle with two smaller, flat windows on either side.
The main entrance has double doors that are set back a bit. The doorway is decorated with columns (called pilasters) and a fancy broken arch design above it. Inside, the main room has beautiful wooden decorations.
Why Was This Building Built?
The building was designed by a local architect named John Pickering Thomas. It was finished in 1936. The money to build it came partly from the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The WPA was a government program during the Great Depression that helped create jobs by funding public projects like buildings and roads.
The Maine Publicity Bureau itself was started in 1921 by business leaders in Portland. Their goal was to promote Maine's businesses, industries, and fun outdoor activities to people outside the state. They wanted more tourists and businesses to come to Maine.
At first, the Bureau had offices on Congress Street. But they grew bigger and needed a new, more noticeable place. So, they chose this spot on Danforth Street for their permanent home. The state of Maine owned the land and the building. The Bureau leased it until 1979, when their main office moved to Hallowell.
