Monson Historical Society Museum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Monson Engine House (Former)
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | Main Street, Monson, Maine |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1889 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 05000798 |
| Added to NRHP | August 5, 2005 |
The Monson Historical Society Museum is a cool place to learn about the history of Monson, Maine. It's located right on Main Street in the middle of town. This museum is inside an old building that was once a fire station and a meeting spot for a special club. It was built way back in 1889! Because it's such an old and important building, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 5, 2005. This means it's a special landmark! The museum is open on Saturdays during the summer. You can see lots of interesting things from Monson's past there.
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History of the Monson Museum Building
The museum building is a two-story wooden structure. It sits on the east side of Main Street. A small stream called Phillips Brook runs nearby. The building has a special corner that hangs over the stream. This is where a tall, four-story tower stands. Firefighters used this tower to hang their long hoses to dry. The water would drip right into the stream! The building has a sloped roof, which is called a hip roof. There's also a smaller addition on the south side.
What the Building Looked Like
The front of the building faces west. It has six main sections, called bays. On the left, there are three large double doors. These were for the fire trucks and equipment. Above these doors, you can see some fancy decorations. The second floor has windows that match up. The next two sections have windows on the first floor. The very last section on the right has the main door for people to enter. It also has a smaller window above it. Look up near the roof, and you'll see decorative supports called scrolled brackets.
Early Uses of the Building
This building has been used for many different things since it was built in 1889. At first, the ground floor stored all the firefighting equipment. The upstairs was a meeting place for a group called the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR). This was a club for soldiers who fought in the American Civil War. The town kept its fire equipment here until 1968. The GAR group slowly became less active by 1910. In 1918, the remaining members sold their part of the building to the town. Other local clubs also used the GAR space. These included the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and the local Grange chapter. These groups were like social clubs for people in the community.
Becoming the Town Hall
Before 1918, Monson's town meetings were held in a different building. But in 1918, the town moved its offices and meetings into this building. They even built a small jail cell in the basement! In 1936 and 1937, the building got bigger with the southern addition. It also got heating installed, which was a big improvement. For many years, it was known as the Monson Town Hall. This continued until 1968, when a new town hall was built right next door.
From Town Hall to Museum
In 1968, the town sold the old building to the DAR. This group then started a small local history museum inside. They wanted to save and share Monson's past. In 2003, the DAR sold the building back to the town. The town then asked the local historical society to take care of it. That's how it became the Monson Historical Society Museum we know today! This building is one of only four old fire stations from the 1800s still standing in Maine's smaller towns. It was officially recognized as a historic place in 2005.
See also
