Park Street Row facts for kids
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Park Street Row
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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View of the front
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | 88-114 Park Street, Portland, Maine |
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| Area | 1.9 acres (0.77 ha) |
| Built | 1835 |
| Architectural style | Greek revival |
| Part of | Spring Street Historic District (ID70000043) |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000074 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | February 23, 1972 |
| Designated CP | April 3, 1970 |
The Park Street Row, also called the Park Street Block, is a group of old rowhouses in Portland, Maine. You can find them at 88-114 Park Street. These buildings were constructed in 1835. They are the largest known rowhouses from the 1800s in Maine. They also show off the Greek Revival architecture style. Because of their history and style, they were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.
Contents
What Makes Park Street Row Special?
The Park Street Row is located in the eastern part of Portland's West End neighborhood. It takes up the entire west side of Park Street. This street runs between Spring and Gray Streets.
Design and Look of the Houses
There are fourteen homes in this row. They are made of brick with special brownstone details. Each house sits on a strong granite foundation. Every home is four stories tall. They also have a roof with dormer windows and skylights.
The front of each house is three bays wide. A "bay" is like a section of the wall. The main entrance for each home is on the right side. Iron railings stand on granite curbs between the stairs. These stairs lead up to each front door. Shallow iron balconies stretch across the front of each house. Because Park Street slopes, the houses are built in steps. They go down in pairs along the street.
The Story Behind Park Street Row
Building the Park Street Row was a very big project. It was one of the most ambitious housing plans in Maine during the 1800s.
How the Project Started
In 1835, a group of investors formed a company. They called it the Ann Street Company. (Park Street used to be called Ann Street.) This company bought land almost all the way to Congress Street. They then started building these rowhouses.
Building Challenges and Completion
The fourteen homes you see today were finished. Six more houses were also built facing Gray and Spring Streets. Three of those on Spring Street are still standing today.
However, the company faced money problems. They could only finish the outside of the buildings. The unfinished homes were then sold in an auction in October 1835. After that, the people who bought the houses finished the inside of their own homes.
