Pennell Institute facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Pennell Institute
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Lewiston Rd., Gray, Maine |
|---|---|
| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1876 |
| Architect | Goff, Henry |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 82000750 |
| Added to NRHP | July 12, 1982 |
The Pennell Institute is an old and important building in Gray, Maine. It's located at 24 Main Street. This building was a special gift to the town from a man named Henry Pennell. It was built between 1876 and 1886. For many years, it served as the town's high school. Today, it's used for town offices. The Pennell Institute is a great example of a building style called Italianate architecture. Because of its history and design, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
About the Pennell Institute
The Pennell Institute building stands in the center of Gray village. You can find it on the south side of Main Street, which is also US Route 202. It is a two-and-a-half-story building made of brick. It has a pointed roof and a tall tower.
What Does It Look Like?
A tall section with a pointed roof sticks out from the front of the building. On each side of this section, there are small porches. These porches cover the original doors. The front of the building has decorative brickwork. It also has narrow, rounded windows.
The tower on top of the building is very noticeable. It has a clock set in a rounded panel. Above the clock, there's a fancy roof that looks like a pyramid. The sides of the building have five sections. Each section has tall, rounded panels. The windows have stone decorations above and below them. A newer part of the building extends out the back.
A Special Gift for Education
The town of Gray has had high school education since the early 1800s. However, it wasn't very organized for a long time. By 1870, people realized they needed a proper high school. They wanted a school with full-time teachers and a permanent building.
Henry Pennell was the richest person in Gray at that time. He promised to build a high school for the town. Construction on this building started in 1876. But the work went very slowly. The building was still not finished when Henry Pennell passed away in 1884.
In his will, Henry Pennell left more money. This money was meant to finish the building. It also included funds to help maintain the school. He even left money for the school's library and a science lab. The building was finally completed in 1886. The first class of students graduated from the Pennell Institute three years later.
Today, the Pennell Institute building is no longer a high school. It now holds the town's offices. This means it's where many important town decisions are made.
