Porter Memorial Library (Maine) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Porter Memorial Library
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Court St., Machias, Maine |
|---|---|
| Area | 0.5 acres (0.20 ha) |
| Built | 1893 |
| Architect | George A. Clough |
| Architectural style | Romanesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 78000208 |
| Added to NRHP | January 20, 1978 |
The Porter Memorial Library is the public library for the town of Machias, Maine. You can find it at 92 Court Street, right in the center of Machias. This building is very special because of its beautiful Romanesque Revival style. A local person named Henry Homes Porter paid for its construction. Because of its unique design and history, the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
The Library's Design and History
The Porter Memorial Library is located close to the main downtown area of Machias. It sits where Court Street and Free Street meet.
Building's Unique Style
The library is a 1-1/2 story building made of strong granite stones. It was built in the Romanesque Revival style, which uses round arches and sturdy shapes. The building looks like the letter "T" from above. The long part of the "T" runs along Court Street.
The ends of the roof, called gable ends, face north, west, and south. Each of these ends has decorative points called pinnacles. The main entrance is at the northern corner of the "T" shape. It has a covered porch with large, round arches. Next to the entrance, there are five smaller round-arch windows on the first floor. Above them, in the attic, are two tall, slender round-arch windows.
How the Library Started
The idea for a library in Machias began around 1815. A local lawyer named Rufus K. Porter helped create the Machias Library Association.
Years later, his son, Henry Homes Porter, became a very successful railroad executive. He knew that his hometown's library needed help. In 1891, he gave $1,500 to make sure the library had enough money to operate. He also promised another $9,000 to build a permanent home for the library.
The current library building was designed by George A. Clough, an architect from Boston. It was finished in 1893. The library was named in honor of both Rufus K. Porter and Henry Homes Porter. They both played a big part in making the library possible for the community.
