Portland Packing Company Factory facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Portland Packing Company Factory
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The Portland Packing Company Factory on York Street
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | 14-26 York Street, Portland, Maine |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1884 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian |
| NRHP reference No. | 96000651 |
| Added to NRHP | June 7, 1996 |
The Portland Packing Company Factory is an old factory building located at 14-26 York Street in Portland, Maine. It was built in 1884 and was once the home of Maine's biggest and oldest company that canned vegetables. This company was very important for the state's economy back then.
After many years of not being used, the building was fixed up in 1995 and 1996. Because of its history, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. This means it's a special place recognized for its importance to American history.
Contents
What Does the Factory Building Look Like?
The old Portland Packing Company Factory building is in the downtown area of Portland. It's on the east side of York Street.
Building Shape and Size
The building is made of brick and has two main floors. It's shaped a bit like a parallelogram, which is a four-sided shape with opposite sides parallel. Because the ground slopes, the back of the building actually looks like it has three floors. It has a flat roof and sits on a strong stone foundation.
Outside Features
The front of the building is divided into six similar parts. These parts are separated by wide, flat columns called pilasters. Each part has three openings, mostly windows. These windows have a rounded top, like an arch.
Above the windows, there's a decorative brick pattern called corbelling. There's also a band of bricks that sticks out between the first and second floors. Some sections have large loading doors instead of windows, which were used for moving goods in and out. One section even has a very large, half-round opening that was once used for vehicles to drive inside.
A Look Back: The Factory's History
The Portland Packing Company was formed around 1862. This happened when two smaller companies joined together.
Maine's Canning Giant
By the early 1900s, the company had grown to be Maine's largest business for canning vegetables. Canning was a huge industry back then. It was even more important to Maine's economy than the combined industries of slate, granite, and ice harvesting!
Building's Purpose and Changes
This factory building was one of thirteen that the company operated across the state. It was built in 1884. Experts believe that a famous Portland architect named Francis H. Fassett designed it because of its style.
The building was mainly used to store canned goods. In 1927, the company sold the building to the Blake Rounds Supply Company. After many years of being empty and not cared for, the building was finally restored in 1995 and 1996. Today, it is used for businesses.
