Searsport Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Searsport Historic District
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | Main St., Searsport, Maine |
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| Area | 4 acres (1.6 ha) |
| Built | 1834 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Italianate, Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 79000168 |
| Added to NRHP | July 27, 1979 |
The Searsport Historic District is a special part of Searsport, Maine. It has many old buildings from the mid-to-late 1800s. These buildings show us what the town was like when it was a busy place for shipping and building ships. This important area was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
Contents
Searsport's Story: A Town of Ships
The area we now call Searsport was first settled in the 1750s. It became its own town in 1845. From the 1790s, the main village was a big center for shipping and building ships.
A Busy Seaport
At its busiest time, in the mid-1800s, Searsport was very active. It had six full-time shipyards. Many other smaller shipyards were also open during certain seasons. Searsport became famous for training many ship captains. These successful businesses and captains helped build the town center.
What You'll See in the District
The historic district is on a short part of Searsport's Main Street. This street is also known as United States Route 1. On one side, it goes from Mosman Street to Elm Street. On the other side, it stretches from Mt. Ephraim Road to Knox Bros. Avenue.
This area has thirteen important old buildings. Most of them are made of brick. They were built between 1840 and 1891.
Building Styles
Most buildings in the district were used for businesses. The only building not used for business is the Methodist Church. It was built in 1840 and shows the Greek Revival style.
The most common building styles you will see are Greek Revival and Italianate. One of the most detailed buildings is the Merrill Trust Company building. It was built in 1891. This Italianate building has a special roof called a mansard roof. It also has a tower right in the middle of its front.
