Star of Hope Lodge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Star of Hope Lodge
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | Main St., Vinalhaven, Maine |
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| Area | 0.3 acres (0.12 ha) |
| Built | 1885 |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| NRHP reference No. | 82000767 |
| Added to NRHP | February 19, 1982 |
The Star of Hope Lodge is a cool old building on Main Street in downtown Vinalhaven, Maine. It was built way back in 1885. This large building has a special style called Second Empire architecture. It's one of the few old commercial buildings that are still standing in this island town.
In the 1980s, a famous artist named Robert Indiana helped fix it up. He used it as an art gallery and a place to create his art. Because it's so important, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. This list helps protect important historical places in the United States.
Contents
What Does the Star of Hope Lodge Look Like?
The Star of Hope Lodge building is on the north side of Main Street. It's right in the middle of Vinalhaven's main village. It's a big building with three stories. It's made of wood and has a special roof called a mansard roof. The outside is covered with clapboard siding.
The Front of the Building
The front of the building, which faces the street, has two shop entrances. These are on either side of a main entrance in the middle. This central entrance sticks out a little bit and has a small tower on top. The main door is set back, and the part that sticks out is held up by fancy supports.
Windows and Details
The windows on the upper floors have decorative tops. These tops are shaped like triangles or have small supports under them. The steep parts of the mansard roof have special windows that stick out. These windows are long and have rounded tops. In the very center of the building, there's a beautiful window with three parts, like a Palladian window. Each of the shop entrances has display windows on both sides of a recessed doorway.
The History of the Star of Hope Lodge
The Star of Hope Lodge was built in 1885. It was built by the local group of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF). This was a friendly club or "fraternal society." The ground floor was used for shops, and the upper floors were for the club's meetings.
A Glimpse into the Past
This building is one of the few things left in Vinalhaven that reminds us of how important the town was in the 1880s. Back then, granite stone from the island was sent all over the eastern United States. This made the town very busy and successful.
From Club to Art Studio
After the Odd Fellows club stopped using the building, a photographer named Eliot Elisofon bought it. He used it as his art studio. Later, he rented it to the famous artist Robert Indiana. When Elisofon passed away, Indiana bought the building himself. He then worked to restore and fix up the building, making it the beautiful place it is today.
