Temples Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Temples Historic District
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | Madison Ave., North Anson, Maine |
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| Area | 1.5 acres (0.61 ha) |
| Built | 1844 |
| Architect | Ebenezer Witherhill |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 83000474 |
| Added to NRHP | May 12, 1983 |
The Temples Historic District is a special place in North Anson, Maine. It has a unique group of houses on Madison Street. These houses were built a long time ago, between 1844 and 1858. What makes them special is their style. Three of the four houses look like ancient Greek temples! This collection of homes is truly one-of-a-kind in rural Maine. Because of their importance, the district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
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What Makes These Houses Special?
The village of North Anson is located in Somerset County, Maine. It sits near the Carrabassett River, which flows into the Kennebec River. Madison Street runs east from the center of the village. On the south side of this street, you will find four houses that look very similar.
Unique Architectural Styles
Three of these houses are west of Winter Street, and one is to the east. All of them are one-and-a-half stories tall. They are made of wood and covered with clapboard siding. Each house has a front-facing gable roof. A gable is the triangular part of a wall under a sloping roof.
Three of the houses feature a "Greek temple portico." A portico is a porch with columns. These porticos are supported by three Doric columns. Doric columns are a simple, strong style from ancient Greece.
Details of the Houses
The two houses furthest to the west are almost identical. They have detailed "Doric entablatures" around their eaves. An entablature is the part of a building that rests on top of the columns. They also have fancy Greek Revival entrances. The house at the eastern end is similar but has less detail.
The fourth house does not have a temple front today. It might have had one in the past. This house has thick "pilasters" at its corners. Pilasters are flat, decorative columns attached to a wall. It also has a simple entablature. A "Colonial Revival" porch was added to its front. Its front wall is covered in "flushboard," which means the boards are laid flat and smooth. This house also has an "Italianate" round-arch window in its gable. Italianate style was popular a bit later than Greek Revival.
Who Built These Homes?
We do not know the exact date these houses were built. We also do not know for sure who built them. It is thought that one person built all four. They were likely constructed between 1844 and 1852. This was late in the Greek Revival period.
One of the houses, the one with Italianate features, belonged to a carpenter named Ebenezer F. Witherill. The other three houses were owned by business people and merchants. Many believe that Witherill built all four homes. He might have added the Italianate features to his own house. He may have even removed its temple front. This would have shown off newer architectural trends.
