Tracy-Causer Block facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Tracy-Causer Block
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Tracy-Causer Block
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | 505-509 Fore Street, Portland, Maine |
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| Built | 1866 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 89001941 |
| Added to NRHP | March 17, 1994 |
The Tracy-Causer Block is a special old building in Portland, Maine. It's located at 505-509 Fore Street in the Old Port area. This building was built in 1866. It was used for both shops and homes, which was common back then. Today, it's one of the few buildings like it left in the city. Because it's so important, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994.
Contents
What is the Tracy-Causer Block?
The Tracy-Causer Block stands at the corner of Fore and Cotton Streets. This area is known as Gorham's Corner. It's a two-and-a-half story building made of brick. It has a sloped roof and simple, classic designs.
Building Features
You can see a stone band between the first and second floors. This band is called a beltcourse. The windows on the second floor also have stone sills and tops. Above the second floor, there's another brick band. Below the roof, you'll see small, three-pane windows. On the west side, the upper windows have rounded tops.
Ground Floor Layout
The ground floor has two main shop areas. Each shop has its own entrance. Large display windows are on either side of these entrances. In the middle of the building, there's a separate entrance. This entrance leads to the apartments on the upper floors.
Why is this Building Important?
The city of Portland had a huge fire on July 4, 1866. This fire destroyed many buildings. The Tracy-Causer Block was built right after this big fire. John Tracy and William Causer were the people who built it.
A Glimpse into the Past
This building was designed like older commercial buildings. In those days, shop owners often lived above their stores. After the 1866 fire, most new buildings were only for businesses. They didn't have homes upstairs anymore. This makes the Tracy-Causer Block very special. It shows us how buildings were used before the fire. It's a rare example of that older style in Portland.
