West Street Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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West Street Historic District
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"La Rochelle", completed in 1902
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | West St. between Billings Ave. and Eden St., Bar Harbor, Maine |
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| Area | 25 acres (10 ha) |
| Architect | Multiple |
| Architectural style | Late 19th And 20th Century Revivals, Late Victorian |
| NRHP reference No. | 80000226 |
| Added to NRHP | May 6, 1980 |
The West Street Historic District is a special area in Bar Harbor, Maine. It's filled with old homes that tell a story about the past. This district is right next to the main part of Bar Harbor village.
It stretches along West Street, from Eden Street to Billings Avenue. Here, you can find many well-preserved "summer cottages." These weren't small, simple cottages. They were large, fancy homes built by wealthy families. They came to Bar Harbor for their summer vacations in the early 1900s. This historic district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. This means it's recognized as an important place to protect.
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Exploring West Street's Historic Homes
Bar Harbor is located on the coast of Maine, on the northeastern tip of Mount Desert Island. The town's center is busy, with streets like Mt. Desert Street and Main Street. West Street runs next to Mt. Desert Street, leading to the northern coastline.
The West Street Historic District starts where West Street meets Eden Street. It continues all the way to Billings Avenue. Along this street, there are seventeen important summer houses. They were all built between 1870 and the 1910s. These homes show what Bar Harbor was like when it was a popular summer spot for rich families. Many of these beautiful houses survived a big fire in 1947. This fire destroyed many other similar properties on the island.
Early Summer Cottages
The oldest house in the district is called "The Kedge." It's a modest home built in 1870. It was moved to the West Street area in 1886. This was when West Street was officially created.
"Petunia Cottage" was built in 1877. It was the first house built directly on what became West Street. This house was one of the first built specifically to be rented out. After the road was laid out, many new homes were built. Many of these early houses were designed by famous architects. They showed popular styles of the time, like Shingle, Queen Anne, or Colonial Revival. Some were designed by the well-known Boston firm Rotch and Tilden. Others were designed by New York architect William A. Potter.
Grand Mansions and Clubs
In the early 1900s, the houses on West Street became even bigger and more elegant. "La Rochelle," finished in 1902, is a grand brick mansion. It looks like a French castle and has 41 rooms! It was one of the most impressive homes in the area. In 2019, the Bar Harbor Historical Society bought "La Rochelle." The name "La Rochelle" is carved into the stone gates of the house.
The Bar Harbor Club is a large building that isn't a home. It was built between 1929 and 1930. It's designed in the Tudor Revival style. Many important people were members of this club. Today, some of these summer estates are still private homes. Others are owned by the Maine Seacoast Mission, an organization that helps people.
In 2017, Bar Harbor updated its list of historic properties. This means that owners of these homes have special rules. They need to follow extra steps if they want to tear down or change their property.
Here are some of the West Street properties on the historic list:
- Manor House Inn, 106 West Street
- Foster Cottage, 108
- Petunia Cottage, 110
- The Bar Harbor Club, 111
- "Rosebriar", 111
- "The Kedge", 112
- "The Sunset", 115
- "Chantier", 116
- "Maisonette", 118
- "The Tides", 119
- "Westfield", 120
- "Saltair", 121
- "Greenlawn", 123
- "The Breezes", 125
- Charles Marinke Residence, 130
Gallery
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Manor House Inn
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"Westfield"
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"The Kedge"
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"Saltair"
