Union Hall (Searsport, Maine)

Union Hall is the town hall of Searsport, Maine. It is located at 3 Reservoir Street in the town center. Built in 1863, it is a remarkably sophisticated example of Italianate architecture for a relatively small town, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986 for its architecture.[1]

Union Hall
Union Hall (Searsport, Maine) is located in Maine
Union Hall (Searsport, Maine)
Union Hall (Searsport, Maine) is located in the United States
Union Hall (Searsport, Maine)
Location3 Reservoir St.
Searsport, Maine
Coordinates44°27′34″N 68°55′28″W / 44.45944°N 68.92444°W / 44.45944; -68.92444
Area0.5 acres (0.20 ha)
Built1863 (1863)
ArchitectGeorge M. Harding
Architectural styleItalianate
NRHP reference No.86000478[1]
Added to NRHPMarch 20, 1986

Description and history

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Union Hall is located in the village center of Searsport, on the east side of Reservoir Street a short way north of United States Route 1. It is a 2-1/2 story wood frame structure, with a gabled roof and clapboard siding. The ground floor is relatively low, housing town offices, while the upper level is tall, housing the auditorium space. The building has quoined corners, bracketed eaves, and entrances on the short ends that are flanked by pilasters. Ground floor windows are rectangular sash, while the upper floor windows are mainly very tall round-arch windows. On the ends there are paired segmented-arch windows in the gables. The building originally had a cupola. Its interior has modest but high quality woodwork, most of it original.[2]

The hall was designed by Portland architect George M. Harding, and was built in 1863, at the height of the American Civil War. It is one of Maine's more imposing small-town town halls. In addition to the loss of the cupola, other minor alterations include the loss of a balcony on one end, and the provision of a fire escape door on the western end.[2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. ^ a b Frank A. Beard; Roger G. Reed (January 1986). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Union Hall / Town Office". National Park Service. Retrieved 2016-01-18. Includes two accompanying photos from 1985.