Thomas A. Hill House

DID YOU KNOW: The Thomas A. Hill House was built in 1835 for lawyer Thomas A. Hill. Like the Farrar Mansion across Union Street, the Hill House was designed by architect Richard Upjohn. Upjohn would become one of the country’s best-known architects and founder of the American Association of Architects.

Hill lived in the house until 1845 when future Bangor Mayor Samuel Dale and his family moved in. Eventually the house would be deeded to the Sons of Union Veterans/Grand Army of the Republic. Years later, the GAR would deed the property to the Bangor Historical Society, which still calls the Hill House home today.

About the Bangor Historical Society

The Hill House now protects and houses the Bangor Historical Society’s collections, as well as serving as a museum and function space. The Society is in the middle of a multi-year renovation project, including working on the exterior portico, interior ceilings, and bringing back a period-appropriate fence to the lawn. You can show your support by becoming a member or with a one-time donation. Visit bangorhistoricalsociety.org for details.

Bangor Opera House

DID YOU KNOW: Bangor’s first Opera House opened in 1882. Designed by architect Arthur Vinal, it was host to Ethel Barrymore, Oscar Wilde, and countless other famous performers. The structure survived the Great Fire of 1911 only to burn in 1914. The lot was purchased by Joseph P. Bass in February 1919 with promises to rebuild. The building was acquired by the Penobscot Theatre Company in 1997, and remains its home today.

St. John’s was the first Gothic church Richard Upjohn designed, but it wasn’t his first commission in Bangor. He also designed the Thomas A. Hill House, now home to the Bangor Historical Society, and the Isaac Farrar Mansion, owned by the YMCA, both on Union Street.

Bangor Historical Society’s posts featuring photos of historic buildings began as a way to engage with people through social media and to show off the massive number of historical photographs the society has in its collection, Bishop said. But they also connect people to Bangor’s history through the lens of its architecture.

St. John’s, for example, illustrates the growing wealth of the city as a booming lumber capital. The destruction of the wood church in the fire of 1911 is a reminder of a major disaster and the rebuilding of the church in stone is an example of lessons learned.

Much like a tree’s growth rings, you can look at Bangor’s different neighborhoods and see how the city grew, with each style of home popular at a given time giving way to the next architectural trend.

Wheelwright Block

DID YOU KNOW: The Wheelwright Block (now home to Mexicali Blues) was built in 1859 and a survivor of the Great Fire of 1911 and urban renewal. It was originally home to clothiers Wheelwright and Clark. The business made uniforms for Civil War soldiers

All Souls Congregational Church

DID YOU KNOW: All Souls Congregation Church has — by one name or another — been on the corner of Broadway and State since 1821. The current building is the third. After the Great Fire, two downtown Bangor churches combined to create All Souls. The current building actually used what it could from the buildings that had been destroyed, and is evidenced by the different colored stone on the outside of building.

French Street House

DID YOU KNOW: This Arts and Crafts-style house on French Street was built in 1915. It was designed by Bangor architect Victor Hodgins, and the first residents were brothers Eugene H. and Charles L. Dakin and their sister, Florence. Eugene Dakin is best known as an owner of Dakin’s Sporting Goods on Central Street from from 1920-1924. Dakin’s is the same shop where Al Brady later came and met his end in 1937. This unique home still exists today.

John A. French Home

DID YOU KNOW: This home on the corner of Broadway and Cumberland streets was originally designed by Charles G. Bryant for John A. French. It was built from 1833-1834.

While the home was built for French, it was Col. Henry Little who lived there longer. Little was a veteran of the War of 1812 who moved to Bangor in 1836. He moved into the house sometime between 1844 and 1845. Col. Little was the founder and owner of Henry Little & Co., a nursery specializing in fruit trees, which was very successful and widely recognized.

Benjamin H. Mace House

DID YOU KNOW: The Benjamin H. Mace House located on State Street was built from 1867-1868. It became the first building of Bangor General Hospital in 1892. We now know Bangor General Hospital as Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center, and if you look carefully enough you can still see the original Mace House in the middle of the expansive campus. The gray stone used in its construction was taken from the stone ledge on the Penobscot River where the house stands.

The Tarratine Club

DID YOU KNOW: The Tarratine Club, Bangor’s “premier social club,” held its first meeting in 1884. The Tarratine Club was founded by Hannibal Hamlin and other Bangor gentlemen. The club was a popular place to gather to play cards and enjoy cocktails. The group was very active, and in 1907 built the building on Park Street that bears its name.

Nichols Block

DID YOU KNOW: Exchange Street was once the center of the Bangor social scene, filled with hotels and bars. The Nichols Block building on Exchange Street was designed by Wilfred Mansur and built in 1892. It survived both the Great Fire and urban renewal.

First National Bank was located on the ground floor of the Nichols Block on the corner of Exchange and York Streets. Upstairs is an event space that today still remains and is now home to the Bangor Arts Exchange, Bangor Symphony Orchestra, Launchpad, and others.

To get a flavor of the history all around you, check out these photos and the stories behind them that have been shared by the Bangor Historical Society. You can also check out the historical society’s Facebook page to see posts of historic homes and buildings and learn their histories. The historical society also has a video presentation that’s an adaptation of its architectural walking tour. Look for that in the videos section of the society’s Facebook page.

If you’re interested in learning about the history of your own home or business building, Bishop said, you may be able to find information through your local historical society by researching the deed at your county’s Registry of Deeds and by looking through old city directories at the library.